going on in her mind, and wondered if she had transported herself back to the scene of the crime at Suffolk’s Walk.
“ What do you see, Leona? Tell me.” But she would not, or could not acknowledge my words. She continued speaking in tongues, clutching her rosary and repeating the chants like a mantra, drawing strength from its words or protection from its source.
I panned the room, hoping for some indication as to where Leona’s episode of glossolalia might take her next. I studied the faces of those looking back and saw only concern on everyone present. Everyone that is, but for Lilith Adams. Strangely, Lilith seemed not only unconcerned, but also amused. Her hands twiddled in mechanical sequence as she tightened another knot in the rope she had been working on earlier. I stood up and started across the room. She hastened her efforts, tying another and yet another knot in the line as quickly as she could. She pulled taut the last of forty knots just as I reached her, looked up and tossed the line directly at me. I snatched the rope in mid-air as it sailed toward my face.
“ So what’s this?” I asked, holding the rope up by the first knot like a string of minnows on a fishing line.
“ What does it look like?”
“ Looks like a rope with a bunch of knots.”
“ Bravo. You see? I guess that’s why you’re the detective.”
“ Yes, but something tells me it’s more than just a bunch of knots, isn’t it?”
Akasha jumped to her feet, pointing. “It’s a witch’s ladder, Detective, and it’s the second one she has made. If she made it for you, then she is supposed to hide it from you. Once that is done, you have only days to find it and untie the knots or you will die.”
I looked back at Lilith, my brow hooked in surprise. “Is that right, Ms. Adams?”
She scoffed. “Not quite, Detective, but the glitter twin has it half right. The type of ladder she speaks of is the Ladder of Death. Like any witch’s ladder it can be a string of forty beads or forty knots tied in a line, similar to the one you now hold in your hand. As Akasha explained, the maker of the ladder might hide it from her adversary as a sort of time bomb. Depending on the strength of the spell, one might have days, or perhaps even months to find it. The more time, the better, of course. The fun is in watching the poor soul hunt for the ladder before his time runs out.”
“ Sounds charming, but you don’t think I’m buying any of this, do you?”
Small pockets of snickering broke out like chirping crickets, difficult to pinpoint, but impossible to ignore. I turned around and it suddenly stopped.
“ You don’t have to buy anything, Detective. You asked me. I’m telling you.”
I turned back. “Fair enough. So let’s say I’m still listening. You described the ladder of death. If this isn’t one of those, what is it?”
“ What you’re holding there is another ladder, Detective. It’s the Ladder of Will, and it’s my gift to you.”
“ Ladder of Will? Why would I want this?”
“ As the name implies, it should grant you control of the forces at will. It’s an incredibly powerful tool, one you should not take lightly.”
“ Control of what forces?”
“ Nature, physics, perhaps even your own destiny.”
“ So, it’s a tool, is it?”
“ Yes. You see it was first used by sailors centuries ago. A nice witch, such as myself, might give it to a handsome young sailor. If this sailor went out to sea for long periods and could find no breeze to push him home, then he would simply untie one of the knots. A single knot would give him a gentle breeze. Two knots would deliver a strong gust. Of course, if he were foolish and wanted to get home quickly then he might feel tempted to untie three knots.”
“ Three knots, huh?”
“ Oh, yes. Big mistake—three knots.”
I chuckled. I had learned how to temper my skepticism and remain open-minded in the course of my investigations, but never had anyone offered me
“ What do you see, Leona? Tell me.” But she would not, or could not acknowledge my words. She continued speaking in tongues, clutching her rosary and repeating the chants like a mantra, drawing strength from its words or protection from its source.
I panned the room, hoping for some indication as to where Leona’s episode of glossolalia might take her next. I studied the faces of those looking back and saw only concern on everyone present. Everyone that is, but for Lilith Adams. Strangely, Lilith seemed not only unconcerned, but also amused. Her hands twiddled in mechanical sequence as she tightened another knot in the rope she had been working on earlier. I stood up and started across the room. She hastened her efforts, tying another and yet another knot in the line as quickly as she could. She pulled taut the last of forty knots just as I reached her, looked up and tossed the line directly at me. I snatched the rope in mid-air as it sailed toward my face.
“ So what’s this?” I asked, holding the rope up by the first knot like a string of minnows on a fishing line.
“ What does it look like?”
“ Looks like a rope with a bunch of knots.”
“ Bravo. You see? I guess that’s why you’re the detective.”
“ Yes, but something tells me it’s more than just a bunch of knots, isn’t it?”
Akasha jumped to her feet, pointing. “It’s a witch’s ladder, Detective, and it’s the second one she has made. If she made it for you, then she is supposed to hide it from you. Once that is done, you have only days to find it and untie the knots or you will die.”
I looked back at Lilith, my brow hooked in surprise. “Is that right, Ms. Adams?”
She scoffed. “Not quite, Detective, but the glitter twin has it half right. The type of ladder she speaks of is the Ladder of Death. Like any witch’s ladder it can be a string of forty beads or forty knots tied in a line, similar to the one you now hold in your hand. As Akasha explained, the maker of the ladder might hide it from her adversary as a sort of time bomb. Depending on the strength of the spell, one might have days, or perhaps even months to find it. The more time, the better, of course. The fun is in watching the poor soul hunt for the ladder before his time runs out.”
“ Sounds charming, but you don’t think I’m buying any of this, do you?”
Small pockets of snickering broke out like chirping crickets, difficult to pinpoint, but impossible to ignore. I turned around and it suddenly stopped.
“ You don’t have to buy anything, Detective. You asked me. I’m telling you.”
I turned back. “Fair enough. So let’s say I’m still listening. You described the ladder of death. If this isn’t one of those, what is it?”
“ What you’re holding there is another ladder, Detective. It’s the Ladder of Will, and it’s my gift to you.”
“ Ladder of Will? Why would I want this?”
“ As the name implies, it should grant you control of the forces at will. It’s an incredibly powerful tool, one you should not take lightly.”
“ Control of what forces?”
“ Nature, physics, perhaps even your own destiny.”
“ So, it’s a tool, is it?”
“ Yes. You see it was first used by sailors centuries ago. A nice witch, such as myself, might give it to a handsome young sailor. If this sailor went out to sea for long periods and could find no breeze to push him home, then he would simply untie one of the knots. A single knot would give him a gentle breeze. Two knots would deliver a strong gust. Of course, if he were foolish and wanted to get home quickly then he might feel tempted to untie three knots.”
“ Three knots, huh?”
“ Oh, yes. Big mistake—three knots.”
I chuckled. I had learned how to temper my skepticism and remain open-minded in the course of my investigations, but never had anyone offered me
Similar Books
