“Hey, Tessie,” said the big jock with a smile. “No need for menus. We’ll take the extra-large, thick-crust, with everything on it. Did ya hear how old Alec made the big play of the game?” He slapped Alec on the back. “Of course, I’m the one who made the touchdown, but who’s counting. Right?”
“Yeah, I heard,” Tess said taking drink orders. She got to Alec last. “And for you…sir?”
Alec smiled. “A cola.” He pointed to the blonde girl sitting next to him. “You know Betty, don’t you? Betty, this is Tess. We’re doing a science project together for Mr. Jenkins.”
Betty nodded, giving Tess a not unfriendly smile. “Hello, Tess. I think Alec spent more time talking about you at the dance than he did about the game.” She punched Alec in the arm. “He certainly spent little enough time talking about me.” She laughed. “And I got my hair done and everything.”
The idea that Alec had been talking about her caused a warm feeling to grow in Tess’s stomach. Sensing no hostility in Betty, she said, “Well, you look very nice. Maybe he just can’t appreciate a good thing when he sees it.”
“My sentiments exactly,” said Betty.
Betty, Wanda, and Scott laughed.
Tess thought she noticed Alec’s face turn red as she left the table. Good, Tess thought. That should keep his ego in check for a while. Serves him right for not even trying to ask me to the dance. She knew that wasn’t being fair, but at the moment she didn’t care.
* * *
By the time the last of the dance crowd left and the lights were turned off, Tess was more than ready to quit for the night and glad she’d finally let Mary convince her to spend the night at her house instead of making the trek back to the trailer.
Tomorrow morning’s soon enough to pick up my gear for the tournament. I can grab a shower and clean clothes before meeting Mrs. Walker at nine. There’ll be plenty of time.
As she walked out to the parking lot with Mary, a rusty pickup truck parked near her motorcycle caught Tess’s attention. Alec Johnson got out of the driver’s door.
“Hmm,” said Mary. “Looks like someone couldn’t wait until tomorrow to talk to you.” She gave a tired smile. “Do you want me to wait around?”
Shaking her head, Tess said, “No. I’ll be along shortly. You head on home. I’ll meet you there.”
“Well, you better be. Otherwise, I’ll have every cop in the county out looking for a rusty truck with a motorcycle thrown in the back.”
Tess laughed. “You do that.”
Once Mary got in her car, Alec started walking toward the motorcycle. He stopped a couple of steps away. “Sorry,” he said. “I, uh…”
“You what?” Tess said deciding to go on the offensive. She was tired and in no mood for games. “You just happened to be in the area at one in the morning and thought you’d stop by and say hi?”
“Uh, no. I mean, uh…”
Tess let him squirm for a few seconds, then said, “Relax. It was just a joke. Now, what’s so important it couldn’t wait until morning? Us poor working girls need our sleep, you know.”
Alec looked over at Mary’s car. The engine was running, but obviously she was going nowhere until Tess was ready to leave.
A mother hen to the end, Tess thought giving a tired smile.
“You’re right,” Alec said looking back at her. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow.” He turned to walk away.
Before Alec could take more than two steps, Tess found herself saying, “Hey, you’re already here.” She grew curious. “What did you want? Is it something about the rings?”
Turning back, Alec said, “No. Nothing like that. I was just curious what you were doing tomorrow. Scott’s dad has us entered in a martial arts tournament in Kernersville. I was wondering if you’d like to go. It’s not like it’s violent or anything. There’s some sparring, but the referees keep it pretty much under control.” He grinned. “Well, they do most of the time. Anyway, I just thought I’d ask.”
“Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Johnson? Are you sure you wouldn’t rather take Betty?”
Even in the light from the street lamp, Tess noticed the boy’s face take on a reddish tint.
“Hey, Betty and I are friends. That’s all. We’ve known each other since elementary school.”
“So what are you saying? Are you saying she’s good enough for the dance but not me? Are you saying I’m only suitable to take to some sparring match?”
The deer-in-the-headlight look on Alec’s face almost made Tess laugh, but she succeeded in keeping it smothered inside. Unsure why she was trying to make the boy squirm, she supposed it really was because he hadn’t actually tried to ask her to the dance. Even though she knew he’d already had Betty as a date when they’d first met at the library, Tess still thought he deserved a little squirming.
“Hey, sorry,” said Alec turning to leave again. “I told Scott this was a bad idea. I should have—”
That got Tess’s attention. “Scott? Are you telling me Scott talked you into asking me for a date? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Well, uh—”
“Now you listen here, Alec Johnson,” Tess said stepping close and poking him in the chest with two stiffened fingers. “If you want to ask me for a date sometime because you want to ask me, then just do it. You don’t need to wait for Scott to give you any ideas.”
“Fine,” Alec said turning red, but not from embarrassment. “So, do you want to go to the tournament with me or not?”
“Well, since you asked so nice,” Tess said, “I’m afraid I’ll have to decline.”
“All right then,” said Alec turning and heading for his truck. “Sorry I bothered you. Have a nice life.”
“Yeah, you too, rich boy.”
Tess waited until the taillights of the truck disappeared around the corner, then glanced over at Mary’s car. Mary started to get out, but Tess shook her head. Mounting her motorcycle, she slammed the kick start down hard. The cycle’s motor roared to life.
What a jerk, Tess thought as she followed Mary home. I’m glad to be rid of him.
The only problem was the nagging tug at her heartstrings. Tess knew she wasn’t glad at all.
* * *
The black SUV kept its lights off long after the car and motorcycle left the parking lot. From the passenger seat, Cynthia looked at Mick. “You’ve made a mess of things. We were only supposed to observe. Harrison’s furious. I told you to be discreet.”
“Hey,” said Mick. “How was I supposed to know the old drunk was going to come back so soon? I didn’t even know he was there until he walked through the door. What was I supposed to do? Let him walk back out? Besides, I thought it was the girl.”
“I’m not the one you need to explain it to. You’re just lucky the blizzard still has the passes blocked. If any of the colors were here, you’d be answering to them. Are you sure you took care of your mistake?”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” said Mick. “It’s all taken care of. No one will suspect a thing.”
Cynthia looked at her cellphone. “You’d best hope so. The colors are taking a southern route with the asset. They’ll be here Sunday evening at the latest. In the meantime, we’ll continue monitoring the targets.”
“So now what do we do?” asked Mick.
“We? You’ll drop me off at the safe house. Then you’ll return and spend the rest of the night watching the girl. Harrison’s got the imps on another mission. Thankfully, the orange one came back.” Cynthia eyed her driver. “You did place the tracer on the girl’s motorcycle, didn’t you? I hope you put a new battery in it this time. The thing had better work.”
“I did,” said Mick not looking forward to another boring stakeout. “It’ll work. I’d bet my life on it.”
“Oh, believe me,” Cynthia said. “You are.”
Chapter 25 – Training
______________________
Tired though she was, Tess rolled out of the guest bed early enough to eat
a quick bowl of cereal with Mary before heading back to the trailer. As she made the last turn before the mobile home came into view, she held out hope for seeing her dad’s truck parked in its usual spot. Her heart sank when all she saw was his bicycle leaning against the pole where she’d left it the day before.
What’d I expect? He’s probably in Seattle spending my money and having a good old time.
Once inside, Tess was greeted by warm air. I guess the heater’s working again. It’s almost as unreliable as Dad. She regretted the words as soon as she thought them. He wanted to try, I know it. All the talk about Mom and the rings got him stirred up. I’m as much to blame as him.
Tess took a quick shower, changed clothes, and was out the door in fifteen minutes flat. She rode her motorcycle toward town, making sure to stay well below the speed limit. As she approached the bridge where she’d seen Deputy Stewart on the previous day, Tess spied the front end of his patrol car. On a whim, she slowed down and pulled next to the cruiser, making sure she kept both hands on her handle bars where they could be easily seen. After she shut her engine off, the bear of a deputy rolled down his window sporting a wide grin.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Miss Wilkerson. Don’t tell me; let me guess. You’ve been speeding, and in a fit of remorse you stopped by to ask me for a ticket. Sorry, I’ve got to actually see you speed to give you a citation. Maybe another time.”
Ignoring the deputy’s poor attempt at humor, Tess said, “I was wondering if you’d seen anything of Dad.”
The deputy’s face lost its grin. “Sorry, Tess. The sheriff put out an alert on his truck yesterday, but no one’s seen or heard anything. You know, uh…”
Tess looked at the deputy. “I know. You don’t have to say it. He’s probably in Seattle.”
The deputy shrugged. “Or one of the other towns around here. John’s made a lot of drinking buddies in the short time he’s been in Covington.” Looking out the front window, Deputy Stewart drummed his fingers against the steering wheel before turning back to Tess. “I know he’s your dad, and to tell you the truth, I like the guy, but two thousand dollars is a big temptation to someone who likes his drink. I wouldn’t worry too much though. I suspect he’s holed up somewhere. He’ll probably show back up in a few days begging your forgiveness.”
“Yeah, I know,” Tess said not proud of the fact but knowing the deputy was most likely right. “Well, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know if you hear anything. He’s my dad after all.”
“I’ll do that,” promised Deputy Stewart. “We’ve got your cell number. Will you be working at Big Jack’s today?”
Tess shook her head. “No. I’ll be at the library this morning and at Kernersville Civic Center this afternoon.”
“Ah, the big karate tournament. My son wanted me to take him, but I’m working.”
Tess smiled. “Martial arts.”
“What?”
“It’s called a martial arts tournament. There are a lot more forms of martial arts than just karate.”
The deputy smiled. “I stand corrected.”
Tess studied the big deputy. “You should try and get off and take your son. It’s good discipline. If he’s got any interest in it, let me know. I could take him with me to class sometime.”
Deputy Stewart laughed and pointed at Tess’s motorcycle. “On that death trap? My wife would kill me. But you might be right about going to the tournament. Maybe I’ll see if I can con someone into trading shifts. It would be a nice surprise for my son.”
As Tess started her engine and began pulling away, the deputy leaned out the window and yelled, “Make sure you keep your speed down. I’ve already told my compatriots in Kernersville to keep their eyes out for the biker-girl from hell, so play nice.”
Tess gave a thumb’s up as she hit the road. She had a sudden urge to do a wheelie but forced the childish impulse back where it belonged. Although Deputy Stewart and she’d formed a bond of sorts during the times he’d brought her dad home, he was far from a friend.
Ten minutes later found Tess pulling into the library’s employee parking lot. She didn’t even have a chance to shut off the engine before the back door opened. Mrs. Walker came out dressed in jeans, boots, and a leather jacket with a devil riding a green dragon emblazoned across the back. She carried a small pack, which she threw over her shoulder. Pulling on two black leather gloves, the old woman headed in Tess’s direction.
More than a little shocked, Tess said, “I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you out of a business suit, Mrs. Walker. You look like you’re ready to ride with one of those California biker gangs you’re always warning me about so much.”
Mrs. Walker smiled. “I wasn’t always a librarian, Elizabeth. My sister and I both had our wild days. Now, if you toss me that extra helmet of yours, I’ll show you where we’re going.”
Unstrapping a second helmet off the back of her seat, Tess handed it to the woman.
“Go?” Tess asked. “I thought we were doing some kind of research together at the library.”
Mrs. Walker laughed. “Not hardly. I’ve got a few things I’d like to try with that ring of yours. The last place I want you experimenting with fire is around a bunch of flammable books.”
Unsure what the old lady had in mind but more than a little curious, Tess followed the librarian’s directions until they were well out of town. Taking a dirt road when told by her passenger, she found herself on a large gravel bar surrounded on three sides by rushing water.
“There,” said Mrs. Walker getting off the back of the cycle. “That should give us a good safety buffer as we practice.”
Dismounting, Tess eyed the old woman suspiciously. “Practice what? Do you know something I don’t?”
The librarian winked. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough, won’t we, dear?”
Tess noticed the old woman look around to see if someone might be watching. Apparently satisfied, Mrs. Walker removed her pack and knelt down in the middle of the gravel bar. She pulled two candles out of her pack along with a shoebox that had the bottom and one side cut out. Wedging the three-sided box into the gravel, the librarian placed the candles at opposite ends of the enclosure. After removing a charcoal lighter from her pack, she lit one of the candles. The three sides of the shoebox deflected what little wind there was.
Patting the ground next to her, Mrs. Walker said, “Kneel here beside me, Elizabeth. I want you to concentrate on the lit candle and move the flame over to the unlit one.”
“Uh, do what?”
The librarian looked up smiling. “Trust me, dear. Kneel beside me and give it a try. You might be surprised.”
Tess did as requested. After concentrating for a full thirty seconds, she wasn’t surprised when the second candle remained unlit. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Walker, but you’re asking the impossible.”
Reaching into her pack again, the librarian pulled out a tattered notebook. Opening it, she removed a sheet of paper. After spreading the paper on the ground in front of the shoebox, the librarian placed rocks on the four corners to hold it in place.
Tess glanced at the drawing. It appeared to be a pentagram with wavy lines on the inside. The design of the wavy lines reminded her of the etchings on her ring.
“So, what’s with the pentagram?” Tess asked.
Alec’s great-aunt traced the pentagram design with the tip of her left index finger. “From what I’ve found out during my research, each of the elemental rings has a design associated with it. The designs are supposed to help the ring bearers focus on the connection with their rings. You see, dear, it’s the connection between the wearer and the ring that activates the ring’s energy. The stronger the connection, the more powerful the energy produced by the ring.”
Tess stared at her ring. “Well, I guess that makes sense. What are my ring’s abilities? I know it keeps me from getting burned, and I was able to see at night that one time. What else does it do?”
Mrs. Walker chuckled. “My dear Elizab
eth, I haven’t the foggiest.” She pointed at the candles; one burning and one not. “You’ve got the Fire Ring, so I thought perhaps working with a small flame might be a good place to start.”
Tess looked at the old librarian in a new light. “That seems logical, I guess. So how does the pentagram fit in?”
The old lady flipped through the notebook revealing other pages of drawings. “Now, that’s where things get sketchy,” admitted Mrs. Walker. “My best guess is that you need to concentrate on the design that’s associated with your ring at the same time as you’re trying to imagine what you want done. Oh, and you need to seek out your connection with the ring at the same time.”
“How?”
The librarian shrugged. “Beats me, dear. My advice is just to give it your best shot.”
With nothing to lose, Tess concentrated on the pentagram. At the same time, she imagined the flame from the first candle jumping to the second and lighting it on fire. Nothing happened. She concentrated so hard her hands began shaking as beads of sweat formed on her brow. After a full minute, she gave up.
“I’m sorry,” Tess said. “Nothing’s happening.”
Mrs. Walker flashed a kind smile. “Don’t feel bad, dear. You know what they say; Rome wasn’t built in a day. Now, I know I’m not the one wearing the ring, but I’ve been thinking how you said you could see in the dark the other night. Did you notice anything different then? In the ring, I mean.”
Thinking back, Tess tried to remember the details of her experience. “Well, I remember that my right hand and arm got very warm. When the warmth spread to my entire body, I could see in the dark. But I don’t think—”
Placing a hand on Tess’s shoulder, Mrs. Walker said, “Don’t overthink it, Elizabeth. You’re already connected to the ring. Let the connection find you. Use the pentagram to call it. Feel what you felt that night.”
Fire Defender Page 16
