Insidious Winds Read Free Page A

I
overheard one of the stewardesses complaining about cell phones and I made a
mental reminder to ask Darwin if it was true that they interfered with flying.
Henry kept a very neutral expression as he read one of my mystery novels, but I
could tell he was irritated by his clenched fists and rigid muscles.
    It took us until six to get to the small Oklahoma
town. The taxi dropped us off at Cindy’s house, which was one of the few houses
that weren’t falling apart. The one across from it, though ominous in some
subtle way, was also in decent condition. Cindy stepped out onto her porch as I
paid the taxi driver and grabbed my bag.
    “So this is what you do?” Henry asked, eying the
house dubiously.
    “No, actually. I’ve always stayed away from paranormal
cases.”
    “Maybe you should have this time as well.”
    “It won’t be that bad.” I studied the house.
    “Glad you could make it,” Cindy said. The woman was
about five-three, petite, with dyed-lavender hair. “Who’s your friend?”
    “This is Henry. He’s working with me now.” Henry and
her shook hands, but I noticed him inhale deeply as his way of sniffing her
discreetly. I also noticed the envelope she held in her left hand. “How have
you been?”
    “Up until a month ago, I was doing well. That’s when
weird stuff started happening.”
    “Weird as in what?”
    “Well, not anything too serious. Freak snow storms
overnight, things floating up into the air, every car on the street won’t
start, you’d set something down on a flat surface and it would slide just out
of reach… and the chairs stacked themselves on the dining room table a few
times.”
    “Like poltergeists?”
    “Yeah. And there’s something wrong with the
electricity. Then, a week ago, it started getting a lot more serious. Light
bulbs would explode, things would just catch on fire, and the stray cat
population completely disappeared.”
    Henry and I glanced at each other and then at the
house. “Was your sister’s husband the only one attacked?”
    “Yes.”
    “Anyone have any reason to attack him?”
    “No. Luther has never done anything to anyone. I’ll
take you over there and you can talk to my sister, Meg. Oh, and I got this in
the mail for you.” She handed me the unmarked envelope and I slipped it into
the inside pocket of my jacket.
    We went across the street and knocked on the door.
The woman who answered looked very similar to Cindy except her hair was dark
brown. Her eyes were bloodshot, but her cheeks weren’t puffy, so I figured she
hadn’t cried in an hour or so. She gave her sister an obviously fake smile.
    “Meg, this is Devon and Henry. They’re going to
investigate what happened to Luther.”
    “He’s not back yet. The hospital is going to keep him
another night for observation.”
    “When was the attack?” I asked.
    “Last night, about eight or so. Come in.” She stepped
out of the doorway and motioned to the couch.
    It was a decent little house. The front door entered
into the living room, and it was an open floor plan between the living room and
kitchen. There was a back door in the kitchen and a hallway to the left leading
to the bedrooms and bathrooms. The lack of Wiccan artifacts everywhere told me
that Meg didn’t share her sister’s interests.
    “Do you want some coffee or anything?”
    “No, thank you,” I said. My instincts weren’t telling
me we were in danger, but there was definitely something off about the place.
It was almost as if I should be grossed out about something, but I didn’t know
what. “Was your husband inside or outside when he was attacked?”
    “He heard something outside and went out to the back
porch. Our neighbors were having a barbeque, so they saw the whole thing. They
said he swatted at something, but they didn’t hear or see any bees. And I don’t
know if there are bees where you live, but I’ll tell you, if you get a swarm of
bees, you can hear them.”
    “And there were actual bee stings or just