Witch Hunt

by Cate Conte

  Before I could ask how they were dealing with it, one of the counter guys arrived with our muffins, placing two plates in front of us. I could see the steam still coming off them and inhaled appreciatively. I smiled my thanks.

  “Vi?” Syd poked my arm, not willing to let it go. “Promise.”

  “Promise,” I said, ripping off a hunk of my muffin and popping it into my mouth.

  Sydney made a noise like she didn’t quite believe me, then started on her own food. “Do you know what she’s going on about, anyway? Are you really having a séance?” She sounded a bit worried.

  I wasn’t surprised. Sydney wasn’t a woo-woo girl either, another way in which we were complete opposites. She’d only been in my shop once when she needed to drop something off for me. I had no doubt she would defend me and my business to the death, but she had no interest in crystals or energy healing or anything she couldn’t completely and unequivocally understand. And a séance would blow her mind.

  I swallowed and shook my head. “No, Syd. I’m not having a séance. I’m having a healing circle later this week. It’s a joint event at the yoga studio—Natalie and I teamed up to do it. I’m sure she’s interpreting that as a séance, since she has no clue about anything and doesn’t take the time to ask. She’s probably envisioning us digging up the graves over at the cemetery afterward.”

  Despite herself, Sydney giggled. “Now that’s a picture. But really, what’s a healing circle? You know I don’t get all that mumbo jumbo. And I mean that in the most loving way possible,” she assured me, resting a hand on my shoulder.

  “I know, I know.” I sipped my coffee and stared out the window. More people were out maneuvering along the sidewalks, trying to avoid the icy snow banks. I watched Anna Montgomery exit the café, laden down with four giant bags, trying not to fall. She was doing pretty well so far. “A healing circle is a chance for people to come together, meditate, talk, be with each other, whatever the group wants, really. The whole point is to create collective good energy and blast that out into the Universe.”

  Syd was looking at me like she was concerned about my mental health. “And people actually go to this? I’m sorry,” she amended when I shot her a dirty look. “I’m sure it’s . . . awesome. And Carla should leave it alone either way.”

  “It is kind of baffling to me how Carla is so up on everything going on, though,” I said. “I mean, she works full-time and she’s on the town council. Where does she find the time?”

  In addition to her town council duties, Carla was a Realtor in town. She and Natalie’s husband, Andrew, ran North Harbor Realty. According to Natalie, they served only rich clients looking for high-end properties within the county.

  “She has no life?” Sydney suggested. She glanced at her watch. “I’ve gotta go get Presley and get the shop open. I’ll talk to you later?”

  I nodded. “Todd and I are supposed to go check out the new Thai place tonight, if you want to go.”

  Sydney stuffed the rest of her muffin in her mouth and took another swig of coffee to wash it down. “I’ll call you,” she said. “I’m not sure what’s going on tonight.” She re-capped the cup, leaned over and gave me a hug, then grabbed her coat and gloves and headed out the door.

  I watched her hurry down the street, head tucked against the cold. I needed to get moving too. I pulled out my phone, wanting to tell Todd about my Carla encounter. I fired off a text.

  You’re not going to believe my morning.

  I waited for the little dots indicating he was typing back, but the phone remained silent. Strange. I usually heard from him by now. I let my gaze drift back out the window, absently toying with the mason jar with white lights tucked into it. Pete had the decoration in every window. They were always lit, and they felt very comforting. They made me think of fairy lights.

  After a few minutes I tucked my silent phone back in my pocket and rose to go. I truly hoped the rest of the day wasn’t this exciting.

  CHAPTER 5

  It felt good to be back out in the cold, after the claustrophobic encounter with Carla. I walked slowly back up the block, sipping the last of my coffee as I went. I felt like my face was still as red as my hair, which is what happened when I was angry or upset. I breathed in the frigid air, hoping the short walk would make me feel better. Still, I looked forward to the comfort and haven of my store.

  I turned the corner back onto Water Street, fumbling for my keys in my giant tote bag. My storefront was a couple doors down from my apartment building, making my commute a dream. My morning routine could usually be summed up in a few hundred steps—down the street and to the left for yoga, up a couple of blocks for coffee, and take a right to get back to my shop. But today, everything seemed too close for comfort. I half expected Carla to come around the corner and start yelling at me again.

  I glanced around cautiously before I pushed my door open. I didn’t see Carla. Part of me knew I was being silly. I mean, what was she going to do, come running around the corner and tackle me? Instead, as I panned my gaze around the block, I swore I saw a blur of black in my peripheral vision. The cat again? I focused, trying to catch another glimpse, but nothing. Maybe I was just imagining things. I shook my head to clear it and looked around again. No cat. And no Carla.

  I stepped into my shop and locked the door behind me, leaning against it and closing my eyes for a moment. I needed to let the good vibes and the energy of my crystals settle over me. I didn’t even turn the lights on yet. Instead, I concentrated on taking a few deep breaths, focused on grounding myself and shaking off any remnants of the morning.

  It wasn’t long before I felt a vibe shift. Inevitable, given the amount of stones and the positive environment they created. Crystals, since they are sourced from the earth, have natural healing properties. It was a scientific fact. Some people called them magic. While I appreciated the sentiment, I didn’t like to portray crystals that way. Instead, I liked to tell people that if they were open to believing in their natural powers and worked with them consistently, the results could feel magical. And my customers constantly proved me right when they kept returning.

  Despite what Carla believed, my shop had an awesome reputation. I stocked only the best crystals, mined sustainably and ethically. The Full Moon was also the only crystal shop in the entire county. There were other small metaphysical shops that sold crystals, but mine was unique. My consults and prescriptions were a big piece of that.

  Right now, I needed to get my act together. I had people to serve. I straightened and headed to my back room to drop my coat and purse, automatically reaching up to unwind my scarf from my neck.

  And found nothing there. “Are you kidding,” I sighed out loud. My beautiful new scarf. I’d been so hot under the collar about Carla I must not have been cold enough to notice I’d left it somewhere. It must still be at Pete’s, hanging off the back of my chair. I’d have to run back and look for it later.

  But I didn’t have time right now. I had to open at nine, and my first consult would be in at ten. There was plenty to do before then, for both me and Josie when she got in. I hoped she’d be along soon, once she’d turned Presley back over to Sydney’s care. I could use a dose of Josie right now.

  I took a moment to walk around, admiring the larger stones I’d arranged in various displays. My extra large raw amethyst had a place of honor in one of the windows this week, simply because it was so beautiful and calming. I wanted people just walking by the window to feel that energy. I also had a lovely display of raw pyrite in various sizes that I’d just gotten in last week. Pyrite was one of my favorite stones—the sparkly gold rock was able to ward off negative energy and instill confidence. I picked up one of the smaller pieces and let it rest in my hand. I could feel the healing properties of the stone literally permeating my skin.

  I kind of wished I could stand here all day and hold it.

  But I couldn’t, so I placed it back on its shelf. I’d grab one of the smaller stones and tuck it in my pocket. On my wa
y to the case, I passed the counter and noticed the voice mail button blinking on the shop phone. I pressed play and sighed as a bubbly voice filled the room.

  “Hi, Violet, it’s Lisa Daniels, I was supposed to come in at ten. I need to reschedule—my car died on me this morning! I’m so mad. Maybe you have a crystal for that? Anyway, I’ll call you later to reschedule.”

  It was a new client, so I was kind of disappointed, but it was fine. I felt like my brain needed to reset before I could properly focus on other people’s issues, after the morning I’d had. I turned toward my middle counter, a U-shaped display case where I kept the smaller tumbled stones, to grab a pyrite for my pocket.

  And heard a frantic knocking on my door.

  I spun around, half expecting to find Carla Fernandez there, ready to continue her rant, but it wasn’t her. A young woman peered into the window, her hands cupped around her eyes to see inside. I couldn’t see much of her face, but I swore I could feel her energy pulsating through the glass—frenetic. Anticipatory. Negative.

  I hesitated. I didn’t recognize her, and I wasn’t ready for some new drama—I mean, for heaven’s sake, it wasn’t even nine o’clock yet—but she saw me looking right at her. I debated simply slipping out back until opening time, and then if she was still there, I’d deal with it, but in the end, my desire to help won out. I went to the door and unlocked it, opening it just a smidge.

  She was young, maybe midtwenties, and wore skinny jeans, knee-high boots, and a motorcycle jacket that was way too light for this weather. Her choppy, shoulder-length hair had more of a presence than she did—platinum blond, almost white, streaked with a rainbow of purples, greens, and blues. Her eyes were sharp and assessing, and latched on to mine in a way that disturbed me. Her gaze was almost invasive. The air around her felt staticky, as if something about the frequency of the street had changed with her arrival. Given the way this day had gone so far, and the weird vibe I’d awoken with this morning, my hackles were up.

  But she was waiting, so I pasted a pleasant, if a tad wary, smile on my face. “Yes?” I said, leaning against the door to casually block her view of the inside of my shop.

  “You’re Violet Mooney, right?” she asked.

  I nodded warily. Did I know her from somewhere? I doubted it. There was nothing familiar about her.

  “Cool. I had a referral to come get a crystal prescription.” She smirked a little when she said the words, making me bristle. People didn’t usually come in here to make fun of me. I wondered if Carla had sent her.

  I still didn’t open the door all the way. “Did we have an appointment?” I asked, knowing full well we didn’t.

  She shook her head, but offered no other explanation.

  “Who referred you?” I asked.

  “I can’t give away all my secrets,” she said with a cagey smile. “But I was told you were a must-see.”

  I stifled a sigh. I had no time or desire for this today. “I’m not actually open yet,” I said, glancing at my watch. “Can you come back in—”

  “No!” she exclaimed, startling me with her vehemence. “I really need to see you now. This is my only chance today and I heard you can really help. Please?”

  CHAPTER 6

  I studied her. Her eyes reminded me of cat eyes, a combination of greens, browns, and yellows that seemed to change color when the light hit them a certain way. Intense. They made me want to squirm. And I was getting bombarded with her energy. It came at me so fast I was having a hard time deciphering it. I mostly got a feeling of tangled thoughts and confusion, but I couldn’t put my finger on an actual emotional need—and usually that was the first thing I got when I started to tune in to someone who came here looking for help.

  On the other hand, it was early; I hadn’t shifted into my work mind-set yet. Heck, I hadn’t even finished my coffee. I opened the door wider. “Come in,” I said.

  She smiled. It was a feline smile that said I knew I’d get what I wanted. “Thank you,” she said, and breezed past me into the store.

  “No problem.” I kept one eye on her as I locked the door behind her again. But she was already deep into the shop, taking everything in. She looked like she was trying to commit everything to memory as fast as possible. And she touched everything she passed, which I didn’t love. It reminded me of the way a child would approach a place like this, with all the colors and shapes and, in some cases, sparkles that made up the stones. I wanted to pull her hands away, but managed to resist.

  “Have a seat,” I said, motioning to the chair I kept in the far left near my largest crystal case for my personal consults. It offered a little more privacy than being out in the middle of the shop. “What’s your name?”

  “Mazzy,” she said.

  “Like Mazzy Star?” I asked.

  Blank stare, then a shrug. “I have no idea.”

  I figured she wasn’t old enough to know who Mazzy Star was. I wondered what kids like her listened to these day, which then made me giggle a little, given that I couldn’t be that much older than her. I tried to swallow the giggle and wound up coughing instead.

  She didn’t even notice. “This place is crazy,” she said, still taking everything in.

  I couldn’t be sure that was a compliment, so I ignored it. “So what brings you here? Aside from your mysterious referral?” I tried to make light of it, but really I was dying to know why she was really here. I wasn’t getting a lot of need or desire for a crystal healing.

  Would Carla really send in a mole?

  Mazzy shrugged. “I’m trying to wake up my spiritual side,” she said. “You know. I think the way I’ve been feeling means there’s something missing in my life.”

  Wake up my spiritual side? A benign enough phrase, but it sounded completely wrong coming from her. Like she’d practiced it. “How have you been feeling?” I asked.

  She shrugged again. She seemed to be casting about for a “right” answer. “Just off. Like there’s no purpose in my life, you know?”

  I almost pushed more, then decided the best course of action would be to give her something and get her out of here. I cursed Lisa Daniels just a little bit—if her car hadn’t died, I could’ve told Mazzy I had an appointment and turned her away without feeling too guilty about it.

  “Well, then let’s start with the basics, shall we?” I flashed her what I hoped was a genuine smile and went around the back of the case to where I kept some smaller tumbled stones. On the way, I happened to glance in the mirror on the case across from Mazzy, the one that should’ve reflected her back to me.

  Instead, all I saw was a shimmery outline, not even enough to call it a person.

  I felt dizzy, as if my blood sugar had just dropped significantly and my body couldn’t catch up. The air had gone staticky again, crackling around me like a radio just missing its nearest frequency. I grabbed the side of the case and closed my eyes for a minute. When I opened them again and glanced in the mirror, I saw Mazzy’s colorful hair, then her eyes, watching me watch her, curious. This time, she had an actual body. No shimmery outline.

  Jeez, Vi. You need to get more sleep.

  I ducked my head down to peer into the case and pulled out a tiger’s eye, one of my personal favorite stones. I kept one with me at all times, and I had them scattered strategically around my apartment and my desk out back. Tiger’s eye enhances your personal power, courage, strength, and determination. For me, it was a deeply healing stone. And it was common enough that people new to crystals didn’t get caught up in a name that they didn’t recognize or something else that felt too woo-woo for them right off the bat.

  I held the stone in my palm, closing my eyes as I approached Mazzy with it. Usually I got a sense for whether I had the right one, but I felt nothing. It was weird, almost like she’d put up some sort of barrier. Regardless, I needed to give her a stone and get her out of my shop.

  I opened my eyes and held the stone out. She took it, warily, as if expecting it to bite her, and closed it in her own hand. />
  “So what’s it supposed to do?” she asked.

  “This is a stone that’s all about protection and empowerment.” I went through the list of attributes a tiger’s eye offered: helps accomplish goals, recognizes inner resources, brings clarity of intention, balances yin and yang energy. As usual, I got caught up in my passion for each stone’s individuality and probably gave her way more than she wanted to know.

  Mazzy looked unimpressed. She opened her palm and studied it. “What do I do with it?”

  I wanted to take it away from her. I felt a little sad about sending it out into the world under her care. But too late for that now. “Get to know it,” I replied. “First, you need to cleanse it. My favorite way to do that is in the moonlight under a full moon. There’s one next Thursday. But if you don’t want to wait, you can cleanse it in the sunlight. Or hold it in the smoke of sage or palo santo. Then you can carry it with you, or sleep with it under your pillow, or whatever feels right.” I stopped, aware that she was looking at me with a barely concealed smirk. “Something wrong?”

  “Is the moon your schtick?” she asked. “Is that why you named your shop after it?”

  “My schtick?” I repeated. “I use it like you would use your calendar. It’s very powerful.” I returned her stare until she looked away. “Anything else I can help you with?”

  Mazzy slid out of her seat, a bit uncertainly. “No, I think this is good. How much do I owe you?”

  “That one is eight dollars.” I waited while she pulled a ten out of her pocket. I went to the cash register and got her change. “Thanks for coming by,” I said as she slid the money and the stone into her pocket.

  She nodded and turned to go. A loud rap on the door startled us both. I turned to see Todd at the door, peering inside and looking impatient. I went to unlock it. Mazzy followed me. Good, she was leaving.

  I held the door open for Todd. “Hey. I was wondering where you’d been.”