[Mystic Caravan Mystery 05.0] Freaky Places

by Amanda M. Lee

  Luke scalded him with a dirty look. “You make me want to punch you.”

  “I’m fine with that.” Nellie was surprisingly upbeat as he followed me to the kitchen area, where Raven was already at work. “I heard you found a body last night, Poet. You need to learn the proper way to take a night off. We did it the right way. You did it the wrong way.”

  “Thanks for the tip.” I flicked my fingers in Nellie’s face, causing them to spark a bit so he’d back up. “You’re invading my space.”

  “I’m hungry and I figure this is the best way to get you to cook faster.”

  “Good to know.” I reached for the bacon. “We did find a body, though. It washed up on the beach. We heard some kids talking about a naked woman in the surf and thought it might be Naida. We were wrong.”

  “I can see that.” Nellie leaned against the counter. “Was it the girl from yesterday? The one whose mother was here.”

  I nodded. “They didn’t identify her in front of us, but I saw her face. It was her.”

  “How long do you think she was in the water?” Raven asked. That was a good question. “I don’t know a lot about body decomposition, but she looked as if she’d been dead the whole time.” I looked to Kade for confirmation. “What do you think?”

  “I think she was only in the water an hour or two.” Kade sat next to Luke and slid him a sly smile. He clearly meant to mess with my hungover best friend. “I can’t be sure, though. Her skin still had pigmentation. That makes me think she wasn’t in the water long.”

  “If she didn’t die right away, where was she?” Nellie turned serious.

  “I don’t know, but I think something was done to her wherever she was.” I explained about the marks on her wrists and ankles. “Detective Walker was kind of a jerk, but I saw in his head, and he’s worried. He thinks they have a serial killer.”

  “How many bodies have they found?” Raven asked, sparing a glance for a sullen-looking Melissa as she skirted the edge of the dining area and took a seat across the table from Kade.

  “Three bodies.”

  “So what happened to the others?” Dolph asked, adjusting his big frame so he could stare at me. “Why have they found only three?”

  “There are several possibilities,” Kade replied. “The first is that all the bodies were dumped in the water and only three washed ashore. There are big fish and whatnot out in the ocean. Sharks could’ve eaten the others or they could’ve washed out to sea.”

  “I don’t think that’s the way it works with these tides, but I can conduct more research,” Luke offered, pouring himself another mug of coffee. I had a feeling he was going to need a vat of it to get him going. “I think it’s more likely that only three bodies were dumped in the water.”

  “See, that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me,” I said, lining up the bacon on the grill before reaching for the sausage links. I was nothing if not an efficient multitasker … and with a touch OCD. “They have fifteen missing girls … and that’s only the girls they’re owning up to. They have quite a few others who are missing, but the mayor leaned on the cops to deem them runaways because he didn’t want the story leaking to the media.”

  “Yeah, right before a big festival, that wouldn’t be good for tourism,” Nellie agreed. “How many girls are we talking about?”

  I pictured the bulletin board at the grocery store. “Like, one-hundred … and that’s only the ones who have parents who cared enough to put up fliers. I’m sure there are some girls out there who didn’t have people care enough to report them missing.”

  Kade stared at me for a long beat, his expression unreadable. “That’s too many to ignore. We need to come up with some answers. How do you suggest we do that?”

  “I don’t know.” I rolled my neck. “I think we have to start with someone local.”

  “The cops?” Kade’s opinion of the suggestion was obvious. “Detective Walker isn’t going to help us.”

  “Not the cops.”

  “She’s talking about a local psychic,” Raven supplied. “She’s right. Someone local is probably already working on this while trying to avoid the cops. If we find the right psychic, we’ll be ahead of the game because he or she will have information for us right from the start.”

  “Okay, that sounds like a plan,” Kade said. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Come up with a plan to make sure no girls are taken from these grounds,” I replied. “We open tomorrow. The festival is only half open right now. It goes into full swing tomorrow. That means this will be a target-rich environment.”

  “We can’t keep them all safe,” Kade said. “I wish that were the case, but … the area is just too big. There’s only so much we can do.”

  “Then we’ll have to figure out a different way to catch a killer.” I shifted my eyes to Melissa. She appeared to be listening but not participating in the conversation. “Why don’t you take Melissa to help you today?”

  Melissa balked. “Why? I’m here and on time.”

  Raven snickered. “It’s not a punishment. We all work together at Mystic Caravan.”

  “It feels like punishment,” Melissa grumbled, lowering her eyes.

  “I think that has to do with the guilt you’re carrying,” Raven noted. “You might want to learn from that.” She flicked her eyes to me. “We’ll search for psychics during breakfast and pick the top three. Hopefully we’ll be able to tell who the real deal is right away. It will slow us down if we have to deal with a fraud.”

  “At least we have a place to start.”

  That was something, although it didn’t feel like nearly enough.

  13

  Thirteen

  Raven and I narrowed our choices to five psychics and then shoved the list in front of Naida and Nixie so they could lodge their opinions. By handing it to them blind, they knew nothing about the individuals in question and chose using their instincts only.

  “I like her,” Naida announced, pointing at the name “Desdemona Freeman.”

  Nixie cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. “I like her, too, although this one jumped out at me.” She tapped the space next to the name “Michael Bentley.”

  “That’s a man,” Raven pointed out, wrinkling her nose.

  “Why is that important?” Kade read the list over my shoulder, confusion evident. “Are real psychics only women or something?”

  I shook my head. “No, that’s not it.”

  “Then what is it?”

  “It’s … difficult to explain.” I searched for the right words. “Most men who are truly psychic don’t advertise it. For some reason, it’s a stigma for men. Women embrace it – and are more often public with their abilities – while men try to hide it. I don’t know why.”

  Kade shifted his eyes to Raven. “What isn’t she telling me?”

  “What makes you think I’m not telling you everything?” I protested.

  “Because you do this squinting thing with your eyes when you’re trying to keep something from me,” Kade replied without hesitation. “Before you get worked up, I’m not calling you a liar. I think it’s more that you think I can’t understand something about magical folk and you don’t want to confuse me. It’s fine.”

  It didn’t sound fine to me.

  “Raven,” Kade prodded.

  “She’s too delicate to say it like it is, but I don’t have that problem.” Raven’s smile was mischievous. “Here’s the thing: Male psychics are rare because the gift tends to pass through female genes.”

  Kade held his hands palms up. “That doesn’t sound too confusing.”

  “There is one notable exception,” Raven said. “Mages.”

  “Mages? Like Max?” Kade furrowed his brow. “Does that mean Max is psychic?”

  “He has psychic abilities,” I cautioned. “Max’s powers are much broader than those held by the rest of us. In fact, he could take all of us on without breaking a sweat. We’re good, but he’s magnificent.”

  “M
aybe you should be dating him,” Kade teased.

  “That’s not what I meant. It’s just … mages are rare.”

  “How rare?”

  “Like almost nonexistent,” Raven replied. “Mages were created to act as supernatural peacekeepers, for lack of a better way to explain it. It’s not beneficial for any side if good or evil takes over. That’s why we need the balance.”

  “I guess I don’t understand,” Kade hedged.

  “It’s a lot to absorb,” I offered. “I thought Max would be the one to explain it to you when you were more comfortable with him, but … it’s not easy to explain. It’s very convoluted and the history is all kinds of whacked out.

  “The thing is, mages are kind of like angels in a weird way,” I continued. “They’re identified as children and taken from their homes. There aren’t as many of them as there used to be, and their day-to-day activities are conducted in secrecy.”

  “But Max is out in the open.”

  “He is,” I confirmed. “He’s also not a chosen mage. He’s a born mage.”

  “I don’t know what that means.” Kade’s frustration mounted. “Just spell it out in English.”

  “Fine.” I heaved a sigh. “Chosen mages aren’t supposed to mate. It’s one of the rules. On rare occasions – we’re talking very rare occasions here – two mages fall in love and procreate. That’s where born mages come into play. They’re different … and stronger.”

  Kade’s eyebrows rose. “So that’s what Max is? He’s a born mage.”

  “Exactly.”

  “That’s why he has psychic abilities.” Kade seemed more intrigued than agitated. “I definitely need to do some reading on this subject. I feel as if I’m behind. Now isn’t the time for that, though. We need to focus on the missing girls, so if the male psychic is an issue … go to the woman.”

  “I think that’s probably the best plan,” I agreed, rolling to the balls of my feet and giving him a quick kiss. “I’m leaving you in charge. Don’t let the power go to your head.”

  Kade smirked. “Don’t worry. The only thing I plan to do is punish Melissa.”

  I opened my mouth to argue, but Kade shook his head to quiet me.

  “It won’t be terrible, but I’m going to have a long talk with her,” Kade said. “That’s not your concern. I’ve got Melissa under control. You handle the psychic and see what information you can dig up.”

  “Okay, but if she’s crying when I get back I’m going to make you dry her tears.”

  “Duly noted.”

  DESDEMONA FREEMAN’S SHOP looked like something out of a movie. It was only two blocks from the beach, so the breeze was stiff as we approached, and the purple walls and pink trim were enough to turn my stomach.

  “Are you sure about this?” Raven made a face. “This is a bit too … um … on the nose.”

  I focused on the neon sign advertising palm and tarot readings in the window. I couldn’t help but worry we’d made a huge mistake. “Maybe we should’ve gone for the dude.”

  “We could still do that. In fact … .” Raven didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence because the store’s front door opened, allowing a breathtaking woman with a scarf over her head and vibrant green eyes to hover in the threshold.

  I instinctively straightened my shoulders as I met the woman’s gaze. “Oh, um, hello.”

  “Hello.” Desdemona’s gaze was long and studied as she glanced between our faces. “I believe I’ve been expecting you.”

  “You have?” Raven cocked a dubious eyebrow. “Who told you we were coming?”

  “No one told me. I just knew.” Desdemona was matter-of-fact. “I cleared my schedule. I believe we have a few things to talk about.”

  Raven and I exchanged a quick look. Desdemona was clearly putting on a show, but the thing is, she was good at it.

  “Great. We’re looking forward to it.” Raven’s tone was breezy as she moved toward the door. “You know your decorations are ostentatious and annoying, right?”

  Desdemona shrugged. “You have to know your market, and I know mine.” She gestured for me to enter before turning the sign in the window to “closed” and pointing us toward the table in the center of the room. “I steeped some tea. I hope that’s okay.”

  “That sounds great.” I was more nervous than I probably should’ve been. Desdemona was a master at taking control of a room. I couldn’t help but be impressed. “Your space is nice, other than the colors, I mean.”

  “I happen to like the colors, but that’s neither here nor there.” Desdemona poured three cups of tea before taking her seat and focusing on me. “You found the body last night.”

  This was hardly the first local psychic I’d crossed paths with. Some were more adept than others. She was, however, the first who seemed to think she could control us. I found the turn of events interesting.

  “I did,” I confirmed. “How did you know?”

  “I read it in your mind.”

  Raven and I snorted in unison.

  “You most certainly didn’t,” Raven countered. “You may be strong … and even good at reading people … but you’re not strong enough to read Poet.”

  Desdemona pursed her lips. “Maybe I was at the beach last night when the discovery occurred,” she conceded.

  “So why lie?”

  “Because it makes the story better.” Desdemona shifted on her chair. “I saw you with a man. You seemed close. You were talking to Detective Walker. I don’t suppose you want to share with me what he had to say, do you?”

  Desdemona might have been good with visions and reading people, but she was bad at communicating. I could hardly hold that against her – my communication skills were lacking at times, too – but if she thought we were going to supply her with information for nothing in return, she was sadly mistaken.

  “Okay, I think we need to set some ground rules.” I rested my palms on the table. “We’ll share a piece of information, and then you’ll share a piece of information. This isn’t going to be one-sided.”

  Desdemona tilted her head to the side, considering. “Fair enough. No lying, though.”

  “We don’t lie,” Raven said. “By the way, if you lie to us, you won’t like what happens.”

  Desdemona stared for a long moment, perhaps testing if she could get inside Raven’s head. It was impossible. There was no way she was strong enough. Heck, I wasn’t strong enough. Perhaps Max wasn’t even strong enough. That didn’t stop Desdemona from trying … and ultimately failing.

  “I won’t lie,” Desdemona promised. “I think we both want the same outcome, so there’s no reason to lie.”

  “Great. Go ahead and ask your question.”

  “What did Detective Walker say to you?”

  “Not much.” I leaned back in my chair and stretched out my long legs in front of me, giving the appearance of relaxation. “He asked how we discovered her and then essentially dismissed us.”

  “And how did you discover her?”

  “We heard several boys talking about a naked woman in the water. We thought perhaps it was a drunk and went to help. That’s not what it turned out to be.”

  “And … .”

  Raven cut off Desdemona before she could ask a third question. “It’s our turn. What do you know about the missing girls?”

  Desdemona wrinkled her nose. “I know there are more than what the police are admitting.”

  “We know that, too.” Raven crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve seen things. Don’t bother denying it. This game – whatever it is – grows tiresome and we’ve barely started. How about we cut through the crap and focus on the important stuff?”

  “And what did you have in mind?”

  Raven didn’t hesitate when she reached across the table and grabbed Desdemona’s hair. I realized what she was going to do a split second too late.

  “Raven, no!”

  Raven didn’t stop, instead jerking the hair and causing a wig to tilt and slip from Desdemona’s head.
Underneath, the woman had short hair – more peach fuzz than hair – that was clearly growing back after being clipped or falling out.

  Desdemona grappled for the wig but it slipped through her fingers. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Cutting to the thick of things,” Raven replied. “You’re dying. You know that, right?”

  I widened my eyes. “Raven, what has gotten into you?”

  “Let me handle this,” Raven instructed, never breaking eye contact with Desdemona. “You can’t see into our heads – although you’ve tried a few times – but I can see into yours. You’re not strong enough to shield, though you’re giving it a valiant effort.

  “I’m sorry you’re dying and I’m sorry it’s made you so … bitter,” she continued. “It’s not fair. You’re young and you’re giving, often trying to help others, and it’s definitely not fair. Before this you were an optimist. Now you can’t see past your pessimism.

  “I get it, and I’m not sure I’d feel differently in your position,” she said. “That’s not why we’re here. We can’t help you. The cancer invading your body will overwhelm it. You’re resigned to it, yet you continue to work … you also continue to investigate even though you can’t quite understand why.”

  I chewed my bottom lip as I waited for Desdemona to respond. Raven did a much deeper scan than I allowed myself to conduct. It’s considered rude to probe someone’s mind without invitation. I didn’t catch the cancer bit, but I sensed something eating the woman from the inside. I couldn’t stop the pity from building.

  “People are dying,” Desdemona said. “Young girls are dying. If it were only that, I might be able to look away. But something else is going on, and I can’t ignore what I feel inside. Trust me. I’ve tried. I can’t ignore the nightmares any longer.

  “So, you figured out my secret,” she continued. “I’m dying. Before I go, I’d like to stop others from dying. Is that such a terrible thing?”

  Raven handed back the wig. “No. We want to stop it, too. But there’s no need for theatrics. We’re not frauds. This is hardly the first … monster … we’ve come up against. We’re not afraid of monsters. We are afraid of time. We only have so much of it. No more games.”