The Curse Breakers

by Denise Grover Swank

  “You didn’t get them.”

  He shook his head. “No. They got away. I’m sorry.”

  I took a deep breath. Collin was right. I was in deep trouble.

  Tom’s back stiffened. He was in full Manteo Police Officer mode. “I need to get a statement of everything that has happened to you up until now. And you might need to go to Buxton and Morehead City to give statements there too.”

  My eyes flew open. “Why?”

  “You said they tried to abduct you in Morehead City. We don’t have jurisdiction there.”

  I shook my head vigorously. “No. I’m not going to press charges.” I didn’t have time to travel hours away, and undoubtedly it would get messy with everything else I was dealing with.

  “Ellie,” Tom groaned in exasperation.

  “I’ll tell you what happened, but no one else. And I don’t want to go down to the station. I want to give you my statement at the inn.”

  “That’s a lot of conditions, Ellie.”

  “Do you want me to cooperate or not?”

  His eyes narrowed. “If you don’t cooperate, I can have you detained overnight for obstruction of justice. Or filing a false police report.”

  “I didn’t even file a police report!”

  “You made an accusation that involved a high-speed car chase. Don’t think I won’t lock you up to prove my point.”

  If Tom locked me up, I’d be safe from Marino’s men, but I’d be totally at the mercy of the spirits without the protections on my door and the salt around my windows. I sighed. “Will you meet me at the inn or not?”

  “Yes. Fine.” He released a heavy breath and glanced out at the parking lot. “I’ll meet you there in an hour.”

  On the short drive to the bed and breakfast, I sorted through the story I planned to tell Tom. I’d been mulling it over for the last hour of my shift, but I still hadn’t worked out all the details. I couldn’t tell him everything, of course, and I needed to decide whether to include Collin. Instinct told me to keep him out of it, if nothing else than because of his criminal record. But I wasn’t sure how my story would make sense without him.

  When he arrived, we sat down in the living room of the residential house. I hoped the researchers didn’t come back early. The last thing I needed was for them to see me delivering a statement to a uniformed policeman. And I sure didn’t want to worry Myra. “Tom, whatever I tell you, you can’t tell Myra. She’s upset enough over Daddy. There’s no need to involve her.”

  “I can’t guarantee anything,” he said with a nod. “But I’ll do my best.”

  It was all I could ask. “I’m not sure where to start.”

  “Why don’t you start by telling me how you ended up in Buxton.”

  “I’d heard about a loan shark there. We were behind on the mortgage, so I sold him a pair of silver candlesticks.”

  “How did you hear about the loan shark? Why not somewhere closer? There’s a couple of pawnshops in Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk.”

  I shrugged. “A customer at the New Moon told me about him.”

  “And who was this customer?”

  “I don’t know,” I said in exasperation. “Just some guy. I heard him tell his friend about hocking something to a guy in Buxton. He said he bought stuff for top dollar. So I got the guy’s information and took the candlesticks to him.”

  “Can Myra corroborate this?”

  My eyebrows rose. “Am I under suspicion for anything?”

  His face hardened. “I just want to make sure I have all the facts.”

  My gaze shifted to the doorway. I resisted the urge to cringe when I noticed that David was standing in the foyer. Our eyes locked and his eyebrows rose slightly. I gave him a slight nod. I wanted him to hear this. “She knows I sold the candlesticks to get money, but she has no idea who I sold them to and I don’t want her to know.”

  Tom shifted in his seat. “Who did you take them to?”

  “A guy named Marino. He works in the back of a nasty thrift store.”

  “Why are his men after you?”

  “I told you, Marino thought I was part of something he called the Ricardo deal.”

  Tom’s eyes lit up. “Are you?”

  I shuddered in surprise. Tom obviously had some idea what it was. Now I was even more curious. “No. The first time I heard of the Ricardo deal was when I showed up at his warehouse. I got away, but his men have been asking around about me ever since. He knew I’d pawned stuff in Kill Devil Hills, which is how he tracked me here.”

  “What were you doing in Morehead City?”

  Damn it. Why had I told him that part? I paused, trying to come up with a story, knowing I was starting to look more suspicious with each second. “I was there with a guy.”

  “Why the hesitation?”

  “Because I’m worried this is all going to get back to Myra. I had just broken up with Dwight and . . .” I sighed and clasped my hands together. “Myra already thinks I date too many guys, but I don’t usually run off and shack up with one the day after I met him.”

  He tilted his head. “Is that what you did? Shack up with a guy the day after you met?”

  My eyes were drawn to David’s expressionless face. He was standing several feet outside the doorway and to the side.

  Too late now.

  I lifted my chin. Guys slept around all the time. Why should I be ashamed? “Yeah, I did. I met him in Buxton at a bar and he took me to a motel in Morehead City for a few days. Marino’s guys showed up and tried to kidnap me. I got away and came home.”

  Tom shook his head in disbelief. “You just got away?”

  “Don’t make it sound so inconceivable. I can take care of myself.”

  His eyes found mine. “Before I came here, I did some digging about odd occurrences in Morehead City.”

  “Did you now?” I asked, crossing my legs and casting a glance toward David. Lord knew what he thought of me now. “You move quickly.”

  “People are dying. I’m trying to prevent more deaths.” He cleared his throat. “Guess what I found?”

  I rubbed my forehead, “I’m too tired for guessing games.”

  “Then I’ll cut to the chase.” He leaned forward. “A man was found dead in the parking lot of the North Carolina Outer Banks Museum the night before your father died.”

  “People die all the time. Just because I was in Morehead City doesn’t mean I brought the Grim Reaper with me.”

  “This guy was frozen solid, Ellie. And his fingers on one hand were broken off.”

  My stomach rolled and I swallowed, looking away.

  “I can see you know something about it.”

  I jerked my gaze back to him. “Why? Because I had the decency to look upset that some guy’s fingers were broken off?”

  “He was known to associate with a man named Joseph Marino.”

  My mouth gaped. “You already knew about Marino?” My anger flared. “And you let me think you didn’t?”

  “I never insinuated that I did or didn’t know about him. I wanted to find out what you knew. Or at least what you’d share with me. Do you know how Mr. Denton died?”

  “You just told me. He was frozen.”

  “No, Ellie.” His voice hardened. “You told me Marino’s men tried to abduct you. One of Marino’s men was found dead and frozen. Notice a pattern?”

  My stomach clenched. Telling Tom about Marino’s men was supposed to get him off my back about the supernatural occurrences. Instead, it had only made things worse.

  “I think you saw Mr. Denton die in that parking lot. The look on your face tells me that maybe you even saw his fingers snapped off.”

  I tried to stop my cringe. I failed.

  “The coroner said it looked like his fingers were wrapped around something. Maybe your wrist?”

  “You think I froze that man? How would I do that?”

  For the first time since his interrogation began, Tom’s face softened. “No, Ellie. I don’t think you froze him. But you’re
obviously caught up in something bigger than what you’re telling me. Marino and the Ricardo Estate are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.”

  “I didn’t kill that man and I don’t know how he died. One of the guys I saw at the back of Darrell’s and his associate tried to take me from the parking lot of the hotel where I was staying. The guy I was with freaked out and took off. I got away from Marino’s men and came home.”

  “What’s the name of the guy you picked up in Buxton?”

  He made it sound so crass, but then again, that’s how I’d painted it. “Roy.”

  “Roy what?”

  I shrugged and glanced over to where David was standing in the shadows near the doorway. What would he think of me? It didn’t matter; I had to play this out. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

  Tom sat back in his chair. “You’re telling me you picked up a guy in Buxton, whose last name you didn’t know, drove with him to Morehead City, and hooked up with him for a couple of days in a hotel until Marino’s men showed up.”

  “That sounds about right.”

  “No wonder you don’t want Myra to know.”

  I squirmed in my seat. “Do you have any more questions? Because I need to start my second job here at the inn.”

  “That’s all for now. But I’m sure I’ll have more later.”

  “You know where to find me,” I sighed as I stood, not surprised by his words. I headed for the doorway, hoping I could repair any character damage I’d incurred through this interview, but I stopped short and swung around to face Tom. “What the hell is the Ricardo deal, anyway? If I’m in trouble because Marino thinks I’m a part of it, at least tell me what it is.” Collin had refused to enlighten me, telling me the less I knew the better, but that wasn’t good enough.

  Tom stood and took a few steps toward me. “The Ricardo Estate is an antique collection that was set to be shipped to Sotheby’s in New York for auction. Only it turned up missing.”

  I shook my head. “You mean someone stole it?”

  “Presumably. It was locked up in Charlotte in a secured, guarded warehouse, but when the time came for it to be transported, the room was completely empty.”

  Had Collin been mixed up in the theft? “What were the antiques?”

  “Late sixteenth-century English pieces.”

  My breath caught. Could this be a coincidence? “Furniture?”

  “No. Some knives and swords, clocks, jewelry, candlesticks. Mostly pieces forged in metal. A few Indian artifacts.”

  “Indian artifacts? Like what?”

  Tom tilted his head. “Why the interest?”

  I scrambled for an answer. “I’m trying to piece together why Marino thinks I’m a part of it. And we’ve already established that I’m fascinated with Algonquian culture.”

  “You said you just sold him candlesticks.”

  “I did. But I also mentioned to Marino that I had other old antiques,” I lied. “Maybe he thought it was too much of a coincidence.”

  Tom glanced around the room. “Well, most of your things are off by a couple of centuries to fit the Ricardo auction profile, so I’m not sure that’s it. In the meantime, I can have a police cruiser swing by the inn and your apartment to keep an eye on things.”

  I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but while I could defend myself against the supernatural, I was pretty sure I wasn’t immune to bullets. “Thanks.”

  I walked Tom to the side door and he paused as he opened it. “I know you’re not telling me everything, but I’m going to let it drop for now. I hope you’ll see that I have your best interest and your safety in mind and you’ll come to me with the rest on your own.”

  I nodded, releasing a sigh. “I know you do, Tom. Thanks.”

  As soon as I shut the door, David’s voice broke the silence behind me. “How much of that was fabricated?”

  I spun around to face him. “I’m not sure about London, but here in the States eavesdropping is considered rude.”

  His eyebrows rose. “What really happened in Morehead City?”

  I shook my head with a grudging smile. “That’s an interesting tale that needs tea to accompany it.”

  “Fair enough.”

  He followed me into the kitchen and scoffed when I pulled out tea bags. “It never ceases to amaze me that you uncivilized Americans call that tea.”

  I put my hand on my hip as I held the dangling tea bags in my other hand. “It is tea.”

  He shook his head as he sat on a bar stool. “Someday I’ll show you what real tea is. In the meantime, this will suffice.”

  I boiled some water in the microwave, and I could see it was killing David that I wasn’t making tea the “right” way, whatever that was. But I also caught his use of “someday.” I was dying to ask him if he’d reached a decision, but I imagined he might have reservations after listening in on my little chat with Tom.

  I put the tea bags into a couple of mugs and set them on the counter. “The ceremony to close the gate required the use of the original relics that had been used to seal it the first time. Mine was a pewter cup belonging to Ananias, but Collin’s was a wooden bowl that was in the North Carolina Outer Banks Museum in Morehead City. We went there to get the bowl.”

  He shook his head in confusion. “It was on display? But I didn’t hear about any break-ins involving the theft of ancient Native American artifacts. I’m certain I would have heard.”

  “Let’s just say we got it safe and sound and leave it at that.”

  David started to speak but stopped himself.

  “We were leaving the museum and Marino’s men were looking for me. Okeus’s messenger killed the guy who was trying to shove me into their car. His hand was curled around my wrist and Collin had to break his fingers off since he was frozen solid.”

  His face paled. “So Marino’s men really are after you?”

  “Yeah, unfortunately. Like I was telling Tom, Marino’s got in his head that I know something about the Ricardo Estate.”

  “So not only do you have ancient spirits and gods out to get you, but you also have the goons of a crime boss on your tail. You’re a popular girl.”

  I pulled the measuring cup with water out of the microwave and poured it into the mugs. “Apparently, I’m a freaking lightning rod for trouble.” I stopped pouring and looked into his face. “I’m glad you were listening to the statement I gave Tom. You need to know everything you’re getting into.”

  “You didn’t pick up some guy in Buxton and shack up for several days. That was a story you cooked up to cover Collin’s sorry arse, wasn’t it?”

  I grimaced. “Guilty as charged. If he’s locked up, he can’t change his mind and help me.”

  “You think he will?”

  I shrugged. “Collin tried to kidnap me today and hide me so Marino’s men couldn’t find me. He also threatened to tie me down and rehenna my back to protect my Manitou. At least he’s still trying to protect me.”

  “Perhaps he still cares about you.”

  “In his own Collin Dailey way, he does. But he always puts his own best interests before anyone else’s.” I pulled my tea bag out of my mug and added some sugar. “The fact that I have a backbone must be a novelty to him, but he would have lost interest in me sooner rather than later. He just can’t stand the fact I rejected him first. Don’t you men all love the thrill of the chase?” I looked up at him and winked.

  A devilish grin lit up his face. “I can’t speak for all men.”

  “I don’t want to talk about Collin anymore.” I dragged a bar stool from the kitchen side of the counter to face him and sat down. “What are you doing back so early? I didn’t expect to see you for another couple of hours.”

  “I was eager to get back and speak to you.”

  “Oh.” I looked down at my mug, flustered. Was that a good sign? “Tell me about your day. Did you get inside Manteo’s hut?”

  “I did, but we’re still cataloging, so I couldn’t really touch anything. I did take a more c
areful look than I had the day before, though.”

  “Did you see anything interesting?”

  He grinned. “Yeah, I did. I thought maybe I’d bring you tomorrow so you can see for yourself.”

  I set my mug on the counter, not believing what I’d heard. “Are you serious?”

  His smile widened. “Yeah.”

  I jumped off my stool and ran around the counter and hugged his neck. “Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me.”

  One of his arms pressed against my back in an awkward hold. “I had to pull some strings to make it happen, and I owe Steven a round of golf, but I got you a pass to the archaeological site.”

  He smelled good, a mix of his herbal shampoo and laundry detergent. I dropped my arms and stood up straight, suddenly embarrassed. We needed to maintain our boundaries. I wasn’t going to screw this up by having anything other than a working relationship with him. “That wasn’t very professional. I’m sorry.”

  His eyebrows arched. “Is that what this is? A professional partnership?”

  My chest constricted, and I took a step back and sat down on my stool, wrapping my shaking fingers around the mug to hide my nervousness. “Do you want to have this discussion now?”

  “I have a few questions.”

  I nodded, forcing myself to breathe. “That’s good. You need to make an informed decision.”

  “You said many spirits were released from Popogusso. Do you have to send all of them back?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. This didn’t exactly come with an instruction manual.”

  He was silent for several moments. “Will you need me here in Manteo very often after my two weeks here are up?”

  I leaned back on the stool. “I don’t know. If you’re asking if I think this will all be resolved in two weeks, then the answer is no. I don’t see how it could be. I guess we can correspond remotely once you’re back in Chapel Hill.”

  “And what if I wanted to be more hands on?”

  My heart beat faster. “What do you mean?”

  He kept his voice neutral. “What if I accept and I want to spend more time in Manteo? How would you feel about that?”

  “Oh.” I set my tea on the counter, worried I’d drop it. How did I feel about it? If he were here, he’d be more readily available when I needed him. And it would be easier to make sure he was okay. But that would mean he’d have to upheave his entire life. I was already asking so much from him. It didn’t seem fair to ask this too. “I don’t want to inconvenience you.”