Bijou Read online

  She gave me a hug, which I politely returned. She smelled of something sweet and old, the same weird scent I had caught in the garden among the sage.

  I introduced Zoe. “You’ve already met.” My voice sounded squeaky, but I hoped Dom wouldn’t hear the fear in it. Giving me a funny look, Zoe said hello to Dom.

  Dom gave her a broad smile, the look of someone very hungry, I thought, about to sit down at a sumptuous meal. Then she looked at me. “Was that Sawyer over there with you? I guess he didn’t want to say hi to me.” She shrugged. “Can’t say I blame him.”

  I urged Zoe to stay with Sawyer, encouraging her to go read her guidebook to him. She looked annoyed, but reluctantly obeyed me.

  Turning back to Dom, I waited for her to ask about Agnes, if I’d met her, or anything about her. But instead, she said, “Let’s go over here, OK?” And she guided me along a dry path to a bench near some water-starved roses.

  I had to say to myself that she looked beautiful. Pale, flawless skin, full lips, hints of make-up, and her quaint braid made it impossible to guess her age, even if no one knew, except me, that she was more than 150 years old.

  “You look great, Annie. Been exercising? Do you like to run? We should go running together some time.” Dominique wore a kind of smile meant to be kind, but to me it was a ghastly mask.

  “I prefer a bicycle.” I leaned back on my hands as fog trailed over head. It seemed to come so close it brushed my shoulder. A shiver traveled down my spine. “What did you want to see me about?”

  Dominique shrugged. “I don’t expect you to forgive me or anything. This is not about making up for old times.” Her voice dropped a level, the breathiness gone. I felt almost relieved.

  She continued as I said nothing. “I just thought I would give you some advice.”

  Here it comes. I couldn’t wait. A cold breeze ran its fingers along my neck.

  “In fact, the advice is really meant for Ivy, but since she won’t speak to me, and I heard you were back in town, I thought I could talk to you. You are so much more level-headed and reasonable.”

  “I don’t like being a go-between, as you well know.” Carrying messages back and forth between Dominique and Mae after their falling out, I had played an eager part.

  She raised one eyebrow. “But you are involved, too. Whether you like it or not.” Her voice was smooth, as if she were remarking on the weather.

  I pondered how much to let on. Decided it was best to pretend ignorance. Bijou Xtra, Hollis’s missing soul, Jack Easton buying portals and selling Bijou for Dom.

  Stretching her fingers, short, odd fingers, Dominique said, “I don’t remember exactly when we figured out who the other was. Or what we were.”

  Giving a short laugh, I said, “That’s good, Dom. It was no discovery for you, only for me. You came to town, came to school. I didn’t know you were a Delphine. Just a pretty girl who charmed the guys and made us all hate you. Except me and Mae.”

  “You and Mae were different. Mae was my rival in everything. The best course for me, was to become her best friend.”

  I remembered the pain of that all too well. I didn’t want to be in a trio of friends. I didn’t want to share Mae with Dom. But I pretended that I liked Dom, because Mae did.

  “I was jealous of you, too.” Dom crossed her legs. She wore a pair of 3 inch heels.

  Now what was she up to? I couldn’t possibly believe that Dominique Delphine would have anything but contempt for Annie Novak, or any Novak.

  “You were cute, smart. Athletic, too. Guys really liked you.” She glanced over to where Sawyer and Zoe were sitting, across the garden, looking at Zoe’s guidebook. “He really liked you. You didn’t even notice that Sawyer was in love with you. To you, he was just Hollis’s best friend and Hollis hung with Mae and so you all formed this chummy clique.”

  It was true. I never knew how Sawyer felt. But still, how much of anything Dominique said could I ever believe? “I suppose that’s why you went after him so hard. Married him.” I turned to face her. “You never were the marrying type, right? I mean, husband, home and kids?”

  Dominique shrugged. “As you see, it didn’t last long.”

  I kept quiet. You broke his heart. And you’ve basically denied the existence of your daughter Agnes.

  “Any way, Annie. I want to give you a message. For Ivy.”

  I waited for it. After a moment, she said, “Ivy’s a good person. I see that. She really cares for you, and Bruce, her son. But she’s a loose cannon. She’s interfering with a business venture of mine and I ask that you ask her to stop.”

  At this point, I decided it was best to pretend I knew nothing of what she was talking about. I gave her a curious look. “Do you mean Jack Easton trying to buy our old house? You mean how she shot his car?”

  Dominique kept her smile, did not change a muscle in her face. “Jack and I are trying to improve life in Quantum City. If we can create affordable homes, for commuters, more revenue for Quantum City. More taxpayers, more money for social programs.”

  It was an effort for me not to laugh. I looked away. “I see. Nice. Let’s see. The old Sanatorium converted into condos. The old Novak eyesore torn down for multiple skinny houses all in a row. The old VA site, mini-mansions in the oaks. And where else? The Sunola Water Tower?” I leveled my gaze at her.

  “Not sure why you think we want to develop there. That’s a county park.” Dominique’s face was all innocence. “But the others, sure. Jack owns the VA property, and the deal is almost complete for the Sanatorium.” She laced her hands over her knee. “But this violence of Ivy’s. And add to that, Sawyer, bless his heart, trying to muckrake Jack. These have to stop.”

  Dominique gazed solidly at me, her cobalt eyes wide open. Another chill brushed my shoulders, and the garden dimmed under a heavy layer of fog.

  In an instant I understood why I felt so cold. Ghosts. Ghosts flocked around us, moving, agitated. Ghosts of settlers and Franciscan padres and San Francisco politicos. They were worried, drawn to Dominique and myself. Something bad was about to happen, something bad that drew them through the veil to the sides of two ghost wranglers together in one of the oldest cemeteries on the coast.

  If Dominique sensed their presence, she made no indication. I thought I knew what they were fretting about.

  “The four portals, Dom. That is what I will not abide. You and Jack Easton are buying up all four Portals to the Land of the Dead.”

  One of her eyebrows went up, the other down. “Really, Annie, you have the weirdest imagination. We’re buying dozens of properties. There’s no connection to any portals.”

  Anyone else she would be able to convince, but not me. I shook my head. “What I want to know is why? Is this your plan to get more Bijou than you can ever use? Snatch souls from dying people about to go through?”

  “I really don’t know what you are talking about.” Dom shifted away from me, shaking her head. “What’s Bijou, anyway? I’ve heard Ivy talk about it, but I thought it was just her crazy mind rattling on.”

  Dominique calling my sister crazy sent a sharp anger through my chest. “So, Dom. Baby Justin. Was he your first score of Bijou Xtra once you had figured out the formula?”

  Turning her head slowly, Dominique looked at me. Her eyes were ice, deep blue and frozen. “Annie, I don’t know what you are trying to do, but it worries me. You and Ivy need to be careful. You might make more enemies in town that you have already.” She turned from me, gazed toward Sawyer and Zoe. “I would hate to see anything happen to that pretty little daughter of yours.”

  Spirits thickened around me, as if the fog had zeroed into our space. One bold wraith spun between us, and I saw Dom’s hand move as if to wipe it away. I was glad of the distraction, because I wanted to strangle her.

  I stood up. “I can’t say it was nice to see you. But I’ll send your regards to Ivy.” My hands shook, dampened with sweat.

  She too stood up, wrapped her coat around her. Stared at me. “I used to
like you so much. What happened? Your divorce?”

  “Well that’s a laugh, Dom. I never did like you.” Turning, I started to walk away. Dom’s voice floated after.

  “By the way, would you tell Agnes I said hello?”

  Stopping, I looked back. She stood, arms folded around her black coat. For a moment I almost felt sorry for her, but it didn’t last.

  Chapter Seventeen

  FOD

  A ten pound weight hung under my ribs. I almost felt the taste of bile in my mouth as I walked back to Sawyer and Zoe, who both looked at me curiously.

  Shaking my head, I didn’t answer for a moment. I pulled Zoe to me and held her until she squirmed.

  Sawyer shifted into his jacket. He said nothing, not even asking what Dominique wanted with me. We were all chilled now. Zoe glanced into the sky, looking perplexed. She was wondering, I thought, what all these ghosts were doing here.

  As they walked to the car, Sawyer said, “She’s a very successful oncologist. I don’t get it. She didn’t show an ounce of compassion for anyone, ever.”

  Working with dying people would be a great way to get all the Bijou you needed. I shivered. Why would she need even more? Fog thickened above us, and goosebumps covered my arms not just from the growing chill.

  “One more visit, Sawyer. You might have to wait in the car.” I took Zoe by the hand. She put her jester hat back on.

  He looked at me curiously, without smiling. It must have been a horrible burden for him to have to sit there and wait for me to finish talking to his ex.

  When I told Sawyer where we were going and asked him the address, he gave me a hard, unpleasant look. I was asking an awful lot of him today, and I knew I was using him, but he was connected with so much of what was going on in Quantum City, and he didn’t even know the half of it. But without a word of protest, he drove us into Pleasantville, a tidy, ritzy community just a few miles from Quantum City, into the hills east of town, where, in the up-scale community of El Castillo, Jack Easton lived.

  Iron gate and everything, camera, voice box. I got out of the car and walked up to the gate and rang the bell. Sawyer backed the car down the winding street several feet. There was the restraining order, after all.

  Odds were high that Jack Easton wasn’t home. But I could see his dark fancy car parked before a small garage door. The place was classic El Castillo, stucco and terra cotta tile, heavy dark beams, at least three stories reaching into the oak-thick hillside behind. Small balconies, a terrace to the west looking into a dry canyon.

  To my astonishment someone was home. I was expecting the voice of a Spanish maid, like in the movies, but it was Jack Easton himself.

  “Hi Jack. We’ve never met, but—”

  “Then why don’t you drop by the office and— ”

  “—I’m Annie Novak, Ivy’s sister, and I—.”

  A buzzer sounded, and the gate slid open wide enough to admit the car I was not in. I walked up the drive, my hands damp, the disgust of being around Dominique Delphine on my skin like an oil I couldn’t remove. And now Jack Easton. I hadn’t heard anything good about him from either Ivy or Sawyer, but then, they had a certain perspective coloring their opinion of the man.

  The man who opened the door looked smaller than I remembered, when I saw him a few days ago leaning against his car door in front of our old house. Older, thinner, smaller and exhausted. How could such a change have occurred in just a few days?

  But he smiled, and it was friendly. A real estate agent’s smile, impossible to age. As if I was the best thing that happened to him all day and he was all ears to hear what I wanted to say.

  The house smelled old. French doors, open to the terrace, brought in the scent of acorns and dead grass.

  “Ivy’s little sister. I’m so glad you dropped by.” He took me into a large, very clean kitchen, pulled two bottles of sparkling water, ice, handed one to me. He talked all the time as he moved, gracefully, like a dancer. “Ivy told me a lot about you. You know, you are prettier than she ever said you were. But then, as half-sisters, you don’t look that much alike.”

  He prattled on, leading me onto the terrace. Below, an arroyo thick with oaks. Beyond, a stretch of hot blue sky. Leaning against the cement balustrade, he looked at me through clear blue eyes. “So, what can I do for you, Ivy’s sister? You looking for property? Planning to move back home?”

  Shaking my head, I gave him a smile. He was a charmer, warm, friendly. I could see why Ivy took him on. But I could also see how his charm would begin to wear on her after a while. “Maybe. I was thinking of buying the old place back. Just a thought. Probably impractical.”

  His eyes narrowed slightly, but he still smiled. “Oh yes, more than a fixer-upper, that old place. Shame, really. It was a beautiful house once. But of course, I already have an offer on the place. Cash, too.”

  And that would be from whom, I wonder? I knew Dr. Delphine’s signature was on that earnest money. “That’s too bad. I could offer cash, too.” I folded my arms. The cool glass felt good against my skin. “You’ve got lots of properties, right? Ivy told me.”

  He nodded. “Our consortium is interested in improving the Valley. We want to bring commuters in. With the new high speed train coming in, people will be looking for affordable homes.” He rubbed his fingers together. “Moolah, money, lots of money for Valley businesses.”

  I pursed my lips. “Well, if I couldn’t have the old place, perhaps I could become a partner, a member of the consortium. As I said, I have a lot of money, savings, inheritance. I need to do something with it.”

  Jack Easton continued to smile, but I saw his eyes brighten slightly, and his smile stiffen. “Well, that’s an interesting proposition.”

  “Of course, my interest would be something else entirely. Not commuters, but a business. You know how popular ghost hunting is right now. You know Quantum City has a high proportion of hauntings. And, it’s funny. The places you are interested in are the hottest ones.”

  I watched him. I thought he was trying not to lick his lips, like a dog either hungry, or uneasy.

  He said, “We should definitely discuss this further. How about you stop by my office this week?” Pushing away from the balustrade, he walked back into the house. Apparently my little unexpected visit was over. I followed.

  “You know, Jack. If you need any advice about hauntings or ghosts, you know you can count on me. Even Ivy.” He was walking so fast, I almost had to trot to keep up with him. At the front door he turned to face me.

  “She still mad at me?”

  “Of course. Ivy is mad at everyone. Especially herself.” I was close enough now to see a brush of gray under each eye, the barest line of it under the eyelid. Weariness, worry, or Bijou? I would have to ask Ivy if there was a way to tell if someone were using it.

  He lead me outside. The heat blasted me. “She shot my car.” He ran his finger around the bullet hole in the passenger door. The idea that Jack Easton might still be in love with my sister Ivy hit me hard.

  “You know Ivy. You must know her pretty well.” I was thinking, he’s not such a bad guy, in spite of what Sawyer says. “Jack, are you OK?”

  He was staring at the car, eyes narrowed, sighing. Then the moment was gone. “I was just wondering. Where is your car?”

  “Oh, I parked on the street. Didn’t know if I could drive in.” I hoped he’d bought it. I didn’t want him to find out Sawyer was with me.

  Just then Zoe appeared, running through the still open gate, her jester hat bobbing up and down. “Mom. Mom! I saw him. I saw him!”

  She ran up the drive toward me, waving her arms. Jack, who had been heading back toward the house, turned to look. Zoe’s face was red from running, her eyes wide and bright.

  I looked her over. “Who? Who did you see?” I had a hunch. I hoped I was right.

  I was. “Mom, a baby. He was floating in the air over the bushes. I’ll bet it’s Justin.” She turned, bells on her cap ringing. “He’s still there!”


  Indeed he was. Over a tall clipped bay hedge, a baby swung and gurgled, laughed, suspended in mid-air. He pointed at us and laughed. But the air around me chilled. Justin might be laughing, but it was not a happy laugh.

  I saw Justin, and so did Zoe, but I said nothing. Instead I turned to look at Jack.

  His face had gone gray, his jaw quivered as he tried to conceal his terror. He saw the baby. He had been seeing the baby. A sick thought twirled in my stomach. Justin was haunting Jack Easton because Jack Easton had used some of Justin’s Bijou, ingested Justin’s soul.

  That moment Sawyer appeared at the gate. Seeing Jack, he stopped, but didn’t leave. Jack hadn’t noticed, and I grabbed Jack’s arm and began to steer him toward the house. “Jack, are you OK? Too hot out here maybe? You been drinking enough water?”

  We entered the cool vestibule, and Jack sank onto a heavy wooden bench. Zoe came through the door after us, left it open and peered out. I hoped Sawyer had the sense to stay out of sight.

  “Zoe, close the door. Jack needs to stay cool. See if there’s a paper towel or something in the kitchen and get cold water on it.”

  While she was gone I sat down next to Jack. “Jack, listen to me. You saw that ghost. You’ve been seeing that ghost. I know you are dealing in Bijou with Dominique.”

  He gave me a furtive glance, but said nothing. I could feel his heart pounding through his ribs.

  I continued, “Jack, do you even know what Bijou is made of?”

  He shook his head. He was way too agitated to try to lie to me.

  “OK. I need you to stop using it. Now. I need you to stop selling it. Now. I can make the ghost go away.”

  Staring at me, Jack nodded, swallowed. Zoe appeared with a wad of paper towels. I folded them and placed them around Jack’s neck. “You’ll be OK, now, Jack. Just stay out of the sun for a while. Stay indoors today. Take the day off.”

  I wondered if he would really obey me. It didn’t matter. Sunstroke was not his problem.