“Make that two, please,” Mike said.
They both ordered colas and the waitress left, leaving Mike to return to the subject at hand.
“Okay, what’s the old man done now?” he asked.
Derek’s gaze darkened. “He’s into voodoo.”
Mike wasn’t surprised. In the last few years, his father had taken to alternative religions to ward off the curse. Juju dolls hung from the trees lining the path leading up to his secluded house and he’d erected ancient totem poles for protection. Mike didn’t understand Edward’s reasoning and didn’t want to try. The farther he stayed from the insanity, the better.
“What’s going on?” Mike reluctantly asked.
“He’s spooking Gabrielle and you know that isn’t easy to do.”
As an author who made a living dispelling paranormal beliefs, Gabrielle wasn’t easily scared. If Edward was upsetting Gabrielle, he must have gone too far. “Tell me.” Mike gestured to Derek to continue.
“Well, we wanted to keep it quiet, but about six months ago, Gabrielle had a miscarriage,” Derek said, his voice low.
“Damn.” Mike shook his head, absorbing the news. “I had no idea. I’m sorry,” Mike said to his cousin.
Derek inclined his head, acknowledging the words. “According to the doctor, it was a freak thing. There’s no reason to think it will happen again or prevent us from having a healthy baby.”
“Thank God.” Mike expelled the breath he’d been holding.
“And we’re trying again.” Derek grinned once more. “But your father found out about the miscarriage. We figure he overheard Gabrielle and her friend Sharon talking about it in town.” He shook his head. “Ever since he’s been obsessed with protecting her.”
Mike muttered an expletive under his breath. “I’m sorry. All it takes is the slightest problem when a Corwin man is in love and my father loses it.”
Derek shook his head. “He’s already lost it, Mike.”
Mike knew. He just hated facing it because, too often as a child, he’d feared ending up like his father. As an adult, he prided himself on how well he had things together. He had a job as a cop, a career that enabled him to protect others, something he never quite felt he’d been able to do for his father. Edward fought his own demons. Mike fought other people’s, at least in a way, and remained sane.
“Look, we know my father has issues.”
“Right. The problem is, he’s spreading the insanity now. Gabrielle came home the other day to find red dust sprinkled outside the front door.”
“In Boston or Stewart?” Mike asked, since his cousin and his wife had a house in their small hometown village of Stewart and a Brownstone in downtown Boston. Gabrielle had lived in Boston before she’d gotten back together with Derek and they’d kept her place as a city retreat or an office in case Gabrielle was on deadline and needed peace and quiet.
“Stewart. But thanks for reminding me. I’m going to have to check the brownstone before I leave. I’d hate for Gabrielle to find a present from your father next time she visits.”
“I’m sure your place in Boston is fine. I can’t see my father going too far, can you?” The man rarely went into Stewart, let alone ventured beyond the town lines.
Derek shook his head. “But you never know. The red dust was followed by a string of juju dolls across the doorway. Gabrielle said she was damn near decapitated by the fishing line he used.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Mike promised. “I’ll call him tonight.”
“I think he disconnected his phone line. Afraid of traveling spirits or some such nonsense.”
Mike raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Are you sure? I just spoke to him before I left for Vegas on Thursday.”
“Did you call him or—”
?
??He called me from his cell.”
“No wires.” Derek shrugged. “Don’t ask me. It makes sense to him, that’s all I know. I paid him a visit on Saturday and he explained to me. I told him as nicely as possible that Gabrielle appreciates his concern but she doesn’t want his spirit-invoking items left in surprise places.” Derek spread his hands in front of him. “I just don’t think it sunk in.”
Mike nodded. “I can’t imagine it would. He’s too obsessed. I’ll see what I can do,” he promised.