by Jana DeLeon
“Not right now. I’m sorting through the new inventory.”
The way the psychic’s brow lowered made it look as though she wanted to reprimand her employee, but decided it was a waste of time. She rolled her shoulders in defeat and turned around, disappearing behind the curtain.
Rose and Neely Kate glanced at each other before Neely Kate followed. They walked through the curtain and stopped when they entered the room. A table in the center of the room was split in the middle and folded inward. A pile of ashes that looked like pieces of fabric covered a small section of the floor. Tarot cards were scattered everywhere. When Serafine said there was a mess in the back, she wasn’t kidding.
“What happened here?” Neely Kate asked.
“Don’t ask,” Serafine grumbled as she pulled a chair free from the rubble and sat down. Neely Kate did the same and set her chair in front of the elderly woman. Rose stood to the side of Neely Kate, taking in the skulls sitting on shelves on the walls. One thing was for certain: Serafine’s decor added to the overall experience.
“What answers are you seeking today?”
“I want to know if I have any supernatural gifts. My best friend, Rose, has visions of the future, and I know that I must have a gift, too.”
“Hmm…I’m not sure if I can see that.”
Neely Kate pouted in disappointment. “Can’t you at least try?”
The woman shrugged. “My best chance was with the tarot cards…” She glanced at the blackened cards on the floor. “I can read your palm and see if I can find your answers there.”
Neely Kate held out her hand, flipping it palm side up. “Okay.”
The psychic held Neely Kate’s hand in hers, her index finger trailing across the etched lines. “You have a very strong lifeline, which means you have good health.”
“That’s true,” Neely Kate murmured. “I’ve been in excellent health.”
“What are you talking about?” Rose asked, her thinly veiled skepticism breaking loose. “You were sicker than a dog for the last month and a half.”
The blonde shot her friend a glare. “I wasn’t sick. That was morning sickness. From the baby.”
“It’s not called sickness for nothin’, Neely Kate.”
The psychic stopped tracing and looked up at Rose with narrowed eyes. “Your negativity is affecting the reading.”
Rose wanted to point out that the lines on Neely Kate’s hand would be there no matter Rose’s attitude, but she bit her tongue and offered an apologetic smile. Neely Kate really wanted to see the psychic, and Rose was determined to make sure her friend was happy. Even if Rose thought the woman was full of poppycock.
“I see trouble in your future, and sorrow.”
Neely Kate’s back stiffened, and Rose put a hand on her shoulder.
“You will overcome an obstacle but face another in its place.”
“What does that mean?” Neely Kate asked in a trembling voice. “Is it about the baby?”
Rose’s stomach twisted into a knot. Neely Kate’s grandmother claimed to be able to read tea leaves, and although she got most predictions wrong, she had told Neely Kate on multiple occasions that she would lose her baby, and her friend was anxious.
The psychic moved to another part of Neely Kate’s palm. “Your marriage line is strong but the lines for children are unusual…”
Rose stiffened as the edges of the room grew dark, and she felt the familiar tingle in her head, announcing an oncoming vision. They were always unwelcome and mostly inconvenient, but she’d learned long ago that fighting them was pointless. She always saw them from the eyes of someone close to her, and while they were sometimes embarrassing, she had no choice but to let the visions happen and deal with the consequences later.
The room faded and she was at a door, turning a lock. The gnarled fingers told Rose the vision was through Serafine’s eyes. Something jabbed into her back.
“We need to go back inside,” a man with a deep, menacing voice said, pushing the pointed object hard into her coat.
“I don’t have anything you want,” the psychic said, her heart racing. “My employee already made the night deposit.”
“It’s not your money that I want.”
The vision gave way to the dark room and Rose blurted out, “You’re going to get held up.”
The psychic looked up from Neely Kate’s palm, her eyes wide. “What?”
Rose grimaced. She always blurted out what she saw, an annoying tic that got her into more trouble than she could shake a stick at. People never believed her, but the woman claimed to be psychic, even if Rose had her doubts. Maybe she’d be more open to the idea. “I see visions.”
Serafine’s jaw drooped.
“And I just saw a vision of you being held up by a man with a gun.”
The psychic stood up and glanced at the collapsed table, then back at Rose. “Get out.”
Neely Kate bolted out of her chair. “What?”
“Get. Out.” The woman pushed Neely Kate toward the door while Rose backed up to stay out of her path.
“But you haven’t finished my reading!” Neely Kate protested.
“I’ve had enough weirdness for one night! First a ghost! Now visions!” Serafine pushed them through the curtains and turned to the clerk. “Gina, I’m closing up early. Go home.”
Gina looked up in a panic, more emotion than Rose thought her capable of showing. “But I’m not done counting the gris-gris bags.”
“I don’t care!” Serafine shouted. She snatched one out of the clerk’s hand and shoved it at Neely Kate. “Here, take this. On the house. It will offer you protection and it’s obvious you’re going to need it.” Then she pushed them outside and locked the front door.
“But you didn’t finish my reading!” Neely Kate shouted.
Serafine flipped the Open sign to Closed.
“Open the door!” The blond woman pounded on the glass with her palm. “You didn’t finish! You ripped me off!”
Rose grabbed her arm. “Neely Kate, she’s not going to change her mind. Let’s just go.”
Neely Kate turned to her, her eyes wild like a rabid dog trapped in a corner. “This isn’t right!” she shouted, pointing to the door. “She took my money and stopped while telling me about my children! And I won’t even get into the fact that she didn’t tell me about my supernatural gift!”
People on the street were openly staring, including the shopkeeper next door. Rose was surprised they’d noticed, given all the other strange activities she’d already seen in the few hours they’d been in the French Quarter since arriving in New Orleans earlier that afternoon. “I know, honey, and I’m sorry. We’ll find another psychic tomorrow. I promise. She’ll be even better.”
Her friend crossed her arms.
“I’m sorry I had a vision and ruined everything.”
Neely Kate’s face softened. “It’s not your fault, Rose.”
“I know, but I still ruined it for you. Not to mention I think someone’s gonna rob Serafine and she won’t listen to my warning.”
Neely Kate’s mouth pursed in irritation. “Well, serves her right, then. Let’s go.”
She let Rose drag her back to the hotel, and while her anger had faded during the five-block walk, it still simmered beneath the surface. When Rose shut the door behind them, Neely Kate pulled out her phone. “That woman ripped me off and I’m not going to stand for it.”
“What are you doing?” Rose asked as she pulled up a number on her phone.
Neely Kate’s gaze jerked up, putting her hand on her hip with an indignant glare. “I’m getting justice, that’s what I’m doing.” She held the phone up to her ear and was silent for a long moment, then she broke loose. “Madame Serafine, you stole my money! I don’t know how you do things here in the fancy city, but in Henryetta, Arkansas, that makes you a crook. We don’t stand for that nonsense and know how to take care of people like you. I’m staying at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel and I’m giving you until tomorrow morning to
do the right thing and pay me back. Leave my money at the front desk or I’ll be forced to do something neither one of us wants.” She hung up, blowing a long breath out of her mouth.
Rose unsuccessfully tried to hide her amused smirk. Neely Kate usually settled down once she got something off her chest, but was fun to watch while she was spewing. “Do you feel better now?”
“No…I don’t know.”
“Well, I know what will make you feel better. Room service.”
A grin spread across Neely Kate’s face. “I’ve never had room service before.”
“Me neither, but Mason insisted we order it while we’re here.”
Neely Kate flopped down on the bed. “Did I ever mention how much I like your boyfriend?”
Rose blushed, thinking about the send-off Mason gave her that morning. “I’m kind of fond of him myself.”
“Did you ever figure out what he’s doing in Little Rock?”
Rose’s smile faded. “No, but I’m smart enough to know that this trip for you and me wasn’t just an early Christmas present. He wanted me out of Henryetta while he’s up in Little Rock doin’ whatever he’s doing. The fact that he didn’t want me to tell anyone, even my own sister, is pretty suspicious.”
“We’ll figure it out. We’ve figured out two mysteries in Fenton County in less than a month. We’re on a roll… We should start our own detective agency.” She picked up the room service menu. “Ronnie Junior is starving. Let’s order.”
The two women ordered jambalaya and crawfish étouffée with an order of beignets on the side. They were exhausted from their day, so they called it an early night. Rose called Mason while Neely Kate slept in the other bed. He still refused to tell her what he was doing, stating that it was official business relating to his assistant district attorney position in Fenton County, but Rose suspected otherwise.
When Rose woke the next morning, she blinked in confusion. She wasn’t in her own room, and she heard loud banging on the door.
“Open up!” a man shouted.
Neely Kate sat upright. “Who’s that? Did Mason’s credit card not work?”
“There’s nothing wrong with Mason’s card,” Rose mumbled, climbing out of bed and padding to the door. “I’m sure it’s a misunderstanding.”
She peered through the peephole, and a man in a shirt and tie with a tan jacket stood on the other side.
He pounded again, his face contorting with impatience.
“Who is it?” Rose shouted through the door.
He held up his wallet, flashing a badge. “Detective Savoy, open up.”
Rose’s hand flew to her chest, and she fumbled with the lock before opening the door.
Neely Kate stood behind her, grabbing Rose’s arm.
The detective eyed both women, stuffing his wallet back into his pants pocket. “Ms. Colson?” he asked drily.
“That’s me,” Neely Kate squeaked, trying to peek around her.
“I need you to get dressed and come down to the station for questioning.”
Rose stepped in front of her friend, shielding her from the detective. “What on earth for?”
“The murder of Serafine Saint Cerano.”
Rose cringed. Oh, crappy doodles.
Chapter Three
A New Orleans detective pounding on your door first thing in the morning was never a good thing. It was even worse when you hadn’t actually gone to bed until an hour before the excessive knocking. Taylor had barely gotten the door and her eyes open before the dour-looking middle-aged man flashed his badge and told her he was taking her downtown for a talk.
Her first thought was that Helena had done something illegal that had led back to Taylor, but when Detective Savoy spit out “murder” her eyes popped open. When he added “Serafine Saint Cerano” to the statement, her pulse shot into aerobic zone. Death hadn’t even entered her realm of possibilities.
Taylor requested some time to put on street clothes and invited Detective Savoy in to wait. Helena was standing in her bedroom, her eyes wide. “Did he say that psychic woman was murdered?” she asked.
Taylor nodded.
“Why does he want to question you?”
“Probably because I was one of the last people who saw her alive,” Taylor whispered as she pulled on jeans and a shirt. “Our appointment was close to closing, remember?”
“But you didn’t kill anyone.”
“I know that, but I don’t think the detective is going to take my word for it and let me go back to bed.” She tugged on her tennis shoes and laced them up.
“I’m going with you.”
“Damn straight you are. I want to know what the detective says when I’m not around.”
“I’ll need to change clothes.”
Taylor started to protest that no one else could see her, but that argument fell on deaf ears every time. Besides, the Grinch pajamas the ghost currently sported were meant for a far younger, thinner person. She looked up from tying her shoes and saw Helena’s newest creation. She’d ditched the tinsel and was now dressed like the original Sherlock Holmes, complete with long coat, hat, pipe, and magnifying glass. Except Helena had kept her nod to the holidays and the entire outfit was red and green. It was beyond garish, but as it was also the most coverage Taylor had ever seen on the ghost, she simply gave an internal sigh of relief.
“Let’s get this over with,” she said and left the bedroom, Helena trailing behind her.
The ride to the police station was a short and silent one…at least as far as Detective Savoy was concerned. Helena babbled the entire way, mostly worried about what would happen to her if Taylor went to prison for murder. She didn’t seem to grasp that Taylor would be in a far worse position as she wasn’t capable of walking through walls like Helena.
Taylor was almost relieved when they pulled up in front of the police station and walked inside. At least Helena stopped talking. Detective Savoy led her inside and motioned to an officer at one of the front desks. “Put her in one of the interrogation rooms. I’ll be there in a minute.”
The officer nodded and motioned for Taylor to follow him. Taylor shot a look at Helena and she set off behind Detective Savoy. Taylor wound through the mass of metal desks and followed the officer down a narrow hallway, where he pushed open a door and pointed inside. Taylor stepped into the room and the door slammed shut behind her. That’s when she realized the room wasn’t empty.
On the other side of a table sat two young women. They were both medium height and build, one with long brown hair and the other with a mass of blond hair that looked like it belonged in Texas rather than Louisiana. They both looked oddly familiar, but for the life of her, Taylor couldn’t place them.
“Hey! I’ve seen you before,” the blonde said. “You ran out of Madame Serafine’s shop while we were paying.”
Taylor nodded as it clicked into place. She’d barely glanced at them, but she remembered two women standing at the counter when she’d hurried out. Her subconscious mind must have locked in on more details than she could recall.
“I’m Neely Kate Colson,” the blonde said, “and this is Rose Gardner.”
“Taylor Beaumont.”
Neely Kate cocked her head and lifted her eyebrows with a scrutinizing gaze. “So did you kill her?”
“What?” Taylor stared. “No, of course not. Did you?”
Rose put her hand on Neely Kate’s arm. “You have to excuse my friend. Sometimes she’s a bit too direct. She tends to say whatever she’s thinkin’.”
“That’s okay,” Taylor said. “I prefer direct.”
“Good,” Neely Kate said. “We didn’t kill her either, but I still want a refund since she didn’t finish my readin’. Now that she’s dead, I’m probably not gonna get it.”
Rose’s eyes widened. “Neely Kate, that poor woman is dead and you’re still complainin’ about a refund?”
“Why didn’t she finish your reading?” Taylor asked.
Neely Kate glanced at Rose, who had a flash of
guilt cross her face. “I don’t know. She got this irritated and kind of spooked look, then kicked us out.”
Taylor frowned. Certainly Serafine had been unnerved by seeing Helena. Who wouldn’t be? But the two girls’ expressions led Taylor to believe there was more to the story than they were saying. She was about to push them for information when the door flew open and Detective Savoy strode in, the officer who’d led Taylor to the room right behind him.
“What the hell!” Detective Savoy stared at all of them, then whirled around to glare at the other officer. “Why did you put them in the room together? I swear to God, you shouldn’t be allowed to carry a fake badge, much less a real one.”
“I didn’t know the others—” the officer started.
Detective Savoy waved a hand in dismissal. “Get out.”
The officer didn’t even hesitate before turning around and bolting out of the room. That’s when Taylor realized why Detective Savoy’s name sounded familiar. Her friend with the district attorney’s office talked about him sometimes, and it was never complimentary, and her work had crossed paths with his once before, even though they’d never met.
Detective Savoy narrowed his eyes at them. “Since you’ve all had a chance to chat, I might as well question you together. Sit.” He pointed at Taylor. She pulled a chair out and sat down across from Rose. The detective pulled the remaining chair to the end of the table and placed a folder in front of him before sitting.
He stared at them without speaking for so long that Taylor was about to request he get on with it. Then the door opened and another officer stuck his head in and nodded. Detective Savoy glanced at them and opened his folder.
“You were all at Madame Serafine’s shop last night. And don’t bother denying it. We have a credit card receipt for one of you and the clerk just ID’d you all.”
Taylor felt a sliver of fear run through her. She’d hoped the detective only wanted to question her to get information, but it was sounding less like he thought they knew something and more like he wanted to pin the murder on one of them.
Detective Savoy pointed at Neely Kate. “Let’s start with you. That was an interesting message you left for Madame Serafine. You accused her of stealing from you and demanded she leave the money at your hotel or she’d pay. Well, she paid.”
