Free No Rest for the Wicca by Toni LoTempio Page B

possibly understand why you turned it down.”
    His remark caught me off guard. “You can?”
    He nodded. “Yes. The only thing I’m not sure of is which scares you more, the voodoo angle or the fact you’ll have to work with a partner again.” He let out a giant sigh. “Morgan, I’m going to give you some advice you might find corny—an old c l iche.”
    I rolled my eyes.  “Please, sir—“
    He held up his hand.  “Trite but true-- once you fall off the horse, you’ve got to get back on it again.”
    I wrinkled my nose. “You’re right. It is trite.”
    Gilley’s hand balled into a fist. “Dammit, Morgan. I want to help you. Do you think I like to see you waste your talents snuffing out misplaced daemons? You’re better than that, far better. No, I—“
    The door burst open and Danny stood on the threshold. “I’m sorry to interrupt,” he said, and looked straight at me. “Still didn’t get that cell battery, did you?”
    I felt a tingle narrow up my spine.  “No.”
    “Well, County Hospital ’s on the line.  They’ve been trying to get you.  Your cousin Xia’s in the ER.”
     
    ***
     
    I burst through the double glass doors of County Hospital and made my way to the desk where a stern-faced nurse sat, staring at a monitor. She looked up as I approached but her bored expression switched to shocked surprise when I banged my fist on the counter.
    “I’m Morgan Hawkes. My cousin, Xia Randall’s been brought in here. What’s her status?”
    She stared at me, turned her attention to the monitor. “I don’t know if I can release—“
    I reached across the counter, grabbed her arm. “Please,” I cried.  “She’s the only relative I have—at least, the only one who gives a damn about me.  And vice versa, so please, tell me what’s going on.”
    The nurse hesitated.  “I’m sorry. Hospital rules.  Only immediate family is allowed back—“
    I whipped my Paranormal Investigation badge out and held it up.  Her expression changed almost immediately.  “Through those doors.”
    Ah, me trusty Badge comes through again . “Great. Thanks.”
    I barged through another set of doors and found myself in the ER. There were about half a dozen curtained cubicles in front of me. I frowned.
    “Xia,” I yelled. “Xia, where are you?”
    One set of curtains opened, and a white-coated doctor, bald-headed, snapping black eyes, stethoscope dangling around his neck, stuck his head out. “What the devil—who in blazes are you?”
    I flashed my badge. “Police,” I said, stuffing the badge back in my pocket before he could get more than a glance at it. “I’m looking for Xia Randall.”
    “Morgan,” a thin voice called from the curtained alcove at the far end of the room. “Morgan, is that you?”
    “Xia?” I crossed the room in tree long strides, jerked the curtain back. My cousin lay on the hospital bed, face pale, golden hair streaming across the pillow. I noted she lay hooked up to a machine registering her vital signs. I moved closer.
    Xia reached out and gripped my hand. “Morgan, I’m so glad you’ve come. I’m sorry to be such a baby.”
    My hand snaked out, brushed some hair out of her eyes. “You most certainly are not a baby. I’m just glad you’re all right.”
    Xia’s lips twisted in a half-smile. “I feel like such a fool. I reacted horribly, I know. You would have been so much braver.”
    I looked at her, puzzled. “Braver? Xia, what happened? How did you get here?”
    She studied me for a moment. “No one told you?” she whispered.
    I patted my pocket. “I had my cell turned off.  Mrs. Winters called the station. Danny said you were in the ER. I got down here as fast as I could.” I scanned her anxiously. My eye fell on her neck, and I noticed for the first time the purple welts that formed a strange, cobweb-like pattern along one side.  “Were you in some sort of accident? You look all right.” My brow puckered. Today was Tuesday, the day her Dianic