Page 14 of Cursed
“You picked a great bar to start with.” Pax never took his eyes off Tony. “The food is terrific, and I’m pretty partial to the music.” While he didn’t come out and admit that Tony was his partner, his encouraging smile made it clear that they were at least close friends. Evan understood the need to maintain plausible deniability for safety’s sake.
“Guess our friend gave us a good tip,” Evan said. “Got any suggestions for us?”
Pax pulled a card from his wallet and handed it to Evan. “I run the Peachy-Cue food truck over at the Market. It’s barbecue with my signature peach sauce. There are a bunch of trucks with pretty much everything anyone could want, but I’m biased about mine being the best.” Pax gave a broad grin. “Plus Tony and other musicians play at lunch.”
“That just went on the must-do list.” Evan saw Seth nod out of the corner of his eye. “By the way, I’m Evan and this is Seth.”
Pax turned enough to shake hands before returning his attention to Tony and clapping as a song came to an end. “Greatto meet you. I hope you have fun in Savannah and come by the truck.”
“Please tell Tony we enjoyed his music,” Evan replied. “And we’ll definitely try out the barbecue.”
Evan didn’t have a good excuse to chat longer and didn’t want to set off any stalker vibes, so they slipped out at the end of the next song.
He and Seth headed outside. They made a check of the area around Mystic to make sure no one might be lying in wait for Pax or Tony, but didn’t see anyone suspicious.
“Well, that accomplished more than I expected,” Seth said as they walked to the truck.
“Our cases don’t usually have such good food,” Evan agreed, deliberately misunderstanding and bumping Seth’s arm.
Once they were on the road, Evan looked at Seth while his partner drove. “Thoughts?”
Seth shrugged. “That went well. I like Caden and Nash. Got good vibes—not that I’m surprised considering who recommended them. Definitely helps to have local boots on the ground. Between Caden’s connections and knowing who to ask, he saved us at least a day’s work and gave us a possible ritual site.” He paused. “Doesn’t hurt to have someone who can help cover our tracks, if we need it.”
“I liked them too,” Evan replied. “Nash’s ability with the ghosts is real. I’d love to see Caden’s psychometry in action, but I don’t envy anyone that gift. I wouldn’t want to hear the gossip from every antique. I don’t know how Cassidy manages.”
“Running an antique shop as a psychometric has to be tough, but it’s her family business, so I guess she’s figured out how to make it work,” Evan added.
“I imagine Caden has figured out how to tamp it down to do his job with the police,” Seth said. “I would think that’s one of the first things someone learns with an ability like that.”
“How about Pax and Tony? At least now when we stop by the food truck, it’s not a cold call,” Evan said.
“They seem nice and unguarded. They’ve really got no idea what’s coming at them.” Seth sounded tired, like the danger weighed on him. “I hate to spoil that, but it’s the price of saving their lives.”
“I know what you mean. And once you know, you can’t ‘un-know.’” Evan sighed. “It’s been a long day. Let’s get a good night’s sleep and start fresh tomorrow.”
“Can we stop for donuts and coffee in the morning? I want donuts.”
Evan laughed. “Absolutely. Sugar and caffeine are required for saving the world.”
By the timeSeth was out of the shower the next morning, Evan had located a local coffee shop whose pastries had a devoted following, according to the online reviews.
“These are even better than I expected,” Seth moaned as he bit into his second donut.
“The coffee is better than average too,” Evan agreed. “And I like the vibe of the place.” The Coffee Spot had a kitschy décor showcasing everything coffee-related, including posters, vintage mugs, china cups, grinders, and photos.
They chose a table in the back where they wouldn’t be in the way and spent time planning where to go next.
“I figured we’d drive around and get the lay of the land before we hit the food truck for lunch,” Seth said. “At some point, I’d like to see Vernon’s restaurants.”
“Do you think we can go inside and look around?” Evan asked. “Either of the restaurants might be a hiding place for his anchor.”
Seth thought for a moment and shook his head. “Seems like a big risk. We can’t be sure whether or not he knows who we are. If he does, we’d be walking right into his hands.”
Evan sipped his coffee before replying. “Okay, I see that. But maybe Nash and Caden could at least go to the regular restaurant. The ghosts might tell Nash if there’s a powerful magical object inside, and Caden’s psychometry could validate the power. Then it’s just up to us to steal it.”
“That could work without putting them in too much danger,” Seth agreed. “It’s a public restaurant, so it’s not strange for them to be there. If Vernon knows Caden’s a cop, he might tread carefully. And right now, there’s no reason for him to connect them with us.”
“The monster meat restaurant is tougher.” Evan drummed his fingers on his cup. “But maybe Nash could marshal some of the ghosts to check it out when it’s closed. Kinsley might be able to get a read on anything with strong magic if the spirits find something that could be the anchor. Or maybe one of them has a friend who could pay a visit.”
