by CC Dragon
Ivy watched the footage over my shoulder and covered her eyes as the trespasser chopped the snake’s head off, then peeked through her fingers. With each hack she grimaced.
The guy dropped his reptilian victim and ran off, leaving nothing to trace him.
I got back on the phone with Matt. “Nothing we can use. Guy wore a mask. Butchered the snake right here on the doormat.”
“Okay, well I’ll put the video in the report so we have some sort of description, but don’t let it bug you. I’ll ask around with the neighbors, see if I can get info on a car, if anyone saw anything. Big picture, there is nothing more we can do beyond that. They’re just trying to scare you,” he said.
“I’m scared for the young women there, not me. If there was nothing to hide, they wouldn’t be trying to warn us away.” I felt like there was a target on my house and my friends—but what were they doing to the girls worried me.
“Just keep doing whatever you were going to do. Don’t let them stop you,” Matt said.
“Okay, thanks. Bye.” I ended the call.
“Paul should be here any minute,” Ivy said.
I nodded and called him.
Paul picked up. “Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m just running a bit late. Ivy had something we had to talk about. Mind if I just meet you there? I don’t want to lose the reservation,” I said.
“Sure. Traffic is crazy anyway. I’m near the restaurant. Ivy okay?” Paul asked.
“Yeah, I just need a few minutes and I’ll be on the road. I really need a night out. See you soon.” I ended the call.
Ivy scoffed. “He’s a doctor. He’s had to cut up dead bodies. Snake tartare won’t freak him out.”
“I know. I just don’t want him to worry about me. I want to enjoy the evening.” I deserved a personal life and Paul didn’t need to deal with every gory detail of every case—at least not until we were living together or more.
AFTER A NICE MEAL, I debated dessert. I’d managed to avoid talk of the church and Ivy’s issues.
“You don’t have to do the girl thing,” Paul said.
“Girl?” I shot at him.
“Sorry. The dessert thing. You deserve a reward after the day you had. All I can report on is work and the rehab center stuff. Computers and stuff are in. Staff is being trained.” Paul sipped his water.
I froze for a second. He didn’t mean the snake. He couldn’t know about the snake. “Lance was his usual jerk self when I was just trying to help. But he didn’t yell.” I ordered dessert. Something I’d never tried before.
“That’s progress for him. Some people can have blockage and no symptoms until it reaches a certain point. Or the symptoms are mild enough that they put it down to stress or heartburn. Gallbladder attacks can mask things, too.” Paul had every medical rationale ready to go.
“You think it’s not a curse?” I asked.
Paul sighed. “That is your territory. If he’s got a curse on him, he does. I don’t question your expertise. But medically, it could be a coincidence. If he takes his meds, followed the instructions, and follows up with his cardiologist regularly—he shouldn’t die anytime soon.”
“Maybe my vision was wrong.” I shrugged. “Or things changed with treatment? I haven’t had another preview of his death.”
“Good. Are you still planning on redecorating? Your living room does have a very chapel feel to it,” Paul said.
I smiled. “Holy water and candles. Gran liked her protective stuff around at all times.”
“It’s your place. Eventually you need to make it all yours,” he said.
I shrugged and checked my phone. “It’s a big place.”
“Worried about those women from the church?” he asked.
I nodded. “I hope those men didn’t take away Candace’s phone. I’ve got no messages from unknowns that might be her or other girls. I don’t know how else to get in touch with them.”
“You do. But I don’t think we should go to church there again. That wouldn’t be safe,” Paul said.
“Definitely not attending church there. I’m afraid they’d set a trap or something creepy. The club?” I wasn’t eager to go there either, but it was safer than that backwoods church. “However, odds are, they won’t let her out if she’s being punished.”
“We can try it. I don’t have a better idea.” He tapped his fingers on the table.
The dessert arrived and I enjoyed it. I’d need the sugar rush and another cup of coffee if I was going to hit Dungeon tonight.
As I sipped my coffee, I got a vision. “Crap.”
“Candace? Lance?” Paul asked.
“Lance and Greg fighting. We were headed to the club anyway. That’s where they are. Let’s go and sort it out if we can. Try to help.” I shook my head.
As Paul paid the bill, Mary Lou’s texts started hitting my phone. She needed me to come and wrangle Greg. Where was Lucifer’s security now?
Chapter Twelve
We rushed into the club and found Lance and Greg actually throwing punches. I spotted Lucifer at the bar and headed for him.
“What are you doing? Get security to break it up,” I said.
“Lance stormed in here and started it. Mary Lou was just working. Greg was at the bar. If those two men need to fight it out, let them,” Lucifer replied.
“They could get seriously hurt. It’s your business you’re hurting,” I warned.
Lucifer smiled. I felt that mix of energy pulling and creep. Was it him? The bartender?
“Fine. Security.” Lucifer nodded.
The bouncers pulled the two men apart and I was relieved. Paul didn’t need to get in the middle of that nonsense but I felt like he was preparing to. Men had different pressures. To be the hero. The tough guy.
It was all ridiculous but society had a lot of weird customs and rules.
I walked up to Greg. “Why are you engaging with him?”
“Why is he here? The divorce crap is rescheduled. Yet here he is stalking Mary Lou. He even texted her personally. She can show you the texts,” Greg said.
Mary Lou was hiding in the back behind the bar. I led Greg over there.
“Can we get some ice?” I asked.
The bartender handed over an ice pack.
“Thanks. Mary Lou, did you reply to anything Lance sent?” I asked.
“He was just letting me know he was okay. It wasn’t personal. Or stalker behavior. I thought he’d grown up a bit.” She shrugged. “Then he comes in and acts like an idiot.”
“Did he talk to you first? Did you guys fight?” I asked.
She blushed. “I told him not to drink. New meds and what he’s been through, you know. It’s part of my job to get people to drink responsibly and not hurt themselves. We don’t want that sort of a club.”
“No one else could’ve done it?” Greg asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Can Lucifer just ban Lance from Dungeon?”
Mary Lou looked down.
“Call 911!” someone shouted.
I turned and Lance was clutching his chest.
Paul ran over and started CPR.
I got on the phone and called for help but I knew this was my vision. I could feel his heart failing.
A bouncer came from the back with an emergency defibrillator and Paul used it but there was no heartbeat after one shock, so the machine wouldn’t shock again. Paul resumed CPR.
I watched it like a movie. The ambulance crew came in and did their best. They took him away but I knew he was gone.
Mary Lou stood there in horror.
Greg looked down. This was the guilt bomb he didn’t need.
“It’s not your fault,” I said to Greg.
“I don’t think I hit him in the chest. It was all face,” Greg defended.
“He’s an idiot. He never should’ve started a fight so soon after being in the hospital,” Mary Lou snapped.
“What possessed him?” I asked.
Greg nodded.
&nbs
p; “You think he was possessed?” I pressed.
Greg shrugged. “No way to be sure now, assuming he’s really gone.”
“He is, but let’s go to the hospital anyway.” I walked over to Paul. “He’s dead.”
Paul nodded. “Life with you is never dull.”
“Sorry. Let’s head over.” I called Matt as we walked to the car.
At the hospital, they tried but there was no hope. Matt had the police swarming, taking statements, but the fight was broken up before Lance showed any distress.
“I want that club shut down and every bottle tested,” Matt shouted at a couple of uniformed officers.
A couple of detectives tried to calm him down.
Mary Lou sat there looking stunned. Greg had gone to the hospital chapel.
Paul was informing the medical team and police exactly what had transpired.
I finally felt like I could breathe when Gunnar and Ivy walked into the ER.
Gunnar went right to Matt so his heart didn’t give out on us, too. Ivy sat next to me.
“No Brody?” I asked.
She nodded. “He’s watching your club for me. You okay?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know if someone cursed him, killed him, or what but he wasn’t on Death’s list.”
Ivy frowned. “Can’t say I’m too sad but a lot of people had issues with him.”
Matt came over. “They’ll do an autopsy.”
I nodded. “That’s for the best.”
“You’re sure he was fine after the fight?” Matt asked.
I shrugged. “They both walked away when security got involved. I was bugging Lucifer about his slow response and then Lance had the issue. I don’t know what happened.”
“I can’t handle this personally,” Matt said.
“No, you can’t. You need to walk away and trust the other detectives. He’d just started medication and had all those tests. He shouldn’t have pushed himself.” I hated to talk ill of the dead but it was true.
Matt sighed. “Greg didn’t have to engage.”
“Lance didn’t have to go there. That man never could resist a good fight,” I added.
Matt nodded.
“All we can do is wait for the results of the searches at the club and the autopsy. I assume you’re going to get a tox screen, too. Make sure he was taking his meds and nothing more.” I shrugged.
Matt tensed for a moment but his shoulders slumped. “Lance hated any weakness. If he wasn’t taking his meds...”
“It could have some impact on his heart or health when under stress. Wait for the docs to give us their expertise. I’m so sorry.” I patted Matt’s hand.
“He should’ve moved in with John before. Started fresh. He hated to lose,” Matt agreed.
Chapter Thirteen
Matt and John insisted on a private funeral. I helped plan what I could but what we all were waiting for was the autopsy results.
A few days after the death, Matt came home with the information. We all gathered and waited.
“First of all, the police department has cleared Deanna and Paul. They didn’t have enough contact with Lance,” Matt said.
“Cleared? As in not suspects?” Ivy asked.
“Yes. Of course, you and Brody weren’t anywhere near Lance. Gunnar and I weren’t there that night.” Matt sat at my kitchen table.
“Back up, Matt. You’re saying that he was murdered?” I asked.
“The death is suspicious. He was on the right meds. They found some stimulants in his system. We’re not sure if he took them or someone slipped them to him but they triggered a massive coronary,” Matt said.
Mary Lou sighed. “Sounds like natural causes.”
“They are going to re-interview you, Greg, and Lucifer tomorrow. Just to be sure.” Matt frowned.
“Did Lance have a drug problem?” Paul asked.
Matt shook his head. “Not that I knew of.”
We glanced at Mary Lou.
“He didn’t sleep much. He drank tons of coffee,” she replied.
“This wasn’t coffee,” Matt said.
Mary Lou shrugged. “He kept a lot from me. His work. His mistresses. Maybe his drugs.”
“Hopefully it wasn’t murder,” Ivy said.
“Ivy and I are going to make dinner. Pasta or something comforting. You’re all invited. Tonight, here at seven,” Brody said.
“Thanks, sounds great.” I could use a supportive night over one filled with fighting.
The scent of garlic bread filled the house. My stomach rumbled. Brody had proven himself a good cook. I saw red and alfredo sauces so I couldn’t complain. A couple different noodle types as well. They were going deep in the pasta theme.
Seeing Ivy with an apron on and seeming to enjoy domestic bliss was rare. When the doorbell rang, she barked at me. “You’re on the door, De.”
I answered it and hugged Paul before he even entered. The tension in the house from Mary Lou, Matt, and Greg was unnerving.
“News?” I asked.
Paul shrugged. “They aren’t going to tell me anything. I was there that night. Odds are whatever was found was easily attainable.”
With everyone else in the house, we all gathered and I poured some wine. What else do you have with pasta?
“What are we toasting?” Greg asked.
“Lance.” Matt shot back.
“Brody moving in officially,” Ivy said.
That got a bit of applause.
“My new job.” Mary Lou lifted her glass.
“The rehab center nearly being done,” Paul tossed in.
“Good things in a new year and remembering those who are gone,” I said diplomatically.
We all drank and began to fill our plates.
“I’m so killing my new job. It’s a dream. Cool club. Cool people. Entertaining the popular trendy people of New Orleans.” Mary Lou took very little food.
“Lance’s assistant and secretary said he’d act up but they never saw him doing anything illegal.” Matt started a different topic.
“I didn’t see anyone go at him with a needle,” Paul said.
“I got drugged with LSD and Molly in water,” I reminded him.
“It’d have to be a high dose to trigger cardiac arrest,” Paul countered.
Mary Lou sighed loudly. “I choose to believe it was natural. Years of eating junk, drinking a ton of coffee, smoking, and stress. He never wanted to change. It all caught up with him. He was stalking me. He started the fight. I was happy in my new job and he couldn’t stand it.”
Greg looked at me for help.
“I was thinking about redecorating the living room. I feel like it’s still how Gran had it. A bit dark and like a perpetual mourning. I think a little change could work,” I said.
Paul nodded. “Could be good.”
“I like it. Needs a fresh spin,” Ivy said.
“Lucifer might have some ideas. His office is decorated in the most amazing black on gray on silver.” Mary Lou drained her wine glass.
I took the opportunity and while attempting to refill it, I knocked her glass on the hardwood floor.
It cracked.
“I’ll get you a new glass. I’m such a klutz sometimes,” I said.
I grabbed the broken glass carefully and slipped into the kitchen. After trashing the busted up one, I grabbed a clean wine glass. Before going back, I coated the inside with a small amount of holy water.
Back with the party, I filled her new glass before she might’ve noticed the water pooling at the bottom.
Conversations kept firing in other directions and Mary Lou dragged them back to Lucifer and Dungeon. I watched her and tried not to be obvious about it.
Finally, she downed her glass of wine and gagged. She coughed and sputtered until she was foaming at the mouth.
“She’s been poisoned, too,” Matt said.
“Nope, she’ll be fine.” I pulled a vial of holy water from my pocket and tossed it at her face.
“Bitch!” Mary L
ou said in a deep, gravelly voice that wasn’t hers.
“Possessed?” Greg said.
“Oh yeah,” I said.
“How dare you!” Mary Lou ran for the door.
“Three Stooges!” I called.
The angels flew down from their spare room and surrounded Mary Lou.
“Contain her in your room until we can exorcise her properly,” I said.
The others saw Mary Lou levitating up the stairs, cursing and screaming. I saw the angels saving my friend. Not to mention saving my other friends and I from having to wrestle Mary Lou into submission.
“We might need some of your priest buddies, Greg. She knows you too well,” I pointed out.
He nodded and picked up his phone. “Let the angels wear her down for a day or two.”
Chapter Fourteen
Pounding on the front door was never the way anyone wanted to wake up. At first, I thought the church officials were done threatening at arm’s length and were outside with torches and pitchforks ready to call me a witch and drown me in a swamp.
Or maybe Lance trying to be a further pest.
Then I remembered.
Lance was dead.
I made my way down the stairs, Gunnar and Matt weren’t far behind and were armed. As I approached the front door, I sensed no immediate threat from whoever was outside, but it was more than one person.
I looked out the side window and saw a bunch of men in uniform.
“Your friends couldn’t give you a heads up?” I asked Matt.
I opened the door.
“Search warrant.” A man handed me a piece of paper.
“I was cleared,” I reminded them.
“You have suspects in residence. This might take a while. Big house.” The point man nodded.
A team entered.
Crap! What would they think of Mary Lou and the angel room?
“They won’t see what you see. It’s fine,” Amy whispered in my ear.
I really was appreciating my angels right now!
Greg, Ivy and Brody came downstairs as well.
“What’s going on?” Ivy asked.
“Search warrant. Ignore them,” I said.
