Tales of Aradia The Last Witch Volume 1

by L. A. Jones

  “I think the Hardy Boys still had fun. And I think the Scooby Squad would be a more apt comparison.”

  He chuckled. “Look, Rai, I probably shouldn’t encourage you, but I’m proud of you. I’m proud of you for wanting to be involved, for wanting to do everything you can to help people, to protect people. But we’ve had this conversation before. I’m doing everything I can to protect you, and that means keeping you away from dangerous murderers.”

  “Dad, no one would ever know. Not your colleagues, not the Vampire Murderer…”

  Ross sighed and took a big gulp of his coffee. Even I can’t gulp something that hot. He must have desensitized his mouth to heat over the years.

  After he’d swallowed, he said, “There’s also the house fire.”

  “I was twelve then,” Aradia said. “I’m older now. I’m stronger and have better control.”

  “I want you to know how proud we were about the house fire,” Ross said. “Your mother and I, we tried talking to you about it, but you were still acting out. It meant so much that even in the midst of your dark time, you still did the right thing. You risked your own life using your abilities to put out that house fire. You saved families.”

  “And I can help again now,” Aradia said. “If you don’t let me, it’s like you’re stopping me from putting out a house fire.”

  “You slept for three days straight,” Ross replied. “You barely even took water. Your mother sat by your side day and night. Any longer and we’d have had no choice but to take you to the hospital, and from there… That would be the end of your secret, Aradia.”

  “I’m willing to risk it.”

  “We’re not willing to risk you,” he replied.

  “This isn’t fair,” she said. “This is my choice.”

  “And someday you’ll get to make it, and your mother and I will be so proud of you. But not today. Tell you what, you can get out of here if you want. You’re good on your punishment for the day.”

  “Okay,” she replied dejectedly.

  Grumbling and muttering to herself, Aradia left her father’s office and headed for the exit. She couldn’t be mad at him, not after how he’d been so honest with her, and so flattering of her. She never really had considered how hard it must have been for her parents after she put out that fire.

  She’d just been so tired. Whenever she pushed her powers like that, it drained her. She was starting to get better about learning how to proportion her powers to get the result she needed without taking so much out of her.

  She had to admit, though, she hadn’t quite figured it all out yet.

  “Thank you for coming in, Mr. Caradoc,” Aradia heard from inside a nearby office on her way towards the exit.

  Caradoc?

  Aradia quickly made herself busy neatening up the break room. No sooner did she have her cover in place than the man she’d seen on the news, Mr. Stanley’s business partner, emerged from the office with two of her father’s coworkers.

  “Anything to help you serve and protect,” Derek Caradoc replied. He looked suave and sophisticated in his pinstriped suit. By any reasonable standard he was an attractive man. Yet Aradia didn’t like his look.

  The same lawyer who had just thanked him smiled and she said, “That’s next door at the station. Here we make sure the bad guys they catch get put away.”

  Derek smiled. “If there is anything I can do to help, you have my number.” They all shook hands, and Derek saw himself out. He turned to smirk at Aradia as he walked past. The room’s temperature seemed to drop and she felt ice in her spine.

  The lawyers came into the break room to fill up their own cups of coffee. Aradia did her best to look like she was ignoring them while she rearranged supplies in the cabinets. She hoped her father’s coworkers were so used to seeing her by now that they wouldn’t even notice her.

  “Alright, Tony, what's your problem?” the same speaker as before demanded. Aradia couldn’t quite remember her name, but she knew she was another ADA, like her dad.

  The younger one, Tony, was a lawyer for the DA’s office, but not an ADA himself.

  The man shrugged casually before saying, “I just don’t like that guy. I don’t trust him.”

  The ADA nodded solemnly. “Neither do I.”

  “Stanley was this close to bankruptcy,” Tony held up two fingers very close together, “when Derek partners up with him.”

  “Not all investors need a business to succeed to make a profit,” she replied. “It’s deceptive, but not illegal.”

  “Then he’s either a criminal or a vulture,” Tony replied. “Either way I don’t like him.”

  “Not enough to get a warrant,” she replied.

  Tony stirred some more creamer into his coffee. “What about the insurance fraud?”

  She shook her head. “Three counts of misdemeanor insurance fraud, the most recent of which was two years ago. He paid his court ordered fines. Nothing in this case points to insurance fraud as a motive.”

  “We need somebody to start talking,” Tony said.

  She nodded. “Until somebody does, you can forget about them testifying. Without solid forensic evidence or reliable testimony, nothing major is going to stick.”

  “It’s like everyone we talk to is afraid of something more frightening than seeing a murderer walk.”

  At this point the two walked back out on their business, oblivious to Aradia sitting with wide eyes.

  Chapter Fourteen

  "So how goes the punishment parade?" Roy asked Aradia.

  She sipped her hot chocolate and stared at him from across the diner table. He had one arm propped against the window and the other draped atop the booth’s head cushion. He looked very at home.

  The two of them were sitting in the back corner adjacent to a side window at SilverMoon Diner. The SilverMoon was one of the most popular hangouts for Salem High students. It was located on Witch Lane, which of course made it the butt of many an Abbot-and-Costello-esque corny joke. It was smack in the middle of the city, three blocks from Salem High. The diner was close enough to cater to the high school students, yet far enough not to turn into an animal house.

  It was also owned by Roy’s family.

  "It depends,” Aradia responded before taking a bite out her cheeseburger. Through her full mouth she asked, “How should it be going?"

  The diner had two full menus. The first was a classic, with burgers, chili cheese fries, and milkshakes galore. The second was traditional Guatemalan food. Roy's family was originally from Guatemala, and they were proud of their heritage and culture. They couldn’t decide when they were opening shop which type of restaurant to open, so they did both. It seemed to work pretty well.

  Aradia was particularly thankful for that decision, for she practically lived off their burgers, no matter how much she was scolded by her mother. The fusion design also afforded her the opportunity to learn that she had quite an affinity for chuchitos.

  "What do you mean?" asked Roy.

  "I was stupid and I’m being punished. You don't expect me to be having fun, do you?" Aradia responded. She was mildly annoyed that he was broaching the topic, but she almost immediately regretted snapping at him. Annoying or not, he was being thoughtful.

  Roy hung his head sheepishly but then drew himself up straight. It’s amazing how readable he is, Aradia realized, then regretted that she was psychoanalyzing her friend rather than listening to him.

  "Excuse me for worrying about you, Aradia. Maybe next time I’ll know better.”

  Yeah, I deserved that, she thought. Though it was really passive aggressive.

  "Sorry, Roy. I guess I’m just a little upset. It’s like, I’ve learned my lesson, and I couldn’t possibly regret it more, but the punishment just keeps on reminding me, you know? So then I start getting mad that they’re still punishing me, but it’s kind of like, I did it to myself, so then I get frustrated that I got mad at them."

  Roy nodded and said, “I can understand that."

  Aft
er swigging down the last of her hot cocoa, Aradia said, "I’m glad you and your brothers got out unscathed."

  "Thanks to you, you mean,” he said. Aradia already knew the trio had avoided arrest and had managed to sneak into their bedrooms. Roy had shared that during their initial debrief the Monday after the party. Since then he’d consistently brought up the premonition she’d had. She made it clear she didn’t want to talk about it, but that hadn’t stopped Roy from mentioning it every chance he got. So far she’d evaded the topic successfully.

  "Glad I could help," said Aradia.

  Roy leaned forward.

  After a quick inspection to see if anyone was in earshot, he looked Aradia in the eye and asked, "How on earth did you manage to know beforehand that the cops were going to show?"

  Aradia choked on her mouthful of half-chewed fries. After Roy finished slapping her hard on the back, he returned to his seat to await her explanation. He wasn’t letting it go this time. Aradia was torn because she did not know what to say.

  I knew I’d have to deal with this eventually.

  If she lied, he would probably know. She ran through her options. She could say she had heard sirens. Then Roy would say, "You couldn’t hear police sirens three feet from the door between the music and the general clamor of everyone." He’d obviously be right, and she’d be a liar. She could say she’d called in a tip to the police. That would explain how she knew, but it was really much more trouble than it was worth.

  She could say nothing. Silence is honest. Of course, he would never let it go, and he’d probably try to find the answer on his own. Maybe he’d succeed.

  She could tell the truth. He probably wouldn’t believe her, and then she’d be back to being a liar. She could prove it, of course. Maybe not the precognition, but enough consecutive successful guesses at the pick a number game would probably convince him she had something special going on.

  Supposing he did believe her, though, what if he told someone? There was probably a pretty good reason why Superman never told his childhood friends what he could really do.

  Completely torn by ethics and a desperate need to survive, Aradia looked nervously at Roy who was eagerly awaiting her answer.

  Finally, she said, "Does it really matter now? I knew the cops would show up, and they did. I warned you, you and your brothers got out, and I was busted, kind of. So really, does it matter how I knew?"

  Roy said nothing, which made Aradia feel frustrated.

  Finally, in an angry huff, she stood up and said, "Well, if it bothers you so much that I can't explain everything I do to you, then maybe I should save you the trouble of wondering by leaving you alone!"

  She turned to leave, but in a flash Roy was at her side and grasping her hand.

  "Hey now, Aradia, I’m sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I don’t want you to think I’m ungrateful, because I’m not," Roy said while giving a gentle tug on her hand. She responded and looked at him. "I was just curious, that's all."

  "Yeah, well, remember what curiosity did to the cat," Aradia muttered with her eyes lowered.

  Using two fingers from his free hand, Roy tilted her chin up. Turning his own head down toward hers, he looked her in the eye and very seriously said, "You might not know this about me, but I’m not a cat. More of a dog person, really."

  Aradia laughed, and soon they were both seated again. Aradia got the impression Roy wasn’t too happy that the table was back between them, but she resisted the urge to read his mind.

  "That’s a shame," she said winking. “I love cats. Always wanted one.”

  “Oh, well I…” he fumbled. “I don’t dislike cats,” he finished lamely.

  Aradia laughed and Roy smiled. For a while neither of them said anything, happily eating away at their respective meals, making small talk, and smiling when their eyes met. At some point Roy’s hand found its way back to Aradia’s. She hardly noticed when it happened, and she let him keep it there. Roy was happy as a clam, and Aradia considered it quite a pleasant afternoon, until the door to the diner opened and in walked Dax Dayton.

  Today he was wearing a green polo, khakis, and dark brown loafers. His blonde hair was perfectly combed and the reflected sunlight seemed to set it ablaze.

  Aradia yanked her hand from Roy's grasp and stared at Dax.

  Ever since the encounter at Jayce’s, Aradia's attitude toward Dax had changed dramatically. He’d been an utter jerk, and the relentless staring had an almost stalker quality to it. Yet instead of being dismayed, she found herself somewhere between flattered and excited by his attention. She could not stop herself from looking at him completely mystified.

  The reason why I am staring at him all the time is because he's handsome, Aradia thought to herself. And he stares at me because he lacks basic social skills. Yeah, that's probably it. No matter what she tried to convince herself, though, part of her knew that there was something much deeper involved when it came to her and Dax.

  Dax stopped by the counter, bought a glass-bottled Coke-Cola, paid the cashier, and turned to walk out toward the door when he saw Aradia. He froze. Since the party, they had not spoken a word, and this instance was no exception. Dax just stood there, looking right at her. For a brief few moments, Aradia felt the world melt away. There was only she and Dax left.

  Then he spun on his heel and took his leave of the diner. Aradia stared after him, still entranced, until Roy barked a gruff, annoyed cough.

  “So...” Roy began, voice dripping with disdain. "I guess you have a thing for one of the Coppertone boys."

  "The who?" Aradia asked.

  "Is one of the greatest rock bands ever?" Roy quipped with a smile.

  "No, no," Aradia responded with a few shakes of her head. "What I meant was...”

  "I know what you meant." This time Roy responded with a scowl, not a smile.

  "If you know what I meant, are you going to answer me?" Aradia snapped.

  Roy sighed and seemed to consider his options. Finally he explained, "We call Dax and them the 'Coppertone boys' because he and his kind always reek of sunscreen."

  "His kind?" Aradia repeated.

  Flustered, Roy doubled back by saying, "You know, I mean his friends, him and his crew, not his kind. Slip of the tongue, Rai."

  Aradia just nodded. She wasn’t sure what to make of the strange turn the conversation had taken. Picking an angle, she asked, "Why do they reek of sunscreen?"

  Roy shrugged and then said, "I guess they don’t want to burn."

  “I don’t wear sun block,” Aradia replied, “but from what I understand, it’s a good idea to prevent skin cancer and aging.”

  “Really not their concern,” Roy mumbled. Quickly he added, “Besides, they slather it on. Practically bathe in it. I can smell them coming a mile off.”

  "Your sense of smell is that good?"

  “Hyperbole,” Roy replied. “Extreme exaggeration to make a point.”

  Aradia said nothing.

  Enough pieces were falling into place that she could get an idea of the big picture. What she’d seen in the alleyway behind the Visitor Center, the overly attractive people staring at her, the Vampire Murders, and now what Roy knew about the Coppertone boys and their “kind” all seemed cut from the same cloth.

  The logical side of her mind argued that there must be a simpler solution than the path down which she was headed. Then the logical side of her mind admitted that the things she herself could do were supposed to be impossible, and maybe she shouldn’t rule anything out just yet.

  Roy certainly seemed to know more about the situation than she’d have expected him to.

  "I got to get going," Aradia said as she grabbed her backpack off the booth cushion.

  He glanced at his watch and said, “Hang on. I’ll ask one of my brothers to give you a ride home."

  Aradia shook her head. "I’ve got to stop by the forest. I need to gather some herbs for biology class. We’re starting the chapters on botany soon, and I wanted to bring in some interesting sampl
es to show Ms. Flora. Isn’t that awesome that her name’s Ms. Flora and she teaches biology?"

  "The forest?" Roy's face became ashen grey. "But tonight’s a full moon!"

  "Yeah I know, that’s the best time to gather samples, by the light of the full moon at midnight. Sounds kind of mystical, I know, but hey, I guess Walt Disney had to get his ideas from somewhere."

  "You can't go into the forest at night."

  "Okay. Why not?"

  "Well," Roy paused, searching for an answer that would satisfy her enough to abort her plan. “There are animals out there, and…the full moon is... is... when the weirdos come out!"

  Aradia raised an eyebrow and said, "Roy, what are you really afraid of, a werewolf might get me?"

  Roy went from grey to completely white. The look he gave Aradia was that of a five-year-old seeing Bambi's mother being shot. Aradia noticed the change in Roy's demeanor. She realized he was holding out on her about a number of topics.

  She’d need more to go on before she sacrificed her grades just to soothe a friend’s nerves. Friends come and go, but my transcript will last forever!

  "Well, anyway, thanks for the concern Roy. I will keep it in my mind."

  "So you're not going?" he asked hopefully.

  "Of course I’m going."

  Roy's face fell.

  "Look, no offense Roy, but my GPA far outranks your fears of the woods at night. But I’ll look out for weirdos and animals, alright?"

  Roy looked as if he was about to cry.

  Aradia hugged him and whispered in his ear, “Don't worry, Roy. I’ll be okay. I’m a lot tougher than I look."

  Her parents were not happy at first about her plans for the evening, but after a little conversation they acquiesced. She pointed out that she was being honest with them, and part of rebuilding their trust in her was giving her the opportunity to earn it.

  “Plus,” Aradia tacked on to the end of her argument, “it’s for school, and I’d hate for you to crush my love of learning.”