"Yeah, I'm suggesting that we go have a chat with Cassidy Parker."
30. Jail Bird Conversations
Cassidy Parker looked like she had not taken to prison life well. The joy that sparked inside of Eloise's chest was enough to make her grin at Cassidy's dry hair that held no life and her uneven skin that held no glow.
On the forty-minute drive, Eloise asked Tilly what was wrong. She could smell yeast that had bloomed too much and sat for too long. Tilly smiled at her.
"I can't fully explain, but pieces are floating around, feelings that keep sticking to my skin like puzzle pieces." She shook her head remembering Astra's touch and what had transferred. What was left behind? "I think Astra is lying."
"About handsome vampire drinking from you?"
The reminder pinched, and Tilly silently cursed it. Because when Astra told her, she knew without poking at the words that they were true. And then she shoved it into a dark space because heartbreak was not an obstacle she could face right now. "No, Ithink," she paused, swallowing, "I don't know about that. No, I think she's lying about why she's here."
Eloise took her eyes from the road for two seconds to look at her friend staring ahead. She could smell pain and confusion, the working out of a problem. Then she turned back to the road and nodded. "Okay. Let's figure out what she's lying about and why she's here."
Once Cassidy joined them in the beige cinderblock room, there was an air of intrigue.
"Bring more peaches?" Cassidy asked as she took a seat across from Eloise and Tilly. Her beige jumpsuit did nothing to inspire the look of health, washing the woman out.
"No, but may I interest you in an hour of banter as I slowly heal watching you rot here?" Eloise asked with a bright smile.
Cassidy's face remained unmoved. Finally, she sighed. "What do you two little witches need?"
"Well," Tilly started and then looked to Eloise for help.
"Look," she assisted, leaning her forearms on the metal table between them, "your villainous effort to get The Lost Souls House back and lock me up was impressive."
Cassidy's blonde brows moved the slightest in a frown.
"And now we find ourselves in another predicament."
"Wow, you kittens really are catnip for trouble," she replied with her first smirk.
"Thank you."
"Not really a compliment," she said dully.
Eloise waved a nonchalant hand. "In the eye of the receiver."
"Anyways," Tilly interjected. "There are three witches in Salem with an agenda and trying to get us run out of town."
"Okay," she responded, her tone asking what that had to do with her.
Tilly and Eloise looked at each other silently communicating before Tilly said, "You came after us."
"And almost succeeded," Eloise added.
Cassidy smiled. "Thank you."
"Not a compliment."
She leaned forward. "In the eye of the receiver," she repeated Eloise's words, her eyes staring hard at her.
Eloise smiled.
"Not that we can force you to feel anything other than spite and dark feelings like wanting to drown puppies," Eloise said, making Cassidy's smile twitch, "but after stalking, framing and almost ruining our lives, we could use some help."
With a great sigh, the woman leaned back. She looked small, but not breakable. Worn, but not worn out. "Since I'm bored, no one in here is very smart and for some reason you all interest me," she was running the pad of her thumb over her short nails as she looked at them and spoke, "Fine. What do you need?"
