Chapter 22

“Merde.” Jared stared at the blank television screen as the room spun around him. He’d never experienced anything so intense. “Angelique?” he whispered, but she was gone.

He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his fingers to his temples, his head reeling. He had no idea how Angelique had made that happen, but it was as if he’d been a part of her. He’d known her thoughts, felt her terror, smelled the smoke, and known her pain. He took deep breaths to calm his heaving stomach. “Next time you want to hurl me through the looking glass, Angelique, I’d appreciate it if you’d warn me first.”

After a few minutes, he rose unsteadily and, on shaky legs, headed for his liquor cabinet. He poured two fingers of bourbon into a glass gripped in trembling hands and downed it in one swallow. Slowly his body calmed. “Damn.”

That was way too weird. But now he knew the truth and what he needed to do. He set down his glass and went to where the mirror lay on a table. Angelique’s sitting room was still visible. He’d begin by showing the image of the room to his father and hopefully he’d be able to tell Jared where it was. If not, at least he had one clue. Angelique had said it was located on the second floor. Thankfully that was where they had their private rooms, so he wouldn’t be poking around among the guests’ things.

Knowing his father would be in his office, Jared headed for the elevator. When he entered the lobby, the aromas coming from the dining room reminded him he hadn’t eaten anything since last night. Deciding to grab a quick bite before seeing his father, he changed direction. He’d taken only a few steps when Carla Delany, the daytime restaurant hostess, stopped him.

“Oh, Mr. Dupre, I was just going to call you. Kathleen hasn’t come in for work. When I tried her cell, she didn’t answer. I was wondering if you know where she is?”

Jared frowned. “I have no idea. See if Anna can get Leon to come in and cover for her until she shows up.”

She hesitated.

He tried to keep the impatience from his voice. “Carla, what is it?”

“Mr. Dupre, I’m sorry to bother you with this, but I’m afraid something’s wrong. Kathleen and I are good friends. She’d never miss work without telling me why.”

Jared recalled the mix-up with the delivery from the night before. “I saw Kathleen last night and she was fine. Perhaps she had some kind of family emergency?”

Carla shook her head. “I talked to her mom, and she hadn’t heard from her either.”

Jared knew firsthand how much Kathleen enjoyed partying. If she was having a good time, she’d stay up all night, but never before a work day. “I tell you what. If you don’t hear from her by this afternoon, let me know.”

“Thanks. I really appreciate your help.” She gave him a wan smile. “If I could use magic, perhaps I could find her.”

Jared squeezed her shoulder. “That’s where I come in. Don’t worry. I’m sure she’s fine.”

Hours later, after painstakingly searching every inch of the second floor, Jared, tired and disgruntled, stood in what had been his sister Annette’s bedroom. Married and living in Michigan, Annette still used the room when she came to visit. She probably wouldn’t appreciate him poking around in here, but this was the last place for him to search. His father had glanced at the image, shaken his head, and handed the mirror back.

As Jared stood there hoping for some kind of inspiration, a disheartening thought came to him. If the sitting room no longer existed when she gave him the mirror, his mother would have hidden the casket somewhere else. He groaned and flopped down in a padded wicker chair. That would mean it could be anywhere. Rubbing his hands across his face, he shook his head. No, the mirror showed him what he asked, so the room must be here.

Perhaps some fresh air would clear his head. He rose, opened one of the casement windows, and stepped out onto the balcony. Below him the courtyard, with its central fountain, wrought-iron benches, and flowering plants, made a tranquil setting. The hotel was U-shaped with the main entrance on Royal and a rear entry via the port cochere that led into the courtyard.

An older couple sat on one of the benches holding hands. Jared smiled as the man bent down and whispered something in her ear making her laugh. It was obvious that they were still deeply in love. Someday that could be Kendra and him. For a few minutes, he stood lost in thought, then sighed. If he didn’t rid their lives of Adam, Kendra and he might not have a future.

As he stepped back through the window, a painting which hung over the bed caught his eye. He stood staring, then swore. There, in the painting, was Angelique’s sitting room. Someone must have painted the picture before Annette’s room was remodeled. He lifted the painting from the wall. Behind it the plaster was smooth and showed no signs of ever concealing a safe. He rehung the painting and cursed colorfully in French. He took a step back and studied the wall. Behind it was the bathroom. Shaking his head, he went to look.

Above the marble sink was a beveled glass mirror. When he tried to lift it down, it wouldn’t budge. He ran his fingers along the sides and smiled with triumph when he discovered a tiny latch. He held his breath as he swung it open. “Yes,” he exclaimed when the safe was revealed. His excitement was short-lived when he saw it had a combination lock.

“You’re not keeping me out,” he said through gritted teeth. He was about to hit the lock with a spear of energy when he noticed the tiny strip of yellowed paper taped to the back of the mirror. Smiling with satisfaction, he read the faded numbers and twirled the lock.

Jared sighed in relief when the safe door swung open. Inside sat the casket, its wood dark with age. He lifted it out and returned to the bedroom. He set it upon a small Queen Anne desk and raised the lid. A gasp lodged in his throat as he recognized the dagger Angelique had used to kill Augustus Montief. The hilt, encrusted with sapphires, rubies and emeralds, glowed brightly. For several minutes he could only stare, then reverently he lifted the weapon.

The jolt of energy that shot through him almost knocked him off his feet. “Holy Mother of the Gods,” he whispered. Swallowing hard, he watched as the jewels pulsated in his hand.

“Okay, you’ve got one hell of a punch.” He planted his feet and tightened his grip around the hilt. When the intense energy flowed through his arm, a slow grin spread across his face.

****

After closing the store, Kendra, Deanne, and Loren sat upstairs in Kendra’s apartment enjoying what had become their customary after-work glass of wine.

“Another successful day of sales,” Kendra said. “I’ve even taken orders for items we’ve run out of.”

Deanne sat on the couch, slipped off her shoes, and scratched Clementine who curled up next to her. She sipped her wine. “We are so kicking ass. We’re going to give Minerva major competition.”

Loren turned to Kendra. “Speaking of which, from what you told me, I’d say it was datura, commonly known as jimson weed, that you were given last night. But I still can’t see Minerva putting something like that in her punch.”

Kendra frowned. “Isn’t that some kind of poison?”

Loren nodded. “It can be highly toxic if given in large doses or used without proper knowledge of its potency. It’s also a love potion.”

“Holy crap,” Deanne said. “Minerva must have lost her mind to put something like that in her punch. She could have killed someone.”

“She’s a good herbalist and would have known how much to use,” Loren said. “My question is why would she do it? I mean she can be pretty strange at times, but to drug her guests.” She shook her head. “Like I said, I can’t see it.”

“And she couldn’t have been sure how much any one person might get, just putting it in a punchbowl. It would be nuts,” Deanne countered.

“Then if not Minerva, who?” Loren asked.

Both girls turned to Kendra who sighed. “Jared thinks it was Thaddeus.”

“Well, I don’t think it was him either,” Deanne said. “Like Minerva, why would he do it?”

Loren bit her lower lip. “I hate to say this, but we can’t rule Thaddeus out.” She held up her hand forestalling Deanne’s objection. “I know we’re all upset with Jared…”

“Not all of us,” Deanne interrupted, glowering at Kendra. “One of us spent the night in bed with him.”

Kendra rolled her eyes. “Honestly Deanne.”

“Okay, obviously I’ve missed something,” Loren said.

Kendra refilled her wine glass, took a deep breath, and explained.

“Yeah, and if he ever tries that with me again, his ass will be the one flying across the room,” Deanne stated after Kendra had finished.

“As I said earlier, no you won’t. Antagonizing Jared will not help.” Kendra turned to Loren. “Will you please tell her?”

Loren nodded. “Kendra’s right, Deanne. Angering Jared won’t accomplish anything. And I can’t say I’m surprised to hear he spent the night.”

“Neither of you has any idea how horrible that exhibit was,” Kendra said. “I was scared and upset and Jared showed up. I told Deanne it was nothing more than comfort sex and it won’t happen again.”

Loren grinned. “I kind of doubt that, but before you say anything, let me continue. I think we need to consider what Jared said about Thaddeus. Yes, he seems to be a perfectly nice guy, but what do we actually know about him?”

Kendra set her glass down and rubbed her arms. “It gives me the absolute willies to think I’ve been going out with someone as cruel as Jared has accused Thaddeus, or ‘Adam’, of being. How could he come across as a perfectly normal person and hide that much evil inside?”

Deanne snorted. “Girl, Dexter seems like a nice guy, too.”

Kendra shivered.

“Before we accuse Thaddeus of anything, we need to see what we can find out about him.” Loren turned to Kendra. “Have you heard from him today?”

“No, he’s probably upset with me for the way I ran out on him. If he saw me with Jared, well, I may never hear from him again.”

“That would solve one problem,” Deanne said.

Kendra opened her mouth to reply, shook her head, then closed it again.

“In a way Deanne is right,” Loren said. “If you don’t hear from Thaddeus, we’ve nothing to worry about.”

Kendra stepped to the counter and picked up the bottle of wine next to the vase of roses. She refilled their glasses. “As I told Jared, there were other people at Minerva’s last night. One of them could have fooled around with the punch.”

“That’s true,” Loren said.

“Maybe. If they were some of Minerva’s wacky friends,” Deanne said. “It could have been someone’s idea of a joke.”

“Did you recognize anyone?” Loren asked.

Kendra shook her head. “Honestly I didn’t pay attention. She’s totally changed the store and it’s really creepy. The only light came from candles and a few wall sconces. She had hors d’oeuvres and the punch in the room she uses to do her readings.” Kendra sucked in a breath.

“What is it?” Loren asked.

“While I was waiting for our turn to go upstairs, I took a book from Minerva’s bookcase,” she paused. “The title was Pharmakopeia of Love Potions and Aphrodisiacs.”

Deanne laughed. “Girl, if you looked like Minerva, how else would you get a man?”

Loren almost choked on her wine. “Oh, my, Deanne.”

“What? It’s true. She runs around looking like an extra from the Addams family.”

Tears of laughter streamed down Kendra’s cheeks. “You’re so right.”

“Okay, okay, enough,” Loren said. “We’re missing Kendra’s point.”

“Which is?” Deanne asked.

“That, if I had to guess, the book explains herbs that can be used as aphrodisiacs, including jimson weed.”

Kendra’s cheeks turned pink as she recalled some of what she had read. “It did.”

“You have our full attention,” Deanne stated.

“I couldn’t get through all of it, but there were some pretty explicit descriptions of what some herbs can make you do.”

“Oh, do tell,” Deanne said.

Loren waved her hand. “Not now. We need to keep on point.”

Deanne rolled her eyes. “Yes, professor.”

Loren ignored Deanne and continued. “Minerva knows what herbs to use, but if she’s selling a book like that, well, anyone could have known what to add to the punch.”

“So we’re right back where we started,” Kendra said.

Deanne set down her wine glass and stood up. “Since we suck as detectives, let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving. How about burgers?”

Loren cleared her throat.

“Oh, all right, Miss No Meat. What about red beans and rice? We can go to the Gumbo Shop and hold the andouille.”

Loren smiled. “Sounds perfect.”

“I have to work the nine o’clock haunted hotel tour tonight,” Kendra said. “So that works for me.”

As they gathered their things to leave, Kendra’s phone rang. Glancing down at the caller ID she saw it was Thaddeus.

“What should I do?” she asked.

“Answer it,” Loren said. “See what he has to say.”