He was looking more nervous by the minute. And he was making me nervous. Given the events of the morning, I wasn’t in great shape to begin with. “David … get to the point.”
He took a deep breath. “A few people at the firm have received death threats.”
“Whaat?” I almost choked on my hunk of buttered roll. “What kind of threats?”
He hurried to explain. “I thought if you were here, you maybe could—”
“And you didn’t think it was necessary to tell me this?” I squeaked. Hadn’t I just questioned him about the firm?
“I know. I’m sorry. I really am. I was just waiting for an opportune moment, but … That’s why I feel so bad now.”
“Was Jack one of those people?”
David nodded.
“I hope you told the police.”
“I made a report at the time, or rather the people who got those nasty things did. They came to me about it, so I made sure there was something official on file.”
“I meant today. Did you tell Sergeant Sullivan about this?”
“Yes. Of course,” David replied in a defensive tone. “Three people got them. All in litigation. Jack was the first, then Ira, and then Suzanne. They were found in their office mail, in a plain envelope with just a name on the front. No postmark, no indication of where they came from.”
“What did they say?”
“One said, ‘You will pay for what you’ve done.’ Another was ‘Prepare to die.’ The third one …” David’s hands were shaking. “I don’t remember right now.” He took a long sip of his drink. “They were put together with letters cut out of magazines. The police have them now. No fingerprints, no indication how they got into the firm. No one in reception remembered receiving them. I should have taken it more seriously, Julia. If I had, Jack might still be alive.”
“No. That’s crazy. You can’t beat yourself up. You did what you thought was right at the time.” Except not telling me about it. “How does the mail come in?”
“We have a service that picks up from the post office and delivers. Hand deliveries come through the main reception on the 40th floor. They’re all supposed to be logged in. But there’s nothing to indicate these envelopes arrived that way.”
“What makes you think there were only three?”
David looked up suddenly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” I said, leaning across the table, “maybe other people received weird threats and didn’t say anything.”
David looked puzzled. “But why wouldn’t they?”
I shrugged. “Maybe they’re too freaked out. Maybe they laughed and dismissed it. Who knows?”
“Oh … this is going to sound pretty stupid, but I honestly never thought about that. But what could I do? I couldn’t just casually ask everyone who works at the firm, ‘By the way, has your life been threatened?’ Wouldn’t that be just dandy for office morale!”
“I see your point.” The waiter arrived with a tray and deftly placed our dishes on the table. I sprinkled salt and a few drops of dressing over my salad. “Is the mailroom locked?”
“It is now. It wasn’t before. Three people work there. There’s Steve and Joey. They’re full-time, and Monica. She’s a college student who comes in during the afternoons to help them out. We never used to lock that room. It’s right off the lobby on the 40th floor, and everyone in the firm has always had access to it, plus a lot of the copy services and delivery people have been allowed in there to carry in boxes and whatnot.” David shook a napkin out and placed it on his lap. “That’s all changed now. No one is allowed in except those three people. Messengers have to wait in the lobby until someone from the mailroom can meet them. No one from the outside or inside, for that matter, has any access now. There haven’t been any more of those letters since.”
“What about the three who work there? What do you think of them?”
“They’re great, they’re all great. The two guys have worked here for a long time, Monica for a couple of years. I can’t imagine any of them doing anything like that. Besides, the police questioned them at the time.” David rubbed his hands over his temples. “Julia, listen, I still feel bad about dragging you into this mess. Maybe you should reconsider. I think it’d be better if you didn’t come back tomorrow.”
“What are you talking about?” I bristled. “If the people who regularly work here can come in, then I can show up too. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
David looked exhausted from the shock of the morning’s events. “You know, I should have called you for a reading when this first happened. You were right. Could I impose on you now?”
“Of course. When?”
“How ’bout this afternoon?”
His request took me by surprise, but under the circumstances I could certainly understand. I knew he was heading toward a difficult time. I mentally reviewed the work piled up on my desk but decided everything was under control and a few things could wait. “Okay. How about five o’clock? That’ll give me some time to get home and have a look at your chart.”
David had been as hard-nosed and unmetaphysical as anyone could be when I first met him. He used to laugh at my pursuits. That had all changed when his college-aged son dropped out of school. He and his wife Caroline were beside themselves. They’d groomed their son for law school and were upset by his rebellion. I’d volunteered to have a look at the boy’s chart and offered the opinion that his true talent was music. It wasn’t at all what they’d wanted to hear, but they finally allowed their son to transfer to a well-known music school and, since then, their son had been performing and working steadily, and was quite happy. David and Caroline eventually became believers in the benefits of astrology.
“Can I at least drive you home?” he asked.
“Oh, no. Not necessary. Thanks, though.” I knew David was heading up to Russian Hill, so 30th Avenue would be out of his way. “There’s something I’d like to do, now that I’m downtown and have a little time.”
“Julia, my apologies. I’ve been thoughtless. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own problems, I haven’t even had a chance to ask how you’re doing.” I knew he was referring to Michael even though he didn’t say it.
“I’m okay. Really.” I hesitated. “I’d like to say I never have any bad moments or bad dreams, but … there are actually days now when I don’t think about all of that. Then sometimes a memory comes up and it still feels like a knife in my heart.” David was silent. “But, all in all, I’m doing well. I have good friends. I’m very busy and happy with the work I have, so there are blessings I’m grateful for.”
“The police never found the driver?”
I grimaced. “Nope.”
“I’m sorry … I don’t mean to bring up the past.”
“It’s a natural question. Anybody would want some kind of resolution. Especially me.”
“Are you seeing anyone now?” David asked.
I laughed. “No. Although I can admit to a couple of dismal dates. A well-meaning friend and my grandmother twisted my arm.” Our waiter arrived to take our dishes away.
“Sure you won’t change your mind about that ride?”
“No, really. I’ll see you at five.”
five
At the corner of Montgomery and Sutter, David headed back to the office building to retrieve his car and I turned in the other direction, toward North Beach and the Mystic Eye. I was hoping to catch Gale at the shop. Gale’s first career had been in real estate—she was very good at it and had made quite a lot of money. Then she branched out and started her first business venture with the Mystic Eye. Since then, her shop has become the most popular metaphysical store in the city. The Eye carries a wide range of books on occult subjects, jewelry, accessories, Tarot cards, candles, herbs, and gifts. Something for every taste and belief. Gale isn’t much of a believer in the occult, but it’s t
hanks to her I’ve collected an impressive astrological library.
Tonight she was hosting an exhibition for a new artist at the Fort Mason Center, a group of buildings at the water’s edge in the Marina District with a long and interesting history. The original fortifications date back to 1776, and after the great quake of 1906, the tidal cove was reclaimed and the boxy buildings that stand today were erected. Fort Mason is hardly an architectural wow, but it’s a national landmark, now put to good use for nonprofit businesses, galleries, and theatres. I had promised to attend, and hoped to catch up with Gale to see if she needed any help preparing for the evening’s event.
The streets of the financial district were virtually deserted now that the lunch rush was over. An elderly black man stood at the corner playing a saxophone, his case open to accept donations. The wind had abated and his doleful notes echoed off the buildings. I rummaged in my purse and dropped a couple of dollars in his case. He nodded and continued to play, his music trailing me as I walked on.
The intersection of Broadway and Columbus is the heart of North Beach. The neighborhood isn’t a beach, but nothing in the city is very far from the ocean or the bay. Italian immigrants coming west settled here and created a unique neighborhood, now a major tourist stop full of clubs, cafes, and restaurants. I hurried across the busy intersection to reach the Mystic Eye. I spotted our friend Cheryl in one of the display windows, arranging gargoyles, Tarot cards, books, and crystal balls against an artful backdrop of draped velvet. Cheryl manages the shop and can be found there most days, especially when Gale is busy with other things. I tapped on the glass. She looked up and waved. I waved back and entered the store.
The aroma of sandalwood filled the shop. A small fountain gurgled and heavy drapes muted the noise of the traffic. The Mystic Eye was an oasis of calm in the hubbub of the city.
“Julia! Hi. Didn’t know you were coming by today.” Cheryl extricated herself from the window platform and climbed down on a short step stool. “What are you up to?”
“Well … you remember this is the week I promised David, my old boss, I’d fill in.”
“Oh, that’s right. I forgot.”
“Dere she is!” A booming voice came from the back of the shop. “A sight for sore eyes!”
It was Nikolai, a friend and one of the Eye’s loyal customers, who was known primarily for his regular appearances on a community access station exorcising demons from the bodies of attractive young women.
Charging down the aisle, Nikolai grabbed my hand and kissed it. “You look vonderful.” A crafty look came into his eyes. “A new man?”
I shook my head.
“You sure? I could svear. But dat’s good news. I still have a chance.”
“You’re such a flirt, Nikolai! What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I vant to check the space out. You know I’m doing a presentation here on Halloween, at the open house.”
“Oh, I didn’t know. What sort of presentation?” I’d heard Gale was throwing a party late Saturday afternoon at the shop with snacks and music, and that she’d encouraged guests to attend in costume. “I know Zora will be here for psychic readings and Jonathan will be doing Tarot.”
“Yes, yes.” Nikolai waved dismissively. “All dat’s nice, but I’m planning someting very special. You’ll see. It’s a surprise, I not telling anyone.”
I glanced at Cheryl, who widened her eyes to indicate her trepidation over Nikolai’s plan.
He bowed. “Excuse please, darling ladies. I must go now. I will see you both Saturday.”
As soon as the door closed behind him, I turned to Cheryl. “You have no idea what he’s going to do?”
“Nope. Gale just threw up her hands. She loves Nikolai. I mean, how bad can it be?”
“Nothing wrong with an exorcism on Halloween,” I replied drily.
“Come on outside.” Cheryl grabbed my arm. “I’m still fussing with that window. Let’s see what it looks like from the sidewalk.” We stepped outside and took a critical look. “What do you think?” Cheryl asked.
“I …” I felt a tickle run up my spine. I had the distinct impression we were being watched. I turned quickly, having half caught a reflection of movement in the glass. But when I looked across the street, no one stood out. I shook myself. Nerves. The sidewalk was crowded with pedestrians shopping at the outdoor Chinese market and passing the Wah Fong Hotel. No one had taken the slightest notice of us.
“What’s wrong?” Cheryl asked.
“Uh … nothing. I was imagining things. I just had a strange feeling.” Cheryl turned to follow my gaze. “It’s not important.”
“Well?” she said impatiently. “What do you think of the window?”
I gave her my full attention. “It looks fantastic.”
“Come on inside. I want to show you something. I have an idea and I’d like your opinion.” We stepped into the shop and Cheryl headed down the aisle, past the display cases of jewelry and rows of bookshelves and into the storeroom. She pulled a large cardboard box from a shelf. “I want to do a sort of pagan Halloween or Samhain theme in the windows. Gale reminded me we had these Venetian masks back here.” Cheryl pulled off the top of the box. Inside were six bundles, all wrapped in white cloth. She unfolded the first and held up a gold-painted female face draped in black lace, with a headdress of long feathers. “What do you think?”
“Wow! Is that the real thing?”
Cheryl smiled. “All the way from Venezia. One of Gale’s trips there.” She placed the first mask on the shelf and reached for another one. Once again she unwrapped the cloth and held the mask up for me. A face in cured brown leather and horns, neither human nor animal, stared back at me. I shivered involuntarily. Something about the mask reminded me of Jack Harding. “What do you think?”
“Definitely creepy.”
“Maybe I can use these against the backdrop of velvet with those big jack-o’-lanterns. They have small bulbs inside, so I can light them up at night. I really want the windows to look dramatic. Hey, want a coffee? It’s quiet right now.”
I nodded and followed Cheryl to the tiny lunch room. She filled the electric kettle with water and plugged it in. “You know, I love interior decorating magazines, and when I was a kid, I used to fall in love with department store windows.”
I laughed. “With your nose pressed against the glass, I’ll bet.”
“That was me. I thought a job like that would be wonderful. And now I have one!” Cheryl’s face was alight.
It was nice to see my friend so happy. Her divorce from her cheating ex-husband had gone through a few months earlier, and Gale had helped her buy an apartment near the Bay with her settlement. “How’s the new house coming along?” I asked.
“It’s coming. Slowly. I’m just kind of afraid to spend money right now. I still feel like I’m getting used to everything, being on my own and a homeowner and all. I’m scared to charge anything or go into debt, so I’ve been collecting things from garage sales and thrift shops. But it’s very homey. At least I think so. I want you and Gale to come to dinner some night. Would you like that?”
“I’d love to, and I’ll bring a housewarming present too. Let me know what kinds of things you can use, okay?”
Cheryl poured boiling water through the coffee filter. The aroma of rich ground beans filled the air. As if she could read my mind, she said, “I got this blend from Giovanni’s over on Green Street. He has the best.”
“Oh, before I forget, are you free Thursday night?” I inquired. “We’re getting together for Gloria’s birthday. Gale’s invited too, as soon as I can reach her. Kuan’s made a reservation at the Asia Inn.”
“I’d love to. Yes, I’ll come. Your grandmother’s such a sweetheart and I still haven’t met Kuan. I just keep hearing about him. What can I get her for a present?”
“Don’t buy a thing, just bring yourself. A
nd you’ll love Kuan.” Kuan Lee is my grandparents’ old friend who lives in the first floor apartment of my grandmother’s house in Castle Alley. He practices Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and I’ve benefitted from his talents many times. I think of him as my surrogate grandfather.
“Speaking of getting together, you haven’t forgotten about Gale’s art show tonight?”
“No.” I cringed. “Are you kidding me? She’d never forgive me.”
“Me neither. I’m closing the shop at six so I have enough time to go home and get all dolled up.” Cheryl pulled a pitcher of half-and-half out of the tiny refrigerator and passed it across the table. “So what are you up to today?”
I sighed. “Well … it’s been a pretty chaotic morning.” I filled her in on the discovery of Jack Harding’s body at the firm.
“You are kidding me!”
“I wish I were.”
Cheryl squinted her eyes. “Didn’t you once tell me about him? What an ass he was? And how awful he was to everyone? Is that the same guy?”
“One and the same.”
“Somebody really didn’t like him.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Will your name be in the papers again?”
“Oh, I didn’t even think about that.” Cheryl was referring to my fifteen minutes of fame last year when I’d been credited with rescuing an elderly woman from an abusive religious cult. “I certainly hope not. And I really doubt it, but it does bring up another issue. David’s going to have to think about the press and damage control.”
“Yeah, I agree. An attorney murdered in his office wouldn’t exactly engender client trust, now would it?”
“I’ll have to talk to him about that. He’s stopping by my apartment later today for a reading.”
Tail of the Dragon Page 3
