Faerie Dust Dead (The Luna Devere Series Book 2)

by J. M. Griffin

  Blue eyes that took on the appearance of obsidian ice gazed at me through his narrowed lids. Calis was pissed – but then, so was I.

  “I wasn’t there to help you if you’d been under attack by the ‘scaly monster.’ Was it black, by any chance?”

  I nodded and thought of the eyes that had glared at me from within the scariest face I’d ever seen. I looked at Calis and the thought struck me like a bolt of lightning. Those eyes were as blue as the ones staring at me now. I studied his dark hair, long-fingered hands and knew I was onto something.

  It occurred to me that I was being played by more than one entity, and wondered why. After having had my ex-husband try and take my property out from under me awhile back, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone was trying a similar feat by driving me mad. It wasn’t surprising to think someone was scaring the daylights out of me by using pixies and mind games for weapons.

  I inclined my head slightly and said, “Where were you this afternoon?”

  “Around,” he answered.

  I glanced at my watch and stood up, “I’ll do my best to stay away from the woods. I must get back to work.”

  He nodded, watched me closely, and then left me at the door. He walked away without a backward glance. Anger mounted as I thought about him being behind these worrisome events. With a shake of my head and a hefty sigh, I returned to my customers and chatted them up while making my way across the room.

  Our workday had ended with Leslie wishing us well. She had stayed all afternoon instead of leaving when her shift ended, for which I was extremely grateful. Cupcake sales had gone on until the cases were nearly empty. I’m not complaining, I’m thrilled when the cakes are gone. It means less for me to dispose of, or eat, and with time at a premium and my waist at risk, I was happy with sales.

  We flopped into chairs, weary, but smiling. Stephanie stood at the door awaiting her mother.

  “How did my mother do today?” she asked while Leslie retrieved her coat from the hall closet.

  Annie sat up and gave Stephanie a wide grin. “That woman never blinked an eyelash when the cars emptied and crowds bustled in. She’s a blessing, for sure.”

  Her laughter filled the room as Stephanie watched her mother wend her way through tables. “I’m ready to go home,” Leslie said with a chuckle. “This is the best fun I’ve had in ages. See you tomorrow, Luna.”

  The three of us watched the duo amble to the car, Leslie talking all the while.

  Chapter 9

  Aware I’d let the help down, I remarked brightly, “Leslie worked her heart out today, didn’t she?”

  Dilly answered, “She sure saved our bologna.” She left the table, gathered her coat and purse, and trundled out the back door with a wave of her hand and a promise to see us tomorrow.

  Annie swiftly responded with, “I don’t know what’s got you so bothered, Luna, but you’d better sort it out. We can’t hold the business together forever while you dash out the door on a whim. And what is this Calis character all about, anyway? I’m sure Devin would have a fit if he was here.”

  Okay, so I was being reprimanded. Knowing I deserved it, I’d placed my responsibilities on the shoulders of those who shouldn’t have to carry it. This was my business, not someone else’s. I’d built it from the ground up with hard work, delectable cupcakes, and a personal touch that brought folks back again and again.

  “You’re right. I’ve been foolish. There’s something going on that’s bugging the crap out of me.”

  “Tell me, then. I’m all ears,” Annie said as she poured tea and set a steaming cup of tea in front of me, followed by a cupcake.

  Before long, I’d revealed everything. Starting from the moment I’d set eyes on Calis right down to the weird way Ari was behaving. Annie listened in her no-nonsense way of dealing with life. Her rapt attention somehow made me feel better. When I’d finished the entire story, she leaned back in the chair, sipped her tea, and then spoke her mind.

  “I think you have another person who has plans for taking what you own. This Calis guy is always hanging about. I see him when I leave at night. He doesn’t think I notice, or maybe he doesn’t care if I do, but either way, he’s always close by. Kind of a stalker – you know?”

  “I wasn’t aware he was hovering. It’s good to know,” I said.

  “Luna, I think he wants to scare you off the property. I heard a customer talking to her friend yesterday. I didn’t give it any thought then, but now I think it’s important. The land between this place and Arianna’s has always been wooded and protected by a landowner. It seems he’s passed on to greener pastures so to speak and his son is looking to utilize the land. The problem is the land can’t be sold, but can be used in other ways.”

  Jittery just thinking about the possibilities, I asked, “Did the customer know what the heir plans to do?”

  “No, the conversation ended there.” Annie plucked at her napkin and then asked, “How do you feel this connects to the faeries dying off?”

  “If I remember correctly, I met the land owner when I first moved to town. I don’t recollect his name, but he attended the council meeting when I proposed my business venture. I needed approval to open this shop and had the architectural plans to show everyone. He was very interested in the fact that I wanted to keep the grounds natural or change as little space as possible of the surrounding sides and rear of the building.”

  I smiled, reflecting on our conversation after the license had been approved. “We spoke while everyone left the meeting. He murmured something about faeries, and I grinned like a fool. He gave me a knowing look, and said he’d heard I was a believer. That’s why he’d agreed to allow me to open this business. Imagine that? He knew just by looking at me.”

  “That doesn’t explain why this man, Calis, has been making a nuisance of himself. And, what’s going on with Arianna? She was always a bit strange, you know. I don’t think she has all her eggs in one bowl, you know what I mean? Even as a child, she was odd. The kids always said she was a witch and treated her as though she’d turn them into frogs if they crossed her. The town was smaller then, and parents were more involved with what their children did. Still,” Annie shrugged, “kids are cruel and Arianna bore the brunt of that.”

  Knowing what Annie was getting at, I felt sorry for Arianna. She and I had more in common than I’d thought, though I wasn’t quite as weird as she was. At least, I didn’t think so.

  “Maybe we should learn who Calis really is and what he’s all about. Why don’t you talk to Dilly and see what she can find out.” I put my hands up when Annie shook her head. “We’ll take her information with a grain of salt. There’s always a nugget of truth in what she tells us, but also a lot of crap. It’s simply a matter of having to dig to find the bit of gold. In the meantime, I’ll ask Stephanie what she knows about the property and toss Calis’s name in for good measure. I can’t wait to hear what she says.”

  “If you think poking around is a good idea, then I’m in. You be careful, Luna. It wouldn’t do for you to come to any harm because we’ve acted on impulse,” Annie warned.

  I mentioned my proposed visit to Devin this weekend and said, “William and Ida have settled into their new home. Devin’s been working hard to make it the gorgeous place they both want, and I wondered if you’d take care of Riddles for me? I’ll be back home by Sunday evening.”

  “Sure thing. I hope you’ll tell Devin what’s going on. He’ll give you sound advice, I just know it. By the way, when do you plan to get married?”

  I shrugged. “We’ll discuss that while I’m there. He hadn’t planned on being away this long.” Wistful – I couldn’t help being lonely without my handsome man nearby and in my bed.

  “I’m glad you’ve told me what’s been happening. I was mighty worried about you. Dilly wouldn’t stop asking me about you and your plans, even for a second, either.” Annie’s gaze swept the room. “Let’s get this mess cleaned up before I go on my way.”

  “Nah, you go ahead
home,” I insisted. “I’ll get things put to rights, and stock the shelves. It’s been a long day for you and the others. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate all the hard work you’ve put in here at the Junction.”

  Annie nodded, gave my shoulder a squeeze, and let herself out. I locked the front and side doors, allowed Riddles to have run of the place and started to clean. An hour or so later, I’d finished up and took time to sit on the rear porch with a cup of tea in hand and a sandwich for supper. I laughed as Riddles feebly attempted to catch faeries, or anything else that moved, including leaves that fluttered in the cool, autumn breeze. Happily, I munched my cheese and tomato sandwich, enjoying the taste of wholesome food, rather than the sweetness of faerie cakes.

  A blue faerie perched on the porch railing. Her lovely wings folded and tucked behind her. Almond shaped eyes viewed me as she smiled.

  “Happy, you seem,” she said in a lilting voice.

  “I am. May I ask you a question, sweet faerie?” I murmured softly.

  She dipped her head and waited.

  “My friend Arianna has been using faerie dust in her art work. She claims she has an agreement with the faeries. Is that true?”

  “Untrue, it is.”

  Surprised at the answer, I said, “I’ve been told that some faeries have died from losing too much dust. I’m worried.”

  Her wings fluttered a bit and then settled against her back once more. With wide eyes, the blue faerie assured me, “We die not. Lies, you’ve been told. Wily and beguiling, we are. Fear not, Luna.”

  “Calis believes you’re being drained of dust and then die due to the lack of it,” I said softly.

  “Lose much dust, we can. Die, we won’t.”

  “I saw dust on rocks and shrubs in the forest. Where did it come from, dear faerie?”

  She shrugged one tiny shoulder. “Two faeries, a disagreement they had. Foolish, they are.”

  The blue faerie balanced on the rail with her wings stretched outward. Suddenly, she lifted into the air.

  “Before you go, may I ask one more thing?” I had a ton of questions, but knew better than to press the faerie for all of them.

  She inclined her head, while she drifted gently on the breeze.

  “Who is Dona DeMaie?”

  “Trickster faerie, she is.” The faerie glanced to the left and sang, “Beware, Luna. Comes this way, he does.”

  My eyes slid to the left, I studied the grounds and trees. Calis stepped from behind tall bushes and walked toward me. Riddles stood just behind the post at the top step, his fur puffed and electrified, his claws at the ready with his ears flattened against his head.

  When Calis reached the stairs, Riddles launched forward onto the front of Calis’s jacket. Growling deep in his throat, the cat hung haphazardly as his claws sank ever deeper in the fabric, all the while Calis tried to free himself of the beast and jumped around as though someone pulled marionette strings. If I’d not been horrified by Riddles behavior, I would have burst out laughing. Instead, I hid my grin and hurried down the steps to remove the animal from the front of Calis’s jacket.

  Once Riddles had withdrawn his sharp claws from the cloth, I scolded him gently and put him in the house. He was better off behind closed doors and away from Calis. When I returned, my grin wider than it had been, I watched Calis brush cat hair from his clothing, and murmured, “Sorry about that. He just doesn’t seem to like you for some reason. Any idea why?”

  “He’s a beast, and if you’re not careful, someone will call the animal control people and he’ll be put down for his actions,” Calis said huffily.

  “You seem to be the only person who evokes that reaction from him. He’s never reacted in such a manner toward anyone else,” I remarked. With a sly glance, I continued, “It’s well-known that animals instinctively know whether a person is good or bad – so which are you, Calis?”

  He stared and then smiled. It wasn’t a mean smile, or snarky, but cold, real cold. “I’d have thought you’d know the answer to that by now.” On that note, he turned and walked around the side of the building.

  I heard a car engine rev and tires screech as he drove from the parking lot. Instantly, I went inside, locked up and picked up the phone. Stephanie answered the police dispatchers’ line, asked for my name and the problem.

  “Steph, it’s me, Luna. I have a favor to ask.”

  “What can I help you with?” she asked with a note of curiosity in her voice.

  It took some innovation on my part to explain exactly what I wanted without telling her of faeries, pixies, monsters and such. When I mentioned Calis and Arianna, I heard her sharp intake of breath.

  “What’s the matter?” I asked.

  “You’d do well to steer clear of Arianna. I’ll dig around and find out what I can about the old guy who passed on and what he wanted done with the property. Do you have his son’s name?” Stephanie asked.

  “Unfortunately not. I didn’t really know his father, I’d met him briefly when I first moved to town and I’ve never even seen his son.”

  “No problem, Luna. I’ll ask the guys on shift when they come in. They’ll know better than I would about what’s going on around town. It’s department policy to do community policing by way of showing up at schools to chat with teachers and kids, visit businesses, and keeping an eye on properties that lay empty. I’ll get back to you.”

  “Great, thanks. Your mother was extremely helpful today, she’s going to work out well.”

  Her chuckle crossed the line before Stephanie murmured, “She enjoyed herself, and that’s the best thing that could happen to her right now. Again, stay away from the woods, Luna, and as far away from Arianna as you can. I’m serious.”

  “Sure thing; good advice. Thanks again,” I said and rang off.

  Pensive, I mulled over the advice to stay out of the woodland and away from Arianna, advice given by so many. I still had the phone in my hand and immediately dialed Devin’s cell phone number. He answered on the first ring.

  “Hello, beautiful. What’s going on?” he asked.

  “I have some questions and this time I want answers. No fooling around, Devin, I’m serious about this.”

  His hesitation was frustrating, and I worked at tamping the my disappointment down. When he agreed to answer whatever I asked, I shot him the first question about Arianna.

  “Why do you keep advising to me steer clear of Ari?” I asked.

  “She was implicated in the murder of Stephanie Jones’s father, but before that, there was speculation that she had something to do with my wife’s accident. Even as a kid, she was never right, you know what I mean? She always talked about magic and acted bizarre. It wasn’t just that she was creepy about the faeries, it was as though she stepped from a Stephen King novel. That’s the kind of bizarre I’m talking about.”

  “I see. Was she ever given any help, I mean by way of mental health help?” I asked.

  “I don’t think her parents did a thing for her. They were fairly eccentric, as well. They died in a house fire when she was around twenty. She had another house built on the same spot after the insurance company paid up. That’s when she became more peculiar. My wife felt bad for Arianna and befriended her.”

  “How long after they became friends did your wife die?” I did the math to figure out how old Ari was compared to me. Since I was younger that either Devin or his wife would be now, I realized Ari was in her thirties.

  “About two years, if I remember correctly. Why all these questions, Luna?”

  “I’ve been told over and over to keep Ari at a distance and that the woods between our properties are dangerous. There have been some incidents that have scared me, and I’m unwilling to let them slide anymore.”

  “What kind of incidents are you talking about? More serious than the break-in you had?” Devin asked.

  I explained the series of events that took place on the wooded path, the faerie who’d told me about the trickster faerie, and then I mention
ed Calis.

  “Calis? Calis who?” he demanded to know.

  “Some mysterious guy walked into the shop one day and began telling me about faerie dust theft being the cause of faerie deaths – I’ve explained all that already. He shows up around closing time – Annie thinks he’s a stalker, and the cat attacked him earlier. He’s petrified of Riddles, and I guess he should be.” I snickered at the memory of Riddles clinging to Calis’s jacket.

  “That name sounds familiar to me. Are you sure he’s not from town?” Devin asked.

  “I have no idea. He could be. But though the town is small, there are people living here that I’ve never met unless they’ve come into the Junction. As you know, I don’t get out much. I did ask Calis his last name and he refused to tell me. I think he was being cryptic, but I never pressed him about it. I’m having difficulty keeping up with all that’s happening and running the business, too. Anyway, Stephanie Jones is looking into him and Arianna for me.”

  “You’re sure you’ve never met Calis before?” Devin persisted.

  “Not until the day he intruded upon my life. If you were here, you’d have made short work of him, especially after what I went through last summer. When will you be back?” I asked hopefully.

  “Soon, very soon. Count on it. I’ve put my foot down on more and more changes to the house. Not that I don’t adore my former mother-in-law, but enough is enough, and you sound as though you could use some help right about now. Hang in there and I’ll see you by mid-week, okay?”

  Blissful, I sighed, my heart swelled, and I nearly jumped for joy. “Wonderful news. I can hardly wait.”

  “Take care, and remember, I love you.”

  “I needed to hear that, Devin. I worried that you’d insist we close the Junction and move away. I really didn’t want to and hoped you wouldn’t force me to make a decision that would surely change our lives. Come home soon and I’ll be careful in the meantime, I promise.” I hung up and danced gleefully around the room before adding finishing touches to the tables. The intended surprise of popping in to see Devin, William and Ida no longer needed consideration. Though I’d longed to see them, the drive to and from their home was long and chores at the Junction would have had to wait.