Would-Be Witch

by Kimberly Frost

“How do you know? That’s a good question. ’Cause it sure seems like whatever I do gets right back to you. You’ve got more spies than the CIA.”

  “There you go exaggerating again. Now tell me about this ghost.” He poured coffee into a mug and held it out to me. I took it, feeling strange about having this conversation with him. He’d never wanted to hear about Edie, and when he and I were breaking up, any mention of her had made him furious. Seeing my hesitation, he added, “C’mon, Tammy Jo, this is your big chance to tell me all about her.”

  Something in his tone rubbed me the wrong way. “Maybe I’m past wanting to tell you about her.”

  “You want me to find the locket for you or not?”

  However uncomfortable I was about talking to him about Edie, I couldn’t let it get in the way of his doing his job. I needed that locket found.

  “There’s not much to say that has anything to do with all this. She died a long time ago when she was twenty-four years old. The locket was her sister’s. They were close and when Edie died, she attached herself to it. It might be that wherever she was supposed to go didn’t want her or she didn’t want it. But anyway, she’s never left this world, or almost never left it. Except this one bad night of a Bryan Adams concert in 1984.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It’s why I’m worried. I don’t know what keeps her here, whether it’s blood or memories or what. But something terrible will happen to her if she tries to appear and none of us has the locket. Back in the eighties, Momma and Aunt Mel shared the locket, and sometimes when they weren’t wearing it, they left it lying around. Well, Aunt Mel’s friend Lisa picked it up and put it on. They all went out, and Aunt Mel didn’t remember to get the locket back, even though they knew it wasn’t supposed to get taken anywhere without one of us.

  “That night Momma and Mel had terrible nightmares and woke up hearing Edie screaming. She was being churned up and pulled into some hall of horrors. They ran out of the house, crying and hysterical. It was raining, and Momma crashed their car into a tree. Aunt Mel smashed her head against the windshield and was bleeding, but Momma couldn’t even stay with her because she couldn’t stand the shrieking. By the time she got to Lisa’s house though, it all stopped.

  “And when she got the locket, it was cold and dead, and Momma said she thought she’d die right along with Edie. She and Aunt Mel couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. They were so heartbroken.

  “They called a ghost to make sure Edie made it to the other side, and it told them she wasn’t totally gone. So they did something to call her back.”

  “Like what?” Zach asked. “A séance?”

  I ignored the question because I still didn’t like his tone. “So they pulled her back, but she wasn’t the same. She used to talk and joke with them, tell stories, and give advice. But when she came back after that night, she would only stay in corners and sit curled up with her head down. She didn’t talk or look at them for almost a year.”

  “Later, when she was a little better, she told them that it happened when she’d started to appear and couldn’t tell where she was. She couldn’t get her energy together. It was like being ripped apart by claws and sharp teeth she said. Well, Momma and Aunt Mel never took the locket off again. When one took a shower, the other wore it.

  “When Momma and Aunt Mel left town, they gave it to me for safekeeping while they’re gone. I promised I wouldn’t take it off, and I didn’t voluntarily.” I shook my head angrily. “Those bandits, the bastards. I’ve got to get that locket back before she tries to come out. I just have to.” I took a deep breath to compose myself as Zach watched me with a guarded expression. “I need it back before October twenty-fourth. It’s an important anniversary.” Edie’s birthday as a witch. The day she’d successfully cast her first spell. “She always comes to visit on that day.”

  “C’mon,” Zach said, getting up. “Let’s go take a ride.”

  “A re you on duty?” I asked.

  “Not officially, but you know I’m always on duty for you, darlin’.”

  Yeah, right.

  Chapter 15

  Johnny Nguyen was about as likely a crime boss as Mickey Mouse, but I didn’t argue with Zach when he pulled up in front of Johnny’s house. Johnny redecorated about once every six months, and I was looking forward to seeing what he’d done this time. My favorite had been the Bavarian lodge look. He’d had me make him a dish of pastries every week. I heard he had to crank up his air-conditioning to get all the heavy fabrics to work, so I guess it wasn’t too practical.

  Johnny’s slate blue BMW was parked in front, so I rang the bell several times. Finally, he opened the door partway, but the chain was still firmly in place.

  “Oh, hello, Tammy Jo,” he said with a smile. He had a dark red smudge at the lower edge of his mouth. Candy apple? No, lipstick. Yikes!

  “Hey.”

  “I sick with the flu. Come see me in salon next week.”

  Zach gently bumped me aside so that he could peer in through the crack at Johnny.

  “We really need to talk to you today,” Zach said.

  “Oh, Deputy Sutton, it you. Such great hair, but it a little long. You should come and see me next week with Tammy Jo. I cut your hair free of charge.”

  “That’s a generous offer, and I appreciate it, but I really just need to talk to you. Today.”

  “Just a minute then. I be right back.” Johnny closed the door, and Zach scowled.

  “I think maybe he’s been trying on makeup. He’s probably embarrassed,” I said.

  “Him, embarrassed? I don’t think so.” Zach grinned. “He got drunk one night and propositioned the sheriff in front of Miss Marlene.”

  “What’d the sheriff do? Arrest him?”

  “Hell, no. And have to do the paperwork on that?” Still smiling, Zach shook his head. “The sheriff just went the other way like the bar was on fire.”

  I giggled. “Johnny’s like five feet one and a hundred pounds. It’s funny that you guys are so intimidated.”

  Zach rolled his eyes. “Intimidated? Yeah, right. Hell, if I clocked him one, I’d probably kill him.”

  “That’s why you better never do it.”

  “Not plannin’ to. He’s a nice enough guy. Just can’t hold his liquor, and he needs to remember he’s in Duvall, Texas, not San Francisco. Howard Smith wanted to kick his ass when Johnny tried to flirt with Big Howard in front of Anita. Took Kenny and me both to hold him back.”

  “Johnny probably gets lonely here.”

  The front door opened, and Johnny stood before us in red silk pajamas and a matching kimono robe. I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep myself from laughing as I glanced over at Zach’s face.

  “Come in,” he said.

  The place was Moroccan-themed just like I’d heard from the rumors around town. Amethyst and garnet beads hung from the ceiling and plush jewel-tone pillows in ruby and sapphire surrounded a small carved table on the floor. I stood admiring the old metal lanterns and the gorgeous hand-beaded fabrics with elaborate patterns. It was all amazing.

  Zach, who’s about as exotic as apple pie, stood in the doorway, looking like he thought even setting foot inside might corrupt him in some terrible way.

  “We just need to ask you a couple of questions. Do you know anyone in San Antonio?”

  “Oh, San Antonio Riverwalk. Very nice. Yes, I have some friend there.”

  “Have any of them been to town to visit you recently?”

  “No. Deputy, please, air-conditioning.” Johnny waved Zach inside.

  Zach closed the door behind him.

  “Excuse please. Need Kleenex in kitchen,” Johnny said, and when he turned I caught a glimpse of the chain around his neck. Old metal loops interlinked with white crystals. It was the chain that had held the Edie locket for the past five years.

  I felt all the blood drain to my feet. First, Dr. Barnaby. Now Johnny Nguyen Ho. Was there anyone in town I could trust? Any friend that wouldn’t completely betray me? />
  “Tammy Jo?” Zach said, moving close to me.

  Johnny had already gone into the kitchen.

  “He’s wearing the necklace.” I sat down hard on the pillows. It was a long way to fall.

  “You’re sure?”

  I nodded.

  “I’ll get it.” Zach squared his shoulders and marched down the short hall to the kitchen. I heard a startled shout from Johnny, followed by some rapid Vietnamese. Then Zach shouted, and a moment later I heard a muffled exchange and Zach stalked back out. He pulled me up by the arms.

  “Did you get it?”

  “He wasn’t wearing any necklace.”

  “He was. He must have taken it off.”

  “He says he doesn’t have it.”

  “Well, he put it somewhere. In a drawer or something,” I said as Zach hauled me toward the front door.

  “Stop. I’m not leaving without—”

  “We’re not staying.” Zach yanked the door open and pulled me out with him.

  “What are you doing?” I yelled.

  “He has company. A guy dressed—There’s no way we’re playing ‘find the locket’ today.”

  “I don’t care if he’s got damned Osama Bin Laden in a daffodil print dress, I’m not leaving.”

  “What are you going to do? You can’t search his place. And neither can I without a warrant.”

  “So we’re just going to leave? We’re just going to give him time to hide it somewhere good?”

  “I’ll talk to the sheriff. I’ll tell him you saw the stolen property, but Johnny stashed it somewhere. They’ll give me a warrant, and I’ll come back.”

  “And what if he gives it to his boyfriend, and his boyfriend leaves town?”

  “You want to stay and stake the place out?”

  “I, at least, want to talk to him before I just go on home to wait for some stupid warrant.”

  Zach gave Johnny’s front door an appraising look, then scowled and marched back over to it. I followed. He banged his fist against the door.

  Johnny opened it warily.

  “If you have something that belongs to my wife, I suggest you give it back.”

  “I never steal anything. Never.”

  “Johnny, I saw the necklace,” I said.

  “I no steal. You insult me very much.”

  “Where did you get it?” I asked.

  “Not wearing—”

  I leaned forward. “Listen to me,” I whispered. “I don’t care where you got it. Honestly, I don’t. But I need it back. If you ever want us to see Edie again, you have to give it back to me. She needs for me to have the locket or her whole soul will get, like, ripped to pieces and evaporate.”

  “I not have your necklace.”

  “Okay. Okay, you don’t have it. But if you did know who had it, you could just tell them to give it back. To put it in my mailbox or leave it in an envelope on my doorstep. I wouldn’t ask any questions.”

  “I go now. Sick with flu, remember,” he said, backing up and closing the door.

  “He understands. He’ll give it back. He has to,” I mumbled to myself, ambling back over to the car.

  Zach got in, shaking his head.

  “What?”

  “Never mind,” he said and shuddered.

  “The boyfriend was pretty?”

  He shook his head. “There’s a real good reason men don’t put makeup on. Butt-ugly and freakish. I very nearly pulled my gun.”

  In spite of myself and the dire situation with the locket, I chuckled. He frowned. I giggled softly, then louder.

  “Girl, don’t start.”

  I clamped a hand over my mouth, but my shoulders shook as I laughed silently.

  “We’re going to Jammers. I need a beer.”

  Several of the patrons of Jammers had big brown splotches on their foreheads, and every one of them gave me an evil look. I slid into a booth and waved at Georgia Sue. She and Kenny owned Jammers, the favorite bar in town. As usual, the place was full.

  “You want wings?” she called to us over the noise.

  Zach nodded, holding up two fingers. He called the station on his cell phone and explained about needing a warrant for Johnny Nguyen’s, but with the judge still out of town, it wasn’t clear when that would happen.

  A few minutes later, Georgia sashayed over with a tray and put down two baskets of spicy buffalo wings, a bottle of Armadillo Ale for Zach and a frozen margarita for me.

  I took a gulp of my drink. “I think Johnny Nguyen Ho was behind the robbery at your party.”

  “What?” She dropped onto the bench next to me, and I told her about seeing the chain.

  “You’re sure it was the same one? I mean really sure? He’s got that place all fixed up like India.”

  “Morocco.”

  “And I heard there are beads everywhere. So maybe it just looked like your necklace.”

  I took another big swallow of my drink and shook my head. “If it had been another necklace, he wouldn’t have taken it off and hidden it in the kitchen. He knows he did wrong. I just hope he feels guilty enough to give it back. Other wise . . .”

  “Otherwise what?”

  “Otherwise, I’m going to have to go get it.”

  “How? And can I come? I really want to see all those beads. Not to mention whatever kind of trouble you unload on him.”

  “Georgia Sue, don’t encourage her,” Zach said.

  She fixed Zach with a look. “Well, he’s got her necklace, Zach. You’re her man. Just exactly what are you going to do about it?”

  Zach raised his eyebrows and took a swig of his beer. “What would you like to see? Should I string him up by the nearest tree?”

  “Now, I don’t think we have to go that far,” she said.

  “Tar and feathers? A bullet—”

  Georgia Sue clucked her tongue. “You’re in an evil mood tonight.”

  “That’s true enough. I just been to hell, and it looks a whole lot like Morocco these days. Get me another cold one, will you?”

  Georgia Sue nodded and hopped up.

  Zach leaned forward to say something but stopped when a tall man with greasy, shoulder-length brown hair passed the table slowly, staring at me the whole time.

  “You know him?” Zach asked.

  I shook my head.

  “Well then, that just wasn’t polite, now was it?” Zach said, voice low and menacing.

  I could see where this was headed. He was still wound up from Johnny’s, and a confrontation would suit him just fine as a way to blow off steam.

  “You know it’s getting late. I should be getting home to check on Mercutio.”

  “That wildcat? Like he needs you babysitting. He’ll be taking down livestock in a couple weeks.”

  I opened my mouth to explain that Mercutio was just a baby, but I never got a chance to speak because Bryn Lyons walked up.

  “I need to speak to you,” Bryn said.

  “She’s busy. Having dinner with me,” Zach said through clenched teeth.

  “Dinner?” Bryn asked, glancing at the wings dismissively.

  “That’s right. Sometimes us poor folk have bar food for dinner. Now, why don’t you take your rich ass back to Dallas and pick up another deb with a price tag hangin’ from her nose, and leave the real women in town to the real men in town?”

  “If she prefers your company to mine, that’s her unimaginable choice. But I do need to speak to her, if, that is, you’re not too insecure to let her do that for five minutes.”

  Zach laughed. “Still sore that the prettiest girl in town never gave you the time of day? Can’t say as I blame you.” Zach paused. “You can talk to her if she wants to talk to you. It’s a free country, after all. Plenty of my family died to make sure of that.”

  Bryn rolled his eyes and leaned toward me, sliding a hand under the booth’s table. He pressed his hand to mine, and I felt several small cool objects fall into my hand.

  “They’re here,” he whispered, making my spine tremble. Then
he turned and walked away.

  I glanced down into my upturned palm where several silver bullets lay. From the look of them, they were .38 caliber.

  A memory of the bloody muzzles of those wolves from the witches’ meeting flashed in my head, making me as scared as a turkey on Thanksgiving morning.

  “Zach, what kind of gun do you carry?”