To Spell With It Read online

“He picked a funny way to do it ... if it’s a him,” Lilac mused.

  “I think it’s probably a man.”

  “Except the victims are men and women,” Lilac pointed out. “David and that cupid Hadley pulled out of the water were male. Hadley, Beth and Brenda are all female.”

  “She has a point,” Galen said. “We can’t be sure it’s a man. It could just as easily be a woman.”

  “Fair enough.” Booker held up his hands in defeat. “We need to figure out who it is no matter what. I don’t think the guilty party will stop unless we stop him or her. So far, only David has died. There have been no other instances besides the ones we’ve already heard about.”

  “That we know of,” Galen cautioned. “I’ve had my men looking for people trying to kill themselves. What happened today between Beth and Brenda suggests that’s not all I should be looking for. Maybe I should be pulling assault reports, too.”

  “How many assaults happen on the island on any given day?” I asked.

  “A few,” Galen replied. “I’ve been caught up with this and haven’t checked to see what else is going on. I will once I get back to the station.”

  “It can’t hurt,” Booker agreed. “You said you had other information for us. Spill.”

  “I have the autopsy results for David Fox.” Galen turned grim. “There are a few interesting things to note. First, he died from the fall. He had no other injuries that weren’t consistent with that fall.”

  “Were you expecting other injuries?” I asked. “I didn’t realize we thought that was a possibility.”

  “I wasn’t expecting anything. I was open to all manner of things. It turns out, other than the head injury and broken bones, he was fine. There were no marks on his wrists ... or scars ... or anything that would suggest he’d previously tried to harm himself.”

  “Oh.” Realization dawned. “If he was really suicidal, you think he would’ve had a few failed attempts under his belt before he managed to pull it off. That’s pretty normal, right?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Men usually use a gun or rope to kill themselves,” Lilac noted. “Women use pills or contain it to the bathtub. I read a study once. It said that women are more worried about who has to clean up the mess.”

  Her matter-of-fact tone put me off. “That’s a lovely thing to have in my head.”

  “I’m just saying.” Lilac smirked at my discomfort. “If he really was suicidal, we might not know it. He could’ve put a gun to his head ten times and we wouldn’t be able to tell.”

  “Fair enough,” Galen acquiesced. “I can’t do anything about that. I’m still waiting for full toxicology reports, but the medical examiner did find something odd in his blood.”

  Booker leaned forward. “Don’t leave us in suspense, man!”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know?”

  “I don’t know.” Galen held his hands palms out and shrugged. “The medical examiner is stumped. He’s calling for more tests and trying to see if he can find a lab on the mainland that can help.”

  “Do you think the compound is responsible for what’s happening?” I couldn’t help getting excited. “If you figure out what it is, can we make an antidote?”

  “We have to figure out what it is first.”

  “I know that.”

  “I’m not a scientist,” he reminded me. “That’s above my pay grade. Unless you have a scientist you can tap, we have to wait for the lab to come through.”

  Actually, I had an idea on that front. “What about Aisling’s brother?”

  “The mouthy reaper who just left two weeks ago? You want to contact her brother?” Galen looked horrified. “Why?”

  “Because she said her brother Cillian could find out anything, that he was the brain of the family and a full-on genius. I think that it might be worth a shot. I’ve been meaning to Skype her anyway. I don’t see why we can’t at least ask for help.”

  Galen looked caught. “Do we have to call her?” he whined after a moment’s contemplation. “She’s mean.”

  “You just don’t like that she bosses you around.”

  “She’s like a tiny drill sergeant,” he complained. “Still, you have a point. The reapers have extensive resources. I might be able to get them a sample and see what they say.”

  “Thank you.” I blessed him with an impulsive hug. “If we can find out what this compound is, I just know we can combat it.”

  “And if it’s some sort of poison you’ll be off the hook,” Booker deduced. “You don’t want it to be a curse.”

  I was embarrassed to admit he was right. “Let’s just focus on one thing at a time,” I suggested, digging into my cheesecake. “Let’s identify the compound and go from there.”

  Galen rubbed the tense muscles at the nape of my neck. “That sounds like a plan.”

  14

  Fourteen

  I wanted to call Aisling on the computer as soon as I got back to the lighthouse. Galen politely asked if I would wait ... and then gave me “the look” when I started whining. Ultimately I gave in when he pointed out that I wouldn’t be able to explain about the compound until he had a breakdown from the medical examiner. He had a point, so I spent the afternoon with Booker going through books and peppering him with questions about cupids.

  After two hours, he stopped answering and pretended he was deaf. I might as well have been alone. By the time Galen showed up with dinner after his shift, Booker couldn’t get out the door fast enough.

  “Is something on fire?” Galen asked lazily as Booker slid into his shoes.

  “I don’t know how you put up with her.” Booker’s dark hair was wild from running his hands through it at regular intervals. “All she does is talk.”

  “You didn’t want her to do anything else, did you?” Galen pinned Booker with a pointed look. There was no doubt about his reference.

  “Oh, get over yourself.” Booker made a hilarious face. “She might have that added something that has cupids from all over sniffing around — and don’t kid yourself, they’re definitely looking — but most people couldn’t put up with the nonstop chatter.”

  Galen’s expression was fond as he handed me a bag of Chinese food. “Did you drive Booker up the wall?”

  “I was just asking him questions.” I jutted out my lower lip. “They weren’t invasive or anything.”

  “You asked me if the first girl I ever had sex with thought I smelled like chocolate chip cookies, and whether my mother explained about the birds and the bees. How much more invasive can you get?”

  Well, that was a loaded question. “Do you really want me to try?”

  “No.” He moved toward the door in a huff. “I need some air. You swallow all the oxygen in a room.”

  Galen chuckled as he smoothed my hair. “You’ll be available if I need you tomorrow?”

  I expected a resounding “No.” Instead, Booker just nodded. “Call me in the morning. I might have stuff going on. If we have to, we can drag Hadley along with us. Although ... you could just drop her in Lilac’s bar. She’s looking for a job. She can fill in there for the day. No one would dare take on Lilac. People are talking about her nonstop again since the cult thing.”

  “I know, and she’s not happy about it.” Galen absently moved his hand to my arm. He was obviously in a touchy-feely mood, which I found interesting. “I’ll consider it. I’ll let you know what’s going on in the morning.”

  “I can’t wait.” Booker slammed the door so hard on his way out it rattled some of the photos May had left hanging. I hadn’t gotten around to changing any of the decorations, though I was seriously considering it ... once I talked to my dead grandmother and okayed it with her, that is. It’s hell being roommates with a ghost.

  “He didn’t even say goodbye,” I noted.

  Galen tipped up my chin and planted a long kiss on my lips. “That’s okay,” he said when we separated. I was a little breathless and giddy thanks to the effort he put in. “I
’m here to say hello.”

  I smiled. “Hello.”

  “Hello.” He kissed me again. “Now come on. We’ll set up dinner in the living room at the table and then call your buddy.”

  I’d almost forgotten I was going to get to see Aisling again. I’d texted her, explaining what was going on, and she said she would be available at her father’s house when I was ready to Skype. I was kind of excited ... which made me feel a bit foolish.

  As if reading my mind, Galen tilted his head to the side. “You’re feeling girlie and happy, aren’t you?”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “Nope. It’s better than how you were feeling this afternoon when you kept telling me you weren’t to blame. Just for the record, I don’t blame you for this. I won’t pretend there won’t be times when you do something wrong — or that agitates me — but this is not on you. I don’t want you thinking that.”

  Emotion was naked in his eyes and it warmed me all over. “I won’t blame myself again. It’s just ... I don’t want people to fear me.”

  “Yes, you do. On this island, that’s a benefit.”

  “Fine. I don’t want the people I care about to fear me.”

  “All Booker is afraid of is your mouth. Lilac isn’t afraid of anything, because she doesn’t have to be. As for me, I’m afraid for you, not of you.”

  “That’s kind of sweet.”

  “I’m a sweet guy.” He gave me one more kiss and then gestured toward the table. “Let’s get set up. I’m starving, and I’m betting you and your little buddy will chat half the night away once you get going. I’d like to get the important stuff out of the way and then turn on a game while you ... talk about whatever it is you two talk about.”

  “Mostly we talk about the men in our lives.”

  “I pity that poor fool she married.” He shook his head. His relationship with Aisling was tempestuous. She got what she wanted in life — no matter what — and she didn’t care who she ran over in the process. He liked rules and boundaries. They didn’t mix ... and yet they had a grudging respect for one another. It was interesting to watch. “Let’s get this show on the road, shall we? I got crab rangoon and spring rolls.”

  “Yum.”

  I’M NOT TECHNOLOGICALLY CHALLENGED or anything, but Galen is better with computers. He had the call up and running within five minutes, and I was impressed when Aisling answered and I got a gander at the room behind her. There were marble statues, expensive settees and a bar cart that looked as if it cost more than my first car.

  “Wow. You weren’t lying about your father living in a castle.”

  Aisling’s long dark hair, which was shot through with white streaks, was pulled back in a loose bun. She sat on one of the settees and fanned herself. She looked as if she was putting on a show ... and then I realized her face was red and she was sweating.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked, instantly worried. She was pregnant and the thought of her losing the baby was horrifying.

  “Something is definitely wrong. It’s a hundred degrees in this house and my devil baby doesn’t like it. Open a window or something!” she ordered someone off screen.

  Behind her, I saw multiple dark-haired men scrambling into the background to do her bidding. Aisling’s family genes were the sort that you apparently couldn’t escape. She and her four brothers looked exactly like their father, who I had also had the good fortune to meet. He was the reason Aisling was so spoiled, but he was a dedicated father and smart man, especially when it came to paranormal issues.

  “Is everyone there?” I asked when bodies started to settle.

  “Everyone is here,” she said, briefly smiling when a dark-haired man who looked nothing like her handed her a glass of a clear liquid. “Thank you.”

  Griffin Taylor, her husband, sat on the couch next to her and instantly positioned himself so her feet were resting in his lap. He started rubbing without complaint.

  “Hi, guys.” He grinned at Galen and me. “How’s life on the island?”

  “Busy,” Galen replied. He looked as impressed with the house as I felt. “Maybe we’ll have to arrange a visit to Michigan one day. I would love to see that place.”

  “It keeps the rain off,” Aisling said dryly, causing me to laugh. “What’s going on with you guys?”

  I opened my mouth to answer, but Galen held up his hand to quiet me. “How about I start? Once we get done with the part of the conversation I need to be present for, you two can talk about whatever you desire. How does that sound?”

  “Like you’re just as bossy as I remember,” Aisling replied darkly.

  “Look who’s talking.” Galen pinned her with a dark look through the computer screen, but he couldn’t hide his smile. “You look pretty good. Obviously pregnancy agrees with you.”

  “Not really. I have heartburn every morning ... and at night. My back hurts. My ankles are swollen. And my boobs are already bigger. Griffin likes it, but I need new bras.”

  “Aisling! That is not the sort of thing one says on the internet,” a male — and grouchy — voice barked from the background. I couldn’t see the speaker but recognized the voice.

  “Tell your father I said hi.”

  Aisling snickered. “He’s camera shy. Seriously, though, what’s going on?”

  Galen launched into the tale. When he finished, the Grimlock brothers who had been buzzing about before were grouped around the computer and listening. They were obviously fascinated.

  “Well, that sounds stupid,” Aisling announced. “I can’t believe someone has been trying to lure you out of the lighthouse. You should get on that, Galen.”

  Galen growled softly. “Thanks for the tip,” he snarked. “I never would’ve thought of that. I’m so glad we called.”

  Griffin very deliberately squeezed Aisling’s feet to get her attention and shook his head before speaking. “I’m not familiar with cupids. I don’t think we’ve run into any ... other than that guy we met while we were there. The one my lovely wife sniffed constantly.”

  “That scent is quite the aphrodisiac,” Aisling agreed, smiling sweetly at her husband. “I guess it’s good that I was already knocked up by you, huh?”

  “Yes, we’re all thrilled about that,” Cormack Grimlock, Aisling’s father, said as he appeared on screen. “This compound, can you get a sample to us? We can have our lab techs look it over.”

  “I can send one out in the morning,” Galen replied. “I’m guessing you’ve never heard anything like this before.”

  “We’ve heard weird things, but Griffin is correct. We haven’t crossed paths with cupids much. We probably wouldn’t notice even if we did ... other than Aisling rubbing herself against strangers because she thinks they have cookies.”

  “Ha, ha.” Aisling rolled her eyes and made me laugh. “Cillian can conduct some research, right?” She looked to her long-haired brother. They all looked alike but he stood out in a fashion model sort of way.

  “I can see what information we have at the reaper library,” he offered. He didn’t appear put out about his sister volunteering his time. “It doesn’t strike a chord with me, but I’m more than willing to look.”

  “Thank you. We’re in your debt.”

  Aisling opened her mouth again but Galen cut her off.

  “We’re not that far in debt,” he said. “Whatever you’re thinking, mouth, think again. We’ll visit when we have time.”

  “Oh, you’re such a joy,” Aisling drawled. “Is that all the business stuff then? Hadley and I want to talk in private for a bit. That means all the men have to leave.”

  “Gladly.” Galen kissed the top of my head. “Come find me and we’ll go for a walk before bed. I’ll be watching the game in the other room.”

  I waved him off. “Sure.” I smiled brightly at Aisling. “So, can you take me on a tour of the house with the laptop?”

  “Absolutely. I’ll show you the basement where the snakes live.”

  “There are no snakes in the baseme
nt, Aisling,” Cormack barked. “For crying out loud, why must you be such a pain?”

  “I think I inherited it from you.”

  AISLING AND I SPENT TWO HOURS on the call. I felt better when we were finished. I told her some of the things I’d been worried about — including what the warring women accused me of earlier in the afternoon — and her rebuttal of their words was much more colorful than Galen’s. By the time I collected him for our walk, I was almost chipper.

  “I know you don’t like her, but she makes me laugh.”

  We held hands as we walked the beach, the moonlight glinting off the placid waves. The wind was much lighter today.

  “I didn’t say I didn’t like her,” he countered. “I said she’s a pain in the behind.”

  “I think she’s fun.”

  “I think she’s a hellion, and if karma is real she’ll get a kid exactly like her.”

  Funnily enough, Aisling thought that, too. “Are you still worried about me?” I lifted my eyes to study his strong profile. “I’ll be okay. You know that, right?”

  “I do know that,” he confirmed, squeezing my hand. “You’ll be okay because we’ll both make sure of it.”

  “I smelled the smell again today. The one that reminds me of rancid honey. I’ve been thinking about it. Do you think it’s possible that I smell it because it’s a bad cupid? I mean ... normal people are supposed to smell good things when they’re around cupids because it attracts them. What if I smell something bad because something inside of me recognizes I’m up against a monster?”

  He exhaled heavily and skirted to the side as two men, neither of whom I recognized, passed us. They both jerked their heads in my direction as they crossed beyond us, and Galen met their gazes with a challenging one of his own.

  “Can I help you?” he asked pointedly.

  “What?” One of the men, the blonder of the two, looked momentarily dazed as he dragged his eyes from me. “We’re not doing anything. We’re just walking.”

  “I know what you were doing.” Galen tugged me closer and continued to glare. “Keep going.”