The Jumbee (32 page)

“Ohmigod,” Carmen breathed. To Esti’s surprise, Carmen wasn’t looking at her, but across the grassy courtyard. “What happened to him?”

Rafe stood at the edge of the parking lot, watching them. His battered face looked serious as he approached with a hardcover book in his hand.

“I gotta talk to Esti alone,” he said.

Lucia studied his split lip and swollen eye, and the bandage on his forehead. After a moment, she turned and silently walked inside the theater. Carmen lingered for another moment, her expression desperate to know more, then reluctantly followed Lucia.

“What is it?” Esti asked in apprehension.

“Let me read you something about Elon Somand.”

Esti glanced at Manchineel Cay. “He isn’t Elon Somand,” she said stiffly.

Rafe opened his book. “My dad showed me this when I got home.”

He flipped through the pages until he came to a book-mark. “Elon Somand was a Danish slave owner, known from a very young age as the ‘monster of the islands.’ His reputation came from his notorious cruelty, as well as his revolting appearance. Historians now believe he suffered from a rare skin disorder.”

Esti grew numb.

“He massacred most of his slaves before vanishing from Cariba Island in 1848, on the day that Denmark abolished slavery in the West Indies. Although it’s believed that Somand met his fate at the hands of his few remaining slaves, his body was never found. He was in his mid-twenties.”

Rafe looked back up at her. For a moment they stared at each other in silence, then his eyes flicked down to her fingers, nervously twisting the necklace Alan had given her. Without thinking, she jerked her hand away.

Rafe’s eyes widened. “Did he give that to you?”

Esti swallowed. “It’s not what you think.”

“What is
wrong
with you? I thought you were done with him.”

“I am done with him.” She began to shake.

“Why are you wearing his damn necklace?”

“It’s my way of proving I don’t hate him.” She stared at Rafe with pleading eyes. “I can’t despise him for what he looks like.”

“You’re not over him,” Rafe said furiously. “He’s holding your soul with that thing.”

“Oh, yoo hoo, Esti.” Frederick peered out of the theater doors, his voice a bit testy. “We’re waiting for your fabulous Lady Capulet this evening.”

“I have to go.” She gave Rafe a helpless look. “I’m late.”

“Yeah, Alan taught you how to choose right, for true.” Slamming the book shut, Rafe reached out before Esti could move. With a twist of his fingers, he pulled the delicate chain from her neck.

“Rafe! Give it back.”

He shook his head. “Listen, babe,” he said grimly.

Alan’s despairing words stabbed into Esti’s heart.
I will know you despise me.

“No,” she said.

“Esti, darling?” Frederick’s eyes had widened at the sight of Rafe’s face. “We can’t start the next scene without you.”

“Give me my necklace,” she demanded. “Right now.”

When Rafe silently held out the chain, Esti snatched it from his hand. He turned away without a word.

“Darling,” Frederick said to Esti as Rafe stomped away, “I won’t ask about your lovers’ spat, because I don’t want to know. I do not approve of my students being late, however. Not even my shining stars like you.”

“I’m sorry,” she muttered. “It won’t happen again.”

After her scene, Esti sat by herself several rows back to work on the delicate link that Rafe had broken. She could see Officer Wilmuth slowly pacing in the wings, his hands clasped behind him as he made his way back and forth behind the stage. She didn’t expect the relief that swept through her when she finally clasped the chain around her neck during Danielle’s bedroom scene. And she certainly didn’t expect the quiet voice that immediately tickled her ear.

“Danielle has gotten better in the past two weeks, hasn’t she?”

Esti closed her eyes in shock.

“It’s because of you,” Alan murmured. “Frederick makes her study your techniques whenever you’re onstage. The difference in her acting is already noticeable.”

She shouldn’t be listening to him. She should leap to her feet and run away as fast as she could. Alan could have killed Rafe last night. He had shown a horrifying ruthlessness that she still couldn’t believe.

But he had never once tried to hurt her, she thought miserably. How could he still sound so good?

“I’ve been watching Frederick McKenzie since he got here,” Alan said gently. “He searches for ways to improve your Juliet and your Lady Capulet, but he finds nothing to criticize. You can do nothing wrong.”

Esti shook her head as a tear slipped from beneath her eyelid. She’d done it all wrong from the beginning. Gentle Esti, the queen of betrayal.

“Don’t cry,” he said, his voice stroking her. “Oh please, don’t cry.”

“Esti, you okay?” Lucia called down from the stage.

Esti realized she had missed her cue. She couldn’t bear to go up onstage now, knowing Alan was watching her. Knowing she couldn’t talk to him.

Her tears started in earnest.

“I’ve hurt you again.” Alan sounded like a bewildered child. “What did I say?”

No.
She shook her head again.
I’m hurting you. That’s all I’ve done since we met.
She couldn’t tell him that, of course. She had promised Aurora she would never talk to him again. She had betrayed her mom so deeply this year; she couldn’t do it anymore.

“Forgive me.” His voice became soft and pleading. “Whatever I said, I’m sorry.”

She put her hands over her face. There was no answer.

“Esti?” Lucia’s hand touched her shoulder. “I have watch you since you sit down. I think the jumbee he talk to you.”

Esti’s eyes flew open, and she swiped her fist across her nose. Officer Wilmuth was rapidly approaching with Frederick; the other cast members stared curiously from the stage.

“Listen to me,” she hissed to Lucia. Alan must still be listening. He would have to hear her.

“I can’t keep hurting him. I would tell him if I could, but I swore I’d never speak to him again. If I stay here, I’ll”—her voice broke—“I’ll be forsworn before the night is over. I’m quitting the play. I hope he can forgive me.”

“No,” Alan whispered.

“You’re joking, darling.” Frederick had drawn close enough to hear her last words. “I’ll never forgive you if you quit.”

She wiped her nose again, then rose to her feet. She couldn’t sit here and ignore Alan, when all she wanted to do was talk to him again. Despite her love for Rafe, despite Alan’s terrifying face and fury, and his endless disturbing secrets, she couldn’t make herself let go.

“I have to leave.”

“No!” Alan protested, more loudly.

Frederick hesitated at the sound, and Officer Wilmuth’s eyes widened.

“I’m sorry,” Esti gasped. Without waiting to hear any more, she turned and fled.

When Aurora and Officer Moore burst through the front door half an hour later, she was ready for them.

“Esti,” her mom began urgently, then trailed off in confusion. Esti had forced herself to calm down as soon as she got home, surrounding herself with classical music and sandalwood incense. She’d dialed the number for Rafe’s restaurant half a dozen times, hanging up each time before it rang.

Now she looked up from her cup of tea and smiled. “Hi,” she said.

“What in the world happened?” Aurora studied her. “I almost had a heart attack when Officer Wilmuth called us. Frederick told us you ran off in tears, swearing to quit. I just knew that Alan had come back for you. Thank God I was wrong.”

“No, you were right.”

Aurora sank down beside her on the couch, her eyes wide.

“I heard his voice,” Esti continued, “but I kept my promise. I didn’t say a word to him, and then I left.” She raised her eyebrows at Officer Moore. “I hope you don’t mind melodrama.”

He briefly gripped her shoulder. “I’m worried about you, is all.”

“What did Alan say?” Aurora demanded.

“Nothing much, really. A few things about Frederick’s teaching. I left before he was finished, and he didn’t follow me. I knew he wouldn’t.”

“This terrifies me, Esti.”

“It shouldn’t,” Esti said softly. “I quit the showcase.”

“You did what?” Aurora stared at her, stunned.

“I quit.” As Esti repeated the words, Officer Moore’s cell phone began to ring.

“It’s Rodney,” he said, glancing at the phone. “I think we all know why he’s calling.”

Taking a deep breath, Esti looked out the open window as he answered the phone. She couldn’t see Manchineel Cay in the darkness, but she definitely heard a wail in the trade winds. She imagined Rafe’s dad was probably on his way to her house again, accompanied this time by Frederick. She wondered when Rodney would finally throw his hands up in the air and decide that even The Great Legard’s daughter wasn’t worth this much trouble.

“Esti,” Aurora said, “look at me.”

Esti turned to her without protesting.

“Is Alan a jumbee, or is he some crazy stalker?”

“I don’t know.” Esti met her mom’s frightened gaze. “Honestly Aurora, I really don’t know. All I know is that he’s never tried to hurt me, and I’m not afraid of him.”

Aurora shook her head in disbelief. “Then why did you quit the play just now?”

“So I wouldn’t have to lie to you. I want to talk to him, just like you probably want a glass of wine right now, but I promised you I wouldn’t.”

Aurora sighed. “You sound twenty years older than you are. I feel so guilty for bringing you to Cariba.”

“It was my idea.” Esti leaned her head on her mom’s shoulder.

“Do you really want to quit?”

“No.”

She heard Frederick’s excited voice coming through the phone now. We’ll surround her by cops; make sure the jumbee doesn’t come near enough to talk to her; ensure he never touches her again. We have to convince her to stay. She wondered how many minutes until Rodney walked in the door.

With a sigh, she stroked the tangled chain in her pocket. No matter who Alan was or what she decided to do now, she would never again throw it away.

Act Three. Scene Three.

She had just shoved her math book in her locker the next day when Lucia walked up behind her.

“You heard?”

Esti turned around. “Heard what?”

“The heavens are vex mad.”

Esti stared at the sky, gloomy and gray with clouds. She looked back at Lucia in confusion.

“Ma she got fired,” Lucia said. “I’m quitting school.”

“What! You can’t do that.”

“I can,” Lucia said, her eyes flashing in anger. “The jumbee he is vex; all the new sets are tip over and tore apart.”

“No,” Esti breathed.

“Frederick he yell at Ma this morning when he see it. They had a big fight, and Mr. Fleming had fire her after lunch. He say ’tis her fault.”

“Oh, no.” Esti slumped against her locker.

“I go home now,” Lucia added, her voice soft, “and I put a curse on Frederick. He don’t believe in jumbee them. When a Continental don’t even try to understand, he will pay for it. Mr. Fleming, he been here five year. He should respect we belief, mon. Is time they both learn a lesson, for true.”

“Lucia, wait.”

But Lucia was already walking away.

Esti sagged against the wall. She didn’t know what to believe anymore. Maybe Alan really was a hideous monster, wreaking havoc as he haunted his old sugar plantation. Maybe he had never studied Shakespeare with her dad, never providing strength and advice as The Great Legard faced the world from his mighty stage. Maybe Alan made it all up, faking the posters and the books and his disturbingly deep knowledge of everything in Esti’s past.

Or maybe her dad had known Alan was a jumbee. Perhaps he knew that no one would ever believe him if he tried to explain. That was why he never told Aurora, or anyone else.

Esti shoved her fists against her eyes with a groan. If her dad were alive, he would make everything clear. He could take over, the way he’d always done. He would tell her the truth about Alan, so she wouldn’t have to do this by herself. He would . . .

He would tell her to handle it.
You’re in control, Esti.

Alan had been so nervous when he first showed her his house. His hands had gently guided her through the dark; he’d shown her how to make calalloo soup. He raised chickens and vegetables, for heaven’s sake. A centuries-old monster couldn’t be so human. So vulnerable. Could he?

She slammed her locker shut, glancing at the gray sky. She would spend the rest of the afternoon in the library.