Gathering Deep by Lisa Maxwell Read Free Book Online Page A

living history museum, had also managed to buy an adjoining plot of land containing a cabin that once belonged to Thisbe. The historians all knew that Thisbe was an ex-slave and influential in the life of the area, but none of the university staff—Dr. Aimes included—had any idea of how powerful she’d really been. And they certainly didn’t know she was still around.
    â€œMama Legba told you to get rid of that, Dad. She told you how dangerous it was,” Lucy said.
    Piers shifted next to me, and when I glanced over at him, he was looking at the small doll with the same wariness as Lucy. He’d been there the day they discovered the charm, and I knew he was as upset as Lucy to see that Dr. Aimes still had it.
    â€œIt’s history , Luce. This is probably more than a hundred and fifty years old,” Dr. Aimes said, his voice gruff with more than a little irritation. “You can’t get rid of something like that because of some superstition. And besides, while I’m sure Ms. Legba meant well enough, since when do you put any stock in stories about spirits and curses?”
    Lucy’s mouth shut abruptly, and she glanced at me like she didn’t know what to do. It’s not exactly like she could explain to her father why she thought the charm was dangerous, not without explaining everything else. Not that he would have believed her anyway.
    After all, the charm didn’t look like much—just a gnarled little piece of dark wood—so I understood why Dr. Aimes wouldn’t have paid much attention to Mama Legba’s warnings about it, but the unease that filtered through the room once the foam crate had been opened was so thick and obvious that I couldn’t understand why he wasn’t sensing it. I couldn’t imagine why he’d even want to have that thing near him much less keep it in his own house.
    â€œI was talking to Professor Lamont about this,” Dr. Aimes told Piers. “He said his lab up at Vanderbilt could run some tests on it before we put it in the museum. I thought maybe you’d like to take it for me? I could get a courier, but if you go, you might get some extra lab time under your belt,” he finished with a smile.
    â€œOh,” Piers said, shifting again in his chair. “I don’t know … Things have been pretty busy around here with the preservation crew,” he hedged. “I’m not sure if I can get the time off.”
    â€œI can talk to Byron,” Dr. Aimes told him, waving away his excuse. “It shouldn’t be a problem to give you a few days off from your usual shifts. Besides, now that we’ve found the journal, I’d like Lamont to take a look at it as well.”
    â€œThanks, but—”
    â€œIt sounds like a great opportunity,” I interrupted. I knew Piers was about to turn it down so he could stay close to me. Which was exactly what I’d been afraid of him doing—giving up pieces of his life to protect mine. It was exactly what I didn’t want him to do, because I knew in the long run, he’d end up hating me for it.
    â€œI don’t know,” Piers said, clearly frustrated with me.
    â€œI’ll be fine,” I told him, pasting on a smile that I hoped looked genuine. “Besides, it’ll only take a couple of days, right?” I asked, glancing at Dr. Aimes, who gave me a nod in answer. “You’ll be back in no time. No big deal,” I said, trying to send him the not-so-subtle message that he should agree.
    Piers didn’t respond. He frowned at me with an undecipherable look in his eyes. But he must have known he was stuck. Between me and Dr. Aimes, he didn’t have any other excuse that wouldn’t have raised suspicions. “I don’t know … ”
    â€œWell, give some thought to it,” Dr. Aimes said.
    â€œLovely,” Mrs. Aimes drawled from the doorway to the kitchen. “Now if you would be so kind as