Page 22 of Xavier

“See?” Lissette looked up at him in triumph. “Even our luck with the weather is going to hell.”

Her anger eased into regret and sorrow. “It’s not just my family. Other tombs and shrines were vandalized and reliquaries stolen from them.”

“Do you have a list of those tombs and the families they belong to?”

She nodded. “I’d heard from Mimi at the diner that her family tomb was broke into. When I went out there yesterday to see the damage, I saw there were quite a few. Marceau, Mitch Marceau’s family. DeRoche, Rene DeRoche’s, family tomb. Fendley of the Ferrence Fendleys. Levigne, Len Levigne’s grandparents and great-grandparents’ tomb. Old man Gus Caron’s family shrine. Ms. Fran Arnaud’s family tomb. Even Mandy Boudreaux’s family plot was hit. And that’s just naming a few.”

Xavier frowned. “Not that I believe this had anything to do with the vandalized tombs, but Mimi had a fire in the diner last night.”

Lissette’s eyes widened. “Did she?”

He nodded. “Mitch Marceau fell off a ladder this morning and broke his arm.”

Her heart plummeted into her belly. “That’s awful.”

“Who is Fran Arnaud?” he asked.

“The old widow who lives on Second Street.”

“The one with the pink flamingo in her garden?” Xavier asked.

“That’s the one. Why?”

“A large branch fell on her porch overnight.”

Lissette gasped. “She’s okay?”

“As far as I know.”

“Now do you believe me?” Lissette asked. “Those people had property stolen from their family tombs. Like the Gautiers, they don’t have the protection it represented.” She turned, paced away, her mind whirling with the potential disaster the community faced.

“All the so-called bad luck you and I have mentioned can be explained logically.”

“Logic has nothing to do with it,” Lissette insisted, her voice growing louder. “Their protections are gone. My grandmother can’t get around to help everyone, not with a sprained ankle. I have to get things back where they belong before the hurricane hits, or who knows what will happen?” She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “Maybe it’s stupid or maybe I’m delusional, but I want to do something for the people of the parish to prove I can be a decent human being and a member of the community. I want to make up for my shitty past. And though they’ve turned their noses up at me, I don’t want anything else bad to happen to them.”

“And you couldn’t just volunteer at the animal shelter or help build houses for the homeless?”

“I wanted to use my assets, what I know, and the skills I’ve been honing. Since I can’t use my former network, I had to find another way to locate the missing relics.” She glanced down at her wrist. “I did the only thing I knew.” She looked up at him. “I cast a spell to find the stolen items.” Her gaze drifted from his eyes to his neck. “Only I’m not sure what the mark is trying to show me.” She frowned again.

Xavier shoved a hand through his hair. “Let me get this straight. Assuming there is such a thing as magic,” he held up a hand, “not that I believe in that kind of nonsense.” He dropped his hand. “But you cast a spell and it’s supposed to show you where the stolen items are located?”

“Yes,” she said and blew out an impatient breath. “At least, I think so.”

“And this spell put a mark on you that only you can see?” Xavier asked.

“Yes. In candlelight or moonlight.” Her lips twisted. “You must think I’ve lost my mind.”

He nodded. “Yes. I think you have. And I might be losing my mind, too. Assuming there is such a thing as magic, how do you know only you can see the mark by candle or moonlight?”

“It was part of the incantation,” she said softly.

“Was there anything else in that spell or incantation?”

Lissette rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Yes, though I don’t see how it’s going to help.”

Xavier caught her arms and held her still until she met his gaze. “I’m not the one who believes in magic. Humor me. What exact words did you say?”

Lissette closed her eyes and drew on her memory from the night before. Since she’d repeated the words over and over to memorize them before she worked the spell, they came back easily.