Eden's Shadow. Jenna Ryan

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СКАЧАТЬ vengeance curse, of death—or worse.

      The woman’s name was Eva Dumont and she wrote the curse in blood. Her blood and that of the man who was her father.

      He had left her mother for another woman. He would pay for that betrayal, as would his offspring.

      Her shadow, her curse, would fall from generation to generation. Not one of that tainted line would escape her voodoo spell.

      Chapter One

      “Mind you don’t make the fillings too white, dear. I don’t want to glow in the dark when I smile.”

      “I’ll match your natural color,” Eden Bennett promised, “X-ray that upper molar again, and we’ll go from there.”

      “So long as it doesn’t exceed thirty dollars.” The old woman cleared her throat, then asked, “It won’t, will it?”

      “Twenty-eight thirty-seven, cleaning included. Open for me now, okay, and try not to swallow.”

      The old woman snagged her wrist before Eden could position the wedge. “You’ll be gentle, won’t you? My roots are as weak as my ankles these days.”

      Nothing wrong with her grip, though, Eden noted. She patted one bony shoulder. “I work on my grandmother’s teeth, Cornelia, and her roots are three years older than yours.”

      Reassured, the woman relaxed into the padded dental chair. She didn’t watch the television Eden had mounted to distract her more squeamish patients, but rather kept her eyes fixed on Eden and her fingers curled tightly in her lap.

      She was a sweet old woman, poor as Eden’s patients tended to be on Tuesday afternoons and evenings, but more trusting than many who ventured into her French Quarter office.

      Since Cornelia wouldn’t let anyone else do the cleaning, Eden had sent her dental assistant home forty minutes ago. With luck, she’d missed the deluge that was currently making a river of the streets and sidewalks outside.

      Eden was just touching her drill to one of Cornelia’s seven remaining teeth when the examination room door burst open. If she hadn’t learned from one of the best, Cornelia’s tooth count would have been down to six.

      “Eden, you have to—” The woman on the threshold halted. “You’re still working? Do you know what time it is?”

      “It’s 8:27, Mary—” Eden pulled her mask down “—p.m. I won’t be finished until after nine, and no, I don’t have any extra twenties in my purse.”

      “I didn’t come looking for money.” Mary offered Cornelia a perfunctory smile. “Mary Tamblyn. I’m Eden’s sister. I didn’t realize patients came here quite this late. Myself, I can’t deal with pain at night.”

      Not easily ruffled, Eden motioned at the door. “There’s coffee if you want to wait.”

      “But…” Mary’s look of annoyance changed to one of resignation. “Oh, all right, but it’s important this time, Eden, or I wouldn’t be here.”

      She really wouldn’t, Eden thought after coaxing Cornelia’s mouth open again. Mary liked the French Quarter well enough, but going to a dentist’s office instead of searching out a freaky party? No way. She must want more than money.

      “Your sister doesn’t dress like you, does she, dear? Or look a great deal like you, either. So much blond hair…” Cornelia spoke around the wedge. “She has nice teeth, though. Are they all her own?”

      “All but one. An ex-boyfriend knocked out her left incisor a year ago.”

      Cornelia made a clucking sound. “Bad relationship?”

      “Misdirected racquetball.” Eden replaced her mask and picked up her drill. “Mary isn’t big on sports, or men who play them these days. Okay, no more stalling. Open, and I’ll have you patched up in no time.”

      “Will it hurt? I think I can still feel part of my gum.”

      “Cornelia, I gave you enough novocaine to keep you numb until breakfast. I’ll go slow. You can pinch my left arm if you feel anything.”

      EDEN KEPT HER MIND on her work and off Mary for the next forty-five minutes. By nine-fifteen, Cornelia was scraped, filled, filed and X-rayed. She handed Eden three tens at the door, squeezed her hand and told her to keep the change. Eden watched her climb into her brother’s 1965 Buick Wildcat and tried not to think about how a man with cataracts managed to drive at night in a downpour.

      Mary came up beside her. “Those two should be using public transportation.”

      Eden winced as Cornelia’s brother ran the right tires up over the curb. “They only have to go twelve blocks.”

      “Huh. Big spender, too—tipped you a whole dollar plus change. Thirty bucks—man, you never give me deals like that.”

      “You don’t live on a fixed income and have two sons who bleed you for what little pension money you receive.” Eden tucked the bills into the pocket of her pants, stretched as she walked to the rack and removed her lab coat. “So what’s the deal? Did you sell a bunch of pictures and you want me to spring for the champagne?”

      Mary stared after the disappearing Buick. “They’re photographs, not pictures, and no, I didn’t. God, I hope I don’t end up like them one day.” Turning her head, she ran her gaze up and down her sister’s body. “Or you, either, for that matter.”

      Eden made a quick check of her face and hair in the waiting room mirror. “What’s wrong with how I look?” Other than maybe a little washed out under the bright lights.

      Mary shrugged. “Nothing. You’re gorgeous. Every man I date says so. But…” Her expression grew mysterious, and Eden sighed. She recognized the sign.

      “‘For deeds long past, chère child will reap, my vengeance curse, of death—or worse.’”

      Eden, who’d taken a moment to release her dark hair from its ponytail, gave her head a shake and her shoulders a roll. “Why do you love that old rhyme so much? You don’t believe in family curses any more than I do.”

      “I know. But then it doesn’t apply to me, does it? I’m the youngest in our patchwork family.” Mary’s leather pants and jacket creaked as she headed for the door. “Let’s blow this spooky tooth palace. Something’s happened, and you’re the only one who can make it right.”

      “I have to clean…” Eden started for the examination room, but Mary grabbed her arm. “I’m not being dramatic, Eden. This is big, or at least it could be, and it doesn’t involve you lending me money. It’s about Lisa.”

      Something tightened in Eden’s stomach. Mary wouldn’t hesitate to plead her own cause, but she seldom championed anyone else’s. And she never looked rattled.

      “What about Lisa?” she asked. “Is she sick? Hurt? In trouble?”

      “The last thing.” Loosening her grip, Mary made a disgruntled sound.

      “Okay, СКАЧАТЬ