Boji Stones Read online

  An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

  www.ellorascave.com

  Boji Stones

  ISBN 9781419910647

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

  Boji Stones Copyright © 2007 Sandra Cox

  Edited by Helen Woodall.

  Cover art by Dan Skinner.

  Electronic book Publication September 2007

  The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

  With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing Inc., 1056 Home Avenue, Akron, OH 44310-3502.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

  BOJI STONES

  Sandra Cox

  Dedication

  To my brothers Randy and Shane.

  Acknowledgements

  As always, Helen Woodall my editor and the FTH Critiquers: I couldn’t do it without you.

  Ellora’s Cave Press’ Art Department.

  Trademarks Acknowledgement

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Barbie: Mattel, Inc.

  Batman: DC Comics

  Catwoman: DC Comics

  Glock: Glock, Inc

  Hummer : General Motors Corporation.

  Jell-O: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.

  Mack truck: Mack Trucks, Inc.

  Mustang: Ford Motor Company

  NASCAR: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

  Nissan Altima: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

  Saran: Dow Chemical Company

  Superman: DC Comics

  TASER Taser International, Incorporated

  Prologue

  His trembling fingers rested on the keyboard as he leaned toward the monitor, an uncontrollable twitch running through his misshapen body as he devoured the article with the greedy need of a child offered chocolate.

  Legend has it that out of all the mortals on Earth five women found favor with the gods—

  Sophia whose face was pitted and ravaged by pox,

  Zoe a young queen whose village was razed and plundered and she herself taken as slave,

  Pelagia who had the body of a woman and the mind of a child,

  Olympia a poor widow with children to feed,

  and

  Helen, who lost four of her five children to the plague and begged the gods to spare her remaining child.

  Moved, the gods created five special amulets.

  To Sophia they gave an amulet forged with beauty and creativity.

  To Zoe an amulet forged with power.

  To Pelagia an amulet forged with knowledge.

  To Olympia an amulet forged with wealth.

  And for Helen they forged a copper amulet with a beautiful amethyst at its center. Two plain stones the size of small coins flanked the amethyst. The female stone smooth, the male stone’s texture rough. Then they fused the amulet with healing.

  Or so legend has it…

  Chapter One

  August 2006

  Monitors beeped and clear liquid dripped through an IV into her arm. Her entire body throbbed in pain. She looked around, confused and afraid, nauseated by the smell of alcohol and antiseptic. Where am I? What happened?

  The last thing she remembered was a man with the face of an angel and what must be the heart of a demon, swerving his car against hers, his expression determined, fanatical.

  He was after the amulet! She looked down at her bare left arm. Oh my God where was it?

  The door opened and a stout black nurse sailed in, much like a majestic ship breasting the water, her white uniform so crisp it rustled as she walked. “And how are we feeling, Miss Sinclair?”

  Like every bone in my body is broken, that’s how WE are feeling. “Like I’ve been in a car wreck. Can you tell where my amulet’s at?”

  The nurse stopped. “Say what?”

  “My bracelet. Please where is it?”

  The nurse checked the monitor. “Probably in your bedside table.”

  The table sat on the left side of the bed. Maureen Kelly-Sinclair looked at her bandaged left arm, her left leg in a sling and then at the table. Pushing back the hysteria welling in her throat, she asked as calmly as she could. “Would you check please?”

  “Just as soon as I change your IV.”

  “Screw…”

  The nurse looked up, her eyes narrowing.

  Maureen snapped her teeth shut, her jaws working. She took a deep breath and concentrated on relaxing one vertebra at a time.

  As the nurse puttered with the IV, Maureen’s mind raced. Who besides herself knew about the amulet?

  “The police were here while you were sleeping. They’ll be back later to get your statement.”

  Maureen rubbed her aching temple. “I thought I already gave them a statement.”

  “You were pretty hysterical at the time. Understandable.” The nurse clucked and shook her head. “What’s this world coming to when a madman runs you off the road? Lucky for you there was an unmarked car directly behind you.”

  “My amulet, please.” Her chest tightened and her nerves screamed.

  “Sure hon, I’m almost done.” She straightened the bag, walked around to the table and opened the drawer.

  “It’s not here.”

  Maureen felt the color drain from her face. Her heart pounded and her pulse accelerated. “What do you mean it’s not there. It’s got to be there.” Her voice rose as she fought back hysteria.

  “Now calm down, Miss Sinclair. As soon as I make my rounds I’ll come back and go through your locker. Okay?”

  Maureen reached for the woman with her right arm then slumped back against the flat pillow as a stab of pain traveled along the left side of her body. Tears fought their way to the surface and trickled down her cheeks. “It’s the only thing I have left of my mom. If it’s gone…” Her voice trailed off and she clutched the sheets.

  “Well then, maybe we better take a look now. I lost my own dear mother not long ago.” She patted Maureen’s arm.

  A gray-haired nurse stuck her head in the door. “Nancy, we need you in 210, stat.”

  “I’m on it.”

  Maureen bit down on her lips to keep from begging her to stay and look but she couldn’t control the pleading in her eyes.

  “Hon, I’ll be right back, I promise,” Nancy called over her shoulder, hurrying after the other nurse.

  Her teeth clenched together, Maureen gave a jerky nod and watched the door swing shut, leaving her alone in this retched, depressing room with monitors for company and the stench of alcohol permeating the air.

  Who had done this to her? Whoever he was he had to be after the amulet.

  What did he know about it and how had he found out? She lived an isolated existence on a small horse ranch in southern Wisconsin. She hadn’t known about the amulet until two year
s ago when her mother passed on.

  The door swung open breaking into her thoughts.

  Smiling, Nancy came sailing in, displaying large white teeth. “Told you I’d be back.”

  She went directly to the locker and pulled out Maureen’s purse. “Here, hon, why don’t you check this out while I pat down your clothes.” She sat it in Maureen’s lap then frowned. “Do you think you can manage one-handed?”

  “I’ll manage.” Maureen could feel her features tighten and hear the grim determination flooding her voice.

  Maureen fumbled with the zipper as the purse slid around on her lap. She got it open and ran her fingers around the inside of the bag.

  “Here it is,” Nancy sang out. “Someone stuck it in the pocket of your jeans. Good idea actually. If someone snuck in and went through your locker while you were sleeping, they’d probably just grab your purse.”

  Maureen swallowed a sob of relief and held out her good hand.

  The nurse picked up the amulet and blinked. Holding the amulet, the nurse turned her head from side to side, the joints in her neck popping. “Wow! I feel great, like I’ve had a full body massage. And I’ve been on my feet all day,” she marveled. “The coffee must be kicking in.

  “This is a very unusual-looking bracelet.” She studied it then handed it to Maureen. “I recognize the center stone. Amethyst isn’t it but what are those rocks on each side of it?”

  “Boji stones.” Maureen clasped the amulet and leaned back against the pillow.

  “Never heard of them.” She turned and headed out of the room then paused in the doorway. “By the way there was a man looking for you handsome as sin but cold-looking if you know what I mean. Did you get a look at the man who ran you off the road?” she said her eyes full of concern.

  Maureen’s hand tightened convulsively on the amulet, drawing in its power. Calm cut a straight path through the clutter and fear of her mind. Should she call for the police? It had to be the same man but with the police would come questions. And if he was after the amulet, she couldn’t answer them. How did you tell a policeman with his flat feet planted firmly on terra firma that someone was after your magic amulet?

  She cleared her throat and looked at the nurse. “No not really. Thank you for telling me.”

  As the nurse walked out the door, Maureen called out, “Nancy.”

  The nurse turned in the doorway. “Hm?”

  “I don’t want any visitors.”

  “Sure, hon.”

  Maureen held up the amulet and smiled her gratitude. “Thanks again.”

  The nurse nodded and left.

  Maureen leaned back against the pillow and closed her eyes. She could feel the amulet’s power coursing through her body, healing it.

  Her left side had been mangled. She shuddered. Without the amulet, she would have either been dead or paralyzed but the amulet had started healing her on impact.

  When they arrived, the EMTs were amazed her injuries weren’t worse. She gave a small harsh laugh, if they only knew.

  Her grip tightened on the copper band in her hand. The healing had stopped when they’d removed the talisman but she had it back now. Already it was working, she could feel the fractures knitting and the pain receding.

  She had to get out of here and hoped to high heaven whoever was chasing her didn’t know where she lived. She unhooked the sling, held her arm against her body like a broken wing then grimaced as she lowered it to her side in slow motion. She splayed her fingers around it and rubbed. Another forty-eight hours and she’d be good as new.

  The next trick was to unhook her leg. She bit her lip and rocked back and forth as she lifted it out of the pulley. Thank goodness she’d healed enough they hadn’t felt the need to put her in a cast.

  She slid to the edge of the bed, pulling her gimp leg with her then rubbed the amulet over her leg hoping to speed up the healing process.

  Holding onto the bed she hopped on one foot to her locker and got her clothes and stumbled back to the bed. Sweat broke out on her forehead from the effort. Emptying her purse onto the rumpled white bedspread, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed. The time showed nine p.m. As soon as the deep voice boomed on the other end of the receiver she spoke. “Hank, come and get me.”

  Hank had been on the farm since the ark. More friend than farm hand, he shouldered a large portion of the chores and took over many of the burdens required to run a horse ranch.

  “I got a call from the hospital a little while ago. I’m all ready on my way, Marnie. What happened?”

  “I’ll tell you when you get here.”

  “Be there in twenty minutes.” The phone clicked off.

  She thought of her tight-fitting jeans and redialed.

  “Yeah?”

  “Can you pit stop at a department store and pick me up a loose-fitting skirt or dress?”

  “How badly are you hurt?”

  His voice came across the wire sharp and anxious.

  “I’ll be better tomorrow.”

  “I don’t doubt it,” he muttered.

  “You are going to have to spring me they aren’t going to want to let me go.”

  “Maybe you should stay another day.”

  “Somebody’s after me, Hank.”

  His indrawn breath hissed across the phone. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

  “Don’t forget my skirt,” Maureen said but she was talking into a dead receiver.

  Bending down, she wrapped the amulet around the ankle of her left leg, struggled out of her nightgown and into her blouse. Exhausted, she closed her eyes and lay back to wait for Hank.

  It wasn’t long.

  Something woke her. She forced her heavy lids open. Running a hand across her face, she felt grit in the corner of her eyes. An aging giant towered over her.

  “Hey, kid.”

  “Hey, Hank.”

  “What time is it?” She smothered a yawn.

  “Nine forty-five.”

  “Morning or night.”

  “Night.” He studied her in the dim glow of the incandescent lighting over the bed. “You look like hell.”

  She grinned. “You look great. Did you bring me a skirt?”

  He smiled back. “You always give me new experiences that make me appreciate the fact I’m single.”

  His copper-colored hair was winged with silver, age spots vied with freckles on his leathered face. And he smelled of sunshine, hay and animals. “You sure know how to sweet-talk a girl, Uncle Hank.”

  His eyes twinkled. “There’s plenty of young men out there to do that if you’d just give them the opportunity.”

  It was an old argument.

  “If I find one with your wit and wisdom, I’ll consider it.” That too was an old tired joke.

  “Stubborn through and through. You get that from your Irish mother. And speaking of her, where’s the jewelry?”

  The smile left his face and he straightened as she threw back the covers and pointed at her ankle. The amethyst gleamed against her colorful skin. “Good God, girl, you are black and blue. Are you sure nothing’s broken?”

  “Won’t be by tomorrow.”

  “What the hell hit you anyway?”

  “A Hummer. A flipping Hummer.”

  She watched the color wash over his face then fade and heard the concern in his voice. “Girl, you are lucky to be alive.” He jerked his head in the direction of the amulet. “If you hadn’t been wearing that, I doubt you would be. Too bad your Mamma didn’t show that much sense.”

  “She had her reasons.”

  He shoved his hands in his pockets and took a turn around the room. “Yeah, because your dad was incapable of thinking outside the box. Thought like a damn puritan.”

  Maureen looked down at her linked hands. What could she say? The man was right.

  He looked at her, cleared his throat and said in a gruff voice, “But that’s neither here nor there. Let’s get you home.” He tossed her a plastic sack.

  The plastic crinkl
ed as she pulled out a tie-died long blue skirt. “Perfect. Now if you’ll turn around, I’ll slip this on.”

  She pulled it over her head with a minimum amount of discomfort. “Okay.”

  He turned around. “Do you have shoes?”

  She jerked her head toward the locker. “Sandals. Thank God.”

  He pulled them out of the locker and brought them over to the bed then bent down and slipped them on her feet. “Ready?”

  “Ready.”

  “Can you walk or do I need to carry you?”

  She pursed her lips. “You aren’t tossing me over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes. But I wouldn’t object to a good strong arm to lean on.”

  “There’s going to be a rumpus once we walk through that door.”

  She nodded. “I know but there’s no way they can prevent me from signing myself out.”

  “Then let’s go.” He hauled her off the bed and through the open door, where they ran into Nancy coming in.

  “Call 9-1-1,” the nurse’s voice boomed up and down the hall. “Someone is trying to kidnap Miss Sinclair.”

  * * * * *

  He’d been so close. If it hadn’t been for the unmarked car behind him, he would have had the amulet by now. It had been cursed bad luck. He gave a cackle of insane laughter. But his luck was changing, he’d seen to that.

  Chapter Two

  “Rumpus was a bit of a mild term,” Maureen panted as Hank opened the truck door and boosted her up. She shuddered. It had taken twenty minutes to convince the nurses and security that Hank wasn’t kidnapping her and another twenty to sign herself out.

  He grunted.

  She decided to consider that an agreement rather than a comment on her weight. She twisted and looked around as Hank got in and started the motor. Her skin crawled and a shiver trailed her spine.

  “What’s wrong?” Hank asked as he glanced over at her.