"Oh, they aren't worth that much. Late night for you?" She motioned for him to sit as she poured another cup of coffee for her guest.
"The Director likes to talk. And to drink. I shouldn't have tried to keep pace with him. But I wanted to see what I could learn." Bren said, taking the cup with a nod of thanks. He paused to sip from the brim, closing his eyes in satisfaction. Hedy had done the same thing herself. Early morning coffee was a blessing.
"Did you learn anything?"
"Nothing he didn't want me to learn. I don't know whether he will change his mind or not. He has concerns and he seems to be leaning heavily on Raduca's draft report that was recommending closure. I couldn't reassure him on that point because I wasn't here. I should have been." Bren said, pausing to sip again, his voice distant.
"You didn't know what was going to happen. You were in New York." Hedy watched a mask of regret slip over Bren's face.
"Yes, but I should have stayed. Lyssa was still around and I didn't have to leave. If I had stayed, things would be different. Those weeks gone were a mistake."
"Bren, don't blame yourself. I certainly don't. None of us could have known what would happen. You can't worry about the past - we don't have any way of going back in time to fix things." Hedy said, wishing he didn't look so upset. He gave a small chuckle.
"What, you don't have some time control device in your collection, Hedy? Some relic from an ancient temple or sorcerer's tomb? Surely, there must be something in your bag of tricks."
"If only. As much as I keep my eye out for new treasures, such an item has never come on the market. But everyday is new, so you never know when that could change," she replied, pouring a top off into his cup to warm it up.
"I've certainly wished for that particular ability for years - a way to go back and make things right. I've never found it. Maybe you'll have better luck." Bren said, with a small, sad smile. She guessed he was thinking about his wife and the fire that claimed her life.
"Well, until then, let's focus on what we can do to change things now. Certainly, there must be a way to convince the Director to give me another chance. I'll be straightforward with him and ask him to share what made Raluca concerned. Maybe I can counter those with answers of my own." Before Bren could reply, there was a rapping on the backdoor and they both started in their seats. A kelly green wool hat with "Celtic F. C." embroidered on the front was the only thing visible.
"Darro, good to see you." Hedy said as she opened the door. The burly Scotsman filled her doorway. It must be cold if he gave in to winter clothing. He had a plaid jacket over his overalls.
"Morning, all. Just wanted to let you know that I am working in the yard today - 'tis the season for fertilizing and pruning. Those rhodies near the back fence need a bit of a boost if they are going to bloom like all blazes later on. I also need to dig a wee grave for the cat I found under a bush..." Hedy interrupted him with a cry but he continued. "Don't be a'feared, Hedy. 'Tis not your Zelda. A stray black cat, poor thing. Sorry I frightened ye." Darro finished, looking ashen at his carelessness.
"Oh, thank goodness. I'm sad for the stray, but so glad it wasn't Zelda. Thank you for taking care of it, Darro. Can I get you anything? Hot coffee?" Hedy said, hoping she sounded more relaxed than she felt. Bren was now standing behind her, as if to brace her. Maybe he worried she would faint like Mel.
"No, I'm right as rain for now. I'll swing back in when I am done, and perhaps I'll take ye up on the offer. Ta, all," and with that, he was off the porch. Hedy closed the door against the cold.
"Bren, you look like a man with a hangover."
From the doorway, Louis called out to the startled pair.
Chapter Fifteen
You are light on your feet," Bren remarked, as Louis came into the small kitchen. Hedy noted that Louis wasn't his dapper self this morning; instead of his usual vest, he was wearing a Tulane sweatshirt.
"Yes, even in Hedy’s creaky old house, I can still step lightly. Got some coffee, Chère? I can't seem to get warm. It is like some frost came over me last night." Louis took a seat at the table and the men watched in silence as Hedy poured another cup.
"What time did you get in last night, Louis? Your cousin and I were worried about you." Hedy said, trying very hard not to sound chiding. From the looks of Louis' eyes, he hadn't slept well at all.
"Oh, some time after one o'clock I would guess. These are some quiet streets, Hedy. There wasn't any trouble to be found and I was looking for it." He replied, gamely trying to smile, but it came off more like a grimace.
"Not to pry, Louis, but you are in some kind of trouble already and I think it is time you told us what it was."
"Yes, it is passed time, Cousin. Let's hear it." Delphine came into the doorway, soundless as Louis.
"Look, I didn't want to worry you, but if you really want to know I will tell you. But this story requires food. I'm famished." Louis said and Hedy was up and ready to fill up some plates.
✽✽✽
The quartet were gathered around the table in the kitchen, plates of pastries and dishes of homemade yogurt with honey filled the surface, along with large mugs of hot coffee. The potbelly stove was stoked to bursting with wood but the room was still chilly. After a healthy bite of cinnamon raisin muffin, Louis began his story.
"On the last full moon, this past January, I was in our house in the Quarter. Delphine knows - she always helps me prepare for the full moon. One day out of a whole month I transform into my Rougarou form and...let's just say I am not myself then. Instead of a strict vegetarian, I eat any meat I can get my hands on. And I do other things. Things that would land me in a New Orleans jail. So I keep myself under lock and key during that one night. Delphine locks me in the attic and I wait out the night." Louis said, pausing to sip on his coffee. It had already grown cold because he made a face. "Hedy, this needs a warm up."
"I was secured and minding my own wolfy business when the door to the attic was opened. I don't remember that much when I am in transformation, but I get flashes of pictures. I remember this woman entering the attic, someone I don't know, and she is looking through the steamer trunks and boxes. Next thing I remember is Delphine shaking me awake the next morning, with a dead woman next to me." Louis' voice had dropped to almost a whisper. His hand shook as Hedy poured the coffee into his mug.
"He didn't know what had happened. We pieced together that the woman was trying to rob the house, and she had come into the attic. She had ransacked the rooms below before she found Louis." Delphine said, stepping in to finish the story. Hedy caught the look of gratitude on Louis' face. She wondered why Delphine hadn’t confided in her before.
"We knew we couldn't call the police, so we took care of it ourselves."
"What does that mean?" Bren asked, chiming in for the first time in awhile. His face was inscrutable.
"We loaded up the body and drove out to Honey Island. We left it there for the gators and the wild pigs to find. Then we came back and scrubbed the attic with bleach, removing every trace that she had been there. It was the worst thing I have ever done and yet, I don't regret it. She forced the situation when she broke in."Delphine replied, in a voice that brooked no dissent.
"About two weeks after it happened, I received a letter. It was anonymous - it hadn't even been mailed, just left in the mailbox. Someone local wanted me to know that the woman who had died had powerful friends and they had figured out what happened. Somehow. The letter warned me that I better leave town." Louis spoke again, pushing away his plate. His appetite for once was gone.
"A letter? You didn't say anything about that to me! You should have told me - I am involved in this, Louis. Tante is home alone right now." Delphine's anger was palpable. Her dark eyes flashed with glints of silver when she was angry - Hedy had seen it only once before and it was just as terrifying.
"I know, I should have told you. I left because I didn't want them to hurt you or Tante. I figured if I was gone, they wouldn't bother you. The letter only warne
d me; I figured they didn’t know you were involved. You know I would never risk harm to either of you." Louis' voice was pleading and it broke Hedy's heart to hear him so upset. For all his good intentions, he had made a mistake in keeping silent.
"I know, Louis, I know. But we have to get Tante out of the house now. I will call Uncle Claude and ask him to come get her. We'll close the shop for a few days while we figure out this mess." Delphine was calming down, now that she had tasks to do.
"I need a smoke. Can I step outside here?" She asked Hedy, gesturing toward the back door. Hedy nodded and Delphine slipped out into the cold air. It was hardly colder than the kitchen at this point. The door closed behind her with a soft click.
"Who do you think is after you, Louis?" Bren asked, helping himself to another pour from the coffee pot.
"I truthfully don't know. You hear all sorts of legends in the Quarter and I tried to discreetly ask around about the woman - her I.D. listed her as Annabelle Constant. Word in the Quarter is that she comes from a long line of black magic folks. Sorcerers, maybe even necromancers. But you never know how much of that is true." Louis replied.
"Necromancers? She was a necromancer?" Hedy asked, remembering Maurice's words.
"I don't think she was, but she comes from a family of them apparently. Why she was rummaging around in our house, I have no idea."
"Well, whatever she was looking for, we should figure that out if we can. Maurice definitely sensed that you are cursed, Louis. First and foremost, we need a plan to keep you all safe." Hedy said. She had absolutely no idea what that would be.
Chapter Sixteen
Teacher In-Service day meant no school for Mel, who took the opportunity to come to the shop early. She wanted to be sure that Hedy knew she was alright after the fainting spell, or whatever it was that had come over her the night before. She’d taken Thana’s advice to head right home after it happened and she hadn’t had a chance to reassure Hedy everything was okay.
She was so embarrassed that it had happened in front of Thana. She barely knew her and Mel was collapsing at her feet. Thana had been kind enough to give her a ride home so she didn't have to walk. Mel had gratefully accepted the offer and the young initiate had dropped her off with a promise to meet up with her at the bakery again the next day.
"Hedy, I'm in the shop," Mel called to the empty room. She heard some movement in the kitchen and assumed that Hedy was feeding the guests. The house was full, with Louis, Delphine, the Director guy from the Concierge, and of course, Bren. It was stacked to the rafters with supernatural travelers and Mel had fleeting worries about whether that would lead to trouble. No doubt whatever happened, Hedy could handle it.
"Be right out, Mel." She heard Hedy call back to her from the other room. Mel took that as her cue to start prepping for the day. She was going to try her hand at making profiteroles today and she had never worked with choux pastry before. She was excited to see how it all came together, especially when Hedy said they would drizzled in Cupid's blood glaze - whatever that was.
Mel hardly had time to put on her apron before the front door opened and Thana walked into the shop. She was dressed in a short black corduroy skirt and black turtleneck. The effect was retro librarian and she looked adorable. Mel wondered if the young woman knew exactly how cute she really was.
"Hi, Mel. Glad to see you up and about. I thought you might call out sick today and rest up after yesterday." Thana said, coming up to the counter, and handing Mel a small bouquet of small blue flowers.
"What's this?" Mel asked, taking the flowers with a puzzled look.
"A little get well present. They are called helmet flowers, some call them skullcap. Aren't they pretty? I thought they were a lovely shade of blue when I saw them in my mother's hothouse." Thana replied, with a small smile.
"Thank you for thinking of me. I appreciate it. No one has ever brought me flowers before. Of course, I've never fainted before." Mel said, bringing the posey to her face. The flowers had almost no scent. She took a small water glass down from the shelf and used it as a makeshift vase, placing the bouquet near the showcase.
"Now everyone can enjoy them. Thanks, Thana."
Thana gave a slight nod of the head and twisted the little glass around in a circle. "Surely, Anahita will bring you some. I am surprised she isn't here by now."
Mel bit her lip but said nothing. She smiled at Thana and started pulling out the chilled choux dough from the refrigerator.
"You did tell her about the fainting, right?"
Looking up to see Thana smiling at her, Mel confessed. "Alright, no. I didn't tell her. I didn't want her to worry. I suppose I should have but I was fine and it really wasn't a big deal. Don't say anything if you happen to see her, okay?"
Thana took her hand from the little glass and stepped closer to Mel. Only the counter was between them. "How fun it is to have a secret, just between us. I won't breathe a word." Thana whispered in a conspiratorial voice. For a moment, Mel thought Thana was leaning in toward her, but that must have been her imagination. Thana had this strange perfume and now that she was close, it was all Mel could smell. It was a warm scent - like a summer afternoon in some lemon grove near the water. The scent seemed to be pulling her closer to Thana, who was now only inches from her face.
The sound of shattering glass pulled Mel away from the vision of some sun-drenched island and Thana's face. Both women turned to look for the sound. It had come from the little vase from the display case, now lying in shards on the floor of the shop. The bouquet of flowers, still intact, lay in a puddle of water.
"How did that happen?" Thana asked, pulling back with a start. The air was still around them but chilly.
"That's so weird, maybe Adelaide bumped them off the counter?" Mel replied, grabbing a towel to gather up the glass. She had to be sure every shard was found or risk angry words from Zelda.
"I wonder..." Thana murmured, but she said nothing else.
✽✽✽
"Everything alright in here?" Hedy came around the corner. The sound of shattering glass was never a good thing, especially in a house filled with collectibles.
"Yes, we are fine. Just some ghostly mischief, I think." Mel said from her crouch on the floor. Thana was seated in the far corner, pulling a book from her bag.
"That's strange, certainly. Adelaide doesn't usually break things unless she is upset. I wonder what is on her mind." Hedy replied, grabbing another towel to help Mel with the mess. Delphine had followed her into the store.
"Delphine, you didn't get a chance to meet Mel yesterday. Mel Steverson, meet Delphine Magnon. She is Louis' cousin and also lives in New Orleans. Delphine runs a shop in the French Quarter where she reads fortunes." Both Hedy and Mel stood, carefully cradling their towels filled with glass.
"My hands are full or I would shake hands but it is nice to meet you." Mel said, smiling and nodding her head. She had the posey of flowers in her other hand.
"And you as well, Mel. You must be quite an extraordinary mademoiselle to work for Hedy. I am pleased to know you. But I must ask, where did you get those flowers?" Delphine gestured to the bouquet. Hedy had disposed of her shards and came to take the bundle from Mel so she could chat with Delphine.
"My friend, Thana, sitting over there, she brought them. Aren't they lovely?" Mel gestured to the corner and Thana gave a small wave before turning back to her book.
"I didn't know that wolfsbane grew here, especially in the winter. Wherever did she find it?" Delphine said, looking puzzled. Mel twisted the bouquet in her hand, examining the blue blooms closer.
"Wolfsbane? It's called Helmet flowers, right, Thana?" Mel called over her shoulder and Thana looked up, shrugging.
"Old flowers have many names and mean many things. This flower is sometimes called Helmet because it looks like tiny hats, but it is also known as skullcap and wolfsbane. It is an unusual flower and one my cousin won't enjoy, I'm afraid, given his nature, but it is a lovely blue, nonetheless." Delphine said with a sm
ile.
"Oh, wolfsbane...because he is a Rougarou? I can keep the bouquet out of sight behind the counter." Mel said.
"As usual, there are no secrets in Hedy’s house. Yes, because he is a Rougarou. Some legends have a bit of truth to them. Shifters, like Rougarous, or any of the variants of lycanthropes, are bothered by wolfsbane. Just as vampires are bothered by garlic - it won't kill them but it is unpleasant." Delphine replied as Hedy gestured for her to find a seat near the counter.
"Before Louis and Bren come back in from checking the furnace for me, I thought perhaps you wouldn't mind doing a reading, Delphine. We could use all the insight we can get right now. Do you mind? I can brew some tea." Hedy gestured to the glass jars lining a shelf behind the counter. Mel had taken the opportunity to slip back behind the counter and place the flowers discreetly out of sight.
"I would be glad to, but no need for tea, I brought my deck with me. We can use the cards. I find the tarot can give me more specifics than the leaves. Have a seat, Hedy." Delphine drew a small parcel of black silk out of the little purse she wore slung across her body. She unwrapped the small deck, placing it in the center of the table.
"Those seem small for tarot cards." Hedy remarked, looking at the Tudor rose on the back of the cards.
"My travel deck," Delphine said, gesturing for Hedy to pick them up. "Shuffle the cards until you feel compelled to stop."
Hedy picked up the deck and slid the cards back and forth between her hands, trying to mix the cards amongst themselves without damaging the edges. They seemed very old and fragile. She wondered if they once belonged to Tante and she asked Delphine as she shuffled.
"Yes, and her mother. They aren't as old as some decks - only from the early 1900s - but they have been well-used. Now, hush and concentrate. Think about what you want to know."
Hedy's mind was unruly; she couldn't fix on exactly one question. Of course, her first thought was how can they protect Louis from danger. But soon after, she thought of the Director and his decision, she wondered whether Maurice would recover or why Adelaide had smashed the flower vase, why the house was so cold all of a sudden, would Bren be staying on, where things were headed with Michael. The thoughts whirled in her head and she shuffled and tried to find stillness. Her hands stopped and held the cards for several moments. She opened her eyes and handed the deck to Delphine.
Sweet Tooth and Claw Page 8
