There was no point in trying to talk Matilda down. Once her mind was made up about something, there was no stopping her! Besides, she had already located a large piece of heavy construction paper and a black marker.
“How does a séance work, exactly?” Clarissa asked her aunt apprehensively. All she knew about them was what she had seen in scary movies. And that didn’t exactly make her eager to give a séance a try!
“We’ll go down to the basement where it’s nice and dark. I feel like there’s better energy down there; fewer distractions,” Matilda explained. “We’ll light some candles and I’ll say a few words. Then, with any luck, we’ll be able to communicate with spirits! Easy-peasy!”
“Um, but how do we communicate with them?”
“We’ll ask them to move the planchette, silly.”
“Plan-what?”
Matilda looked up from her task. “You don’t have one? Oh, never mind. I’ll figure something out!” she said. “Can you go find us some candles and matches please? Oh, and get a notebook and pen, too. With any luck, we’re going to need them!”
By the time Clarissa returned with the requested items, her aunt had finished crafting the homemade Ouija board. She was also waving a spatula around in one hand. Clarissa thought it best not to ask what that was for.
“Let’s head to the basement!” Matilda exclaimed, stabbing at the air with the spatula.
Clarissa didn’t share her aunt’s enthusiasm. The idea of a séance freaked her out. She wasn’t cut out for all the ghostly, spooky stuff Matilda seemed to be so unfazed by! But what choice did she have? Her aunt was on a mission.
Though Clarissa had dreams of someday finishing it, the basement was presently just used for storage. Stacks of cardboard boxes were piled up haphazardly. A single, bare lightbulb swayed gently in the center of the room. The cement floor felt cold and damp underfoot.
Clarissa looked around and swallowed hard. Her aunt said there was good energy in the basement. Why couldn’t someplace less spooky be the location with good energy? Eek! She was so nervous about what was going to transpire!
Matilda pushed a few boxes out of the way and cleared a spot on the floor. She lit the candles Clarissa had produced and then switched out the light. The two women took a seat on the cold, hard floor, illuminated only by candlelight.
“What now?” Clarissa whispered, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.
“Why are you whispering?” her aunt asked in a normal volume.
“I don’t know!” Clarissa replied, still talking in a hushed tone.
Matilda shut her eyes and began to recite something under her breath. She picked up the spatula and waved it around above her head, almost as though she was offering it to the heavens. Then she raised her voice and hollered something at the ceiling. Her words were in another language. Or maybe they were just gibberish. With Matilda, it was sometimes hard to say.
All Clarissa could do was gawk at her aunt in bewilderment.
“We invite anyone here to wishes to speak to do so now,” Matilda bellowed authoritatively.
“Can you summon the spirit of Donnie Davis and ask who killed him?” Clarissa whispered.
“No, it doesn’t work that way,” Matilda said as she set the spatula down on top of the Ouija board. “I can’t control who comes through. All I can do is offer the spirits a way to communicate…the rest is up to them.”
Matilda paused and looked around.
“Is anyone here?” she asked.
The candles flickered.
Clarissa nearly jumped to her feet and ran upstairs!
Matilda’s fingers were resting lightly on top of the cheap plastic spatula. “We wish you no harm. We only want to talk. If a presence is here, move the spatula now!” she ordered in a booming, confident-sounding voice.
Suddenly the spatula began to move.
Clarissa’s eyes widened. “Are you doing that?” she hissed.
“No. Quick, write down the letters the spirit is moving the spatula to!” Matilda ordered.
Clarissa began to frantically scribble in her notebook. She tried her best to ignore her shaking hands. This was one of the most terrifying things she had ever done, but it was also surprisingly exhilarating. She couldn’t wait to decode the message!
Then her brow furrowed.
“What is it?” Matilda asked. “What did the spirit say?”
Clarissa turned the notebook around so her aunt could read it.
“The spirit is asking if your refrigerator is running,” Matilda said in confusion. “I don’t understand. Are you being warned that the power cut out and all your food is going to spoil? That would be a real shame. Maybe you should go upstairs and check.”
“No,” Clarissa replied. “I think we’re being pranked.”
“Oh,” Matilda said, still looking like she didn’t get it.
The spatula flew rapidly between the H and the A.
“The spirit is laughing at us,” Clarissa informed her aunt.
Matilda made a face. “Rude! Sometimes they can be mischievous,” she said apologetically. Then she turned her attention back to the board. “Does anyone else wish to come forward?” she asked, making it clear she was done speaking with the jokester spirit.
Suddenly the candles went out.
Clarissa screeched as she scrambled to light a match in the dark.
“Shh! Who’s there?” Matilda asked.
The spatula moved to the M and then to the E.
“Can we ask it about Donnie?” Clarissa whispered as she re-lit the candles with shaking hands.
“Go on then,” Matilda urged.
“Um…hello,” Clarissa said in a quavering voice. “T – thank you for talking to us. My name is Clarissa. I’m investigating a suspicious death, and I would really appreciate any help you can give me. I um…was Donnie Davis murdered?”
The spatula moved to the part of the Ouija board that said YES.
“Look at that!” Matilda exclaimed.
“Ask if it can tell us who killed him!” Clarissa demanded.
“The spirit can hear you too, you know.”
“Oh, right.” Clarissa cleared her throat. “Um, who killed Donnie?”
The women waited expectantly.
The spatula didn’t budge.
“Why isn’t anything happening?” Clarissa whispered.
“Either the spirit doesn’t know or doesn’t feel like telling us,” Matilda explained.
Suddenly the spatula began to move.
The two women looked on in fascination, Clarissa madly scribbling the letters down in her notebook. Then she looked at the message and her eyebrows shot up. She tried to move it so her aunt wouldn’t see, but she was too slow.
“The spirit thinks I need a makeover?” Matilda grumbled in dismay. “Humph!”
“The spatula is still moving!” Clarissa pointed out. She grabbed the notebook back so she could continue to record the spirit’s messages. When she saw the next one, she couldn’t help but grin. “The spirit says you’re going to find love soon!”
Matilda lit up at that. Then she quickly changed the subject. “Tell us about Clarissa’s love life!”
The spirit complied.
“Ooh, you’re going to go on a romantic date!” Matilda giggled. “Lucky!”
“Okay, maybe we should stop now,” Clarissa said. She was still feeling uneasy.
“Alright,” her aunt agreed. “Thank you, Spirit. This has been fun.”
The spatula began to spin wildly.
Clarissa gasped. “What’s going on?”
“The spirit isn’t ready to go yet. It must have more to say!” Matilda reasoned.
The two women watched as the spirit conveyed its final message.
“I think it’s a riddle!” Clarissa said as she eagerly worked to decipher it.
Suddenly her face fell.
“What is it?” Matilda demanded.
Wordlessly, Clarissa turned the notebook so her aunt could see it.
“Beware, for the lovers’ first fight will end in disaster on date night,” Matilda read. “Well that doesn’t make any sense to me at all. What do you mean? What are you talking about?” she asked the spirit in confusion.
“Anger leads to miserable endings,” the spirit replied.
“That’s vague, isn’t it?” Matilda remarked.
Then she saw the grave expression on her niece’s face.
“Oh dear,” she murmured, looking very apologetic. “I’m sure the spirit is just teasing us, Clarissa. Like I said, sometimes they can be mischievous. And besides, it wasn’t talking about you,” she added quickly.
“Why would you even say that unless you thought it was talking about me?” Clarissa shot back. She had a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. “The spirit was just talking about me and Parker a moment ago,” she reminded her aunt. “And then it said…that.”
Matilda pursed her lips and said nothing in response. That wasn’t a good sign.
“This was a bad idea,” Clarissa said, standing up. “I don’t want to do it anymore.”
With that, she turned and ran upstairs.
She couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had come over her. Had the spirit only been teasing, or had it been warning her of what was to come? Would she and Parker have a fight on their romantic night out? Was their relationship in trouble? Was the end near?
Chapter 07
Clarissa wasn’t expecting the doorbell to ring at lunchtime. But it did.
“Parker!” she exclaimed in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
He ran a hand through his thick blonde hair and shot her that million dollar smile of his. “It’s Friday and it’s going to be a beautiful afternoon. I sent my employees home early so they could get a head start on the weekend. Then I drove here…surprise!”
“It…it sure is a surprise.” Clarissa was at a loss for words.
“Can I take you out for lunch?” Parker asked in that effortlessly charming manner of his.
Clarissa furrowed her brow as the spirit’s ugly premonition flashed through her head.
“You’re hesitating,” he observed. “I’m guessing that means you’re busy?”
“I was just working on the newspaper,” she replied.
“No problem. I’m happy to lend a hand, even though we technically work for rival newspapers. Just don’t tell my father I’m taking orders from the competition,” Parker winked. “Your wish is my command. Tell me what I can do to help.”
“Um…”
Suddenly the cat appeared and made a beeline for Parker. It stood beside him staring up at his face, silently demanding to be picked up. Then the purring began. It was so loud that it sounded like a thousand race car drivers were revving their engines all at once!
“Well, the cat is glad to see me, anyway,” Parker joked.
The cat purred loudly in response.
“I – I’m happy to see you too,” Clarissa said unconvincingly.
“Relax, I was just kidding.” Parker gently set the giddy feline down. Then he took a closer look at Clarissa. “Is everything okay?” he asked her with concern. “You seem a bit, I don’t know…distracted or something today.”
“I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night,” she told him. It was the truth. She had barely slept a wink!
“So does that mean you don’t want to go out with me tonight?” he asked, looking slightly disappointed. “I was thinking we could drive into Green City and see some live music. And I don’t know about you, but I could really go for some hot wings.”
Poor Clarissa was torn.
She desperately wanted to spend time with her boyfriend. After all, she adored him! But it was because she adored him that she was afraid to accept the invitation. She was terrified the spirit’s premonition would come true and her relationship would suffer a devastating blow.
“I…” She trailed off, unsure of how to respond.
“You’re tired,” Parker said, sensing her discomfort. “Why don’t you catch up on your sleep tonight and I’ll plan something special for tomorrow? It’s about time you and I go on a date that doesn’t involve sleuthing,” he teased.
“Er…”
Clarissa wanted to say yes, but did she dare?
“See you tomorrow,” Parker said, leaning down to kiss her. Apparently he had assumed her silence was an affirmation. So now they had a romantic date planned for the following night. Oh no! What would normally be fantastic news had suddenly become the worst thing ever!
“Crap!” Clarissa hissed under her breath as she watched her lovely boyfriend get in his car and drive away. She had handled that completely wrong. Worse yet, it seemed the spirit’s prediction was beginning to come true. “What do I do now?” she moaned.
“Well whatever you do, don’t mess things up with that Parker human,” Cat said in its usual uppity manner. “He’s a keeper. Why can’t you be more like him? He always scratches the spot behind my ear that I can’t reach.”
“I scratch it too,” Clarissa reminded the cat defensively.
“Yes, but the Parker human does it better,” Cat retorted.
“But last night at the séance, a spirit basically said Parker and I will get in a fight. It felt like it was warning me about the end of my relationship!” Clarissa said woefully. “Parker is the best thing that ever happened to me. I don’t want to lose him.”
“So don’t fight with him, dummy.” The cat rolled its eyes. “I swear, sometimes you humans can be so stupid. Is it any wonder I don’t talk to you more often?” With that, the feisty feline gave a flick of its tail and sauntered off to shed all over everything.
“Can it really be that easy?” Clarissa murmured to herself.
It seemed so simple that it was almost laughable. But for some reason she couldn’t quite explain, she felt like the spirit’s words had seemed quite authoritative. Could she change the future, or was it already set in stone?
“Argh!” she exclaimed in frustration. “I can’t keep avoiding Parker forever. After all, he’s my boyfriend! Eventually I’m going to have to face him…and face whatever Fate has in store for us. I shouldn’t have sent him away.”
“Stop talking to yourself, you crazy human!” the cat hollered. “I’m trying to meditate!”
“I need to get out of here,” Clarissa decided.
She grabbed her bag and headed outside.
It was the perfect excuse to pay a visit to Donnie Davis’s ex-wife.
The house, as it turned out, was located about ten miles outside of Sugarcomb Lake. The acreage appeared to be tidy and well-kept – a stark contrast from the run down party house where Gigi Prescott lived.
When Clarissa rang the doorbell, she had no idea what to expect.
Would she find a woman mourning the loss of the man she had once been married to?
Or would she encounter a scorned ex who was unfazed by her former spouse’s death?
A plainly dressed woman with a shoulder length blonde bob answered the door. Clarissa recognized her at once. She was the woman who had been at the coffee shop engrossed in a romance novel the day Donnie had died.
“Hello,” Clarissa said, suddenly feeling a little nervous. “You’re Kara Davis, right?”
The woman’s face darkened. “I go by my maiden name now,” she replied. “Benton.”
“Oh, okay. Sorry.” Clarissa extended her hand. “I’m Clarissa Spencer – I think we’ve crossed paths before but have never been properly introduced. I work for the newspaper in Sugarcomb Lake. I’m investigating the death of your ex-husband, Donnie. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.”
Kara shook Clarissa’s hand with some reluctance. Then she crossed her arms, appearing defensive. “I don’t think I can help you,” she said. “Donnie and I weren’t together. We hadn’t spoken in ages, other than through our lawyers.”
“But I understand you were at the coffee shop the day he died,” Clarissa pressed. “In fact, I remember you being th
ere that day. You were reading a romance novel that was concealed behind a book on astrophysics. I poured your coffee.”
“I was there,” Kara confirmed. “I saw my ex and his girlfriend walk in and I lost it. I gathered up my things and got out of there as fast as I could. I didn’t want to talk to Donnie ever again.” She paused and then let out a bitter scoff. “I guess my wish came true, huh?”
Clarissa’s eyebrows shot up. She was taken aback by how cavalier Kara was about the whole thing. She wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that she had disliked her ex, and she didn’t seem the least bit sad about his untimely passing.
Kara’s walls were very obviously up. It was clear from her hostile, defensive body language that she didn’t want to talk. Clarissa could tell she wasn’t going to get much cooperation from Donnie’s angry ex-wife.
What she didn’t know was whether the lack of cooperation was indicative of Kara’s guilt.
“Thank you for your time,” Clarissa said. “One last question, if you don’t mind?”
“What is it?” Kara asked wearily.
“Do you know of anyone who might have wanted Donnie dead?”
Kara actually laughed at that. “You mean other than me?” she shot back with a flippant toss of her hair. “I’m sure there were plenty of people who couldn’t stand him. My parents warned me not to marry him, but I was charmed by his blue eyes and nice car. Worst mistake of my life!”
Wow.
That certainly wasn’t what Clarissa had expected to hear!
“Was there anybody specific who may have wanted Donnie dead?” Clarissa pressed.
Kara shrugged in a manner that suggested she really didn’t care. “You’re the reporter; you tell me. Good luck with your investigation.” She promptly shut the door in Clarissa’s face, effectively ending the conversation.
“Hmm,” Clarissa murmured to herself as she walked back to her car. “That was a waste of fuel.”
It had been difficult to get a read on Kara. It was clear she harbored a deep animosity toward her ex-husband, but that alone didn’t necessarily make her a murderer. Clarissa felt no closer to finding Donnie’s killer than she had prior to visiting Kara’s acreage.
Maybe the ex-wife was responsible or maybe she wasn’t. Clarissa really didn’t know.
A Whisper of Magic (A Sugarcomb Lake Cozy Mystery Book 5) Page 5
