The Hidden Paths to Power (16 page)

“I was forced to leave them there for the moment, and that was when I searched out the blind one here for help. I had to plan carefully because you can’t release a victim of that spell just on a whim. The version of this spell Charles was using, left the victims with some memories of what they had been doing. The stress and trauma of a sudden release, could cause even a ten year old to go into cardiac arrest.

“I also wanted the man to pay a little, for what he was doing, so after Marcus was deeply convinced of the error of his ways, we worked out our plan. Marcus, who is a master at social manipulation, began subtly getting it out that Charles was into child prostitution. Since Marcus is a master at this, no one could remember who started the rumors but within a week, they had Charles making hardline public appearances to try to clear his reputation.

“I was watching closely, for the time when Charles would attempt to dispose of the evidence. I had carefully manipulated a few police officers to be waiting with me. I did this, by first tracking down the mother of one of the girls and offering my services to try to find her. This gave me my legitimate opening to approach the police. This was during a time, when it was hard for men to take women seriously, but a few of the officers had heard the rumors, and were determined to get the man if it was true, or find the one responsible for tarnishing the reputation of a well-respected politician. I was walking a fine line but had the truth on my side.

“Before I started approaching the non-magical people, I brewed a healing elixir that smelled and tasted like liquid penicillin. It would be several years yet, before it was given that name, but the theories about it had been getting bounced around. The officers asked why I had it. I told them, I had a little medical training, and the girls, if they were in there, might need some treatment, on parts of their bodies they wouldn’t want men touching. This got them to leave the girls to my care, for medical inspection, before they were sent home.

“Charles came and the officers timed their entrance perfectly, for when he was opening the hidden panel that led to his little pleasure cove. Charles was left in a predicament because the only way to escape was, to kill the officers with magic, but his eyes were trying to bore holes through me, because I was standing there too. He knew I’d have no choice but to eliminate him if he exposed magic to the world.

“He accepted the indignity of the arrest, after the officers saw the little ones dressed in indecent fashion, and clearly “doped up” on some drug, to keep them compliant. I was left to my medical exams and had them lie on their beds and fed them each a dose of the elixir. The brew I made had a twofold effect. The brew instantly cured the dark-eyed lover spell but also, put them in a state that would appear, to be the effect of coming out of a drug induced haze. They each fell asleep and I began to examine them one at a time.

“I won’t tell you all the details but the men who paid for Charles Milburry’s service, caused plenty of damage. It took me five hours but eventually, I had them all awake and accepting, they weren’t to blame for any of it, and shouldn’t be ashamed because a bad man caused them harm. When I was as confident as possible, the girls wouldn’t try to end their own lives, or have serious medical issues, I had the officers find me proper clothes for them. Once they were dressed and told the officers what they could remember about how they were taken, I helped them get home.

“Charles was able to break out of jail without giving magic away, destroyed all his tools for magic that he couldn’t pack in a hurry and left Boston. He and I met on a dark stretch of grasslands and he attempted to get his revenge. I changed him into a tree that as far as I know, still stands in the place I left him.”

I said after my shock wore off, “I thought you would’ve killed him.”

“I had that option but whenever possible, I don’t cause harm but repurpose and recycle. I’m fairly certain the spirit that moved into the tree, was quite able to eliminate his dark nature, and now he stands a lonely vigil. He’s far more useful to the world as a tree than a corpse.”

I smiled then asked Marcus, “What happened to his student?”

“As much as I wanted to find a way for him to pay, technically he didn’t do anything to upset the balance. I found him afterward, in a situation where it was just the two of us, and proclaimed him my enemy. I could see the evil light in his eyes during that showdown but he wisely showed restraint. Given how I was feeling in that moment, he wouldn’t have stood a chance, as he was only a five year student. I had over forty years on him in this life. I do know his real name and where he resides. He lives in Italy and has a 750 year old guardian as his minder.”

All of this gave me plenty of fuel for my mind, as Doriane and I finished our visit with Marcus with more casual chat and stories, then we went home to prepare for the next day.

As we were driving to our appointment, I was disguised with black hair and brown eyes, so no one would comment on Deana Boller playing at being a real estate developer.

I asked Doriane, “Why don’t we setup a real detective agency for a while?”

“We could if we wanted to. It’s a role I haven’t played fully yet in my life. I’ve done a little here and there but never officially.”

“How many roles have you played?”

“I couldn’t list them all. It was harder, until women became more equal in the world, to find the right roles to play. Can you imagine the headaches I endured, having to spend days on end, with an active spell to keep men away, unless I wanted to indulge? I would play barmaid, servant, seamstress or anything women were expected to be, except a prostitute. One time, I even played the role of a woman, running away from an abusive husband, and spent five years in the home of a man, who was impotent but kind enough, not to send me home. Finding places to setup my casting rooms was fun, as women in general couldn’t own property. I had to set them up miles out of any town, with plenty of camouflage. That’s how I became so good at making wands and finding the strength to cast several spells at one sitting.”

“I’m sure I’ll have my own troubles. Women are more equal now but there are lingering pockets of resistance. I think my greatest challenge is going to be, helping to find ways to keep us from being filmed, especially as facial recognition software advances. Also to help find ways, to prevent urban sprawl from taking over too much of the natural world.”

“As long as the balance is maintained and magic doesn’t get revealed, there’s only so much we can do. Since we can’t be the faces attached to these projects, we just have to find people we can inspire to take them on for us.”

We arrived at 9:00 a.m., the appointed time, and saw a black-haired man with an oily smile waiting.

If I could’ve risked it, I would have checked him for dark magic but I think, he’s just one of those real estate guys who’d sell his own mother for the right price. I think the agency sent him because he’s willing to say whatever he had to, to get this house off the bank’s balance sheets.

Thirty years is a long time to have to pay property taxes on an empty house.

We got out and he said as we approached, “Larry Caulder. Is one of you Ms. Kimberly Daniels?”

Doriane replied, “I’m her. This is my associate Deborah Holton.”

The man’s leer was annoying but I’d seen worse, and he seemed professional enough, to keep whatever thoughts were going through his mind to himself.

I said, “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Caulder. Kim; I’m going to take a walk around. I’ll talk to a few people to get a general consensus of the neighborhood’s feeling for the house.”

“That’s a good idea and Mr. Caulder can take me on the guided tour.”

I wasn’t worried about Doriane’s safety around the man, though his leer was enough to make me think, he wasn’t above trying for something, when he didn’t think others were watching.

They walked up to the house and I glanced around.

It was nine in the morning, on a chilly Friday, so most of the houses were deserted for the time being, as kids were in school and adults were at work.

I caught a glimpse of eyes watching from the house across the street and walked that way.

I rang the bell and an old man with kind brown eyes answered the door. He was old enough to be retired and might be old enough, to remember details from Regina Compton’s time.

He asked, “Are you folks interested in buying the old Compton place?”

“We might be. We’re developers who specialize in renovating properties that have stood empty for too long. We’ve heard a bit about the story, of why the Compton house has stood unused so long; enough to be interested in gauging the neighborhood’s feelings about it. It has stood as a landmark but is falling apart, and may be a danger to any kids playing in the area.”

“You’ll find the neighborhood split on their opinion about it. There aren’t many left who remember what happened in the place. I was a toddler playing in this very yard, when George and Regina Compton moved in. A sweeter couple you couldn’t know, until Regina found the man who would change everything over there. I don’t remember it but my mother told me, I was frightened witless, when George ran out shouting that nasty word about his wife then shooting himself. The neighborhood didn’t see her much, as she took care of the orphans. We would see the kids outside but not much of her. I was doing a tour for the Army, when the murders took place. I took a bullet in the lower back so have been semi-retired, since I got out of the service. When I can stand long enough, I do a little furniture building to help supplement what I get from the military. The most shocking thing was, the discovery of satanic symbols and such in the room below. At the time, this was a full on, God-fearing neighborhood. The discovery sent many families packing. Those that stayed said their holy prayers with passion and insisted the ministers of the churches come bless the house.”

“What’s said by those who want it to stay?”

“They see it, as the warning it is, to stay vigilant about the monstrous activities of some people. It’s also seen as a place, to give kids something to make up stories about that help them learn to be vigilant against harmful behavior. Some like the small amount of fame that comes to the immediate area. They think it makes us special in some way.”

“And those who want to see it gone?”

“About what you’d expect I guess. It’s dangerous to the kids who aren’t very gifted at listening to their parents when told to stay away. The story creeps some out and many feel the house and its memories keep property values down on this street. As I said, it’s a mixed bag of emotions.”

“Now, what is your opinion, since you have to stare at every day?”

“I wouldn’t be heartbroken if it were gone. I think something else besides a home should go there though. I know this street is zoned for residential housing but I think, something else could be built there, even if it was just a small park. A park would ensure no one had to stare at the house but also, give us a place to put a small memorial to the tragedy, so it doesn’t get forgotten.”

“We’ll take all that into consideration. Your idea does provide a public service in many ways and reduces risk to the children. Maybe, after I talk to my boss, you could help come up with the memorial. My name, by the way, is Deborah Holton.”

“Ernest Greenwald; Ernie to those who like me enough. I’ll give it some thought and have an answer for you, when and if, you purchase the land.”

“Thank you for your time.”

I walked back over and as Doriane was still inside, I looked over the outside.

The house was falling apart and I could see many holes, where the kids in the area had been making secret forays inside. That worried me and, after looking around to ensure I had no eyes on me, I tapped my power to sense dark magic.

Just as I was about to declare the property clean, I sensed a small bit, buried near the corner of house in the back.

Moving that way, I saw a broken piece of pottery, with an active symbol on it. I didn’t touch it. I moved to the door to go inside, when I saw it was creating instability in the foundation.

I found Doriane in the living room discussing the price of the house.

Apparently, the bank was trying to recover some of the losses for the years of taxes, and asking for a higher price than the place warranted. The only thing of value was the land itself. The expense of tearing down the house and repairing the yard, would equal at least half of what they were asking for. They also seemed to be trying to trade on the semi-famous nature of the place.

Then the man made his mistake.

Larry Caulder said as I was entering, “We might be able to come to an arrangement. I could probably talk the bank down another fifty thousand but I want something in return. Just one time, you and me.”

I saw Doriane’s eyes flash fire, “I think you’re going to work the price down close to what I’m offering. I just recorded you asking for sexual favors, in trade for your services, and in this day and age that is a crime. I will go to the police with it, and do so publically, so the bank gets embarrassed. They’ll have no choice but to take what I’m offering or walk away and still be paying the taxes on this place.”

I cleared my throat to announce my presence, when I saw him raise his hand to strike, letting him know there was a witness.

His eyes went from dangerous and oily to scared, in a moment.

I said, ‘I believe you have some negotiating to do on our behalf. Shall I be the one to tell the bank, they may have a public relations nightmare brewing, or do you think you can find the will to bargain in our favor?”