I watched Harold go, wondering what I’d said to trigger him. After a few minutes alone at the table, I realized that Donna had probably slipped out the door as well. I didn’t blame her. I finished my coffee, debating whether to tell Cole about our new lead now or wait until I’d had a chance to do more shopping. Ultimately I decided the potions shop would have to wait until after our conversation with Sylvie Green. Maybe I’d swing by on the way home afterward. If I truly was on Hera’s naughty list, it seemed necessary to take protective measures and, if that included a potion that shrunk her to the size of a doll or made her smell like bad clams, then so be it.

  Chapter Ten

  Cole stopped by my house the next day to tell me about a call he’d received from a customer service rep. She wanted to confirm his unusual number of purchases in a clothing store called Fabulously Female. I managed to distract him with an update on the case. Although he seemed stoked at first, his enthusiasm waned the moment I said her name. He raked a hand through his thick hair.

  “No way. It isn’t Sylvie.”

  “Yolanda said she saw them together at Bloodlust.”

  “She could be mistaken. Jules didn’t tell us that when we saw her.”

  “Why would she? We asked her about the potion on the feather, not whether she’d seen Zeus getting cozy with an ex. Besides, maybe she wasn’t even in the bar that night.”

  Cole relented. “True. I guess Dex or Kujaku-Myoo could’ve been tending bar.”

  “Then let’s hunt down this Sylvie,” I said. “Where should we start?”

  “Zone 2,” Cole said reluctantly.

  “Cart or scooter?” I asked.

  His eyes sparked with an idea. “Scooter.”

  “Why do you look so pleased about it?”

  “Because we’re taking the scenic route today. You haven’t been on the Nature Preserve Pathway yet, have you?”

  “No, but I finally got an invitation to orientation. It’s tomorrow.”

  “That’ll be helpful,” Cole said. “They cover a lot of details that I might not think of.”

  I grabbed my purse from the counter. “So what’s the pathway?”

  “It runs all the way around The Great Divide, but there are offshoots within each zone for cycling and jogging. It takes longer than the ferry, but it’s a nice ride.”

  “Don’t you think we should take the ferry to save time?”

  “We’re killing two birds with one stone. If I recall correctly, Sylvie jogs every day around this time. If we’re lucky, we might catch up with her on the pathway.”

  “You remember the exercise schedule of your father’s ex?” I asked. “Now that’s what I call a good memory.”

  Cole’s expression soured. “I only remember because he broke plans to golf with me a couple of times while they were dating so that he could run with her.”

  I bit back a smile. “You golf?” I had a hard time picturing the sexy demigod in plaid pants and a beanie.

  “Not really. I only played so that I could spend time with him.”

  I fell silent. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Sometimes he showed up. Sometimes he didn’t.” Cole shrugged. “You get used to it.” Except it sounded like Cole never did. It seemed like he tried over and over with the same iffy results. I knew the feeling. The only difference was that I eventually stopped trying.

  The scooter turned out to be an excellent way to travel the pathway. There was a separate lane for motorized vehicles, so we took it all the way around The Great Divide until we reached Zone 2. It was a beautiful view across the water and the trees seemed to vary along the way. Palm trees gave way to maple trees which gave way to birch and so on. It seemed that every tree in the world was represented along the pathway.

  “This part of the path is well-kept,” I said, noting the lush greenery that had sprung up on either side of us. “I guess the HOA takes care of business in both zones.”

  Cole twisted his neck to talk to me. “I think this particular growth has more to do with the fact that we’re on the right track.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Sylvie is one of the Dames Vertes,” he said.

  “Green lady. I know. I didn’t take it literally.”

  “You should. She stimulates plant life.”

  “If she dated Zeus, I guess she stimulates more than plant life.”

  Cole frowned and shook his head. “That’s not a visual I need, thanks. New vegetation grows in her presence. The bright green patches you see means she’s probably been here recently.”

  “I should invite her over to help with my lawn,” I said. “I’ve already spotted a few brown patches.”

  “She’s also a wind spirit and a shape changer. Traditionally her kind used to entice unknowing travelers away from their route and into the forest.”

  “Saucy,” I said. “No wonder Zeus liked her.”

  “The Dames Vertes used to dangle their victims upside-down over waterfalls and laugh at their feeble attempts to free themselves,” Cole continued.

  “Oh, so she’s the crazy ex-girlfriend type. Now I understand.”

  “No worse than the ancient practices of sirens leading sailors to a watery grave and korriganes and their deadly breath. Where do you think the phrase ‘kiss of death’ comes from?”

  “Someone with a fondness for garlic and onion bagels?” I offered unhelpfully.

  He chuckled. “Sylvie’s fairly tame compared with a lot of villagers. To be honest, I was surprised when I heard she was dating my father.”

  “Not pretty enough?”

  “Not hot-tempered enough,” Cole replied. “Historically he likes them more…passionate.”

  “Well, maybe she surprised him by just how passionate she could be when she killed him.” My arms tightened around Cole’s waist as a memory came into focus. “The grass on the cricket field…I remember thinking how ridiculously green it was.”

  I felt Cole’s body stiffen. “But the whole field is green.”

  “Not like the area where I landed. It was greener than the rest. Do you think it means that Sylvie had been there?”

  “Could be.” He shifted his attention to a figure in the distance. “I guess we’re about to find out. That’s her up ahead.”

  He pulled the scooter to the side of the pathway and parked.

  “Is it safe to leave it?” I asked.

  He laughed. “We don’t get too many thefts around here.”

  “No, just murder.”

  He gave me a cursory glance and kept walking. I continued at a brisk pace in an effort to keep up with the demigod’s long strides. It had become abundantly clear to me that, dead or alive, I was woefully out of shape. My heart thumped and my legs wobbled, but I refused to show weakness by slowing down and falling behind. Maybe I’d take the thunder god up on his offer to train me in the ways of physical fitness. Ugh. I was dead. Did I need to worry about these things?

  It was easy to close the gap between us because the figure had slowed to a casual stroll. It was only when I was directly beside her that I realized Sylvie Green was one of the most striking women I’d ever seen. Tall, lithe, and irrepressibly beautiful, she radiated health and happiness.

  “Good morning, Sylvie,” Cole said.

  She swiveled to face us. “Cole?” Immediately, she stopped to embrace him and kissed each cheek. “Mon ami. I am so sorry for your loss.”

  “I should say the same to you,” Cole said. “You knew him better than I did.”

  She waved him off. “Not in quite some time.”

  “This is my new friend, Eloise Worthington,” Cole said.

  I wiggled my fingers. Standing next to statuesque Sylvie, I’d never felt more like a frumpy middle-aged woman in the Sears shoe department.

  “You’re the hot dog Hera appointed as marshal,” Sylvie said, scrutinizing me.

  “That’s right.” I shook my head. “I’m human, not a hot dog. We understand that you were seen out with Zeus the night before his unfortunate demise.”

  “Who told you that?” she snapped.

  “Someone saw you together at Bloodlust,” I said. “If you wanted to keep it secret, maybe don’t go out in public.”

  “We ran into each other,” she said. “It wasn’t as though we were on a date. He asked me to join him for a drink for old time’s sake, to apologize for Hera’s treatment of me at a party the week before.”

  “Did you do anything else…for old time’s sake?” I asked.

  She looked down her nose at me. “That’s none of your business, mortal. Who sent you here to harass me? Donna? Hera?”

  “Neither.” I eyed her closely. “I can understand Hera, but why wouldn’t Donna like you?”

  “I didn’t say she didn’t like me. We get along fine, not like Hera. But Donna has a jealous streak, the same as the goddess. It’s one of the ways I was different from Zeus’s other lovers.”

  Hmm. It seemed to me that Sylvie still harbored feelings for her old godfriend. “He liked the ego boost, huh?”

  “He was desperately insecure.” She gave us a pleading look. “I know that must sound crazy to say about the almighty Zeus, but he was more fragile than he appeared.”

  Cole snorted. “Fragile is not a word I would use to describe my father.”

  “Because you knew him differently than I did,” Sylvie said. “Think about it. One day you’re living your best life at the top of Mount Olympus and the next, you’re contained in Divine Place. The transition wasn’t easy for him. He knew what it meant to be sent here.”

  “That he’d been forgotten?” I offered.

  Sylvie fixed her almond-shaped eyes on me. “Is there a worse fate for a god? He hated that he was no longer relevant.”

  Cole leaned forward, listening intently. “He told you that?”

  “He told me a lot of things.” Sylvie plucked a brown leaf from a nearby branch and I watched in awe as threads of green traveled through it until not a speck of brown remained. “Sometimes it was hard to shut him up.” She smiled at the memory.

  “Why did you and Zeus break up?” I asked.

  “The same reason all of his relationships failed. I found out he was cheating on me, so I ended it.”

  “You must’ve been pretty angry,” I said. “What did you do to get back at him? Spray paint his golf cart with curse words? Wash his clothes in itching powder? Knock him unconscious and shave his head?” I felt Cole and Sylvie’s eyes on me. “What? I’ve seen a lot of movies.”

  “I ended the relationship,” Sylvie said. “That’s all I did.”

  “I bet you harbored serious resentment,” I said.

  “Not really. It was some time ago,” Sylvie said. “I moved on and so did he. Whenever we ran into each other, we gave each other space so as not to make those around us uncomfortable.”

  “You sound like two adults,” I said, slightly skeptical. Breakups were messy. None of this adulting garbage, I didn’t care how long they’d been in existence. “You mentioned a party before. You were there with your ex, his ex, and his current girlfriend?” I whistled. “What made you think that was a smart move?”

  “It was a huge party,” Cole interjected. “Half the village was there.”

  Sylvie’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “I wasn’t about to sit home because of Hera or anyone else. I’d done quite enough of that. Besides, I was there with my boyfriend.” She bit her lip. “Ex-boyfriend.”

  Quite the tangled web of relationships in this place. It was worse than a university sorority house.

  “I didn’t realize you two had broken up,” Cole said. “I’m sorry to hear it.”

  Sylvie offered a sad smile. “It was amicable, thankfully. We realized that we weren’t a good match.”

  “But you were still together the night of the party?” I asked.

  “Yes, we broke up later that night, after we left,” Sylvie said. “It had become apparent that we were simply going through the motions. Deacon understood that. We both deserve better than complacency.”

  “Preach, sister,” I said. “Why do you think I was single for so long?” I’d dated here and there, but the relationship usually fizzled quickly. They didn’t seem to appreciate me. They’d either balk at my hot dog suit protests or reject the extra cushion around my middle. Whatever the reason, they never fully accepted me. Just like my family.

  “Cole has the patience of a saint,” Sylvie said. The shape changer looked at him. “I don’t know how you do it.”

  Cole shifted uncomfortably. “We’re not here to talk about me.”

  As interested as I was to hear Cole’s story of self-imposed single status, I kept my focus on our suspect. “Where were you the morning Zeus died? Did you see him?”

  Sylvie bristled. “Why would I have seen him again? I told you running into him the night before was completely by chance.”

  I held up my hands. “Okay. No need to get snippy. I wasn’t accusing you of anything.”

  Sylvie folded her arms and glared at me. “Really? Then why are you here?”

  Cole maneuvered himself between us. “We’re only trying to figure out what happened to my father. Even though the two of you weren’t together anymore, I have to believe that you care. That you’d want to know the truth too.”

  Sylvie blinked away tears. “Of course I do. Zeus may have been a cad, but he didn’t deserve oblivion.”

  Cole placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Then help us. Where were you the morning he died?”

  “Home, still asleep,” she said. “I was up late the night before.”

  “With Zeus?” I prodded.

  She gave me a sharp look. “Alone. I had insomnia.”

  “Is that normal for you?” I knew it was a new normal for me, ever since perimenopause began. I’d toss and turn, fall asleep, wake up an hour later, throw off the covers, pull up the covers, rinse and repeat.

  “Not really,” Sylvie said. “It was probably the wine. I don’t drink alcohol very often, but I didn’t want to refuse a drink with Zeus.”

  “What’s wrong with alcohol?” I asked, probably a smidge too defensively.

  “Nothing,” Sylvie said. “I simply prefer healthier beverages.”

  I grunted, prompting a smile from Cole. “It’s not a personal attack, Eloise.”

  “Isn’t it?” I shot back.

  “Did my father say anything to you that would help identify his killer?” Cole asked. “Complaints about a rival? Anything?”

  “It’s Hera,” Sylvie said firmly. “It has to be.”

  “Did he mention her?” Cole asked.

  Sylvie rolled her beautiful eyes. “When didn’t he mention her? I swear he was never going to get her completely out of his system. It was one of our constant arguments when we were together. I used to pray that she’d be transferred. I didn’t care whether it was to the Elysian Fields or the underworld. Anywhere else but here.”

  “But he didn’t say that they were fighting at that particular moment in time?” I asked.

  Sylvie shook her head. “It was the usual grievances. You should ask Donna. She would probably know better.”

  “We’ve spoken to her,” I said. I hesitated, uncertain whether to ask my next question. Ah, hell. Since when did I bite my tongue? “Why don’t you assume I did it?”

  Sylvie’s delicate eyelashes fluttered. “Excuse me?”

  “Surely you heard the news that I landed on Zeus like a comet hitting a dinosaur,” I said. “But you didn’t accuse me.” As though she already knew I wasn’t responsible.

  Sylvie’s mouth formed a thin line. “Unlike some villagers, I don’t believe in rushing to judgment to condemn someone. Cole and I both understand that.”

  A breeze blew past us, rustling the grass and leaves. “Was that you?” I asked.

  Sylvie broke into a genuine smile and I was floored by her beauty all over again. “I don’t control every gust of wind, Eloise.”

  My cheeks burned with embarrassment. It was going to take time to get a handle on this place.

  “We’ll let you get back to your run,” Cole said. “Sorry to interrupt.”

  “I was cooling down anyway,” she said. She tied her hair back in a sleek ponytail and continued forward.

  “We should check out Bloodlust while we’re in Zone 2,” I said.

  Cole scratched the back of his neck. “Why would we do that?”

  “Because that’s where Sylvie and Zeus were spotted together.”

  “But we just spoke to Sylvie,” Cole said.

  “And we’re going to take her word for it?” I asked. I threw up my hands. “Typical male. A beautiful woman speaks and you believe every word.”

  “That’s not true,” Cole said.

  “Sleeping alone isn’t an alibi,” I said. “Maybe she’s lying. We should talk to the staff at Bloodlust and see whether they overheard anything.”

  “She has no motive,” Cole pointed out.

  “She’s a jilted ex,” I said. “That’s motive enough.”

  “She’s not jilted. She broke up with him.”

  “Because he cheated. Face it, Zeus was a serial cheater. Every woman he’s ever been involved with has a reason to hate his godly guts.”

  “Then I suppose we should be interviewing every female in Divine Place that he’s dated. It might take some time to finalize the list.”

  As ridiculous as it seemed, Cole wasn’t wrong. “How do we get that?”

  Cole balked. “Are you serious?”

  “We need to cross off every possible suspect until we find the killer,” I said. “If that means interviewing every fool that fell for Zeus’s schtick and stick, then so be it.” Cole stared at me for a moment, his expression inscrutable. I rubbed my nose. “What? Do I need a tissue?”

  “No. I’m just…impressed.”

  “Impressed? By me?” That was a first. The last time I’d impressed anyone was when I’d won the tequila challenge at The Cheese Wheel.

  “Yes, you. You’re a natural at this,” he said.

  I gave him an awkward punch on the arm. “Thanks.”

  “We should ask Charon if Sylvie was on the ferry that morning.”

  “Why bother? It won’t help if he says no. She’s a wind spirit. I know I’m new to all this, but doesn’t that mean she can cross The Great Divide without a ferry?” For that matter, she could’ve jogged around the pathway.