Joseph: Bentley Legacy (10 page)

Stripping down, he took a long shower. He was exhausted, he realized, and he had a longer day tomorrow. He wondered briefly if he should have taken Chris up on her offer to bring him to her home, but all he could think about now was sleep. So he laid down on the bed naked and closed his eyes. Tomorrow would be better. It just had to be.

~~~

“Tell me again why I’m calling him and taunting him?” Micah had had her call him twice now to mess with him. The food idea had actually been Reggie’s. Some days she wondered where that girl’s mind went. Of course the food had been perfectly fine both before and after he’d eaten it, but she made him believe it was bad, and that had been what was worth it. She supposed that in a small way she was enjoying this a little too much.

“Pissed off people make the most mistakes.” Chris asked Micah what he meant. “When you’re upset, how rational are you? Do you ever make sound decisions or are they off the cuff, usually half assed?”

“Terrible ones, as a matter of fact. But he didn’t seem upset, just…I guess he just sounded more resolved in that he was going to get me back.” Micah nodded. “Okay, so I have to piss him off because I want him to be stupid in his coming here. You think that…you and the rest of the family think that I can take him. You do know that I can’t, right? I’m not that good of a witch.”

Myra came into the room then. The woman was the most color matched person she’d ever met. Each time she saw her everything was the same color from the top of her head, hair included, to the bottom of her shoes. Today she was all in pink, a violent shade that reminded her of that stuff she used to drink as a kid when her belly was upset.

Chris had been dropped off at Micah’s home when Joey had gone into town to talk to Emmett’s employees. There was a will and it would be read in a few days, but Paul had asked him to come in and talk to them. Joey asked her to come here so he’d not have to worry about her when she decided that she didn’t want to go into town.

“Can you tell me how you knew that Olivia had a tumor?” Chris felt the pain of her death again. And she didn’t want to answer Myra. “I’m sorry, but I want you to think about that. And the way that Elwood is attached to you when he won’t allow anyone else near him.”

“Joey can touch him.” Micah only nodded and Myra giggled. “I don’t understand any of this.”

“You’re using your magic, dear. And doing a very good job of it too.” Chris shook her head, and both Micah and Myra started to nod as Myra continued. “You’re very powerful. Extremely so. And your mother did you both an injustice as well as kept you safe when she told you that you and your sister were not strong. It is more than likely the only thing that kept you from being killed all those years ago.”

“How would you know this? I mean, you didn’t know my mom. How do you know what she did for us?” Myra told her it was in her mark. And that she did know her mother, as well as her grandmother. Chris pulled her sleeve up and showed it to her. “You mean this? I’ve had this…well, not this particular one, but this mark had been here since before I knew I was different by having it.”

“Yes. Angel had one as well. Not as dark as yours, right?” Chris nodded. “Nor your mother’s. Hers was much darker and wider than your sisters, but your mom would have known what you were the moment that she conceived you. A very powerful and extremely sought after witch. One that would take on things that no one else, not even me, would be able to do. Like I said, she was a good woman, your mother, but she was never very smart when it came to the magic that ran through your veins and the rest of your family’s.”

“She was brilliant. And she said we were not worthy of the look of the council. We were…she told us to hide what we were from everyone so that we’d not be burned at the stake like…well, like our ancestors were.” Myra nodded and smiled at her. “You knew as well, didn’t you?”

“Oh yes. It was my idea to hide you away. Your father, he was a great warlock; not a witch like Jackson is, but an honest to goodness warlock. His death, his murder, was something that hurt us for years. More years than we would have thought it would. As soon as I found out about his death and the circumstances, I went to your mother. She agreed that if they knew what you were, and even Angel to a point, then they would come for you as well.”

“And now they are coming for us. At least one is.” Myra told her that he would be the first of many should she not use it, and now. “You mean to kill Jackson. I don’t think I can do that.”

“He’s not going to leave you much of a choice, I’m afraid.” Myra patted her hand before continuing. “And if you don’t, not only will your mate be hurt, but many more can and will die because of him and his greed.”

Chris wasn’t sure about that. In fact, other than her love for Joey, she wasn’t sure about a lot of things. But when the phone rang again and Micah answered, she knew that Jackson was in the bed and breakfast and that things were going to start happening now.

Chapter 10

Joey watched the horses. There were ten of them now, and he wasn’t sure how many more were coming in the coming days. The hands that he had hired on Davy’s say-so had told him that he was going to need more room, and just like that, the barn seemed to grow. Joey had come out here to learn how to breathe again. When someone stood next to him, he looked over at his grandda when he laughed.

“You’re a might on the tense side, boy. Anything I can help you figure out?” Joey had no idea where to even begin to ask for help and told him that. “Yeah, I can see you trying your best to keep on top of stuff. But you can’t, so you might as well just go with it.”

“I’m not a go with it sort of person.” He thought of the barn. “Mike, the new hand, came to me about an hour ago and said that we’d need a bigger barn. And that we’d need to figure out where to store the grain and other things we were going to need to keep the horses fed and healthy. I went in with him, and both of us just stared at the new addition. Do you know what Mike did? He thanked me.”

“Right polite of him if you ask me. Did you want him to hit you or something?” Joey shook his head. “Then what has them underwear of yours all twisted up? You needed it, and right there it was.”

“Grandda, the barn moved to accommodate my needs. And I don’t think Chris did it.” Grandda laughed again. “This is not funny. I think I did that. And…and we now have a stock barn. I had no idea what a stock barn was until Andy came and asked me if he could have a lock for it. Said people might think that it was free should they know how much stock we have in it.”

“Did you have one for him?” Joey nodded, not caring at all for the humor that lit his grandda’s face. “Well, then. Problem solved. Again. You’re looking at this all wrong, son. You have to think how much this is helping them poor ponies.”

“They don’t care.” His grandda started to tell him they sure did when Joey cut him off, “No, I mean they don’t care that I’m a panther or that Chris is one. They come to us like we’ve raised them from foals. That’s just not right either.”

“Again, I don’t think you’re going about this right. You wanted a ranch, there you have it. You got yourself a pretty mate, and she is one pretty mate. Smart too. Not that Reggie isn’t, but you gotta admit that it sure is nice talking business with your mate and she has an idea what the heck you’re talking about.” Grandda and he watched as Elwood and two of the pretty fillies danced and played across the field. “Joey, my boy, there ain’t nothing finer than a woman who loves you. The magic is…well, it’s not something I know a lot about, but it’s there and you might as well make some good of it.”

“Myra said that we’d be stronger once we have what Micah’s holding. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with more when we can barely handle what we have.” Grandda laughed again. “Keep it up, old man, and I’m going to tell Grandma that you’re sneaking over here to eat Carol’s pies and cakes.”

“You won’t do that to your old grandda, will you?” Joey nodded, knowing full well that Grandma already knew and that he’d not had to tell her. “She’s got it in her head that I’m going to keel over soon and them babies won’t have me around to show them a thing or two. I told her…well, I didn’t actually tell her straight out, but I did want to tell her that I think me being on a diet is as foolish as it comes. She can be a tad on the mean side when she has her froth up.”

Joey laughed now. Everyone, including him, was slightly afraid of the women in this family. His mom was the best woman in the world, but she could make him feel less than an ant with just a look. And Grandma could have him whimpering when she just cocked that pretty brow of hers. Joey hated, as much as his brothers did, to disappoint them. He was sure his grandda did as well.

The noise behind them had them both turning. He had no idea who the man was standing there with his hat in his hands, but Joey felt his cat stir along his skin. Not in a way that made him think that this man was trouble, but in a way that made him think he was someone he knew.

“You Joey Bentley? The lawyer that is giving animals a chance at life?” Joey nodded and felt his grandda move away. He wasn’t sure what he was doing until he made his way to the house. Joey wasn’t sure what the wolf in front of him wanted, but he was certainly down on his luck. “My name is Harry Barlow. I need me one too.”

“One what?” Harry told him he needed a second chance too. “I’m sorry, but right now we have all the hands we can take on. If you are looking for work, there’s a diner in town that my sister-in-law runs that helps—”

“Davey told me to come here. He said you might need me.” Joey nodded, and the man took the last steps to him and put out his hand. “I’m a wolf. And Davey, he told me that I could maybe get myself a place to sleep at night and help you with the horses. I used to work on a big ranch down in Kentucky. They let me go when…the horses got spooked by another shifter and I was blamed for it.”

Joey had no idea why he thought the man was telling him the truth, but he did. When Myra was standing beside him, Harry took a step back but said nothing. Joey wasn’t sure he wanted to stand close to her either. Today she was dressed in what he could only think of as pus yellow. She smiled at Harry, then looked at Joey.

“No one can lie to you. I might have told you that before, but I forgot.” Joey told her that it would be helpful to know these things before he needed them. “And what fun would that be for me?”

“I’m not gonna lie to you. Not now and not ever if you give me a chance.” Joey had no idea what to do. He’d said that Davey had sent him. But where was he supposed to put…? He looked at Myra.

“There is a place for him, isn’t there?” She just smiled. “You know, I don’t think I like you very much. In fact…you kind of scare me too much for me to tell you just how I feel.”

She touched her fingers to his cheek, and she smiled at him. “You’re too tense. I’ll take young Harry here to the bunk house. There might be one or two more coming in. You’re going to need it. Oh, and please have Carol find a cook for them. I think it was very smart of you to have put in a large kitchen. Like I said, you’re going to need it.”

As “young” Harry followed her—the man had to be about the same age as his grandparents—his grandda came out of the house with Chris. She was laughing at something, and Joey had a feeling he’d told her what he was saying to him. Joey was going to have a long talk with Grandma, and he’d bet Grandda wouldn’t be allowed to be on his own for the rest of his life.

“We have a bunk house. And more help.” She nodded and told him Davey had called. “Did he happen to tell you how many more we’re to expect before we’re fully staffed?”

“Three more. Younger than Harry was—Grandda told me about him—but they’re going to arrive when the new horses come. Three more, but all of them are healthy he told me.” She wrapped her arms around him, and Joey felt better already. “I think we’re going to need to work more just to afford all this. This isn’t a cheap way to have a home.”

“No. I don’t want to alarm you or anything, but we might want to wait a while on any more. I’m not poor by any stretch of the imagination, but neither of us have any clients but a few horses, and they don’t strike me as having a lot of disposable income either.” Carol called him to the phone. “Whoever it is, I don’t want to talk to them. Tell them…tell them you can’t find me.”

“I’m thinking you should take this.” He didn’t know why, but the sound of her voice had him moving to the house. She was holding the cordless out to him when he stepped to the back deck. “It’s that Mr. Simmons person. He said that he thinks you should come back to the offices.”

Joey took the phone and could hear something going on in the background. When Paul finally answered him, he sounded like he was drunk. It took Joey three tries to get him to calm down.

“Can I send you something? I mean, it’s yours if you want it here or there, but I think…well, we’d all like for you to know what might be in it, so here would be fun. A crate, a big frigging crate, arrived for you just now.” He giggled, not a sound Joey could ever remember hearing from the man. “Pardon my language, Joey, but this thing is fucking huge and it has to weigh a ton. Or maybe two. It’s currently sitting on the back of a trailer, and there are…let me count them again. There are nine armed guards standing next to it.”

Joey told Chris what Paul had just said. “Ask him if there is a name other than yours on it. Or an address. Surely one of the guards…you said that they’re armed? Ask him to see if they know anything.”

When Paul came back, he was no longer laughing but sounding sort of down. He told him it was from Emmett. “I’m going to just send it to you out there. We don’t…it’s too soon for us to see what he might have sent you. Is that okay?”

“Yes. Send it out. Do you know if the guards come with it, or are they just there for it?” Paul told him that until he signed for it, they were as much a part of it as the nails holding the crate together. “And you have no idea what it might be?”

“No. And whatever it is, you’re going to need help getting it offloaded. I don’t know what it might be, but I’m thinking that Emmett has to be laughing his ass off right now thinking of you getting this thing.” Joey could imagine the big man doing just that. “Let us know what it is if it’s not too personal. It’s nice to know that he is taking care of you from the grave. The man loved you like a son. And I’m sure you returned it.”

“I will. That’s a promise. And I did love the man. He was like a second father to me.” After he hung up, he told Chris and Carol what was going on. Carol told him that a cook had arrived at the bunk house and was currently stocking it. Joey didn’t even ask. Stocking it with what, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know anymore. He and Chris decided that they needed to get away, and he told Carol that they’d not be there for dinner.

“Good. I got things brewing for that man.” Joey only nodded and moved to the stairs. He was pretty sure he didn’t want to know what that meant either. But he did know that when Jackson got there, he was going to be in for a huge surprise.

~~~

After a second trip to the little shop, he realized that he’d been more than a fool. He’d been a gullible fool. Not only was the shop gone, but it looked as if it had never been there. And while the restaurant where he’d been poisoned was real, he didn’t go in even for a glass of water. He had no idea what Myra was up to in doing this to him, but she was going to pay.

As he made his way back to the bed and breakfast, he walked to the little convenience store that wasn’t far from him. He got himself a coffee only after he saw three people get some and enjoy it, and then he got a Danish that was plastic wrapped and had the longest expiration date on it. He wasn’t taking any more chances with his belly.

Eating it as he walked, he tried to tell himself that this wasn’t going to get him into trouble. Jackson wasn’t worried about the council any more. He was going to be stronger than most of them anyway, and to his way of thinking, he’d gotten the magic from Angel fairly. They couldn’t have any qualms about that either.

“You’d think that.” Jackson stood up from the bench he was sitting on when the man appeared in front of him. He looked around, thinking that Myra was up to her tricks again, but the man laughed before he could say anything. “Myra is the least of your problems. You should be more worried about me and what I’m going to do with you.”

“Me?” Jackson heard his voice squeak and felt stupid. It also made his temper, not in the best of form lately, rise up. “I don’t worry about anyone. And if Myra thinks this is going to get her anywhere with me, like scaring me off, then she’s got another think coming.”

“Myra is, as I have said, the least of your problems. What do you think the grand witch is going to do when you get there? Say, here you go, take whatever you want and I’ll be just as happy as I can be?” He shook his head. “No. She’s going to pull up her considerable magic and blow your ass out of the hemisphere. And I’m going to still get what I want.”

“Grand witch? There is…who the hell are you?” The man introduced himself, and Jackson thought the man a fool. “Well, Tyron, all I can say for you is that you’d better stay out of my way. Because when I get to Angel’s magic, I’m going to be powerful beyond anything that has happened for a while. A long while.”

“You think so? And who is Angel? The sister? That shit is gone for you. The grand witch has plans to take it from the cat today. And when she does, it will be over for most smaller witches like you. The only person that will be able to come anywhere near her power is a warlock. And that isn’t you.” Jackson started to tell him he was nuts when Tyron raised his hand. “Don’t get yourself all twisted up. You are just a witch, while I’m a warlock. Do you have any idea of the difference between the two of us? How much more power I have than you? Why, I could kill you now and have yours too. But I won’t. I need you.”

Jackson sat down when he was told to. He had a feeling it was more of a command than a simple request, and he was sure the man had used magic to get him to do it. His body felt weighted down, his head fuzzy with…it felt as if he was being mind raped. And he didn’t care for it.

“What are you talking about?” Jackson finally got his mouth to work right enough to ask. “There hasn’t been a grand witch around for centuries. At least since before Myra took over the council. And you should know that they’ve disavowed me too.” The chair that appeared under the man just as he was in the sitting position impressed Jackson. It looked more comfortable than his bed at home. “And why do you think I’d help you? I have my own plans.”