Mystics are Murder (Bijoux Mystery Series Book 2)

by Teri Barnett

  “Sure has. Word got out ghosts might show up, maybe even a werewolf, and the whole town suddenly turns up to see what all the fuss is about. We saved the spot with the cone over there for you.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake. And thank you,” she said as she angled the Ranger around a tight corner and slipped into the spot after Beau removed the orange cone.

  The sounds inside the Firefly were deafening. There had to be about seventy-five people Morgan estimated, all milling in the small lobby. Off to the side was the banquet hall ante room where, according to the sign, the séance would be held. A small bar was set up next to the check in desk and a line had formed, wrapping around the bystanders.

  “Here, I got this for you.” Cal walked up and handed her a bottle of Lake M non-alcoholic Porter from one of the local microbreweries.

  She took a drink and sighed. “Thank you. Not bad considering there’s no alcohol.”

  “Well, you are on duty and I do know your rules about such things.” He looked her up and down and grinned. “You are seriously bad ass in that outfit.”

  Morgan’s stomach did a flip-flop, which she covered with exaggerated bravado. “I am bad ass, no matter the outfit. Never forget that.” She turned her attention to the room, scanning the crowd. Starman and his son, Rob, were off in a corner, Rob looking around the room with a scowl on his face. She’d have to remember to check with JJ about his search on the guy. “So, tell me, what happens next?”

  Cal checked his smart watch. “We gather the psychics into the ante room over there and get them in their seats. Once they’re settled, we can invite the public in and get started. I thought I’d have the public hang around the perimeter of the room. That would put any visitors about fifteen feet away from the table. What do you think?”

  “I think you’re in charge of the psychics and should go manage them. Have you seen JJ? He was meeting me here.”

  “No, but that doesn’t mean anything. This place is packed so unless he came looking for me, I don’t know that I would’ve seen him. Okay gotta get things started.”

  Morgan nodded and Cal wended through the crowd and addressed the assembly.

  Morgan texted her deputy. What’s your ETA?

  Be there in ten, he replied.

  “Good evening, psychics and visitors,” Cal shouted above the din. “Thank you for being here this evening for our First Annual Walk into the Light Psychic Fair Séance.” He waited until the clapping died down, then continued, “Would all of the psychics please come into the ante room with me?” He walked toward the room and the readers followed.

  “Caleb, what about us?” a non-psychic local asked. “We want to see the ghosts, too.”

  “We have a new pool going at the senior center about whether or not we’ll see a werewolf tonight,” Mr. Dominic called out. “I might be disqualified, though, since I’m here as a police officer.” He hung his head and sighed.

  “I’m not sure you being a volunteer deputy would have anything to do with it. Depends on the rules. But you should probably quit betting on stuff, Mr. D,” Cal said to Dominic. To the others, he replied, “I’ll call the public in as soon as we’re set up and ready to go.”

  Murmurs of approval sounded around the lobby.

  “Hey, sorry I’m late.”

  “What’s up?” Morgan asked. JJ was almost always prompt.

  “I had some info roll in on Davey Rocket and Daisy and wanted to vet it before talking to you.”

  Morgan motioned to the corridor off the lobby where no one was standing, and JJ followed. “What’d you find out?”

  “They’ve been picked up more than once for criminal mischief relative to fortune telling.”

  “That’s not surprising. It sounds like they’ve been doing this a long time.” She shrugged. “There’s bound to have been complaints.”

  “Sure, but the really interesting piece is Davey took a swing at a couple of officers a year ago. They called him a fraud and he didn’t take kindly to it. He spent the night in jail. It was a small town in Ohio and they sent him packing, no charges pressed, just the report filed.” JJ leaned in. “And, get this, apparently he told the cops when he was leaving he was going to make it his job to ferret out the real fakes. He was tired of being accused of something he wasn’t.”

  Morgan thought about the implications. Davey was angry with Edna and maybe it went deeper than a camp site argument. “What are you thinking? He’s turned vigilante and wants to remove the frauds permanently to prove he’s the real thing?’ She took a sip of her drink. “It’s a bit of a stretch, but maybe… We’ll have to do some digging, see if we can place him in Traverse City and Detroit at the time of the other murders.”

  “I stopped at the station before I came here and started some searches running, looking for psychic events around the same time the others were killed.”

  Morgan smiled. “Good work. Did you pick up anything on Starman’s son?”

  JJ shook his head. “Nothing incriminating, beyond his vocal proclamations that psychics aren’t real.”

  “Okay.” Morgan noticed the crowd was moving. “Let’s go. Looks like they’re going to start the séance.”

  The ante room was set up with several tables in the middle, arranged to make a large square with a space in the center, with enough seats for all the psychics. The lights were dimmed, the tables were covered with red cloths, and a profusion of candles cast light all around. There was a white tablecloth on the floor in the center of the tables.

  “What do you think that’s for?” JJ asked.

  Morgan shrugged. “In case the ghost is naked…?”

  JJ gave a low laugh. “Well, we’ve heard stranger things this week.”

  Morgan noticed not all the psychics were participating. Team Animal was conspicuously missing and gathered off to the side. “Then there’s that,” she said, motioning to the small group. Janine, Sven, Daisy, Davey, and a couple of others whose names she didn’t know. “Keep an eye on them, please.”

  “I’m on it,” JJ said and began working his way through the crowd to the other side of the room.

  “Everyone who is not participating in the séance, please gather at the perimeter of the room. We want to make sure no one feels crowded.”

  “Especially the spirits,” Rennie said from her seat. “And please know they won’t like it if people try to touch them or talk to them outside of the ones in this circle.” She motioned around the table. “So please keep your distance and do not interfere.”

  James the desk clerk stood at the double doorway. “Zoe Buffett? Is there a Zoe Buffett here?”

  Zoe got up from her seat opposite Rennie. “I’m Zoe. How can I help you?”

  “Message for you, ma’am.” His eyes darted around the room as he handed her a folded piece of paper, then he hurried back out the door. Morgan envied him.

  Zoe looked at the paper and then met her sister’s eyes. “Rennie, I’ll be back in a few. Go ahead and start. I’ll rejoin as soon as I can.”

  Rennie tilted her head. “You’re sure about this?” she asked.

  Zoe nodded. “I’m sure.”

  “Everything okay?” Morgan asked.

  Zoe looked up at Morgan. “Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” She tucked the paper in her dress pocket and patted Morgan’s arm. “

  “Let us begin, then,” Rennie said. “All of you participating, join hands above the table. Right hand on top, left hand on bottom.”

  “I wonder what that’s about?” Morgan murmured to herself.

  “It’s how energy flows,” a male voice whispered in her ear.

  Morgan jumped, hand to her heart. “I swear to god, Cal, if you come up on me like that one more time, I will shoot you.”

  “Well, we all know how I like to live dangerously.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “About the hands—the right hand sends energy and the left hand receives. It creates a circuit within the circle.”

  “Could we have quiet, please?” Rennie asked. “All of you around the
room, please refrain from comments or questions until the séance is completed. Now, we will begin.” She looked around the table. “Brothers and Sisters, repeat after me: Our beloved Edna and Rocky, we bring you gifts from life into death. Commune with us, dearest Edna and Rocky, and move amongst us.” Rennie spoke the incantation three times. “Now, we wait,” she whispered.

  The room was completely quiet, except for breathing and a few quiet whispers. Morgan checked her watch and noted ten minutes had passed when a huge wind blew through the room and extinguished at least half of the candles. “What the hell?”

  “Looks like the spirits have landed,” Cal whispered. “Should be interesting. I’ve never actually witnessed a séance before.”

  Someone screamed from the other side of the room.

  Morgan rushed over to JJ who was crouched down near what appeared to be a prone figure.

  “Where are you, Davey Rocket? I know you’re the murderer!” Jack yelled. He stood and stepped into the crowd.

  “How dare you?!?” Davey yelled back as he stepped forward from the back of Team Animal. He squinted at Jack. “Just like you, trying to dodge the cops by pointing the finger at someone else.”

  Jack drew himself up as Morgan stepped between the men, separating them. “Not now!” She pushed them out of the way and went back to JJ.

  “Someone get the lights,” Rennie shouted.

  The lights came on and Morgan sighed as she squatted down, checked the old man’s wrist for a pulse. “Mr. Dominic, are you okay?”

  He was clutching his chest and breathing rapidly.

  Cal made his way to their side, his phone in his hand. “I’m on with 911.”

  Mr. Dominic held out a hand. “No, no, not necessary.”

  Morgan helped him sit up. “What happened?” she asked, noticing the color was slowly returning to his face. She shook her head at Cal who ended the 911 call and slipped the phone back in his pocket.

  “I guess I got scared when that wind blew through. Never felt such a breeze as cold as that. Death’s icy fingers is what it was, coming for me.” Mr. Dominic held his hands out and wiggled his bony fingers. “Just like that. Coming for me…”

  Morgan felt another blast of wind and looked up. They were directly under a ceiling air conditioning vent. “It was the A/C. Someone must’ve cranked up the fan on the unit. Nothing more. Are you sure you don’t want us to call for help?”

  “I’m fine.” He got to his feet and shook his fist at the air vent. “You’re not gonna get me today, icy fingers. Not today.”

  “Did anyone see Zoe return?” Rennie asked from her seat at the table.

  Everyone looked around the room, shaking their heads. “Haven’t seen her since she left right after that desk clerk,” Janine said.

  “Do you think he’s the werewolf?” Sven asked. “My vibes are off right now. Could be him as much as anyone, I suppose,” Janine said. “It’s like this room is energetically locked down, though. I got nothing.” Rennie stared at Morgan and their eyes met. Morgan nodded. “Come on, JJ. Let’s have a look around.” Cal was right behind them.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “James, do you know where Zoe went?” Morgan asked the front desk clerk. He looked blankly at her. “The woman you brought the note to.”

  “Oh, oh yeah. She went down that way.” He pointed to the hallway opposite the ante room where the séance had been held.

  “Was she with anyone?” JJ asked.

  “No, sir. By herself.”

  “Who gave you the note?” Cal asked.

  “No idea, actually. I went over to clear glasses from the side table over there.” James pointed across to the lounge. “When I came back to the counter, it was here with her name on it.” He shrugged and looked at Cal. “Yours is the only event going on, so I figured she must be in there.”

  “Thank you,” Morgan said and made her way down the hallway with JJ and Cal in tow.

  “This is weird,” JJ said. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

  Morgan shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Are you becoming psychic too, JJ?”

  “Well, why did she leave suddenly like that when she knows there’s a killer on the loose?”

  Morgan was worried. She should have gone after Zoe. But maybe the note had been from Able. Still, Morgan should have insisted on reading the note. She’d been so preoccupied with the séance and possibly exposing the killer she didn’t consider they might have used the séance to lure out their next victim. “I wish people would take the threat around here seriously,” She muttered. “Honestly, it’s exhausting.

  “I hear that,” Cal said from behind. “Humans make me tired.”

  “You make me tired,” Morgan threw back, then she held up her hand and they stopped. They were nearing the end of the corridor. “I hear voices,” she said.

  Cal lifted an eyebrow and his lips twitched.

  “Not those kinds of voices.” She huffed and started walking again. “I am so going to lock you up when we’re done with this case. Before you ask—Yes, for annoying the police captain. That’s a thing now.”

  JJ snickered as they stopped in front of a closed door.

  “That’s definitely Zoe’s voice,” Morgan said. She couldn’t make out the other voice, it was too muffled. She raised her hand to knock when the door creaked open.

  Morgan gasped at what she saw.

  “My God,” Cal uttered.

  “Captain,” JJ whispered.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Zoe stood in the doorway, her eyes wide, a rope looped tight around her neck. A man’s hands held tight to the rope from behind. Morgan couldn’t make out his face. The room was dark and he was crouching behind Zoe.

  “Zoe,” Morgan said as calmly as she could. She had to do whatever it took to keep the situation from escalating. While whoever was back there had no way to escape, it didn’t mean he couldn’t do any damage before they took him down. It didn’t take much to snap a neck if you’re an experienced killer. “What’s going on with your friend there?”

  “He asked for a reading.” Zoe’s eyes darted side to side as if she were trying to see her captor. “I knew I was the one he’s been searching for, so I obliged.”

  Searching for? That made no sense. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

  “He’s distressed and hasn’t been able to find anyone who could help him.”

  “And did you? Help him with a reading?” Morgan asked.

  “Not yet. We heard all of you out in the hallway. JJ and Cal, you’re not very stealthy, you know, despite what you may tell yourselves. This gentleman thought it would be a good idea to use me for leverage.”

  “She’s probably a fraud, anyway,” the man muttered from behind Zoe.

  There was that word again, fraud. Morgan angled her head but he’d turned his face away. “Is that you, Rob? You know lawyers never do well in prison.”

  “You really are horrible with names. It’s not Rob.”

  “Well, how about you let her go and we can talk? You can enlighten me.”

  “How stupid do you think I am? This rope stays in place. All of you, stay out there in the hallway while I get my reading. After I hear what she has to say, I’ll consider letting her go.” He pulled the rope a little tighter and Zoe coughed. “Assuming she’s the real thing, that is. In my experience, it’s unlikely, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. I always do.”

  As he spoke, Zoe’s eyes went blank. And, as much as Morgan hated knowing the reason for it, she knew a message was coming through.

  “Trent Johnson Lang!” Zoe’s voice boomed.

  The man straightened to his full height, his eyes wide, but hands still tight on the rope. The hallway light hit his face. “I didn’t tell you my name.”

  Wait. The Garanimal guy? He was still dressed in matching clothes, denim from head to toe, with a navy-blue Traverse City Save the Dachshunds tee under his shirt. Everything he wore was some shade of blue, even the dog printed
on his tee. Seriously? This is the blue animal? Zoe had said only Morgan would understand the messages given. She shook her head to clear it. Zoe was throwing the guy off. Maybe she could use it to her advantage. “Trent? I thought your name was Elvis. And what’s up with the dachshund rescue?”

  “Why would you think that? Honestly, I’ve told you my name at least twice now.” He sneered at her. He was standing beside Zoe now, his hands still holding tight to the rope. “What sort of police officer can’t remember names?” He shrugged. “The shirt is a family thing, if you must know.”

  “Trent. We have to talk about what you did.” Zoe’s voice was deep and commanding. “Let me look at you.” He allowed her to turn as he held the rope in place. Her eyes remained blank.

  “Who are you?” he asked.

  Zoe snorted, shaking her head. “You were never the smartest child, were you?”

  “Dad…?”

  Zoe glanced at Morgan, Cal, and JJ, eyes still blank, but her expression animated. “It’s the reason I changed my will, you understand. He couldn’t be trusted with the family money.” Zoe looked back at Trent. “I told you that was the reason when you came to see me that day.”

  “What I know is you listened to a psychic who told you to cut me out. Believed a fraud over your own son. Then you chose these freaking dachshunds over me.” He jabbed at his chest. “Honestly, how could you do that? Don’t you see how hurtful you’ve been?”

  “You could never see the helplessness in others, the need, above your own selfishness. You are not helpless and it was time you learned to stand on your own two feet. Really, I should’ve cut you off much sooner.” Zoe looked him up and down, frowning. “Maybe you would have grown a backbone.”

  “You’re just as horrible dead as you were alive,” Trent spat.

  “And we both know how I died, don’t we?”

  “How did you die?” Morgan asked, then mentally checked herself for encouraging the whole charade. Though, she had to admit, what Zoe was saying seemed to be striking a chord with Trent.