Winter's Dream (The Hemlock Bay Series) (8 page)

I looked back and forth between their casually blank faces and waited for a real explanation.

“It’s so people don’t bug us,” Viola said bluntly.

“Like who? And how does that stop them from bugging you?”

“Well, we get to take in however many kids without too many questions, we can homeschool without question. It’s just easier this way.”

They resumed eating but I still didn’t pick up my fork. Their answer was … off. Maybe it wasn’t exactly a lie but it wasn’t exactly the truth either. “Okay, but can’t you do that without pretending to be religious?”

Hazel sighed. “We could, but not as well. People see what they want to see. When we live on farm in the middle of Amish country and dress like this people see two kindly old spinsters taking in children of family members like good Godly people should do. If we lived, say, in a house in town and dressed in jeans, people would see two weird old women with a constantly changing menagerie of teenage girls. I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought it was a brothel.”

Minnie snorted and Martha’s cheeks flushed. “I guess that makes sense,” I finally conceded.

“So,” Minnie asked, a joyful grin on her face, “I don’t have to go to school?”

Despite myself I enjoyed the meal. The chicken was light and crisp and juicy all at the same time. The potatoes were fluffy and velvety and even the carrot slaw I didn’t think I would like was sweet and tangy.

After my second piece of pie I finally managed to stop myself. Minnie had a dazed, sleepy grin on her face. The aunts quietly sipped their coffee but Martha burst away from the table as soon as her last bite was in her mouth and began gathering up dishes. “Let me help,” I said, shoving up from my chair.

“No, no, you relax,” she said, dumping the dishes next to the sink.

“Really,” I said, gathering up my dishes, “I don’t mind.”

I deposited them next to sink as well and turned the faucet on, waiting for the water to get hot. I stared out the window into the dark night, splashing my fingers under the running water. Mercury lights hung off the sides of the barn and outbuildings and gave an eerie glow to the yard, illuminating snowflakes as they skittered along the ground, never really landing until they were blown into something. Each of the fence posts running the east side of the property had a small pile at the base. Something else flapped in the wind near the fence and I squinted to see it clearly.

“Shit!” I cried, jerking away from the window.

“What is it?” Hazel asked, getting up from her chair.

“I, uh, I burned my fingers,” I lied, turning the lukewarm water back to cold.

“Are you all right?” she asked, reaching for my hand.

“Fine, fine,” I said, keeping it firmly under the stream of icy water. I prayed she wouldn’t notice it how badly it was shaking.

“I’m sorry,” Martha said. “I should have told you the water can get pretty hot.”

“It’s okay, it’s my fault, I wasn’t paying attention. Maybe I should uh, talk a short walk. Work off this full belly and wake up a little?” My heart was already beating like I had run ten miles after drinking a pot of coffee.

Hazel gave me a knowing smile and a pat on the shoulder. “You take all the time you need, dearie. It’s a lot to process, I know.”

I gave her a nervous smile, snatched a coat off one of the pegs and tried not to run out the door. It was freezing outside but the cold didn’t touch me. I kept my eyes locked on the point of fence I had seen him at and then kept walking, hoping he would follow me to a point past where anyone looking out the window could see us.

In the shadow of an outbuilding, I looked around to make sure I couldn’t be seen then leaned over the fence.

“What are you doing here?” I hissed.

David emerged from the shadows, snowflakes dancing around him. It was the scarlet scarf wrapped over his face that I had seen waving in the wind. “And you might as well take that stupid thing off,” I added. “I know what your face looks like.”

He stepped up to the fence and I was reminded again of just how big he was. A hand the size of my head reached up and pulled the scarf from his face. I blanched a little at how perfect and bright and alien it was. He didn’t say anything, just stared down at me.

I wouldn’t let myself backup. “What are you doing here?” I repeated.

“I wanted to check on you.”

“Check on me? You hate me, remember?”

“I never hated you,” he rumbled.

“Well, you have a funny way of showing it,” I snapped. “First you scare me away from Jordan, then you get me locked up in juvie.” I narrowed my eyes. “And now I’m free again, thanks to some blank papers, but just as much a prisoner. Those women won’t let me see my grandma or go find my brother. They want me here to learn things and won’t let me leave until I do.”

David cleared his throat. “It’s important you learn what they have to teach you.”

I groaned. “Yes, I know, I get it—”

“You don’t get it,” he rumbled. “There are dangers you aren’t even aware of, things you need to protect yourself against. Being a Gatekeeper puts you in a vulnerable position when it comes to my kind.”

“Says the giant jinn stalking me,” I muttered under my breath.

“You have to stay away from Jordan and you have to learn from the aunts.”

I folded my hands under my arms, finally beginning to feel the cold. “No problem with the first one and actually, no problem with the second one. But I
will
be seeing my grandma and finding my brother sooner than a few months from now. Much sooner.”

He shifted on his giant feet. “I’ll take you to her.”

“Excuse me?”

“Your grandma, I’ll take you to her.” He held his hand out and waited for me to take it.

I didn’t move. “Did you and Jordan both hit your heads? Why are you being nice to me? Why is he? In case you don’t remember, we’re supposed to be mortal enemies.”

He extended his hand further. “I am being nice because I want to be. For now. Jordan is being nice because he is in love with you. And as for being mortal enemies, we are.” His one crystal blue eye and one scarred milky eye were steady on me, waiting for an answer.

I didn’t let myself think, just grabbed his hand and hoped he was telling the truth. He pulled me over the fence in one swoop and looped an arm around my shoulders. He took a step and pulled me forward with him. Everything around us shifted. It was darker and we were in the trees. Another step and things changed again—just as dark but we were in a clearing.

We walked like that for several minutes, new scenery snapping into focus with each step. Finally we stepped and stopped in front of a long brick building. I blinked, taking in the fluorescent sign and lights illuminating a small parking lot.

“Here we are,” he said, pulling his arm from my shoulders. I stumbled and he grabbed me again, holding me up.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “Dizzy.”

He didn’t say anything, just waited for me to push away from him again.

I lurched for the door then stopped. “Wait, you’re not coming in, are you?”

He stared at me as if I were stupid. “I’ll wait here to take you back. Your aunts will be looking for you soon.”

I nodded, not actually caring what they thought.

To my surprise, the nursing home was bright and warm and didn’t smell like pee. The small lobby had a birdcage and several armchairs. I stopped a girl in pink scrubs rushing by. “Can you tell me where to find Pearl Derringer?”

“Dementia unit,” she said without stopping. “Through the double doors down the hall on your right. Don’t forget to push the button or you’ll set the alarm off.”

My stomach twisted as I thought about my grandma spending the last month on a locked ward. I imagined white walls and floors and drugged old people shuffling around with plastic cups with juice.

So I was a little surprised when I burst through the doors into a tastefully decorated living room. There was plush carpet, flowery wallpaper and armchairs and a couch arranged in front of a fireplace. There were a few patients scattered around, some in front of the fireplace, some in front of the television eating sandwiches. In the corner was a small table set with snacks and everything needed to get a cup of coffee or tea.

It was the complete opposite of what I had been imagining.

A nurse in cartoon scrubs and a stack of towels in her hand stopped by me. “Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Pearl Derringer.”

She pointed down the hall. “Second to the last room on your right.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I haven’t been able to visit yet, is she doing okay here?”

The nurse cocked her head. “And you are?”

I panicked a little, trying to decide between lying and telling the truth. I went with the truth. “Bianca Grey. I’m her granddaughter.”

“Oh, how nice. Well, she’s doing just fine since we cleared up that urinary tract infection. She’s all settled in and seems pretty happy.”

I doubted that. “Does she have everything she needs? Clothes and everything? I was, um, out of town when she was sent here.”

“She’s all set, your dad had everything moved in the next day.” I doubted that as well.

“The only thing is she keeps looking for an earring she insists is in her jewelry box. We haven’t found anything like it.”

“Is the jewelry box here?”

She nodded.

“I’ll find it then. There’s a corner where the velvet peeled back but still gets stuck sometimes. I used to have to fish earrings out of there once a week,” I said with a sad smile. “Thank you,” I told her and made my way down the hall.

I paused at the door, wondering if she would remember me.

The room was a soft mauve with a polished laminate wood floor. She must have had to share the room with someone because there were two beds with matching quilted coverlets. Grandma sat in the corner in a rocking chair from home. The television Lincoln had had in his room was perched on a small dresser and she was totally absorbed in Jeopardy. Her pictures and knickknacks were scattered around, everything set up similar to how she had it at home.

“Grandma,” I said quietly, not wanting to startle her.

She looked up and burst into a huge grin. “Katherine!”

“No, Grandma, it’s me, Bixby.”

She got up from her chair and wrapped me a hug. “Right, Bixby, that’s what I meant.”

I buried my face in her hair and willed myself not to sob.

She pulled back first and looked closely at my face. “Did you have a good day at school?”

I took her in, looking for any sign she was unhappy or hadn’t been taken care off. But her clothes were clean and she smelled fresh. Someone had braided her hair for her and it looked as though she had even put on a little weight. Had I really done such a bad job?

“Grandma, how have you been? Are you okay here? Do you remember how you got here?”

“I live here,” she said, her brows furrowing.

“I know, but are you okay here? I can’t bring you home just yet. But I need to know you’re safe here.”

She shook her head, getting confused. “This is my home, I live here.”

I changed the subject before she could get agitated. “I like how you set everything up. You have everything you need?”

She nodded then gave a frown. “Except my emerald earrings.”

I grinned. “I bet I know where they are.”

Her wooden jewelry box was on a tall dresser. I opened the lid and sure enough the velvet on the corner was stuck back in place, most likely with the earrings trapped in the space between it and the domed cover.

I peeled the velvet corner back and stuck my finger in, fishing around. Sure enough, the earrings had been stuck to the adhesive. Earrings in hand I firmly pushed the velvet back into place on the adhesive on the lid only to hear a tiny rustle. Curious, I pulled it back again and gently shook the lid. Out came a small piece of rolled up paper. I glanced at Grandma, wondering what kind of note she had left herself.

It was a tightly rolled sticky note, the sticky part holding it shut, thin as a toothpick. I unrolled it and my breath caught when I recognized the handwriting.

“Bixby,” it read, “I hope you get this, I didn’t know how else to try to reach you. I’m hiding out right now. I know they want to lock me up too. I’ve been reading Dad’s mail, so just sit tight and I will come find you as soon as I can. L.”

Tears sprang up in my eyes. Lincoln didn’t hate me; he was actually trying to find me. I wondered where he had been hiding this whole time.

“Grandma, have you had visitors here?”

She nodded, her attention focused back on Jeopardy.

“Grandma, look at me, this is important, did Lincoln come visit you here?”

Grandma nodded again.

“Did he say where he’s staying?”

Grandma scowled. “Bixby, he’s just a child. He’s at home, of course.”

“Okay, Grandma.” I kissed her cheek and gave her another hug. “I have to go now, I’ll come visit again soon, okay?” I hoped I wasn’t lying.

Grandma smiled and turned back to her Jeopardy. A little stab of pain shot through my chest. I had thought she would have missed me more, begged for me to take her with. I was glad she was safe and happy but hurt she had moved on so quickly.

There was no staff around to watch me leave although I kept checking over my shoulder as I made my way out the front door and back to the shadow David was still standing in.

“Feel better?” he asked, holding his hand out.

I nodded. “For now,” and accepted his hand.

Chapter Eight

I
opened the back door to
the kitchen and nervously stuck my head in. The lights were off and everything had been cleaned up. There was no way for me to tell exactly how long I had been gone but it was probably longer than a short walk would take.

I hung the coat on a peg and quietly made my way for the stairs.

“There you are,” Hazel said from behind me, causing my heart to leap up into my mouth. “Thought maybe you got lost.”

I gave a hoarse laugh. “Nope. I guess I didn’t realize how big the property was.”

“Oh yes, we saw you go off along the fence. If you followed it down to the tree line and around I’m surprised you’re back already,” she said. So they were watching me. She didn’t say anything about David and there was no malicious glint in her eyes.

“Anyway,” she continued, “I just wanted to remind you of what to look for tonight when you go back.”

I nodded. “Changes, damage, talk to the people,” I recited to her. I wondered what she would do if she knew I had just been with one of the enemies.

She smiled and her face softened. “It’ll all work out for the best, you’ll see. It’s always hard when a girl has to come here, it means something bad has happened. But it will get better and you’ll get to see your grandma soon.”