Читать книгу I Put A Spell On You - Kerry Barrett - Страница 13

Chapter 4

We talked about everything on the way home, except Star. I asked Esme all about how Jamie had proposed – in the kitchen while she was washing up, apparently. “How romantic,” I said, dryly. I would never understand why she washed up when she could simply do the dishes with a wave of her hand. But she claimed she liked it.

She talked a bit about how she wanted to get married back home in the Highlands, and I offered some suggestions about dresses she might suit. But we didn’t mention Star, or the horrible photos.

Wearily we made our way through the heavy door at the bottom of our tenement block and up the worn-away stone steps. As we reached our flat, a tall, lean figure uncurled himself from where he’d been sitting leaning against our door.

“Xander!” I called. I flung my arms around him and leaned against his chest. He kissed the top of my head.

“I got your message,” he said in his soft Dublin accent. “I couldn’t let you deal with all this by yourself.”

Beside me, Esme stood up a bit straighter. I wasn’t surprised. Xander was gorgeous, and very charming. He had quite a staggering effect on most women. He even had me wrapped round his little finger.

I hadn’t known Xander that long, but he’d made himself indispensible to me at a time when my business plans had been about to derail.

I’d launched my website alone, but when I’d come up with the idea of the spa, my girlfriend Natalie had been right behind me. I’d met her when I was studying business in the States and she was a high-flyer for a management consultancy. When I’d decided the time was right to expand, she’d offered to invest. I was thrilled. Not surprisingly, it was quite hard to find investors in a witchcraft-led business. You can’t just go to the bank or approach a venture capitalist and tell them you’re selling spells. Anyway, Nat seemed the perfect business partner and for a while things were really exciting. Then she went home to Connecticut for a few weeks – and she never came back. Suddenly I was single, heartbroken, and my career had taken a battering too.

I wallowed in self-pity for a while, then I brushed myself off and set about raising the money I needed to buy the surprisingly spacious mews house that would become the spa by selling my flat. Once my flat was sold, the house was signed and sealed, and the builders had started work, I knew I had to make some contacts, so I forced myself to a networking event.

I saw Xander as soon as I walked into the West End hotel where the event was being held. He wandered over to me in the casual way I now knew so well, handed me a glass of Buck’s Fizz and said: “Thank god you’re here.”

“Have we met?” I said in surprise.

“We have now,” he said with a grin. “You look a lot more fun than the rest of these stuffed shirts.”

I glanced round me at the many middle-aged men chatting and laughing in a self-congratulatory way and drained my glass.

“Let’s go?” I said. So we escaped to a little deli, treated ourselves to brunch, and chatted for hours. He didn’t so much as try to flirt with me, which was refreshing if a little unusual. I don’t want to blow my own trumpet but I know I’m what you might call good-looking. I’ve got long dark hair and good skin, and I really love clothes so I make an effort with my appearance. And though I’m gay and have no interest in men in that way, they seem to like me. Well, they like the way I look at least – I can’t imagine I win them over with my sweet personality and happy demeanour, because frankly that’s not me at all. Anyway, Xander seemed oblivious to my charms, which I loved. And he was very easy to talk to. I told him all about my plans for the spa and he revealed he had a head for business himself. He worked for a big international hotel chain.

“I’m bored,” he confided, tearing a croissant in half. “I thought I’d enjoy working a hotel but I’ve had enough of people telling me what to do. And I like Edinburgh. I don’t want to have to move again whenever they decide it’s time.”

I sipped at my latte thoughtfully.

“I’m going to need a deputy,” I said. “A right-hand man. Someone who can look after the business and the customers.”

Xander smiled at me, that devastating, heartbreaking smile. He would be perfect with my clients.

“Me,” he said.

“You.”

And that was that. He handed in his notice and had been by my side ever since. He offered to buy into the business, but though we’d hit it off, I wasn’t quite ready to hand over complete control yet.

He had been a brilliant choice as a deputy manager. He was sharp-minded and we thought alike when it came to business decisions. Plus, my clients loved him. He was tall and slim, with wide shoulders. He had dark curly hair, a bit like Orlando Bloom’s, that fell across his perfect eyebrows. His bright blue eyes were clear and his smile was wide. Many women had come in just to book a yoga class and ended up splashing out hundreds of pounds on ten Reiki sessions.

My only complaint was that he was perhaps a bit too keen. I’m ambitious, of course, and I admire ambition in others, but not when their ambition is centred on my business. I know I’m a bit overly controlling, but it’s mine, you know? So Xander was a little too eager to take over, in my opinion. He kept offering to do more and more at the spa. He was like my shadow, which most of the time I didn’t mind, because he was such good company. I was a solitary soul by nature, though, and every now and then I just had to be alone so I made an effort to shrug him off occasionally. Yesterday I’d almost pushed him out of the door when he’d mentioned he had a date with someone he’d met at the gym. And then typically, when he wasn’t by my side, I’d found Star.

Anyway, he was here now, and I had to admit though he smothered me at times, I was delighted he’d arrived on my doorstep.

“Am I pleased to see you,” I said, opening the door. Together we all trooped into the flat and straight into the kitchen.

Esme was obviously very taken with Xander.

“Tea?” she asked in a funny voice. Xander grinned at her and I shot him a warning glance.

“Please,” he said, winking at her. Esme blushed and, turning on the tap to fill the kettle, splashed herself from head to foot with water.

“Back in a mo,” she said brightly, obviously hoping Xander and I hadn’t noticed. Xander, bless him, pretended not to spot the huge wet patch down her front. I didn’t bother to disguise my laughter.

I took over the tea-making duty and told Xander all about how I’d found Star.

“So the spa’s sealed off?” he said. “Is it like CSI Edinburgh?”

I squeezed a teabag against the side of the mug.

“Not really,” I said. “They’ve got one poor community support officer standing guard outside.”

I concentrated hard on stirring the tea.

“They’re doing the post-mortem today,” I explained, trying hard to keep my voice steady. “Once they’ve confirmed it was Star’s heart condition that killed her, we’ll be able to go back in.”

“But it was, though, wasn’t it?” Xander said. “Her heart condition I mean. So there shouldn’t be any problem.”

I handed him his tea, giving him a fake, bright smile.

“Oh I’m sure it’s just ticking boxes,” I said. “We all knew Star had health problems.”

I leaned against the counter and sipped my tea. For some reason I didn’t want to tell him about the expression on Star’s face or the magic that I’d seen hanging in the air.

Xander was cool when it came to magic. I told him about my, ahem, talents shortly after we’d met – sooner than I’d ever told anyone, even Natalie – and he didn’t so much as bat an eyelid. He was really interested and was always asking me to teach him a few spells. I hadn’t, yet. But despite how accepting he’d been, something made me hold back from telling him my fears about Star.

Esme came back into the kitchen. She’d changed into a fitted pink T-shirt, which really suited her, and if I wasn’t mistaken she’d put on a bit of make-up. Bloody Xander was like the Pied Piper when it came to women. Even ones who’d recently got engaged.

“Sounds like it’s been pretty horrible,” Xander said. Esme nodded and I was a bit put out. It hadn’t been horrible for her. I didn’t say so, though, because my phone rang. It was DI Baxter. My stomach fluttered, ever so slightly at the sound of her voice. I told myself it was hunger.

“The post-mortem’s been done,” she said. “We’re satisfied there are no suspicious circumstances. You can reopen whenever you want.”

“Okay,” I said doubtfully. “You didn’t find anything at all?”

“Nothing,” she said firmly. “But if you have any worries, about anything at all, please call me.”

I said goodbye and hung up, feeling a mixture of relief and disappointment.

“Well, let’s go,” Xander said.

I looked at him blankly.

“We can go back to the spa, right?” he said. “Let’s go now, and make sure everything’s ready to open up on Monday.”

“I suppose so,” I said. I was nervous about going back to where Star had died.

‘I’ll come,’ Esme said, she was looking at Xander, but I thought she should be looking at me.

“I can help you get stuff sorted out. I’m sure I’ll be useful,” she added weakly and unconvincingly.

Xander was obviously a hit with my cousin.

“Okay. There’s not masses to do, but you’re very welcome,” I said, giving her a sly, sideways look. “I know Jamie’s busy today, right?”

I wanted Xander to know Esme was spoken for.

“He’s er playing rugby,” she stuttered. She turned to Xander. “Jamie’s my erm, my erm, boyfriend,” she said.

“Lucky guy,” he said in his Irish drawl and Esme nearly fell off her chair.

I laughed out loud and whacked Xander round the head. He was shocking. I was just glad Esme loved Jamie so much.

“Let’s go,” I said.

There wasn’t much to do. We tidied up a bit, and Esme hoovered the reception area. I looked at the chair where Star had sat, then shook my head. Xander understood and, without speaking, he wheeled it outside. I went into my office and got the chair from there.

“I’ll order a new one,” I muttered as I pushed it under Star’s desk, then I wandered over to tidy the magazine rack.

Xander sat down and switched on the computer.

“We need to send out a flyer,” he said. “We’ve been closed all day. People will wonder why. We need them to know we’re still here and we’re still in business.”

I looked over his shoulder.

“Don’t put any prices on that,” I said. “We’re exclusive. Just put what we do.”

Esme looked intrigued. She leaned over Xander’s other shoulder to see what he was typing.

“How are you going to do that?” she asked. “How are you going to tell people what you do, without actually, you know, telling them what you do?”

Xander looked round at Esme. His face was far too close to hers for my liking – he was so cheeky – and I gave him a nudge.

“We don’t tell them on a flyer,” Xander said. “We work hard to attract a certain type of client.”

“What type?”

“Rich, of course. But also creative, open-minded, interested in things a bit wooohooo.” He waggled his fingers in front of Esme’s face and I was pleased to see her pull back.

“And the most important trait,” I said, “is that they’re a little bit unhappy.”

“Oh yeah,” said Xander. “You know the sort. A bit dissatisfied, looking for more. So they’re amenable when we offer our spiritual services.”

“That is shocking,” Esme said. “Have you no shame?”

“Nope,” I said cheerfully.

“Of course some people only want yoga lessons,” Xander admitted. “We cater for them, too.”

Esme perched on the edge of the reception desk and studied Xander.

“So, Xander,” she said in an overly casual manner. “Are you, ahem, one of us?” She looked at me. “What’s it called when men do it?”

“Some people say warlock,” I said. “But that’s got a bit of bad history attached to it – mostly now men are just witches too.”

Esme nodded and looked back at Xander.

“So are you a witch?” she asked.

A shadow crossed Xander’s face.

“No, unfortunately,” he said. “I just look after the business side of things.”

“You can learn,” Esme said. “Harry says anyone can learn. I’ll teach you.”

There was a pause.

“Are you serious?” Xander and I asked together. I knew I sounded disbelieving – after all, it wasn’t that long ago that Esme herself was the pupil. Xander, however, was more enthusiastic.

“Can you do that?” he asked.

“Of course she can’t,” I said abruptly. “She’s busy. She’s got a job and a fiancé and a wedding to plan.”

Grumpy suddenly – it was always weird when two friends got on and left you out – I stood up straight.

“I’m going for a wee.”

But when I came back to reception, Xander and Esme were chatting, their heads close together.

“I’m going to give Xander some lessons,” she said, a hint of defiance in her eyes.

I looked round me.

“Have you started already?” I asked. I could sense some magic in the air.

Esme looked alarmed.

“No,” she said, looking at Xander. “We’ve just been sorting out a date to get started. I’ve not done anything.”

She lifted her head and sniffed the air like a bloodhound.

“There’s something here, isn’t there?” she said. “A feeling.”

I nodded. I felt very uneasy.

“You want to learn the basics?” I said to Xander suddenly. “Why don’t we go over some now? I want to do a rebalancing spell.”

“What do you want me to do?” Esme asked. I didn’t really want her to do anything; I was quite capable on my own. She was obviously trying to prove she was able to teach Xander so because of that, I said: “Just stand there and look pretty.”

Esme rolled her eyes at me and I nudged her.

“I was joking,” I said, though I hadn’t been, not really. I picked a piece of chalk out of Star’s pen pot and drew a pentangle on the floor. A rebalancing spell had no need for a pentangle – in fact in all my years of casting spells I’d never come across a spell that needed one – but Xander looked impressed and I felt it was important to instil a sense of theatre into the proceedings.

I sat on the floor next to the pentangle and Esme sat opposite me. We held hands over the chalk outline and I murmured the words, quietly and softly. As I spoke, the air above our heads shimmered and soft drops of invisible rain fell onto our shoulders.

Xander breathed out. I caught Esme’s eye and winked. And then her phone rang. With the Bewitched theme tune.

Embarrassed, she jumped to her feet and scrabbled in her bag, trying to find it while I laughed.

“Jamie’s idea of a joke,” she said as she grabbed it and answered.

I watched as she spoke to Jamie, turning away from us as she told him she was coming home now.

“Put the wine in the fridge,” she said. “I’ll be home in half an hour.”

She kissed me on the cheek, threw her phone in her bag and picked up her coat. Then, awkwardly, she kissed Xander on the cheek too.

“Nice to meet you finally,” she said.

“I’ll call you,” he said, giving her a wink.

She giggled like a schoolgirl and stumbled out of the door, gawky and blushing.

I had a very bad feeling about this.