Episode 14
“Mr. Jamison told me to find you so we can both check out what’s happening at the Crane Mansion.”
“What’s going on at the Crane Mansion?” Asked Adam.
“You’re not going to believe this: A dead body fell out of the cake that was meant for Chad and Whitney’s reception.” Said Vincent dressed as Valerie.
“What!!!”
“I know, doesn’t that sound preposterous?”
Yes, but it also sounded disturbingly familiar. How could his friend know that it was he (Vincent) who had orchestrated the catastrophe at the original reception? But how could someone else have copied his idea without knowing about the original event, unless they had some kind of magical power. Or maybe it was just a strange coincidence.
“Have they identified the body yet?”
“I have no idea; that’s why we need to get over there as soon as posib…”
“Valerie! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” An irate Theresa stormed down the hall toward them with a curious Ethan following close behind.
“Theresa, there you are.” Said Valerie. “I’ve been looking for you all afternoon. I have that research for you.”
“You’ve been looking for me?! I’ve been calling you all afternoon!!”
“I’m so sorry Theresa. I must have turned my cell phone off by mistake.”
“Never mind that now. Why in the world are you talking to this…This person?”
“Who? Adam? I guess I should have introduced him to you before.” And Valerie surprised everyone by grabbing Adam and engaging him in a liplock. “There’s nothing wrong with a girl talking to and then kissing her boyfriend is there?”
“No…No there’s nothing wrong with that.” Smirked Ethan.
“What is it exactly that you two are doing Endora?” Asked Julian.
“We’re playing hopscotch.” Bubbled Endora.
“It’s really fun!” Bubbled Maria.
“I never really understood how you play that particular game.” Confessed Julian.
“First you draw a coarse on the ground of numbered blocks.” Said Sarah. Then each player throws a marker into the coarse and then they have to hop or jump around the coarse to pick up their marker. I play it all the time, but I’ve never had anyone else to play it with.”
Sarah just couldn’t stand watching from her window anymore, so she popped herself into the Bennett front yard and came through the gate.
“Would you like to play with us?” Bubbled Maria.
“I sure would! Wow that’s neat; people can read your thoughts”
“Only certain people.” Bubbled Endora.
“And who might you be young lady?” Asked Julian, trying to sound cheerful.
“My name is Sarah.” After hearing the conversation between Tabitha and Julian, Sarah was suddenly reluctant to say her full name, at least not to an adult. “I’m staying with the people next door until my Mommie comes back.”
“Where has your Mommie gone?” Bubbled Endora.
“I’m not sure but I know she’ll be back for me soon.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure kid.” Said Eustace to himself. He had been watching the scene from around the corner in one of Tabby’s bushes. “Your ‘Mommie’ wants you to stay right where you are for the foreseeable future.”
Eustace suddenly felt two hands squeeze tightly around his shoulders.
“Ah Ha! I thought that was you, you peevish Imp!” Eustace was spun around and he came face to face with Tabitha. “I thought I saw you out of the corner of my eye, so I snuck inside and came around the back of the house. How dare you skulk around my home? You’re just waiting for a chance to get your hands on Endora no doubt.”
“Relax Tabby; the Darkside has decided not to try to separate you from Endora, at least for the time being.”
“Somehow I just can’t bring myself to be reassured by that.” She continued to keep a tight grip on the Elf.
“I’m here for the other girl.”
“Who…Maria?”
“No. Her.” Eustace pointed to Sarah.
“Where did she come from? Who the blazes is she?”
“She’s your new neighbor; she’s staying with the Bennetts.”
“Yes, but who is she?”
“I don’t think I can tell you”
“We both know that now that I’ve caught you, you can’t pop out of my grasp unless I allow it, so either you tell me or…”
“Alright, alright!”
Eustace explained what Heckuba had done during the time shift and how Sarah was related to both her (Heckuba) and Gwen.
“Oh my stars and garters!” was all Tabby could say.
“Come on Lopez-Fitzgerald! Move a little faster. Your new cell is right down here”
The guard opened the cell door and pushed Antonio inside.
“You do know that no matter how many times you transfer me from one compound to another, my sister will eventually find me?”
“I’m just doing my job Antonio. Look man I really don’t have anything against you; we’ve been together long enough that you know that right?”
“What does it matter Frankie?” I’m still Alistair’s prisoner and you’re still my keeper. There’s not much basis for a friendship there.”
“I have your dinner plate here.”
“What’s gruel like today?”
“Looks to me like a cold pork chop sandwich.”
“Just what I was dreaming of.”
“I’ll bet. I’ll be back to collect your tray when you’re done.”
“Ah there’s nothing like room service.”
After Frankie left, Antonio did his best to choke down what passed as his dinner. His thoughts as always going to the time he would be free to be with Sheridan again.
“Is someone there?” A woman’s voice came from down the corridor.
“Who are you?” Antonio went to the bars and looked out but the woman’s cell was too far away for him to see.
“I suppose I am what you are: Just another of Alistair’s forgotten toys.”
Frankie found his friend Louie finishing his own dinner in the commissary of the secret Crane compound.
“So your guy is safely stowed?” Asked Louie.
“Yeah I put him in the cell right down the hall from your prisoner.”
“You think it’s a good idea to have them so close together?”
“At this point I don’t think it really matters.”
“Tell me about it. I tell you Frankie; I don’t know how much more of this I can take.
“I hear ya pal.”
“I mean here we are; we haven’t been paid in weeks, Spike won’t tell us what really happened to the old man in Rome. and to top it all off, this latest place we’re holding the prisoners in gives me the creeps.”
“One compound looks just about the same as any other to me.”
“It’s not the compound; it’s where the compound is located.”
“It’s just some deserted island.”
“You mean to tell me you’ve never heard the stories about this island?”
“I only moved to Harmony two years ago.”
“The old timers refer to this place as Warlock Island.”
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End of Episode 14
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