Dae's Christmas Past (9 page)

“I’ve been there, but only for a short time,” Mary Catherine said. “I had a wonderful weekend with a man who was king of the village. I think his name was Harold. It was a while back.”

It didn’t take long for the concerned citizens of Duck to realize that I was at Missing Pieces. People stopped in to gossip and express their concerns about a man being killed in the middle of town. There were hundreds of rumors floating through Duck about what had happened the night before.

I was sad that most of them hadn’t known Tom since he had lived in Corolla. They knew his work though, and were sorry that he’d been killed. Many wondered, as I had, who would take his place as director of the Wild Horse Conservancy.

The natural answer seemed to be that Jake would be the one to do it. I hoped that would be the case, and that Chief Michaels and Sheriff Riley didn’t seriously consider him a suspect in Tom’s death. But just because I wanted it to happen didn’t make it so.

August Grandin from the Duck General Store came by before he opened to see if I had any other information about the event. “I’m really concerned that Tom Watts is dead. It seems to me that it has to be hit and run, probably by someone from Duck who left him there. I hope Chief Michaels is checking cars to find the culprit.”

I assured him that everything was being done that could be done. I hoped I was right about that. It wasn’t that I didn’t have complete faith in our police department. It was more that the odd nature of the death made me wonder if anyone could actually figure it out without some psychic help.

Business was slow. More people came in more to discuss Tom’s death than to shop. At lunch, I treated Mary Catherine out at Wild Stallions. Most of the time, I just ate a sandwich at Missing Pieces. But things were slow, I had a guest, and I’d made a large sale. I decided we should go out. I left a sign on the shop door pointing anyone looking for me in the direction of the restaurant.

“What a wonderful place to work,” Mary Catherine said as we stepped out on the sunny boardwalk. “I remember thinking that when I bought this shop.” She smiled as we passed Mrs. Roberts Spiritual Advisor.

“Were you actually advising people with tea leaves and tarot back then?”

“When you’re in my line of work, you do what you have to do survive. I’m a little more solid now—more than anything thanks to a generous bequest from my third late husband. I’m not so worried about the future anymore.”

Shayla hailed us as we passed what had become her shop that she rented from Mary Catherine. “I need to talk to you, Dae. Where are you off to?”

“Lunch,” I told her. “Why don’t you join us?”

“I don’t want to take up your time.” She glanced significantly at Mary Catherine.

“Don’t be silly.” Mary Catherine smiled. “I’d love to get to know you.”

Shayla seemed fine after that. She accompanied us to Wild Stallions, wearing her usual chic black pants and sweater. It didn’t matter what she wore, she always had style and panache. Her black hair was drawn away from her face in braids that she’d looped around her head. She had brown eyes and finely drawn brows in her cocoa-colored face.

Mary Catherine and Shayla were chatting about the business of being psychic as I told Cody Baucum that there would be three of us for lunch.

“Make that four,” Kevin said from behind me.

“Good party last night.” Cody shook his hand as he grabbed four menus. “I couldn’t believe someone died after it. Any update on that yet, Dae?”

“I haven’t heard anything since early this morning,” I told him. “You know these things take time.”

“I know.” Cody led us to a table that overlooked the Currituck Sound. “You know, I’m thinking about throwing my hat in the ring for one of those two council seats. You all are deciding on that tomorrow night, right?”

“Yes. We’ll be filling the seats, at least temporarily,” I told him. “There won’t be an election for two years. Whoever we choose to fill those seats will be there until then.”

Cody summoned a waitress. “I think I’d be good as a council member, don’t you? We need business owners represented on the council. I also think we need some
younger
blood.” He said it like it was a dirty word, sneaking glances behind him to see if anyone was listening.

I didn’t want to get involved in talking about the council’s decision. I thought Cody would be fine, but it wasn’t only my vote. I knew there were other people interested in the seats too.

“We’ll have to see what happens,” I told him with a smile. “You might be the only one interested in a seat. When I ran for mayor the first time, no one ran against me.”

“And they probably won’t ever run against you again, right Kevin?” Cody slapped Kevin on the back. “I mean, you slaughtered Mad Dog in the vote.”

I thanked Cody for his kind words and he left to welcome other diners waiting at the door. The waitress, Cole Black’s daughter, Amy, took our drink orders and left to get them. She was in her second year of college and was having a disagreement with her parents. She was refusing to work at The Curbside until it was over.

“Is that the way your day has been going?” Kevin asked me.

“No. I almost forgot about the council meeting tomorrow night after finding Tom Watts dead on Duck Road and having ghost horses run through me.”

“I thought it must be something like that since I’ve heard about Tom from ten other people, and nothing from you.”

“Sorry. There was a lot going on. Are they calling them ghost horses?”

“Yes. That’s all anyone wants to talk about. I think the horses ran through everyone’s yards last night. They were at the Blue Whale too. I found hoof prints everywhere, but no damage done.”

“It was quite a night,” Mary Catherine declared. “I felt the horses. They had no substance. I couldn’t communicate with them.”

“I heard you could do that,” Shayla said. “I’ve listened to one or two of your radio shows. Nice shtick.”

“I’ve heard animal voices since I was a child,” Mary Catherine said. “I wouldn’t have chosen it as a gift.”

“So what did you actually see when you found Tom?” Kevin changed the subject.

Amy came back with our drinks and took our food orders. I explained everything to Kevin from finding Tom to the hoof prints embedded in Duck Road. I passed around my cell phone with the pictures.

“Wow!” Shayla’s dark eyes were huge. “What is the world could cause something like that? Normal horses don’t leave marks in pavement. How could ghost horses leave marks?”

“They aren’t technically ghosts,” I explained. “They’re more like demon horses that were summoned by the early tribal people.

“You are getting weirder and weirder,” Shayla said. “No wonder your aura is so far off this morning. Your chakras are probably all messed up again.”

Tim and Trudy stopped by our table. The only aspect of his appearance that gave away his all-nighter was his pale blond hair. It was usually combed up into a tall flat top. Today it was just flat.

“Afternoon,” he said with a nod, his hands resting on his duty belt.

“Why don’t you two join us?” Kevin suggested. “We have plenty of room.”

We made space for them at the table. Trudy tucked her arm through Tim’s, still nervous about their relationship, especially around Shayla. She saw Shayla as a rival, though Shayla had never even liked Tim.

“Anything new on the investigation?” I asked Tim when they were seated.

He nodded. “Chief Palo from Corolla called to tell us that Tom’s truck is still at his trailer. Chief Michaels thinks someone just dropped him off on Duck Road after he was killed. It doesn’t look good for your friend, Jake Burleson, Dae. He’s everyone’s favorite suspect right now—if we can ever find him.”

Kevin frowned at me. “You didn’t tell me that part.”

“Sorry. I just didn’t get to that part yet.” I turned back to Tim. “What do you mean? Why can’t you find Jake?”

“I don’t know. Chief Palo has been out there. He wasn’t home. We have an APB out on his truck and him,” Tim said. “It won’t be long.”

“Jake doesn’t get around much,” I added. “I can’t believe that he killed Tom. He just isn’t that kind of man.”

“Really?” Kevin stared at me. “You still feel that way—even after last night?”

“What about last night?” Trudy asked.

She was hoping she could turn the conversation away from boring police matters, but she also didn’t like talking about supernatural things.

“Jake gave Dae one of his stupid horse statues to hold, even though she told him she didn’t want to know anything about it. She passed out on the ground.” Kevin sipped his water and didn’t seem to care that he’d started a ball rolling that couldn’t be stopped.

“Is that what happened?” Trudy’s gaze was disbelieving. She’d known about my gift as long as I had. “I knew everyone said you were sick when you missed the other election parties. I didn’t know that’s what they meant.”

“He just didn’t understand.” I contradicted Kevin. “I told him no, but I haven’t completely explained to him why I have to be careful.”

Tim’s eyes narrowed. “You shouldn’t have to explain. When a woman says no, it’s no. Sounds like we have something else we should discuss with Jake when we find him.”

“I don’t think handing me an ancient horse against my will is a crime exactly.” I didn’t like where this was going, and I wasn’t happy with my new fiancé sending it there.

“I understand what he’s saying.” Trudy, not surprisingly, took Tim’s side. “It’s kind of like mind rape.”

“I’m not sure I’d go quite that far,” Mary Catherine said.

“No. I think Tim is right for once,” Shayla agreed. “Dae said no. Jake should’ve respected that. I might be able to whip up a little spell to help find him.”

“I’m sure the police will be able to find him,” Tim said. “We do a good job around here. We have the sheriff helping too. We don’t need any hocus-pocus.”

“Just offering.” Shayla shrugged.

Amy brought our food out with Cody’s help. I was glad to see it. Everyone needed something else to occupy their minds.

The food brought a fresh change of subject to the Christmas festivities that were coming up. Everyone was excited about the concept. It was one of Chris’s better ideas, and that was saying a lot since he came up with great ones every day.

“August Grandin is putting up Christmas ducks.” Trudy laughed. “They are the sweetest things. They have little red bows around their necks. He’s going to float them on the sound the last day of the event. Isn’t that a cute idea?”

We all agreed that it was.

“What are you going to do, Dae?” Shayla asked.

“I don’t know yet. There’s been so much going on, I haven’t had a chance to think about it. But I’ve got some old decorations in the closet. I’ll probably put those up.”

“The Duck Shoppes leasing company is putting up a big, lighted tree on the boardwalk.” Trudy clapped her hands. “I’ve got dozens of snowflake lights to put up, and I’m holding a contest each day to win a free service. You know—like manicures, waxing—that kind of thing.”

“Maybe I should offer free palm reading,” Shayla said. “I’ve got some red and green skull lights to put up.”

“Skulls?” Trudy couldn’t believe it. “Oh, wait. Is that like from
Nightmare Before Christmas
?”

Shayla had no idea what Trudy was talking about. Cody joined us for a moment. He and his brother had plans for their Christmas events and decorations too. He was also hosting a children’s parade around the boardwalk leading to a visit from Santa at town hall.

They were all wonderful ideas. I didn’t quite feel in the Christmas spirit yet but I hoped it would come to me soon. When the lights and decorations started going up and late fall visitors started stopping by, I’d feel much better. I was just in a funk of sorts. I never stayed down for long.

My phone rang. It was Nancy at town hall. She needed me to come down right away. She didn’t elaborate, but I knew she wouldn’t call unless it was important. I told her I’d be right there.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Kevin asked when I said I had to go.

“I’ll be fine. I’m not even leaving the boardwalk. You stay and finish lunch. I’ll be right back.”

Everyone else continued eating and talking. Kevin grabbed my hand as I turned to go. “I’m sorry if you’re upset about what I said.”

“It’s the truth, I suppose. But now it’s going to be everywhere.” I squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry about it. The story will pass in a few days.”

I walked out of Wild Stallions. The Currituck Sound was beautifully blue with white puffy clouds above it. The clouds urged me to sit and daydream for a while. While I wanted nothing more at that moment, I had to go to town hall.

There was a spot where the boardwalk turns to the left from Missing Pieces. Duck town hall was tucked into a shadowed corner there where rain didn’t fall and the sun had a hard time reaching into the shade. The boardwalk stayed damp all year and moss grew at the sides where the wood slats met the buildings.

As I walked into the area, I was aware of someone being there, watching me. I looked across and saw the man who’d been in my vision of the horse cult in the past. He was short, a little hunched, and dressed in animal skins. His hair was long and ragged, as though it was normally cut with a knife. He had a full beard and no shoes.