Page 37 of Cursed By Fate

“How can we go on a road trip?” Catherine asked. “We’re not allowed to leave the island.”

“Maya is the director of security,” Meemaw said, two cheek muscles away from a victorious smile. “I’m sure she can work a little bureaucratic magic.”

Catherine pivoted toward me. “Like a day pass?”

“Something like that.” I’d have to sneak them out because Justine would never approve. The trip would only be a few hours, max. I’d have them back before bingo.

“Do you have a boat big enough to transport all of us?” Louise asked.

“I don’t.”

“Can you commandeer one?” Joan asked.

I could already see her mind hard at work, figuring out whether she could steal a boat undetected.

“What about your wealthy demigod?” Meemaw asked. “Can’t we use his yacht?”

Joan consulted her watch. “The ferry leaves in twenty minutes. We can take that one.”

“We can’t do that,” Catherine objected. “We’ll get caught. I don’t want to be banned from mahjong for the next month. I’ve been on a roll.”

Meemaw leveled her with a look that would’ve made Genghis Khan shrivel. “I’m not planning to alert Justine to our little side quest—are you?”

Catherine shrank back. “Of course not, but there are five of us.”

“We can disguise ourselves as departing visitors,” Joan said.

“Why bother to disguise ourselves at all?” Louise asked. “We’re women over a certain age. No one will take any notice of us.”

“Under normal circumstances that may be true,” I said, “but you’re bound to attract attention.”

“She means your eye patch,” Catherine said to Louise.

“I didn’t mean your eye patch,” I told Louise. I wouldn’t dare insult her favorite accessory.

Margie jumped in. “You can’t go into Savannah with that eye patch, anyway. They’ll mistake you for part of the pirate museum.”

Joan’s gaze lingered on Meemaw. “You’ll have to look less…Meemaw.”

“Ditch the bling,” Louise said. “And the tracksuit.”

“But this is my signature look,” Meemaw objected.

“Exactly,” Louise said. “We’re trying to blend.”

“Why not do a spell to alter our appearance?” Catherine proposed. “That way we can ride the ferry without the risk of being identified.”

All heads turned to me. Magic was extremely limited on the island, but I was one of the few residents with the ability to authorize it.

“One simple masking spell,” I said. “Nothing complicated. Think of it as a temporary tattoo that washes off in a couple hours.”

“Oh, I’ve always wanted full sleeves,” Joan said, eyes sparkling. “This might be a good opportunity to see how they look.”

“I’ve been toying with buying a blonde wig,” Margie chimed in. “I’ll test it out.”

Catherine observed her. “I can see you as a blonde.”

“I can’t,” Meemaw muttered.