The Witches of Dark Root: Daughters of Dark Root: Book One (The Daughters of Dark Root) (21 page)

Shane put his hands on the center of the table, separating me from my sister.

“It’s no one’s fault,” he said, looking at both of us. “These things just happen.”

Eve and I stared at each other, neither speaking.

The silence was broken by the doorbell.

We all turned to see a pleasant looking woman of around fifty entering the cafe. She had short, dark hair, cut elegantly around her soft face, and wore a long, grey skirt and a purple sweater with a faux fur collar similar to Eve’s.

“Hello,” the woman said, smiling and looking around the restaurant. “Is this establishment open?” Her green eyes sparkled as she took in the décor.

Shane practically ran to greet his new guest. He moved to offer her a seat by the window but she waved her hands.

“If you don’t mind,” she said, nodding to us. “I’d like to join these lovely young people. That is, if you don’t mind the company? I’ve been on the road a while and it would be great to have some conversation while I have my tea.”

I thought this was strange, but Eve seemed eager to have her sit with us and offered her the chair between us. If the woman had been dressed in rags, instead of expensive-looking clothes, Eve wouldn’t have given her the time of day.

“My name is Jillian,” the woman said, shaking each of our hands.

On her right index finger she wore the largest diamond I had ever seen. I couldn't help but gawk.

“You like?” She smiled, holding her hand up for me to appraise. “A gift from an old admirer. It’s a terrible thing to lug around but I can never bring myself to take it off.” She gave it a look that let me know there was a story behind it, but she didn’t offer to tell it.

“I’m Eve,” my sister introduced herself. “And this is my friend Paul, my sister Maggie, and of course, the proprietor, Shane Doler.

Shane opened his arms wide.
“Mi
Dip Stix
es su
Dip Stix.”

“Pleased to meet you all, and I love your name, Eve. Very biblical.”

“Yes, Mother liked biblical names,” Eve said. “But ironically wasn’t a huge fan of the Bible. Said the only thing she could appreciate about Jesus was his hair. Anyways,” she added. “Guess it’s a good thing I wasn't born a boy, or I would have been stuck with a name like Ezekiel or Jebediah. And then I would have had no choice but to become a farmer.”

Eve clicked her nails on the table while she pondered this and the rest of us laughed.

“Sounds like your mother is a colorful woman,” Jillian said with twinkling eyes. Then she turned to peruse the paper menu Shane had offered her. “Now, let me see if I can’t find something to tide me over until I get home...”

Jillian ran her finger down the list and finally decided on the waffle sticks, no syrup or butter, please, and a cup of hot tea.

I’m not sure why, but I felt an immediate liking for Jillian.

She was warm, personable, and unlike most of the other women of her generation I’d known, sane. She told us that she was from Linsburg, twenty-five miles away, and was out doing a little shopping in neighboring towns. She saw this quaint little place and ‘just had to come in.’

“It reminds me of the diners from my high school days,” she said, smoothing the paper napkin onto her lap.

I looked over at Shane and raised a wicked eyebrow. He really needed to update the joint.

“This your first time in Dark Root?” Eve asked, mirroring Jillian’s way of drinking from her cup with her pinky finger up.

“No, dear, you caught me,” she laughed, her voice like a tinkling of bells. “I used to come for the Haunted Dark Root Festivals years ago. I’ve been nostalgic lately and I was hoping to grab some fliers to take back to my nieces, but, by the looks of things, it doesn’t seem to be happening this year. Too bad. They were always so much fun.”

Shane frowned. “I wish it was still going on, too. Good for business, great for the town. But I can’t seem to convince anyone it’s worth the effort. The folks that used to run it are getting old and...” He looked at me apologetically. “...Sick. So...”

He spread his right hand, helplessly.

“I see.” Jillian took another sip from her cup and set it carefully back into its saucer. “I don’t mean to be a Meddling Merriweather, but it seems to me there’s a new generation of young people who care about this town.” She looked around at all of us. “Why not revive it? It could be fun.”

Eve, who had spent more time watching Paul than listening, was suddenly interested. “What a great idea! We could put on plays, like historical reenactments of the town’s history. I could write them
and
star in them.”

“What if I wanted to star in them?” I asked.

Of course, I had no intention of being in anything Eve had written, but I didn’t like the idea that she was making this all about her.

“Don’t be silly, Maggie. I’m the logical choice. I’ve starred in many off-Broadway plays.”

“Way, way off, I bet.” I laughed, thinking about it. “...Like in Milwaukee.”

“Now, ladies,” Shane interrupted. “We can hammer out those details later, but since you both seem so eager to do this, I say we give it a shot.”

“I didn’t actually volunteer,” I reminded him. “I was just trying to prove a point.”

I was planning on leaving as soon as I figured out where I was going, and I couldn’t get involved in something so silly as a Halloween carnival.

Shane just smiled. “Now, there’s only six weeks before Halloween, so that means we need to work fast. We are going to have to work hard and get everyone, including the Mayor, on board. When he learns the Maddock girls are back and willing to do their parts, I’m sure he will jump at the chance.”

“Whoa!” I placed both hands on the table. “One mention of reviving this thing and you all pounce on it? Isn’t that a little crazy? And I never said I’d do my part or anyone’s part.”

“I’ll take whatever I can get from you, Mags.” Shane put a strong hand on my shoulder, pushing me deeper into the chair as if to say
you aren’t going anywhere yet
.

Eve and Shane chatted excitedly about what needed to be done; they had more ideas than Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin combined. Shane would rally the shop owners. Eve would write her plays. Maggie would...well, they never figured out ‘what Maggie could do.’

I stifled a sigh and looked out the window at the road that led out of Dark Root.

“Don’t worry, dear,” Jillian said, placing two hands over one of mine. She had a warm, soothing energy to her. “Things will work out. You will see.”

“Yeah,” I sighed.

Well, if Shane and Eve wanted to resurrect that old festival all the power to them. I would be long gone six weeks from now.

“Well, everyone.” Jillian stood and pushed in her chair. “Sorry to rile up the hornets’ nest and leave, but I must be going. Linsburg’s Homecoming is tonight and I’m tailgating.”

I wasn’t sure what tailgating was, but I wished I were going with her. It seemed far preferable to what I would be doing the next few days.

“Maggie, do you mind walking me out to my car?” she asked.

It was another strange request, since it was still daylight and Dark Root was not known for its muggings, but I agreed. Just being around her lightened my mood.

When we got to her Lexus she handed me a card that read:
Jillian Lightheart ~ Psychic Medium.
There was an address and a map on the back.

“What’s this for?”

“Maggie, dear,” Jillian said. “I’m not sure you are aware of it, but you have something behind you. It’s big and dark and hides whenever it thinks it’s been spotted. It’s kind of like a cloud behind the sun. I think this one is just a hitchhiker––most of them are––but some things attach themselves for a very long time. Even lifetimes. I think you are the sort of person who attracts...many things.”

I looked over my shoulder but couldn’t see anything.

She laughed and slid into her seat.

“I told you, he’s sneaky. At any rate, I’d like to help you with it, if you decide you want to. Free, of course. It’s not often I get to meet someone of your talents.”

I gave her a quizzical look.

My only talents were in generating mild electrical surges and making predictions that sometimes came true. Nothing a professional psychic would be interested in. Before I could speak, she started the car and drove away.

I looked at the card again. Her address was in Linsburg. Not far, if I had a car. Which I didn’t. I walked back to Dip Stix and thought about what she had said. She claimed she was a psychic medium, someone who could speak with the dead. According to my mother, that was one of the rarest and most powerful gifts a person could have. I was intrigued.

I felt a touch of cold on my shoulder and looked behind me. Nothing.

Maybe I
would
go see her before I left Dark Root behind forever.

“What was that about?” Eve asked, emerging from Dip Stix with Paul.

“Oh, you know, just another old, eccentric woman.”

Eve laughed and slid into the front seat of the Explorer next to Paul. “As if we don’t have enough of those in Dark Root already.”

“So what did you think of Paul?” Eve plopped down on the bed as I rummaged through my suitcase for pajamas.

I removed my flannel nightgown and was seized by sadness, remembering the night Michael had dressed me for bed before returning to Leah. I shoved it back into the suitcase and pulled out an over-sized Berkley T-shirt instead.

“...Isn’t he great?”

“Hmm?” I asked, stalling for time.

Considering the day we had, I was surprised she was focusing on Paul and even more surprised she thought he was great. Aside from his love of all things Elvis, he didn't seem to have a lot to contribute to conversations.

“Where did you two meet?” I shimmied out of my clothes and pulled the shirt over my head. Though it hung to my knees, it was snug in the waist and I silently cursed Michael for putting it in the dryer. Another good reason to get rid of him, I reminded myself.

Eve ran a comb through her long hair and I noticed that in addition to her bangs, she had piece-y layers that framed her face. I was fascinated and a bit envious. My own hair was far too unruly to pull off a stunt like that.

“We met at an audition for
Rock of Ages
on Broadway.” Eve sighed dramatically, turning towards the mirror. She checked every angle of her head, smiled approvingly, and put the comb away. “We hit it off right away and have been hanging out ever since.”

She stood and pulled off her shirt, giving me a glimpse of her newly-enhanced cleavage.

“Did you get the part?” I watched, fascinated as she searched through the dresser for something to wear. I was no stranger to nudity, but I had never seen anything like the giant, floating orbs that Eve was now sporting. She was lucky that she had a naturally curvy bottom to balance her out, or she might have toppled over.

I turned my head away so that I didn’t stare.

“I got a call back,” she said, pulling on a loose, white t-shirt. “Would have been my first Broadway gig, too, but I didn’t take it. That same day, I got an offer to play the lead in a play, and I just couldn’t refuse.”

“It must have been a pretty big deal to give up Broadway. Which play?”

“Romeo and Juliet.
If you want to be taken seriously as an actress, Shakespeare is the way to go.” Eve shrugged, pulling her hair up into a ponytail and secured it with a scrunchie.