Think about it.
Emails like these had been hitting his inbox regularly since Tyler had settled back into his hometown.
An option, maybe a good one. Take a week or so to just breathe before making any more life-altering decisions. Clear his head.
With no more deliberation, he fired off an answer:
You’re right, it’s been way too long and coincidentally, I have some free time starting now if that works for you. I know it’s short notice but I could be there tomorrow.
Tyler’s answer came back quickly.
Tomorrow, then. We’ll be ready for you.
Okay—Reid thought—a little break and then I’ll figure out where to go from here.
***
Tyler Kingsley was feeling that tingle he got when he was onto a good story. He had been friends with Reid Grayson since his first year with the paper. The two had met during Tyler’s investigation into insurance fraud. The story, one of his first assignments, had cemented his position with the paper and his friendship with Reid.
From that day to this, he had never known the man to take a week off. Something was up.
“Hey Jules,” he called out as he tracked her down in the library, “I invited my friend Reid for a visit and he’s somehow managed to clear his schedule.”
For about the hundredth time that day, he knew he loved her madly when she never batted an eye at his springing a friend on her without notice.
“How long is he staying?”
“A week. Where should we put him?”
“How about the room on the other side of your office? Once we dig out some furniture, it’s ready to go and he can use the adjoining bathroom since that’s already finished,” she teased, “If you think you can share it.”
That bathroom was the reason Tyler had chosen the suite as his office space. White subway tiles covering the floor and walls ended just above waist level with a border of round-topped black tile above a thinner, inset border of brilliant turquoise. Above the brilliant white pedestal sink hung a spectacular art deco mirror framed in gleaming chrome and flanked by a pair of matching sconces. All three featured a sleek but angular eagle head motif. Black enameled cabinets were banded in chrome to match the towel bars but Tyler’s favorite thing in the room was the chandelier. Two levels of etched-glass globes rested in a complex series of bars attached to a set of fins that made him think of an airplane propeller. It was both cleanly sleek and ornate at the same time.
The art deco theme carried into the adjoining bedroom and the small sitting room on either side of the bath. Tyler had co-opted the sitting room for his workspace while the bedroom, with its separate entrance remained empty.
When Tyler’s fiancée Julie Hayward had inherited Hayward House from her grandmother, it had needed repairs—a new roof and windows just for a start—too expensive for her budget.
Parts of the house had been emptied and closed off to save heating costs until, spurred on by an incredible series of events, Julie and her friends had located two caches of family valuables hidden years before by her eccentric great grandfather. Now, the new roof was already finished and the windows were being installed at a steady pace to ensure everything would be buttoned up before winter.
Bit by bit, she and Tyler were cleaning and restoring long unused rooms.
While they picked through the two large storage areas for the appropriate furniture, Julie said, “Tell me about Reid.”
“He works for his dad’s insurance company. Huge family expectations, there. He was married but his wife left him and he doesn’t talk about it much. The situation really did a number on him and all he’ll say is how he screwed up the best thing in his life.”
“Sounds sad.” For a moment, she was quiet. “So do we tell him? I mean, what if Grams pops in unexpectedly. Or did you tell him already? After all, he’s going to be visiting what amounts to a haunted house.” Tyler smiled. Resident ghosts Estelle and Julius, Julie’s grandmother and great grandfather, were not exactly high on the spooky scale once you got used to seeing them.
If you saw them at all. Not everyone could.
“I guess we’ll have to evaluate that situation if it arises. I can’t recall ever discussing our mutual belief or disbelief in the afterlife. That’s not the kind of thing that comes up in casual conversation.”
Julie finally located the bed frame with matching nightstands, dresser, and desk that went with that room. This particular furniture would have been among the first items sold next spring toward paying for the repairs on the roof. Now, instead, it would go back into the rooms where it belonged.
It was a sweaty bit of work to wrestle the larger pieces into place; even taken apart, the bed frame was heavy.
“Want me to clear out for the night? I could get together with the girls; tell them we’ve set the wedding date. After all, Christmas is only three months away. We have some planning to do if we are going to pull off a nice, intimate ceremony.”
“No, don’t leave. Invite them all here. I have a feeling it might do him good to be around the group.” The thought had come into his head and now Tyler was sure this was the case.
Estelle, who had violated her granddaughter’s privacy yet again, concentrated on doing two things at once—remaining unseen and using her ghostly wiles to subtly influence Tyler. She felt a little uneasy about planting that suggestion in his mind but it was necessary to move things forward as quickly as possible. Reid coming here was going to touch off some fireworks, might as well light the match sooner rather than later.
Convinced, Julie made calls to the three women she considered next best thing to sisters. If anyone could help her plan a wedding on short notice, they could.
Chapter Three
“I see a little disturbance. Right here,” Amethyst reached into the tourist’s aura, plucked at the strands of light until they settled back into their proper pattern, then waited for the woman to release whatever emotion was tied to the blockage she had just removed.
“My son is driving me nuts. We probably overestimated the allure of autumn foliage for a teenager. All he does is text his friends, act crabby, and sigh; I’m at my wit’s end. We’re headed back home day after tomorrow and this has been the most enjoyable part of the entire trip for me.”
Amethyst smiled. This was an all too common problem. “If you don’t mind a short drive, I have a suggestion that might help. Rock Ridge just put in a zip line attraction. It’s not a super-fast ride but it is one of the longer ones and for a few extra dollars, they fit riders with a helmet camera. It’s popular with the teens because they get to keep the video they made. The wait can be a bit long on the weekends, but there are some perks. Decent shops and something called a Mini Spa where you can get a seated massage while you wait.”
“That sounds perfect. I hope you won’t take offense but when the owner of the RV Park recommended you, I thought he was completely bonkers. And when I got here, even though he had described your place and how you could not see it from the road, I was sure this was going to be a waste of time and money, but I can’t tell you how much better I feel.”
Situated on the lower end of a large lake, Oakville thrived with tourist activity throughout most months of the year. The summer months through autumn were busiest followed by a lull in early winter until the snowmobile, skiing, and ice fishing seasons kicked into full swing. Early spring was nearly dead until fishing season began.
Amethyst had chosen Oakville for several reasons. Mostly because the drive home was just under two hours and the town council, sensing a trend and attempting to emulate the success of places like Sedona, had done a bit of research and determined that the edge of the lake not only rested on the crossing of two ley lines, but was also home to a vortex. Once word got out, an increasing number of energy seekers found their way to the waterside village.
While Amethyst remained skeptical of energy vortexes—that was something she would have to see in order to believe—she also knew it would be foolish to argue
against an increase in business that allowed her to make a living from her unique gift. Following on that success, she launched a series of recorded, guided meditations that she sold both online and locally. Steadily increasing sales created a nice second income.
With minimal living expenses, she was able to send money to her parents and still sock away a portion for savings. Surprised at how quickly it mounted up, she had a tidy sum stashed away already this year. Letting Julie rent the place out for fashion photo shoots only added to her nest egg.
Once the nice tourist had gone, and finished for the day, she still had time for a walk down by the water before meeting her friends at Julie’s house. This time, she vowed not to make any bets with Kat—well, any more bets with Kat. The one made when she had called to finalize arrangements for picking up the blind psychic on her way to Hayward House did not count.
Kat predicted Julie had invited them all over to announce her wedding plans and Amethyst was sure there was a new clue to the mystery of Julie’s hidden family heirlooms. She stuffed a ten-dollar bill in her pocket just in case.
***
Amethyst glanced at her watch. If she left now, she could get to Kat’s house fifteen minutes early. It had been awhile so maybe it was time to ask for a Tarot reading. Walking up to the front door, she smiled as she always did when she saw the sign; Madame Zephyr, Kat’s professional name and one passed down by her grandmother, did not suit her friend at all. It was such a whimsical sounding name for Kathleen whose practicality went bone-deep.
“No, there’s nothing specifically wrong, I’ve just been feeling a little off color lately.” Amethyst explained after asking for the favor.
“So what? Blue instead of purple?” Kat teased.
“Ha-ha. Though, I suppose that phrase coming from me does have some interesting connotations,” Amethyst admitted. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not.” Simply dressed in a sweater over a pair of jeans, her soft, dark hair loose around her face, psychic was not the first word to come to mind when one looked at Kat. Nevertheless, she was a gifted reader and medium.
Kat reached into the cabinet and pulled out a deck of Tarot cards that she rarely used, but this one seemed appropriate to the need. This particular deck provided deeper insight into the seeker’s emotional state, which is what she thought Amethyst required today.
Unwrapping the deck from its cocoon of light blue silk, she handed the cards over to Amethyst and said, “Here, you know the drill. Shuffle them, then cut the deck with your left hand. Take as much time as you need.”
When the deck was back in her hand, she laid out only five cards, face down in a simple cross pattern. Her movements were precise and habitual, ones she practiced so often she could do them in the perpetual darkness that had become her life. Kat was blind.
“The first card will define your attitude and emotions. The second will explain the reason for them. The third predicts future changes. The fourth shows the perceptions of others and the fifth card will tell what you are hiding from yourself. Are you sure you want to proceed?”
“Please—continue.”
“Okay. This first card,” Kat turned the card over and brushed her hand across it; her sensitive fingers reading the bumps of braille stamped along its edge as her eyes gazed blankly forward. “The Hermit, it’s inverted. Normally it indicates a state where the person takes time alone to increase energy; recharge their batteries. But, inverted it means the opposite; that you have been alone too long and too much solitude is draining your energy.”
“Okay, I guess we’re talking relationships here?” Between clients and time spent with friends, the word solitary was not the best one to describe her current lifestyle.
“Right, and with it being one of the major arcana cards, that means the feelings are more intense and you are at a pivot point for change. Then the next card is the Ace of Chalices which indicates a feeling of—you’re not going to like this—but the best word is frailty.”
“I’m small—petite, even—I’m not frail.” Amethyst’s voice, deep for a woman of her slight stature, dripped with scorn. Kat shook her head.
“No, it’s not physical frailty but a state of defensiveness when it comes to admitting your feelings.”
Well, right now, she felt a bit like a bug on a pin, Amethyst shifted in her seat. This reading was hitting a bit too close.
With Julie and Tyler paired up nicely and Gustavia finding love—she could admit it—she felt left out and honestly, just a bit jealous. The one thing she most regretted about her failed marriage was the lack of closure she had allowed herself by walking away without warning. There had been no fighting, no tearful goodbye, no slamming of the door; just some papers in the mail and it was finished.
The third card Kat flipped over was the Nine of Wands. “Well, that’s an interesting card to have in this position. It signifies that in the future, you will lack protection; there will be a situation you cannot handle. At least by yourself, anyway. You will need to ask for help.”
Amethyst bristled at that. She preferred being independent, being the one who helped others, not the other way around.
A tiny smile flirted across Kat’s lips. She knew this was not a card Amethyst wanted to see.
The next position—the one that defined other people’s perceptions—yielded the Ten of Swords. At least it was a positive card. Sort of.
Kat breathed a sigh.
“Ten of Swords means others see you as a person who plans ahead and who is far-sighted and balanced. In other words, if there is negative energy swirling around in your head over something; it is coming from you and not from others.”
Her ears, their hearing sharpened from extra use, caught a faint hum of acceptance, but when Amethyst neglected to elaborate, Kat continued on to reveal the final card in the layout.
The Three of Pentacles. “And finally, the thing you choose not to see is your ability. Or, rather, your ability is the thing you undervalue most.”
Kat reached across the table and Amethyst knew the hand her friend proffered was a show of support rather than sympathy so she met that warm grasp with one of her own. The reading had given her a lot to think about. Then with a cheeky grin, Kat said something slightly shocking. “You’re not the only one who’s jealous of Julie and Gustavia.”
Had she said that out loud? Amethyst didn’t think she had, but maybe. Still, Kat was extremely intuitive so it was no stretch to think she might have picked up on those thoughts.
“I feel like such a jerk,” she admitted. “They both deserve every good thing life has to offer and I want those things for them. But, between you and me, it’s enough already.”
Kat agreed, “I’ve never been on a date in my life—and truth be told? I even envy your failed marriage. Better to have loved and lost—or whatever the saying is—I agree with the sentiment.”
***
“Grams, are you there?” Julie called out. She knew her grandmother was most likely to be found in or near the gazebo, so this was the first place she looked.
Used, by now, to the idea of speaking to ghosts, she didn’t even flinch when Estelle appeared right in front of her.
“I’m here, no need to shout.” Julie smiled at the admonition.
“Sorry. Listen, Tyler invited a friend of his to stay with us for a week. His name is Reid, and he is due to arrive any minute. We haven’t decided if we should tell him about you, so please try not to freak him out.” Grams tended to pop into her former home unannounced. For the sake of privacy, Julie and Tyler had tried to set some boundaries and while Estelle was getting better at remembering to honor their wishes, there were still occasional lapses.
“Should we work out some kind of signal in case I need to talk to you? I’m getting the hang of ringing the doorbell or I could have Julius teach me how to make the lights flicker.”
“If you think you can manage it, the lights would be best. And speaking of my great grandfather, could you pass the news on to him,
please?”
“Of course.” Estelle appeared intrigued by the thought of having someone new in the house. “What was his name again? Do you know anything about his background?”
“His name is Reid Grayson and Tyler has known him for several years. Grams, you know Tyler wouldn’t invite anyone without being completely sure it was safe.”
“Reid Grayson?” Her eyes twinkled. “Well, that’s okay then.”
“Do you know Reid?” Julie tried to imagine how that could be possible.
“Not personally, but I know of him. He’s part of this. In fact, his coming here completes the circle.”
“What circle? You’ve never mentioned anything about a circle. I don’t understand.”
“I know and I’m sorry but…”
Julie interrupted waving her hand to indicate impatience, “Never mind; forget I asked. I should know the drill by now. You aren’t allowed to explain. Is it some ghostly code of conduct where you are only able to give out just enough cryptic bits of information to be annoying? Or, did you develop a twisted sense of humor after you passed?”
“I am sorry, darling girl. Continue on with your wedding planning session, break the news that you’ve set the date and by the end of today, much will be clear.”
“How did you know? We only decided last night.”
“The ways of spirit are mysterious.” Again, that twinkle.
Julie snorted. “Mysterious? Please. You’re not fooling anyone; you were snooping again. We’ve talked about this, Tyler and I need some semblance of privacy.”
An indignant Estelle replied, “I was not snooping. We are given certain bits of information, Julius and I, but only when the powers that be think we need to know.”
“I’m sorry.”
“And you’re forgiven. Now, I must go,” and with that, she faded from view.
Hoping to tell Tyler everything she had just learned, Julie turned and made her way back toward the house. She stepped onto the patio just as Lola streaked out of the woods and around the corner toward the front yard. That could only mean one thing; it was already too late, their guest had arrived. Curiosity had Julie hurrying to meet Reid.
She Shall Have Music (The Psychic Seasons Series Book 3) Page 2
