SomeBODY Else by Susan Wittig Albert

Author:Susan Wittig Albert [Albert, Susan Wittig]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Persevero Press
Published: 2019-05-14T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Ruby turns to see the sheriff coming out of Finn’s tent with Marianne, who hurries off in the other direction. The sheriff says something to a deputy standing nearby. The deputy goes around Finn’s booth and waves at the EMS team. Two guys in blue scrubs come up with a gurney. Leaving it in front of the tent, they disappear inside.

“Want those sawhorses moved, Sheriff?” the deputy asks. “Couple of vendors have been asking if they’re going to be able to open up this morning. They’re kinda upset.”

“It’ll be another fifteen or twenty minutes before the victim’s out of here,” the sheriff says. He looks at his watch. “If folks ask, tell them they can count on opening by ten-thirty, ten-forty-five at the latest. But keep this tent closed up and taped off. Better put Abbott on guard, too.”

The deputy goes off. Out on the Green, a band is playing a loud, fast version of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.” The sheriff glances at Ruby and then gives Ethan a quizzical look. “Who’s this, Detective?”

“Ruby Wilcox, Sheriff,” Ethan said. “It was her booth that the knife was stolen from—and she’s the one who found the body.”

To Ruby, he says, “Ms. Wilcox, this is Sheriff Donahue. It’s his case. As I told you, I’m just assisting.”

To the sheriff, he adds, “Full disclosure, Larry. Ms. Wilcox was involved in a case I worked on a couple of months ago in Pecan Springs. She helped us locate a kidnap victim and apprehend the kidnapper.”

The sheriff raises an eyebrow. “That right?” he asks, with an appraising glance at Ruby.

Ruby tries to smile. “Actually, I—”

“Interesting case,” Ethan says hurriedly. He gives Ruby a significant look.

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Wilcox,” the sheriff says, inclining his head. In his mid-forties, he’s clean-shaven, with, deep-set blue eyes, sun-browned skin, and a laconic manner. “Maybe you can fill me in. You knew Mr. Cassidy, did you?”

So while Ethan looks on, Ruby explains what she knows, start to finish. She tells them about meeting Finn, buying the dragon suncatcher for her sister, hearing that Finn would be sleeping in his tent that night, seeing him at the dance later—and finding him dead that morning, in his sleeping bag.

She takes them into her tent and introduces Laurel, then shows the sheriff the display of magical tools from which the athame had been taken.

“Athame?” The sheriff cocks a puzzled eyebrow. “Hang on a minute. I thought we were talking about a knife. The knife that killed Cassidy.”

“An athame is a special kind of knife,” Ruby says. “Wiccans use it in rituals, usually to cast a circle and draw the quarters—the four corners of the compass. Or to bless the chalice, in the same way that a priest uses a cross. In the darker traditions of the craft, it can also be used to curse.”

“Curse?” Ethan asks. He looks interested. “Is that the same as a hex?”

“Not quite,” Ruby says. “A hex is any spell, while a curse is designed to cause harm. Wicca is a goddess religion and most Wiccans are against what’s called baneful magic.

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