The Heart's Content

Just after Angel left for work, Vaggie slipped away to meet Husk. They reviewed their plan once more before she retreated to her old tent while Husk went to distract Valentino and Mr. Pentious. He hoped neither of them would notice his nerves; if they sensed even a hint of fear, they would undoubtedly press for answers without mercy.

"So, she told you where the mirror is?" Valentino asked skeptically when Husk approached him with the claim of knowing its location.

"No, she didn't tell me. I overheard her talking about it." Husk lied.

"And where did she say she hid it?"

"Somewhere in the bayou, beneath a fallen tree."

"That's where she hid it?"

"That's what I heard."

"Isn't that rather ludicrous?" Mr. Pentious interjected. "Who would hide a magic mirror in a bayou? It's careless, sloppy, and—"

"Brilliant!" Valentino declared.

"It is?" Mr. Pentious replied, taken aback.

"Don't you see? She hid it there because it's a place no one would think to look. She's a clever one."

"But under a fallen tree? Wouldn't that break the mirror, which is something she wants to avoid?"

"That's what makes it so ingenious." Valentino turned to Husk. "Which part of the bayou is this fallen tree located in?"

"It's a bit hard to describe." Husk said. "But I can easily show you the way."

Suddenly, Valentino placed a firm hand on Husk's shoulder, gripping it tightly and glaring at him menacingly.

"Now, you wouldn't be lying to me, would you, Husk?"

"Me? Lie to you? No way. I may not be the most bright individual on earth, but I'm not an idiot."

"Really? Is that so? Because I've been doing a little digging on you lately."

"Oh? You have?"

"Yes, and I've noticed you're getting awfully close to Rosie."

"Isn't that what you wanted me to do?"

"You're getting too close."

"Too close? In what way?"

"In the sense that she might start to influence you, same goes for that little brat Rosie is so fond of. I heard about that performance you three had on stage. People say you almost looked like a real family."

Husk pretended to laugh at the notion.

"That's hilarious! Ha! Ha! As if I'd ever want to be part of a family or any wholesome shit like that."

"Husk."

"Yes?"

"They're not getting to you, are they?" Valentino accused. "You're not starting to grow a conscience on me, are you?"

"No. Of course not."

"Good. Because if you even think about double-crossing me, I promise it will be the last thing you ever do in this life, and you'll spend the next one paying for it."

Husk felt the urge to buckle but forced himself to stand firm.

"I'll keep that in mind, sir."

From the shadows of her tent, Vaggie watched the three of them converse until they finally departed. As they climbed into their car and drove over the next hill, she scrambled to Valentino's dressing room. Using her hairpin, she picked the lock and glanced around to ensure the car wouldn't return. Satisfied, she slipped inside. Valentino always maintained a neat and tidy space, so she knew she had to be cautious. She couldn't let him suspect for a moment that someone had broken in and rifled through his belongings. She had to do whatever it took to keep him from discovering their plan before they were free. If she moved anything, she had to return it exactly as it was.

She opened the drawers carefully, checked under the furniture, and looked behind books, jars, and bottles filled with who-knows-what. She searched through the closet, scouring the top shelves and even checking every pocket of his jackets and pants. She found nothing, which was to be expected; someone like Valentino wouldn't keep important contracts in easily accessible places. Yet, he would want them close at hand.

The last place she searched was his vanity table. All she found in the drawers were makeup, hair products, mirrors, and various powders and potions for disguises and illusions. As she meticulously returned everything to its rightful place, she was startled by a noise above—something that hit the roof like a falling acorn or perhaps a squirrel. The sudden sound made her bump her arm against the largest mirror on the table. The mirror didn't break, but it produced an echoing thud, a sound that felt hollow.

She carefully knocked on the mirror and she heard the hollow echo. Since when were mirrors hollow? Then it dawned on her: this mirror wasn't part of the vanity. It was mounted on the wall, and the edges revealed a hidden door, reminiscent of a medicine cabinet. She traced her fingers along the edge and slowly pulled. The mirror swung open, revealing a hole in the concrete wall. Vaggie reached through and grasped the first object her hand touched.

It was a book filled with documents pinned to each page—contracts signed by Valentino, each one a testament to his deceit. The realization that he had kept them all, even those from long-dead souls, sent a chill down her spine. It was like a twisted trophy collection, a memoir of the lives he had ruined. Among the last contracts were those of Mr. Pentious, Husk, and her own. The remaining pages were blank, except for one that bore a chilling inscription:

Reserved For The Little Mermaid

"Charlie." Vaggie gasped, fear gripping her. "Dear God in Heaven, he knows about Charlie."

Despite her panic, Vaggie focused on restoring the room to its original state, memorizing every detail of Valentino's preferences—the drawers, the closet, the books, the clothes, the mirror. Once she left the dressing room, she locked the door and carefully erased her footprints before stepping away. Then, she bolted.

She raced through town, heading straight for the local bookstore. She flung the door open and dashed through the aisles until she found Angel in the section for erotic novels.

"Hey babe, what are you doing here? I don't get off for another hour." He said, shelving a book.

"Angel, you have to take me to Alastor's house! Now!" Her face was pale, her breathing rapid, and her body trembled.

"What's going on?" Angel asked, concern etched on his face. "What happened?"

"I can't talk about it here. Just get your car and drive us to Alastor's house. It's an emergency."

Angel nodded and quickly asked his boss if he could leave early. Thankfully, his new boss was more reasonable than Valentino and granted him permission, wishing him well. Once in the car, Angel turned to her.

"Do you want to tell me what this is all about?" He asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Worse. I've seen who the devil's next victim will be." Vaggie replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Before I tell you anything, I need to talk to Charlie first."

"Why?"

"Because revealing this means sharing a secret of hers, and I won't betray her trust without permission. Can you understand that?"

"I can."

"Really?" She asked, surprised by his understanding.

"Really." Angel assured her. "I know how important trust is between friends. Alastor and I have shared secrets that we'll take to our graves."

"Thank you, Angel. If it were just my secret, I'd tell you everything."

"Hey, I get it. Finding and keeping a good friend is just as hard as finding and keeping a good partner. You need trust to make both relationships work."

"Amen."

He gave her hand a gentle grasp, his touch calming her slightly. It steadied her breathing but did little to quell the storm in her chest. Fear gripped her at the thought of Valentino targeting Charlie—an innocent, kind-hearted woman who had only sought to help others. A woman who was her friend and had even risked herself to help Vaggie escape. She didn't deserve to become another victim of that monster. Vaggie needed to find Charlie and warn her—tell her to leave Chant de la Mer, to escape to another state, another country, or even back to the ocean. Anywhere far from Valentino. Before it was too late.