The Madness of Mercury

by Connie Di Marco

  “I hope so,” I replied without conviction. “On top of that, my editor’s under pressure to shut down the Zodia column. But my problems don’t hold a candle to yours. No one’s firebombed my apartment as yet, but at the rate things are going, it wouldn’t surprise me.” I rubbed my temples. “Right now, I just feel so beaten down by all of this. It’s awful not feeling safe in my own little nest.”

  “Don’t worry, honey.” Gale’s eyes narrowed. “We’ll find a way to put those creeps out of business.”

  I attempted a smile in response. “I stayed at Gloria’s last night, but the furnace died so there’s no heat or hot water. I’m planning to stay with Dorothy and her aunts up on Telegraph Hill until the furnace guy finishes.”

  “You should have called me. You can stay with me.” Gale has a luxury penthouse at the top of Russian Hill with an extra guest room.

  “You’re allergic to cats. I had to take Wiz with me.”

  “Oh yeah, I forgot. Love him, but my sinuses can’t take it.” Gale scooped up the last of her takeout and tossed her chopsticks into the wastebasket. “Look what this is doing to our business. No one’s come in all day. They’re afraid of those nuts. They probably even burn books.” Gale wiped her mouth and fingers with a tiny napkin and leaned forward on the desk. “Now tell me all about the threatening messages. Cheryl said it’s because of the Zodia column?”

  I groaned. “They quote the Bible. Stuff like, ‘Thou shall not suffer a witch to live.’”

  Cheryl piped up from behind the counter. “Not very bright. Don’t they know astrologers aren’t necessarily Wiccan?”

  “I don’t know who I dislike more,” Gale said. “People who use religion as a power base or their followers. There are so many wonderful churches and congregations in the city. Why not join one of them? A real church! Foolish I can forgive, but full of hate is another matter.”

  I grabbed a container with a small amount of rice at the bottom and added some beef and broccoli from another box. “I really stopped by to see if you can use any clean-up help in the storeroom.”

  “It’s pretty much done. Edwin will be here later and I’m having the alarm people come today and give me an estimate.”

  “Have the police checked back?

  “They’ve been stopping in, and that detective called too. They’re treating it as arson, so at least they’re taking it seriously. Maybe they’ll even find enough evidence to make an arrest.

  Cheryl joined us inside the office and piled a paper plate with fried rice and a vegetable mixture and squirted soy sauce over it all from a plastic packet. “Those people have figured out the identity of more of the readers who work our fairs. Maybe from the ads we post. And I got several calls this morning from people who couldn’t make the meeting last night. They accused me of giving out home numbers. You know I would never do that!”

  “I know,” Gale replied. “Let’s hope the Reverend’s followers haven’t taken over the phone company.”

  I returned to Castle Alley and packed up my clothes, laptop, and Wizard with his dishes and paraphernalia and lugged everything down to the car. I left a note for Kuan letting him know where I’d be and drove back up the hill. I was really getting this moving thing down.

  I rang the bell and Alba opened the door. Before I could speak to her, loud voices carried from the living room. Dorothy was shouting. Alba’s complexion was pale. She looked frightened and didn’t speak a word, just helped me drag my belongings into the front hallway. Wizard started to howl, so I unzipped his carrier and he ran up the stairway to the second floor. As Alba shut the door behind me, the voices quieted.

  I stepped into the front parlor. Richard was seated in an armchair and Dorothy was pacing back and forth. Neither one looked very happy. I was already regretting my decision to return.

  Dorothy turned to me. “Julia, I’m so glad you’re here.

  “Are you sure this isn’t a burden, my staying here?”

  “Not at all! I’m so grateful for your company. If it weren’t for you and Richard, I’d probably lose my mind.”

  I waited for a further explanation. Richard was staring at the carpet. I finally broke the awkward silence. “What’s wrong?”

  “What’s wrong?” Dorothy’s voice rose. “You saw him, didn’t you? Can you believe this? Where the hell did he come from?”

  Richard spoke up. “Now Dorothy, we don’t know anything for sure as yet.”

  She ignored Richard’s comment. “He’s actually moved in. I made the mistake of letting him meet Evandra and Eunice. And now Evandra’s insisting he stay here. Julia, he could be anybody. We don’t know a thing about him.”

  “Dorothy, calm down,” Richard said. “We can check out his story. That’s perfectly reasonable under the circumstances. We can call the attorney and ask him to find an investigator. If he’s not who he says he is, you can send him packing.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve just been so upset.”

  “I’m sure Reggie won’t cause any harm,” Richard offered. “He seems like a nice young fellow. I’ll stay here if you’re nervous.”

  They’d obviously been batting around their concerns about the new arrival for some time. Dorothy could be quite intense once she put her mind to something. I decided it might be a good idea to change the subject. “Did the pharmacy deliver the new medication for Evandra yet? The doctor said to call him if you have any questions but he felt she needed an antipsychotic.”

  Dorothy ran her hands through her thick hair. “I hate to do that, I really do. She’s so lucid most of the time. These episodes have come out of nowhere.”

  “I did try to question him about that. I asked if these were normal for the elderly.”

  “They’re quite common. Many elderly people do suffer from dementia. It can be terrible. Family members are hoping to spend some time with a loved one before they pass, but that personality seems to disappear and something else takes over. I’ve certainly seen it. But my aunt … like I said, these episodes are unpredictable.”

  “I don’t mean to harp on this, but with her transits and the fact that she’s elderly and frail, she could be in danger from prescription medication.”

  “You mean, like the wrong medication was prescribed?”

  “Not necessarily,” I said. “Just that her system is extremely vulnerable right now and any medication could hit her hard. I’d keep an open mind about senile dementia. She’s confused and paranoid, yes, but that could all disappear when the transit’s over. Oh, before I forget, I’ve arranged for the séance tonight.”

  Dorothy groaned and rolled her eyes in response.

  “Two people I know from the Mystic Eye will be here, Nikolai and Zora. Nikolai’s very bright, very intuitive. He’s a licensed clinical psychologist and he’s also licensed to work with hypnosis. So even if you’re not in agreement with his belief system, he’s a responsible person.”

  “That’s something.”

  “Zora’s a bit more intimidating, but Nikolai says that we need her. And there’s something else I should mention … ” I hesitated.

  Dorothy looked at me sharply. “What?”

  “Nikolai has a local TV show where he performs exorcisms.”

  Dorothy blinked and plopped heavily into one of the armchairs. She stared at me.

  “And he’s a bit theatrical—he likes to dress up in robes.”

  “I’m sure he needs the drag,” she replied flatly.

  “He can be a bit much, but I’m told he’s very talented.”

  “I can’t wait.” Dorothy heaved a great sigh, rose from her chair, and left the room.

  TWENTY-THREE

  ALBA LED ME UPSTAIRS to the second floor, both of us loaded down with my things. I followed her down the hallway, in the opposite direction from Evandra’s and Dorothy’s bedrooms, into a room that was the size of my entire apartment. The ceiling had to be at least twelve feet high, if not higher, and the dark mahogany headboard of the canopy bed was nine feet tall. Tapestry d
rapes in a deep green material hung from the canopy, and matching drapes hung at the two long windows that overlooked the formal garden.

  Wizard, hearing our progress, rushed into the room and hopped on the bed. Under instructions from Dorothy, Alba had already made up the room and spread two extra blankets across the foot of the bed.

  “Thank you, Alba. This is fantastic.”

  Alba was a small woman, just barely over five feet, dressed in a plain black cotton dress with buttons running down the front, a white apron over all. Her skin was olive and unlined, making it impossible to narrow down her age. She could have been anywhere past her mid-thirties. It was only the weight gain around her middle that made me revise that figure upward. Her English was perfect, with only a slight touch of an accent. Today she seemed very subdued. I was certain she was upset about Luis’s death.

  “Did you know Luis very well, Alba?”

  “Not well, but he was a very nice man.” Alba quickly made the sign of the cross over her breast. “He’s worked here for the sisters a long time. His family must be very sad.”

  I nodded. “Did you know he had a bad heart?”

  “Is that what they say?” Alba replied dubiously. “No. He never said anything to me. Always very pleasant and kind. I always made sure he had some lunch when he worked. Very sad.” She reached over to straighten out the extra coverlet at the foot of the bed and fussed until it lined up perfectly.

  I watched her carefully, convinced there was something on her mind. “Alba?”

  “Yes?”

  “Is something wrong?”

  She stiffened and turned to me. “Nothing is wrong.”

  I remained silent and watched her carefully. “Please tell me.”

  She looked down at the floor for several moments and finally seemed to make up her mind. “Luis … I saw him from the window that day.”

  “The day he died?”

  “He was acting strange. I should have said something. I should have gone out there.”

  “Strange how?”

  “He was walking in circles. At first I thought he was looking for something in the grass. But then he seemed to stumble. I watched him for a minute.” She shook her head. “The mower was running but he wasn’t paying any attention to it. Then someone called me. Gudrun, I think, and I had to go to Miss Evandra’s room.” She fell silent.

  “Did you tell the police about this?”

  Alba’s eyes grew large and she shook her head negatively. “I don’t like to talk to the police. I thought it was strange, but if they say he had a heart attack … I don’t know what that looks like.” She pointed to the intercom. “I sleep on the third floor, miss. If you need anything, just use this.”

  “Call me Julia, please. What’s on the top floor—the fourth floor?

  Alba stiffened. “Nothing. Just old things in the attic. Old furniture … trunks. I never go there.” She turned away as if to hide her reaction to my question.

  “Alba, what is it?”

  Alba’s shoulders sagged. She turned back to me. “Please don’t tell Mrs. Dorothy I said anything.”

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  “Sometimes I hear noises up there.”

  “What kind of noises?”

  “Like … crying.”

  I studied Alba’s face. The look of fear was unmistakable in her dark eyes. “Sometimes in an old house, noise can travel differently,” I replied. “Maybe you heard Dorothy. She’s had some hard times.”

  “I know, miss … Julia. I know. Mrs. Dorothy just laughed. Told me, no such thing as ghosts.” Alba shrugged as if she didn’t believe in such manifestations either and left the room, closing the door quickly behind her as if to avoid any more questions.

  I sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed Wizard’s ears. He started to purr. I’ve read theories about energies trapped on the physical plane, but frankly, I was more inclined to go along with Dorothy’s belief system. I hoped tonight wouldn’t prove me wrong.

  I didn’t know what to make of Alba’s information about Luis. Her description of his behavior didn’t sound like any heart attack I had ever heard of. Could he actually have been looking for something in the grass? Had he had warning of a heart attack and ignored it? The autopsy would take some time, but if there was anything suspicious about his death I hoped the coroner would find it. For now it might be better not to mention to Dorothy what Alba had seen.

  I couldn’t wait to get in the shower. I blasted the water until hot steam filled the room. I stripped off my clothes and climbed in. It was delicious. Afterward, foregoing my usual uniform of jeans, I dressed in a sweater and skirt. A little makeup and I finally felt a whole lot more presentable.

  Wizard had made himself at home on top of the coverlet. I set up his bowls and litter box in the bathroom. I didn’t mind if he had the run of the house, but if we were only staying for a few days, I planned to keep him in my room as much as possible. When my laptop and files were organized on the writing desk, I walked down the hall and knocked on Evandra’s door, steeling myself to face the duplicitous Gudrun.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  WHEN I ENTERED, I spotted Reggie Carrington seated on the loveseat across from Evandra, sipping carefully from a delicate china teacup with a flowered saucer balanced on his knee. He was dressed in ratty jeans and a hooded T-shirt emblazed with the figure of a surfer riding through a pipeline wave. A tattoo of a blue shark stood out starkly on his tanned forearm. “I know this must be a great shock to you, Aunt Dorothy,” he was saying. “But you see, I hired a private investigator to trace my family. Actually, I shouldn’t call you that, because we’re probably really cousins more than anything.”

  Evandra seemed excited and happy, although pale. Eunice and Gudrun were studying Reggie carefully. Eunice leaned forward and whispered to her sister, “He looks just like him, dear, doesn’t he? Except for the blond hair. But the mannerisms … it’s fascinating.”

  Evandra nodded, her face wreathed in smiles.

  “Before my grandmother died, she told me all about my grandfather, Jonathan. Your brother, Aunt Evandra and Aunt Eunice.” Reggie nodded in their direction. “It really wasn’t hard once I knew his original name and where he came from. Before that, it was the great family secret.”

  “Our mother tried to locate Jonathan after my father died,” Eunice volunteered. “She hired all sorts of people after he ran away, but no one was able to find him. She was broken-hearted over that.”

  “According to my dad, Australia was a pretty wild place in those days. In some parts, it still is. People went there to lose their past. No one cared who you used to be. My grandfather took the name ‘West.’ He became Jonathan West. He married and had one daughter, my mother, Lillian West. She married and her name became Carrington, hence me.”

  Evandra gasped when she heard the name Lillian, her face drained of color. “And my brother? When did he die? And how?”

  “Heart attack. He was only thirty-four. I’m so sorry to bring you sad news.”

  “Oh no, you’re a godsend. I can’t believe you’re here, sitting here with us. Jonathan’s grandson! We had no hope of ever seeing him again, but to think he lived a lifetime that we never knew of.”

  Eunice had a faraway look in her eyes. “Did he have a happy life?”

  “I think so. By all accounts. He made some money in ranching. My mother told me her parents always seemed to be very happy with each other.”

  “I have so many questions.” Evandra’s voice quavered. “But for now, dear, you’re here with us. We want you to stay forever … or as long as you possibly can.”

  My eyes shifted to Dorothy. She was studying Reggie, a suspicious look on her face. Reggie turned and flashed a brilliant smile in her direction, apparently oblivious to her mood.

  “And of course you’ll join us this evening, won’t you, dear?” Evandra added.

  “Is there a party?”

  “Not exactly. We’re holding a séance. Hopefully to communicate with another long l
ost relative.”

  Reggie paused with a cookie halfway to his mouth, his eyes growing wide. “Oh … ah, good-oh. I’m up for it. Thank you for inviting me, Aunt Evandra.”

  TWENTY-FIVE

  I MADE MY EXCUSES to Dorothy after the family reunion in Evandra’s sitting room. Gudrun had been present as well, but sat quietly in a corner. I was still shaken about seeing her at the Prophet’s Tabernacle meeting and determined to keep a close eye on her while I was at the house. I explained to Dorothy that I had a few holiday errands to run and a client to meet later at the Mystic Eye, and she followed me to the front door.

  “I don’t believe him for a second, Julia,” Dorothy fumed. “Did you hear how he’s sucking up to them? Aunt Evandra this and Aunt Eunice that! And now he’s staying here!”

  I let Dorothy vent.

  “He could be anybody,” she continued. “He could be a complete imposter. Our family history isn’t a secret; anyone could have discovered that my uncle ran off to Australia and made up this damn story.” Dorothy’s face betrayed her emotion. Bright red spots appeared on her cheeks and her voice rose as she reviewed the possibilities. She was gripping my arm so tightly, I winced.

  “That’s true.” I agreed. “But you need to calm down. Getting so upset isn’t going to do anyone any good.”

  It was as if she didn’t hear me. “There’s got to be some records somewhere, even if it was Australia seventy years ago … a passport photo, an ID, birth and death records … something. I don’t know how to go about it, but I’m sure he’s an imposter.”

  “Why don’t we wait until he’s shown us his research into the family tree and decide then? You can still hire someone to check it out.”