Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine April Issue - Heaven & Hell | Page 87

S E he moved like spirit and smoke. She was regal and determined, unwavering and proud. ven from across the street, he could see the conviction in her eyes, the smirk on her full, pretty mouth. A mischievous, almost dangerous look in her eyes persuaded some to take a step back, fearful of the rumors circling this woman. Stories about her were all over the Internet, mostly told by the locals who claimed to know her personally, or who knew of her. He studied her sexy fluidity from a distance and wondered if she really could put a hex on you if you pissed her off or on someone else if you paid her enough. Were her love potions as powerful as people claimed they were? Was it true that she’d once sprinkled dust on a woman’s belly and changed the sex of the child from a girl to a boy? M arlowe Price had a reputation in this town, and it wasn’t necessarily a good one. It certainly did feed the rumor mill, though, and very few Blink residents doubted that a poor burned-up white man, her husband, had fallen victim to her magic because she’d found out about his other woman. It was the stuff that the best horror movies were made of, and he would be disappointed on some level if none of it were true. He’d surmised that he was tired from driving all night, or maybe she’d put a spell on him without even trying. S he was delicious looking, even from where he stood. Whether or not she really was a witch or hoodoo priestess or any number of other names they called her was neither here nor there. The essence of her was potent enough to stir his interest and not just as a lead to finding Ed Price. “ S Mrs. Price,” the reporter said, talking into the microphone, “would you mind answering a few questions?” he ignored him and slowly ascended the steps to her porch, then abruptly stopped, turned, and looked across the road to where Plato was parked and stared, momentarily and directly, back at him. She looked at him like she recognized him, or maybe she looked as if she’d been expecting him. Whatever the case, an uneasy feeling rose up in him, and if he didn’t believe in black magic before, he was starting to believe in it now. “ Mrs. Price? Please. If we could just have a moment. Have you retained a lawyer yet, Mrs. Price? Do you feel you need one?”