Six Times a Charm

by Deanna Chase

  “Yes.” I grabbed my purse and followed her to a sleek Toyota Prius. “Love your car.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Did you manufacture the purple gas, or…?”

  Bea smiled. “No dear, I just fixed it so you could see it. It wasn’t gas, it was her aura.”

  “And you did something to make me see it? How does that work?” I squinted as her white light grew brighter, making my eyes water. “Stop. I’m going blind over here.”

  The light faded to more of a soft glow. “Auras feed off energy, and mine is pretty strong after all these years. I can enhance them. Only people with gifts like ours can see them. You just needed a little help.”

  Gifts like ours. Maybe lunch wasn’t such a great idea.

  Bea slowed in front of a large Greek revival home in the Garden District, complete with a black iron gate. She hit a remote attached to her visor, and the gates swung open.

  “You live here?” I gaped.

  She nodded and turned into the circular driveway, passed the main house and pulled up to what is known as a carriage house. In a previous life it would have housed horses and a carriage. She pointed. “This is where I live. The property is family-owned, and my cousins live in the house. I prefer a little privacy.”

  Following her up the walkway, I breathed in the sweet fragrance from the lush gardens. “This is paradise.”

  “As close as I’m going to get I suspect.” She unlocked the door. “Come in.”

  The inviting pale yellow room had a garden stenciled on one wall and traditional antique furniture. A table sat off to the left in front of a smallish kitchen painted bright white, with glass cabinets.

  “It’s gorgeous,” I said.

  Thank you, I painted it myself.” She nodded toward the garden stencil. “Are you hungry?”

  “Very. Let me help you.”

  “No need. I have a salad made up. I just need to dish it out on plates. Why don’t you go outside and enjoy this lovely day on the porch?” She gestured to a door off the back of the kitchen. “I’ll be right out.”

  The porch was screened in with three large ceiling fans, a must for the heavy summer heat. I sat admiring the small garden and smiled when I noticed a beautiful golden retriever curled up in a patch of shade.

  In no time Bea emerged with a large tray of salads and freshly squeezed lemonade.

  “This looks wonderful. Thank you,” I said.

  “You’re welcome. Thanks for coming to visit. I have wanted to talk with you for a while now.” She took a slice of bread.

  “What about?”

  She forced a smile. “My brother.”

  I furrowed my eyebrows together. “Your brother?”

  She nodded, her smile still plastered on her face. “Yes. I wanted to know how he’s been treating you.”

  Putting down my fork, I stared at her. “Who’s your brother?”

  “Robert Wilson. Or Bobby is what I called him.” Bea’s smile faded into a sad wistful expression.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know a Robert or a Bobby.” I had no idea where she was going with this. Maybe she was confused.

  “You do. You just didn’t know that’s his name.”

  “Who are you talking about?”

  She picked up her lemonade glass, took a long sip and carefully placed it on the table. “Have you ever known a ghost before, Jade?”

  A shiver shook my body as her words sunk in. “Known? No, but I’ve seen one.”

  Bea nodded. She held her hand up indicating I should wait and then disappeared into her house. She returned, holding a silver picture frame. “Do you recognize this man?”

  I gasped. “That’s my ghost.” I took the frame from her, studying it in detail. There he was. My Mr. Sexy, standing next to a much younger-looking Bea. “When was this taken?”

  “Over thirty years ago.” Her eyes stayed on the picture. “That was just before he died.”

  “Thirty years ago,” I said in a soft voice. I looked up. “How did you know?”

  Her eyes rose to mine. “Bobby followed you out of the Herbal Connection that day you came in.”

  Setting the frame on the table, I leaned back. “He followed me?” My eyebrows raised in disbelief.

  “Yes. I knew right away you had a gift. I just wasn’t sure what it was.”

  “You think ghosts are my gift?” Maybe she didn’t know about my other talent.

  “Oh, it’s one of them, but not the main one.” Her smile returned, only this time it looked natural.

  “And?”

  Ignoring my question, she picked up the photo. “Is he treating you well?”

  “Um, he’s been…interesting.” How could I tell her about what he did to Pyper? Or me, for that matter.

  “Interesting?”

  I shook my head. “Never mind. Why did he follow me?”

  “Because of your energy, of course.” She said it as if talking to a simpleton.

  Like that cleared things up. “Has he done this before?”

  “No. For thirty years he’s been a presence in my life as a spirit. Mostly he hung out at the shop, as he seemed to enjoy the interaction with people. That day you walked in I knew you were special, but when Bobby followed you out…well, I just needed to find out more about you.”

  “And that’s why you signed up for my class?” I asked, making the belated connection.

  “Yes.”

  “I thought it was a bit of a coincidence.” I glanced at the photo again. “Why me? I’ve never collected a ghost before.”

  “Well,” Bea paused, “As I said your energy probably attracted him.”

  “But—”

  “And the way you look.”

  “The way I look?” I frowned.

  Bea got up. “I’ll be right back.” She disappeared into the house.

  I set my fork down, pushed the plate away and got up to pace the garden. Why did the ghost choose me? Surely I wasn’t the only one with interesting energy to ever walk into the Herbal Connection. Was there something about my particular ability that attracted him? Rounding a corner, I eyed the large golden retriever bounding up to me.

  “Hi, cutie pie.” I smiled and reached down to pet it. Just as I thought I would connect with its head, it vanished. “What the hell?” I jumped up, looking around.

  “What is it?” Bea came around the hedge.

  “Where did the dog go?”

  “What dog?” Bea frowned.

  “The golden retriever,” I said still searching.

  “You saw a golden retriever?”

  I nodded.

  “Oh wow.” Bea grinned.

  “Wow, what? What the hell is going on?” Agitation took over.

  Bea waved me over. “Come back to the table. I have something to show you.”

  As I reclaimed my seat she handed me another old photo in a silver frame. “Take a look at this.”

  “Oh my God! Who is this?” I pointed to the strawberry blonde woman standing next to Bobby.

  “It’s a remarkable likeness, isn’t it?”

  I gaped.

  “That was his wife,” Bea said.

  “Was his wife? Is she—”

  “She’s still living, but she moved up north years ago. After Bobby died, she couldn’t stand being here, so she moved to be closer to her family. I haven’t talked to her in years. But you look just like her.”

  “I guess that explains why he attached himself to me.” I felt downright creepy now. Visions of our nightly encounters flashed through my mind. Ick. He thought I was someone else.

  “Now look at this.” She handed me another photo. This one showed Bobby a few years younger and a dog. A golden retriever.

  “No way.” I set the picture down.

  “I’d say it has to be him. His name was Duke, and he belonged to Bobby.”

  “Have you seen him lurking around?”

  “No. Never.” She shrugged. “But they lived in the big house, not this one.”

  I got up and moved aroun
d the hedge. The golden retriever was sitting exactly where I’d seen him before he vanished. “Heya, Duke.” The large golden dog lifted his head in response. “So it’s true.” How freaking odd! Just then my pants started to vibrate. I jumped, forgetting I’d set my phone on vibrate before class started. “Oh crap.” I laughed and pulled it out of my pocket. “Excuse me a moment.”

  Bea nodded.

  I strode across the lawn. “Hello.”

  “Hey, girlfriend,” Kat said. “Long time no see.”

  “Hey, yourself. Phone tag was getting old. Where are you?”

  “Whole Foods, where are you?”

  “At Bea Kelton’s house in the Garden District.”

  “Who?” she asked.

  “A student. She owns the Herbal Connection and asked me for lunch.”

  “That’s, cool. I called because I wanted your help with something. What are you doing later?”

  “I was planning a nice long soak in my tub.” I eyed Duke as he moseyed up to me.

  “Do you think you can put it off? I need something special for an order, and I want to raid your bead stash.” Kat was a silversmith and periodically bought glass beads for her jewelry line.

  “Sure. I don’t know when I’ll be home, though. I’ll need to get a ride from Bea.”

  “You’re on my way. I can pick you up.”

  “Perfect.” I walked back to Bea, relayed the address and sat down at the table. “My friend Kat is on her way. I hope that’s okay.”

  “Of course.”

  I pushed the lettuce around on my plate and for the first time that afternoon I realized I wasn’t getting any of her emotions.

  “Bea, what is it about this place? It’s…different.” I wasn’t sure what to say. I was seeing ghosts, and my emotional radar was out. Not that I minded. It was kind of nice to not be tuned in.

  “It’s a protection ward. I like the silence.”

  Uh, okay. A protection ward. She had to be a paranoid witch. I started to get really uncomfortable. I’d known plenty of witches, and they scared the crap out of me. And for good reason. They were the reason I’d lost my mom.

  “What’s wrong?” Bea peered at me.

  “Nothing. I just—wait, can you see Duke?” The retriever had moved and was currently sitting next to me.

  “No. Is he here?” she asked, looking around.

  “Yes.” I pointed to my feet, then looked up and swallowed. “And now Bobby is sitting next to you.” Did he follow me everywhere? This was too weird.

  She turned to the empty chair and chanted something under her breath I didn’t understand. The warm air chilled, and Bea’s anxious excitement washed over me. Bobby’s outline grew stronger. The golden retriever bounded up to him, tongue wagging. He reached down to pet him with a grin on his face.

  I jumped again when the phone started vibrating.

  “Kat?”

  “I’m out front. Are you ready?”

  “Yes, I’ll be right there.” Flipping the phone closed, I turned to Bea. “My friend is here.”

  Disappointment swirled around her, but her smile didn’t waiver. “Of course.”

  I took a deep breath. “Before I go, there’s something I have to ask.”

  She sat up and nodded.

  “Does Bobby have any history of violence?”

  Her brow creased. Defensiveness crept into her voice. “No. Not ever. Why would you ask that?”

  Closing my eyes, I forced the words out. “He’s been hurting my friend, Pyper. It happens in her sleep unless she’s near me.”

  Fierce denial engulfed me, squeezing until I sputtered, “Bea, stop. Please.”

  Her energy vanished. Gooseflesh popped out on my bare arms. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice stiff. “I have trouble believing Bobby would ever hurt anyone.”

  I stood on shaking legs. “Thank you for having me and telling me about him.”

  She stared across the yard with unfocused eyes. After a moment she spoke in a detached eerie tone. “I sense the truthfulness of your words, though what you believe to be true doesn’t make it so.” She turned back to me. Her expression cleared. “Please ask your friend if we can meet. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “I will. I’ll call you tonight. Thank you.” I gave her a tentative wave as I crossed the yard, making a beeline for Kat’s car.

  “Thank God you’re here. That place was starting to freak me out,” I said, jumping into the passenger side.

  “Why?” Kat put the car in gear and drove off.

  “She’s a witch.”

  “Really? Did she tell you that?” Kat glanced my way.

  “Not in so many words, but she lifted a ward. I know she has some kind of special powers, but we didn’t talk about it.” I flipped the visor down to cut out the sun. My eye caught something in the rearview mirror. I groaned.

  “What?” Kat asked.

  “I just inherited a ghost dog.” Duke was in the back seat, his head hanging out the window.

  ***

  “So, you’re saying Ms. Kelton’s dead golden retriever followed you home?” Kat sat cross-legged on the hardwood, pawing through my bead stash. Since I didn’t have a dining table, I’d spread out half a dozen trays right there on the floor. She set a few aside and cocked an eyebrow.

  “Not exactly,” I said as Duke staked out a place on the couch.

  “Not exactly? Do you mean you dognapped him?” The incredulous look on her face suggested she thought I was joking.

  “No, he jumped in the car, and you drove him here. He followed us up the stairs.”

  “Are you even allowed pets?” She laughed.

  “Ha-ha. Very funny.” Frowning, I grabbed a beer and slammed the refrigerator door.

  “Oh come on, it was a little funny. Do I get one of those?” She tilted her head toward my Guinness.

  I shrugged, stepped out onto my balcony and sat down. Leaning back in my chair, I sighed heavily.

  Kat appeared with a beer in her hand. “What is it?” She pulled a chair next to mine.

  My eyes filled. I tried to blink back the tears. Breathing deeply, the air came in ragged, short spurts. “Oh, Kat,” I whispered as tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

  She shifted and her reassuring hand closed over mine. “It’s okay, sweetie,” she murmured. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “There’s just so much going on. I don’t think I can handle much more.” I sniffled loudly. “And, now I have a ghost dog!”

  Kat squeezed my fingers. “It’ll be okay. Bea said she’d help. At least now you know who you’re dealing with and why he’s attached to you. And a ghost dog is really a great thing, the way I see it.”

  “Huh?”

  “Well, it’s a golden, and you love goldens. With a ghost dog, you don’t have to feed him, walk him, pick up his shit or even clean up all that hair. You get a companion, and you don’t have to worry about how long you leave it home alone, if it’ll chew your favorite shoes, track dirt in the house, drool on you or get sick. You don’t need a vet or need to register it. Plus, it could still be a guard dog, I suppose. At least, warn you when something isn’t right.”

  My lips quirked as she went on. “Do you suppose he’ll still want play toys? What about treats? You know how much goldens like to eat. Maybe you could get plastic doggie treats. That way he can pretend, and you don’t have food out rotting. He’ll want a doggie bed too, I suppose.”

  I chuckled. “He’s already made himself at home on the couch.”

  “That didn’t take long, did it?” She turned, looking in the window. “Is he on the right side?”

  “Nope, left.”

  “Your couch is sagging then.”

  “Of course it is. It’s used.”

  She smiled. “You’re going to be okay. We’ll call Ian with the new info. He keeps saying if he knew why the ghost was here it would help. Maybe this is the piece of the puzzle he needs to finally get something done.”

  I nodded. “I suppose I should
tell Kane, too.”

  “Why?”

  I shrugged. “Just seems like he should know.”

  Kat got up. “I’m gonna use your bathroom, but when I get back I want the full scoop on Kane. You never gave me all the details.”

  She went back inside while I dialed Ian and left a detailed message about Bobby and why he was stalking me. Afterward, I called Pyper and filled her in. To my relief she offered to relay the information to Kane.

  Then I retrieved Bea’s number and was disappointed when her phone automatically when to voicemail. “Hello, Bea. I’ve talked to Pyper, and we’re both anxious to meet with you as soon as possible.” I left my number and as I put my phone down, Kat reappeared.

  “All right, dish,” she said.

  Obediently, I replayed the gory details of my short affair with Kane.

  “Okay, let me get this straight,” Kat said. “You’re mad at him for invading your dreams?”

  “Yes. Wouldn’t you be?”

  “With the dreams you described?” She laughed. “No.”

  I glared at her in exasperation. “It isn’t the content of the dreams so much as the invasion.”

  “Kind of like how you read his emotions and don’t tell him?” She raised her brows.

  She was right, of course. Hadn’t I already had this same debate with myself? Hearing her say it out loud only made me feel worse.

  “You’re going to tell him, right?” She peered at me.

  I slumped, dejected. “You know why I don’t tell people.”

  “Probably some of the same reasons Kane isn’t eager to share the details of his gift.” Kat leaned back, fingering the top of her beer bottle. “You need to tell him.”

  “But what if—”

  “He’s not Dan. So stop the what-ifs right this instant. You can’t live your life around how Dan acted. Kane is his own person. You should give him the chance. You might be surprised.”

  “But I—”

  “No buts. I know Dan hurt you. But you have to at least accept that part of the blame was yours for not telling him sooner.”

  “He cheated on me!” I said, automatically defaulting to my ingrained indignation of how I’d been wronged even though I knew she was right.

  “He was hurt, Jade.” She took a deep breath. “I know it was wrong. Of course it was. But you kept your gift from him for seven years, if you count the time we were all friends in high school. You’ve known Kane for, what, two weeks? What if this had been happening for years and he never told you? How would you feel?”