Many Waters

  Chapter Twenty-Seven - Lisa

  They routed me through Seattle and Denver before I landed in El Paso. Las Cruces is only about an hour’s drive from there, and I didn’t want to put off dealing with Layla for a second longer than necessary. The sooner I was done with that scumbag, the sooner I could call Cody and start trying to explain things. I didn’t look forward to that conversation either, but I was sure we could work things out if I gave him a little time to think.

  I took the shuttle bus from the airport, alighting in the parking lot of the Ramada Palms de Las Cruces. I had to take a taxi from there out to White Sands, and that just about wiped out the last of my cash. But at long last I found myself standing in Layla’s living room again, less than a week after the last time I’d been there.

  “Ah, there you are, Lisa!” she said, with what seemed to be genuine pleasure.

  “Yeah, here I am. Did you break the Curse yet?” I asked, getting right to the point. I had no intention of pretending I liked the girl when I hated her guts.

  “Not so fast, hon. Have you got the footage?” she asked. I reluctantly pulled the camera out of my purse and handed it over, waiting while she played back the recording in some little device beside her TV. She seemed to be awfully tech-savvy.

  She watched the entire video right there in front of me in her living room, to my intense shame. I never wanted to think about that scene again for the rest of my life. But at last she seemed satisfied.

  “Ah, that was beautiful. Truly beautiful,” she said dreamily, as if she’d just witnessed something of exceptional power and delight.

  “Can you break the Curse now, please?” I asked, almost frantic to be done so I could leave the place.

  “Sure, no hurry. Here you go,” she said, handing me a small tube of green liquid. It reminded me of antifreeze.

  “What am I supposed to do with it?” I asked tightly.

  “Just have him drink it, that’s all. Might be a little bitter, but mind he doesn’t spit it out,” she said.

  “Thanks,” I said, and then started to get up from my seat.

  “Just one more thing, sweetie,” she said, and my heart filled with dread.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “You might be thinking you can make things up with Cody at some point in the future. I’m afraid I’d have no choice but to see that as a deliberate breach of our agreement. If that ever happened, I think I might have to reinstate the curse, among other things,” she said mildly.

  “But you can’t. . . “ I began, and then trailed off. She could, and there was nothing I could do about it.

  “Yes?” she asked, with one brow raised and a hateful smirk on her face. One last twist of the knife, the final cherry on top of her delectable feast.

  “Nothing,” I whispered.

  “Good. I’m so glad we understand each other. It’s been a real pleasure doing business with you, Lisa. And remember, I’ll be watching!” she said pleasantly, and I couldn’t think of a single word to answer her.

  So I said nothing at all, and fled.