Roxy broke into a smile. Dr. Jack was delightfully eccentric. He wore a rose pink felt fedora, mirrored sunglasses, and a purple leopard-print scarf. A royal-blue trench coat was draped over his trim body, and he wore a white shirt underneath a black velvet waistcoat and purple corduroy trousers. Simple black shoes completed the outfit.
“Did I just hear you two lovely ladies talking about justice?” he said, rubbing his short, gray beard. He spoke very softly.
“That you did,” said Sage, smiling at him.
Roxy watched them both. The heart-shaped pink crystal popped back into her mind, and she mused how Dr. Jack and Sage would make an awesome couple.
“Justice is the most important topic facing us on this planet at present,” he said. “Because we’ve rather failed on that front, haven’t we? When one person can die of a preventable disease in childhood, and another can live in a luxurious mansion and go on to inherit huge wealth, all because of an accident of birth, it feels like we’ve gone wrong somewhere. An ovarian lottery of sorts, don’t you think?” Dr. Jack looked at Roxy for confirmation.
Roxy nodded, a little stunned at the diversion the conversation had taken. Being around folks like Sage and Dr. Jack was like riding a roller coaster. From romance to murder, to witches, to justice, to privilege, you never knew what would pop up next! “You’re right. Although Sage and I were really just talking about making sure Dash’s killer is found.” Then, feeling a little foolish, but also quite brave, she asked, “Do you have any means for finding out who could have killed him?”
“Spiritual technology to divine the identity of a killer?” he said. “This is not my specialty, I’m afraid.”
Roxy felt she’d landed on another planet. Spiritual technology? What was that? But there was no time to ask as Evangeline and Nat came out with the cold canapés. This time, Roxy had successfully persuaded Evangeline to go along with her idea for “newfangled, posh fiddly stuff,” and Evangeline had rather enjoyed making small versions of her crawfish pies, crab boulettes, and Cajun pork belly tacos. As she moved about the room, Nat’s expression was inscrutable—she was not a believer in or fan of anything remotely magical. As far as she was concerned, crystal grids and spiritualism were mumbo-jumbo nonsense, but she knew better than to say so.
“Roxy!” Nat said. “You’re not even dressed!” Nat had a trademark band tee on, but she had changed her boots. They were pink and matched the color printed on her t-shirt.
Roxy had gotten so caught up in the crystals and conversation that she’d forgotten to get ready. “Oh, my gosh!” she said.
Roxy dashed off to her room, fed Nefertiti, and dressed. She grinned as she pulled her outfit out of the wardrobe—a dress covered in gold sequins. She’d spotted it in a store near Sam’s laundry but hadn’t had occasion to wear it. It was a very bold choice. But what night could be better to debut it than an “Evening of Love and Light?”
She paired it with gold sparkling shoes, gold earrings, necklace and bangle, and a pearl bracelet. She even put a vine of golden flowers in her hair. Glittering from head to toe, she stepped back into the lounge. Predictably to everyone except Roxy, who was immune to her own beauty, all eyes turned to her. Some eyes, like Sam’s, lingered.
“Wow, you look simply devastating!” Elijah said. He kissed her on both cheeks. Elijah was wearing a purple suit covered in green and blue skulls. It was quite the loudest outfit Roxy had ever seen.
“Thank you, you are too sweet,” she said. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for some magic!”
Ada swept into the room looking as beautifully presented as usual. She was wearing a diaphanous tangerine gown that reached her ankles, and once again, her nails matched her outfit.
“Good evening!” Roxy said cheerfully.
Ada gave her a tight smile. “I am going out. I don't believe in crystals and those types of things. I came to New Orleans for the architecture, not some crazy, weirdo, woo-woo nonsense. It is incompatible with my spiritual beliefs.”
“Okay, no problem!” Roxy said sunnily, clasping her hands tightly, determined that nothing would bring her down. “No problem at all. I hope you have a wonderful time.”
Kathy, Dash’s mother, on the other hand, was not so reluctant. She made a beeline for Sage’s crystal table. Taking the glass of champagne Roxy offered her, she said, “Oh, I love all this stuff. Church on Sundays, psychic on Wednesdays, that’s my routine.”
Ada sniffed and left.
Kathy’s son Derek wasn’t so keen on the evening’s planned activities, either. As soon as he wandered into the room, he headed right out again, still playing with the model airplane he’d had when he’d arrived. “Bye,” he mumbled, turning paler than ever when he saw what was laid out. As he left the room, Nefertiti, who had been sitting in the lobby, wandered lazily in. She jumped onto an armoire and parked herself down to watch the proceedings. Her eyes were alert, watchful.
“Derek’s going to see Father John, the priest,” Kathy said, her voice full of empathy. “He’s struggling with…well, everything. I try to help him as best I can, but I’m struggling too. And there’s only so much a momma can do. Besides, we’re thinking about holding a celebration of life for Dash, something less formal than the memorial service. He’s gone to talk arrangements.”
Roxy gave her a sympathetic smile.
Soon afterward, Sylvia and Lily came down together, deep in conversation about Pinterest and their “conversion rates.” They seemed to have become fast, if unlikely, friends and stood a little aloof from Kathy after nodding to her from the other side of the lounge. Michael hadn’t yet shown up.
After he’d fixed the lights, Sam decided to stay for the evening. Crystals weren’t really his thing, but he was open-minded and loved to learn about anything and everything, and as Roxy’s friend, he wanted to support her as much as possible. Evangeline and Nat stayed out of sight in the kitchen mostly, Nat especially, although Evangeline could be seen peeking around the kitchen door from time to time, eager to view the scene.
And so the small crowd of Kathy, Sylvia, Lily, Sam, Elijah, Roxy, Sage, and Dr. Jack hung around drinking champagne, chatting, and admiring the crystals until Sage caught their attention.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“WHO WANTS A reading?” Sage said.
“Ooh, me please,” said Sylvia immediately. She was clutching onto the frothy blue scarf wound around her neck, a point of elegance that elevated an otherwise bland outfit of beige button-down shirt and brown slacks. Roxy looked at her with new, appraising eyes. Sylvia had seemed more down-to-earth than this enthusiasm for crystals suggested. “I’ve never done anything like this before. Is it okay if I record it for my channel?” Sylvia added.
“Of course,” said Sage. She paused and watched Sylvia for a moment as if she were reading her. “I warn you, though. It may get personal. Very personal.”
“That’s okay,” Sylvia said. “My followers know just about everything about me anyway. I’m pretty much an open book.”
The group sat down in the lounge. Sage and Sylvia sat in the center. Earlier, Roxy had arranged two chairs on either side of the coffee table for this very purpose. The atmosphere in the room became serious, and as they prepared themselves, a sense of gravity and purpose swept through the lounge like a draft.
Sage whipped a deck of tarot cards from a pocket in her robes and began to shuffle them. She closed her eyes. Nobody said a word as she concentrated. “I have a feeling we need to delve into the past, to bring something to light that needs to be cleared. Then, and only then, will the future be revealed.”
Sylvia gulped. Her eyes flitted around the others sitting around the room. “Okay.”
Roxy leaned forward. “Are you fine with doing this, Sylvia?”
Sylvia sat a little straighter in her seat. “Yes. Yes. It’s no problem.”
Sage spread the cards face down on the table in a long line. Dr. Jack hung back next to Roxy, looking on intently. He was the only one who remained
standing. Roxy shivered. She sensed someone looking at her from behind and turned around. There was no one there. Dr. Jack caught her eye and raised one eyebrow.
“Choose three cards,” Sage said, a heavy tone giving her already low voice even more gravitas.
Sylvia reached out tentatively and slid three cards toward her. Sage packed up the rest of the deck and slid it back into her pocket. She laid the three cards out in a row, still face down. With three quick flicks of her wrist, movements so swift everyone jumped, she turned them over.
Sage gasped. “The Three of Swords, a betrayal by a lover. The Justice card in reverse, meaning justice not served, and the Death card, meaning the end of something, or…”
Sylvia burst into tears. “Oh my goodness! This stuff really works!”
Kathy gave Roxy a triumphant nod. “If only that Ada was here to see this,” she whispered.
Roxy didn’t reply. Her heart had dropped. Now one of the influencers was crying. And she was recording! Roxy breathed in deeply and exhaled through her nose. There was nothing she could do so she kept smiling and clasped her hands together tightly in her lap. Her mind wandered to Michael. Where was he?
Sage leaned forward and took Sylvia’s hands. “Let it out, my love. Let it out.”
“I had a horrible, abusive ex-husband.” She shuddered. “And I didn’t leave him. Sometimes, I thought I deserved his abuse. Other times I knew I didn’t, but I was too afraid to leave.” She wiped her tears and laughed. “Oh, I shouldn’t get so emotional. It was twenty years ago now. A little more, in fact.”
Sage nodded. “It’s okay to cry. The wound is raw because something about it is not resolved. There is still a healing, still a message for you in this memory. What happened in the end?”
As though the intensity of the moment was too much for her, Sylvia sat back. She dropped Sage’s hands and looked down into her lap.
“I finally found the strength, the courage to leave, and took off to Europe where he couldn’t find me. I had no money. No home. I slept on couches, in hostels, even sometimes under railroad bridges. It wasn’t easy. I felt like ending it all at times. But eventually I came back to the US, to a totally different state, and began my life over. I’ve never seen my ex-husband since.”
Sage nodded slowly. “What is there left to release?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“Maybe there’s a part of the story you haven’t told?” Sage pushed.
Sylvia looked bewildered. “Nothing that I can think of.” She laughed, but to Roxy, it sounded a little forced. “Well, I won’t underestimate a tarot reading in the future, that’s for sure! I thought this was just going to be a little fun.” She looked around at the others in the room, clearly hoping someone would rescue her. Her audience looked hesitant, a little awkward. Elijah was jiggling his foot vigorously. Sam rested his elbows on his knees looking very grave. Dr. Jack looked equally serious. Lily’s expression was impassive, but she had turned her body away from the scene in the center and crossed her legs. Only Kathy looked eager, her eyes shining as she looked at Sylvia.
Roxy stepped in. “Perhaps that’s enough of the cards for now? Maybe we could look at the crystals and talk about them.”
“That’s a good idea,” said Lily Vashchenko in her slow, somber voice. She stood and pulled down her short cream skirt so that it hovered just above her knees and straightened her baby blue t-shirt. She walked over to the velvet-covered trestle table, her champagne glass in her hand. “I really like this one.” She pointed to a crystal grid Sage had set up. “A grid is a configuration of crystals placed in a pattern that amplifies their intention. All crystals are infused with a purpose,” Sage explained. “This grid comprises of peacock colored crystals—deep greens, blues, and purples. They represent healing and well-being.”
“Isn’t it lovely?” said Roxy, keen to raise the energy in the room.
“Hmm, I don’t know.” Kathy pointed at another grid full of oranges and yellow crystals. “This one is much more to my taste.”
“Crystals are about much more than pretty colors,” said Dr. Jack. “Though what you’re drawn to can indicate personal issues you may be struggling with. They can also indicate what you’re comfortable with.” He pointed to Kathy’s choice. “This one is for inviting cheerfulness and joy into your life. Or, conversely, you may be attracted to it if you use cheerfulness and joy too much, to cover up issues or hidden motivations, for instance.”
Roxy felt distinctly awkward, and Kathy gave a laugh devoid of any kind of joy at all. She blinked at him and shook her head ever so slightly. “What on earth do you mean?”
Dr. Jack nodded. “Just like that.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“HUH?” KATHY SAID. She was still smiling, but now she looked like a shark baring its teeth.
“In this society, we’ve become addicted to pleasure and afraid of what is uncomfortable,” said Dr. Jack. “But the wise person knows that beyond discomfort and even downright pain lies truth. There are blessings and strength more than we could ever believe if we travel to journey’s end.”
This was all getting a little intense and complicated for Roxy. Her head was beginning to spin, and she got the impression that the evening wasn’t going so well.
Sage turned to Lily. “Would you like a reading?”
Lily looked at her warily. “Oh, no, no, thank you. In fact, I have some fans in the area. I’m going to go and meet with them, actually. I’ll be back later. See you!” With that, she was out the door. She didn’t even bother with a jacket.
Roxy felt a teeny-tiny bit like doing that herself.
Almost immediately there was a knock on the front door and in stepped Michael. “Sorry I’m late,” he said. He looked a little more like his normal self than he had earlier, very serious, but he held his head high and made eye contact with everyone.
“Kathy,” he said. He nodded politely in her direction.
“How nice to see you, Michael,” she said, returning his gaze only briefly. She spoke like Evangeline’s whiskey and caramel sauce was spread across her teeth.
Sage looked relieved to see him. “Michael, would you like a reading?”
“Absolutely,” he said. His eyes lit up. “And I’d like to know more about these crystals.”
Dr. Jack looked delighted. “I can answer all your questions.”
“Awesome,” Michael said briskly. He took his jacket off. “Let’s do this.”
Michael sat down for his reading. This time Roxy was unwilling to watch, it felt too intrusive, so she struck up a conversation with Sam.
“How’s business going?” she asked.
“Ticking along nicely, as usual,” he said.
“Ticking along?” said Roxy. “I didn’t think you were a ‘ticking along’ sort of guy. I thought you were more about expansion and trying new things. That’s what you’ve been encouraging me to do with the hotel all this time.”
He gave a small smile, a little embarrassed. “Well, I am working on something.”
“Do tell,” Roxy said.
Sam rarely spoke about himself, his goals, his dreams. He seemed to prefer encouraging others. But now he said, “I’m thinking of setting up a program for the homeless.”
“Wow,” Roxy said. “That sounds bold.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. Sylvia was lucky. She had a way to come back from being down and out, but others aren’t so fortunate. I’d like to offer a path for people who want to get back on their feet.”
“And how would you do that?”
“I’d get them access to good healthcare, teach them skills to enable them to support themselves, employ them in my business to give them experience, and maybe build a network of other businesses for them to work in, that kind of thing.”
“That is bold. Big and bold,” said Roxy. “What a great idea! It could be massive.”
“It should be relatively straightforward,” he said. “I just have to…”
&nb
sp; “Straightforward?” Roxy cried, astounded. It sounded complicated and overwhelming to her, but Sam had an easy, can-do, confident, nothing-was-too-difficult attitude. Who was this enigma? How did he get to be like that? And how could she become a little more like him?
“I should probably keep quiet about the idea for a bit,” he said, “until it’s up and running. I have so many ideas. If I talked about them all, I’d seem a huge flake. The vast majority never see the light of day.” He laughed, his broad shoulders shaking a little. “So I keep my hands close to my chest until I know I can play winning cards.”
“I wish I could do that,” said Roxy. “I just tend to be a mess in front of everyone, and then it somehow works out. Or not.”
“You don’t look a mess in front of anyone.”
“I worry about what people would say if I fail.”
“Any undertaking involves risk, and risk requires courage. The only people who criticize others’ failures are those who don't dare to take risks in the first place. They are not worth bothering with.”
Roxy blinked. She hadn’t thought of it that way before. Sam was right. She felt a smidgeon of anxiety leave her, and she steepled her fingers in front of her. She might have grown an inch or so. She certainly felt happier.
Elijah sidled over to them. “Look, Rox. Have you considered speaking to those awful reporters outside? I know there’s not many of them left, and the Lord knows when we were teeming with them, they drank so much coffee and ate so many of my pastries they increased my bottom line no end, but the stragglers are bothering my regulars. They’re costing me business.” He winced. “I thought that perhaps if you spoke to them they might go away.”
“Yeah, I think you should, Roxy,” Sam said. He caught sight of the look Roxy gave him. She might be small and not so brave at times, but she didn’t like being told what to do. He raised his hands. “Okay, okay, give it some thought. Just say something, not much, a short statement, just enough for them to be pacified. It doesn’t help anyone, them being on your doorstep all day.”
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