by D E Dennis
“Not necessary. Mumsy and I weren’t close. It’s a bummer she’s dead and all, but I won’t be bursting into tears anytime soon.”
My mouth dropped open. “Kid, she’s your mother!”
He lost his cocksure grin. “So what?” he spat, shaking his head. “Goodness, here I thought you were different from the mindless sheep in there.” He jerked his head toward the house. “We weren’t the perfect family we pretended to be. Far from it I’m afraid and that drove Mom crazy. She was always harping on us. She wanted perfect grades, perfect extracurriculars, perfect this, and perfect that. She never missed an opportunity to remind us of all she had sacrificed for us. She gave up her dreams...so that she could force them on us.” He gestured at his sister who was still harassing the kittens. “Gwen’s mind pretty much snapped under the pressure. And I”—he shrugged— “gave up.”
I stepped toward him, but he immediately took a step back, staying outside the reach of my ability. “Parents don’t always get it right,” I said softly. “But your mother loved you.” Reluctantly, I added, “Your father loves you two. You’re the son he always wanted. He brags about you.”
“He does?” he asked sarcastically. “Brags about me? That must be what he’s doing when he slips out of the room every five minutes to take his secret, hushed phone calls. It must be because he loves us that he disappears all the time. Comes home late and refuses to say where he was or who he was with.” He scoffed, no longer pretending to be unaffected. “Yeah, the Donor loves us, so much.”
“I’m sorry,” I said simply. I wanted to say more, do more, but he wasn’t in a place to hear it.
“Whatever,” he mumbled. “I’m outta here.”
He ambled off and after a minute I left as well. I climbed into my car and settled the kitty in the front seat. I would have put it back to be found by its mother, but Gwen was still there and it was my new mission in life to keep a healthy distance between us at all times.
KALI WAS WAITING UP for me.
“Hey, Mari.” She paused the movie she was watching. “How was the wake?”
She turned away from the TV and her eyes fell on the orange fluff ball in my hands. She jumped up. “Who is this guy?” She scooped him out of my hands, cooing at him.
“He doesn’t have a name,” I said. “I rescued him from a face-licking, cat sniffer and had nowhere else to take him.”
“O...kay?” Kali replied. “Gonna need more details on that later.”
I laughed. “He’s kinda cute though. And we bonded through a shared traumatic experience.” I shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind keeping him around.”
Kali squealed. “That would be so awesome! I’ve always wanted a kitty.” But just as quickly, she deflated. “But we can’t keep him.”
I blinked. “What? Why?”
She gave me a strange look. “Because of Paxon. We couldn’t get a cat growing up because he’s allergic.” She said it as though that settled the matter, but I still had some questions.
“I’m sorry, but why does that mean we can’t keep him? Paxon doesn’t even live here. Sir Fluffington won’t bother him.”
She raised her brows, stifling a giggle. “Sir Fluffington?”
I lifted my nose in the air. “What? It suits him.”
Kali raised Sir Fluffington to eye level. “Hmm, I guess it kinda does.” She dropped a kiss on his furry head. “But Sir Fluffington still has to go. Paxon comes here all the time―”
“Uninvited.”
“―and,” Kali said over me. “We don’t want him getting sick.” She handed him over. “Tomorrow, you can start looking for a good home for him.”
I looked at her incredulously. “This is my apartment, you know.” She laughed at me and threw herself back on the couch. “And I’m the older sister.” The TV clicked back on.
I grumbled all the way to my room.
Entry Five
“KALI SAYS YOU CAN’T stay in the apartment, Sir Fluffington.” He sucked greedily from the bottle I was holding for him. “Until we find you a home, you’re stuck in the Reading Room. It’s not so bad though. I’ll make you a comfy bed and you’ll be nice and warm and...dear God, why am I talking to an animal?” I looked at Sir Fluffington. “So the transition to crazy cat lady happens that fast, huh?”
When he was done with breakfast, I settled him on the cushions I piled in the corner and picked up my phone. Arnie still hadn’t called or texted me back.
I forgot how well he played The Silent Game. I tossed my phone away in disgust.
It was 8:30 in the morning and I had half an hour until my first client of the day arrived. I got a break today though. I only had two clients booked that morning instead of my usual three. After I saw them both I would lock up and head out to see Yuri Stevens, my final potential witness.
Part of me wondered if there was any point. She would no doubt say the same as everyone else. No one saw Tad Breyfogle in or around the store.
“But that could just be because they were working on the floor. If he came through the back, they wouldn’t have seen him like Petra admitted,” I said out loud. “That tie clip got there somehow. It can’t be a coincidence that― oh my goodness, I’m doing it again.”
I got up and left Sir Fluffington to his nap. Twenty-nine minutes to go, I should get started on finding him a home before I got even more attached.
YURI STEVENS LIVED on the ninth floor of a building with a busted elevator. I almost turned around right then and there but, in the end, I decided to suck it up. I was a sweaty mess by the time I knocked on her door.
It took her so long to come to the front door that I had one foot on the stairs ready to leave when she opened it.
“Yeah?” she asked.
I turned and saw immediately what caused the delay. Her long black hair was still damp from a shower and her orange lipstick was only covering one lip.
“Sorry to bother,” I said, making my way back. “My name is Amari Moon. I’m investigating the deaths of your boss and co-workers.”
She looked me up and down, taking in my sarong skirt and strapless top. “You a cop?”
“No, but I’m working with the police,” I said. “I’m a psychic.”
“Cops work with―”
“Yes, they work with psychics,” I answered impatiently.
She shrugged. “Well good on you for getting them to believe your psychic shtick.”
I blinked. “I’m not a fake.”
She snorted, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, right, but I’m not judging. We all gotta make our money somehow and speaking of which, I have a job interview in twenty minutes. I can’t talk right now. Come back later.”
“Wait!” I said quickly. “I just want to ask if you saw Tad Breyfogle in or around the store that day?” I was done with beating around the bush.
That stopped her door slam in its tracks. “Tad? Veronica’s husband? What does he have to do with anything?”
“Did you see him?” I asked again.
She studied me. “No,” she finally said. “I didn’t see the boss’s husband that morning.”
I cursed under my breath. “I’m guessing you didn’t see a woman in a black dress, sunglasses, and a scarf-wrapped head either.” I shook my head. “Thanks anyway. Good luck with your―”
“I did actually.”
I halted my retreat. “Did what?”
“I did see a woman like that. Standing outside the store.”
“Go on,” I pressed.
She crossed her arms. “I saw a woman standing on the sidewalk looking into the store. She was wearing a black dress like you said and had her head covered. I remember thinking she must be baking in that getup. Tim and Petra were busy with customers, so I poked my head out the door and asked if she wanted to come in. The second I opened my mouth, she took off.”
“Did you tell the police all this?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Tell them what? That happens all the time. Some people are embarrassed about needing the services o
f a charity. They come in for all of five seconds then take off when we get too close. Now is that it?”
I nodded absentmindedly, turning her words over in my head. “Yes, thanks. Bye.” I was already heading for the stairs when the door slammed shut behind me.
Was Yuri right? Was that woman really loitering about because she was trying to pluck up the courage to shop for donated shoes? I mean, I guess that explanation was as good as any. I didn’t know if this woman had anything to do with the fire at all.
I needed to get back to my office. Sir Fluffington will be wanting his lunch and I’ll soon be wanting mine.
I made the long drive back to my part of town in silence. No radio, no MP3 player. Just me and my tumultuous thoughts.
I was looking forward to making a quick lunch and then enjoying it in my Reading Room with my new temporary companion. But that dream shattered when I turned the corner onto my street.
The road was lined with news vans and I had no idea why, until I parked, killed the engine, and stepped outside.
“There she is! Madame Moon!”
They descended like locusts. I tried to back away but ended up pinned between the crowd and my car.
“Madame Moon, is it true?”
“Madame Moon, are you really psychic?”
“What do you know about the murder of Mayor Breyfogle’s wife?
“Did you really see the arsonist in a vision?”
The questions were coming so fast, I didn’t have a chance to answer one before I was asked another.
Someone pushed through the reporter, screaming excuse me. Nadia gave the last reporter a shove and then planted herself next to me. “This is Madame Moon,” she said clearly. The reporters quieted down until the only sounds were from Nadia and clicking cameras. “She is a brilliant psychic. She met my dear friend Veronica Breyfogle shortly before she was killed, and Veronica told her she feared for her life. Days later she is killed in a fire made to looked like it was set by the arsonist that has been on the loose for months. While the police have been wasting precious time chasing down this false lead, it’s been Madame Moon who’s been tirelessly pursuing the killer and trying to get justice for my friend.”
“Is this true, Madame Moon?” a reporter from Channel Six News asked. “Did Veronica Breyfogle come to see you before her death?”
Five separate microphones were shoved in my face. I looked around, but there was no escape. What could I do? Lie? Say Veronica didn’t come to see me and say her husband wanted her dead? If I did, then I’d do serious damage to my credibility. Flip-flopping on my story would look pretty bad to a jury when it came time to testify against our illustrious mayor.
But if I didn’t lie, I would have to put all my cards on the table right now to the whole of Zinnia Springs. Tad Breyfogle would know I was on to him and I wouldn’t be able to get near him again.
I sighed. There was no other choice. “Yes,” I said clearly. “Veronica Breyfogle came to see me Friday morning. Two days before she died.”
This brought on a riot of questions. “What did she say to you?” finally broke through the noise.
“She said.” I paused. This was it. “She said her husband, Mayor Tad Breyfogle, was going to kill her.”
Chaos. Nadia shrieked and clapped her hands over her mouth. I couldn’t pay attention to her though. I was focused on the screaming, shoving crowd. One of the reporters got so close with the microphone it half went in my mouth.
I batted it away. “Step back!” I yelled. They were too close and there were too many of them. Their excitement was filling me up like a bathtub and if I didn’t get some space I would overflow. Dancing and giggling while talking about the fiery deaths of six people was sure to make me the news, not Tad Breyfogle. “I will answer your questions. Now, back up and give me some room.”
Eventually, they remembered they were adults and not a bunch of children fighting over the last gummy bear. They backed up and kept backing up until they were just outside the reach of my ability.
I nodded. “Okay.”
Channel Twelve was quick with the first question. “Madame Moon, are you accusing the mayor of murder?”
I shook my head. “I’m not accusing anyone. All I’m saying is Veronica Breyfogle thought her husband was going to kill her and she came to me for help. Days later she was killed and.” I paused to dig into my purse. I found the tie clip and pulled it out, holding it up for everyone to see. “And I found this tie clip with the initials TB in the wreckage of her office, right next to the fire’s origin point. But like I said.” I shrugged. “I’m not accusing anyone.”
If I thought it was chaos before. The crowd once again surged forward, yelling and shoving. The scoop-induced excitement crashed over me like a tidal wave.
“That’s enough!” I shouted over the noise. I was fighting a smile with herculean effort. “I have no more to say!”
I fought my way through the crowd. When it spat me out, I speed-walked to the front door of my office, hurriedly unlocked it, and bolted inside. I locked the door behind and ran into the Reading Room.
Sir Fluffington looked up when I came inside. “Good news,” I said to him. “You won’t be living here alone anymore, because I’m pretty sure I’ll never be able to step foot out there again.”
I HAD HOPED THEY WOULD go away if I gave it enough time, but every time I stepped out of the waiting room for a peek, I saw the news crews were still camped out. I think the crowd kept growing actually.
I was forced to contact all my afternoon clients and cancel their appointments. This case was really cutting into business.
When the clock struck six, I poked my head out once again. They were gone.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Sir Fluffington and I had been surviving on a diet of milk, chamomile tea, and a pack of chocolate chip cookies I kept stashed under the table. He was perfectly happy with the milk, but my stomach was growling for real food.
“I hope Kali made it inside in one piece and has dinner cooking,” I said to the kitten. Yes, I was talking to him. I had been doing so for the last six hours, so no point in being shy about it now. “I’ll come back before bedtime and check on you. Tomorrow you’ll be in your new home.”
He responded to this news by mewling and then proceeding to lick himself. I took that to mean he was excited but also a tad nervous.
I stepped outside of the office and headed straight upstairs. I would have waited around for Daisy like I usually do, but I was afraid there still might be some reporters lurking about and I didn’t want any more microphones shoved in my mouth.
“Hey, sis,” Kali sang out when I arrived home. “How was your day?”
“It was a nightmare,” I replied as I shed my purse and kicked off my shoes. “How was yours?”
“Also a nightmare. I had three midterm exams today and I’m pretty sure I failed all of them.” I padded into the kitchen chuckling. Kali always swore up and down she had failed an exam or project while the grade she got back would never be less than an A. “Your turn,” she said.
I sighed. “Nadia contacted the media about what Veronica told me and they showed up en masse and camped out in our parking lot. It was a total mob scene. I had to announce to the whole town about suspecting that Tad Breyfogle was responsible.”
Kali whistled. “Dang. You win.”
I snorted.
Kali stopped layering lasagna long enough to give me a worried look. “You just accused one of the most powerful men in the city of murder, Mari. I really hope you have some proof to back it up.”
I folded my arms and leaned back against the countertop. “I have my conversation with Veronica. My empath know-how. A gold tie clip I found in the wreckage of the fire. Witnesses who saw a weird woman in a black dress. A statement from a psycho cook that Tad was out who-knows-where the day of the fire. And a refusal from Tad himself to tell me where he was.” I clicked my tongue. “Does any of that count as proof?”
Kali just looked at me.
; “Yeah, I didn’t think so either.”
We decided not to speak any more about it and turned the conversation to lighter topics. Kali prepped and baked the lasagna while I sliced some bread and threw together a salad.
We were sitting down to eat when a banging on the door made us jump.
“Who the heck is that?” Kali cried, clutching her chest. “They’re banging on the door like they’re the cops.”
“Police!” a voice came through the door. “Open up!”
We shared an alarmed look. “Go to your room,” I ordered. “Stay there until I find out what’s going on.”
Kali didn’t argue. She just picked up her plate and did as I said.
Tight with tension, I slowly approached the door, but when I looked through the keyhole, my shoulders relaxed.
I swung open the door. “Arnie? What’s wrong?” My boyfriend stood on my welcome mat, looking more serious than I had ever seen him. “What was all that―”
“Miss Moon.” Detective Kindler shoved past Arnie and got right in my face. “We need you to come down to the station. Now.”
I looked back at my dinner. “But I was just about to eat. Can this wait?”
Arnie put a hand on Kindler’s shoulder to stop whatever impolite words were coming next. “This is important, Mari. You need to come with us now.”
I bristled. “Am I under arrest or something? What is this about?” I demanded.
A hand on the shoulder was never going to stop Kindler. “It’s about your little interview with the press. It made the six o’clock news. Congratulations, Madame Moon, you certainly got the attention you were looking for.”
THE RIDE TO THE STATION was made in silence. There were a lot of things I wanted to say to Arnie, but none of them could be said in front of Kindler, so I kept quiet.
Arnie must have had the same feeling, because even though I kept catching him looking at me in the rearview mirror, he made no attempt to say what was clearly on his mind.
Arnie parked in front of the station and I was led inside. Kindler pulled up short when we got to Interrogation Room #3. She opened the door and beckoned me inside.
