by Maria Geraci
Victor nods enthusiastically. “I agree.”
“Oh, I don’t think a séance is necessary,” says Phoebe.
Gloria and Victor turn and stare at her. There’s only one reason Phoebe wouldn’t want to do a séance. And that’s because she’s afraid of what we’ll find out. Which means I want to do this more than ever.
Sarah comes up to the counter to refill the coffee pot. “Did someone just say séance?” She looks like she’s trying not to laugh.
“Lucy has agreed to help us talk to Abby,” Gloria says.
Sarah’s jaw goes slack before she pulls her expression together. “Really?”
“I just want to help,” I say trying to sound innocent.
“And of course, Paco will need to be there,” says Victor.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Phoebe says. “Didn’t you just say that the dog has been through a trauma? To expect him to participate in a séance so soon after all he’s been through… no. It’s inhumane. Also, Lucy, dear, I couldn’t help but overhear part of your conversation with Lanie Miller. It seems like you’re looking for a home for the little angel? As I said before, I’ll be happy to take him. As a matter of fact, I practically consider it my civic duty.”
Gloria puts her arm around Phoebe’s shoulder. “I’m sorry to be so blunt, but do you think that’s a good idea considering that the dog doesn’t like you?”
“Gloria’s right,” says Victor. “He seems to be fairly aggressive toward you.”
Phoebe looks like she’s going to cry. “I don’t understand why he suddenly doesn’t like me.”
“Thanks for offering, but Paco has already been adopted,” I blurt.
“He has?” Sarah asks.
Oh boy. How am I going to get out of this one?
“Yep. My brother wants him. Yes, that’s right, my brother, the priest, wants Paco.”
It’s been my experience that whenever you add “the priest” in any sort of communication, people back down. It seems to work here too because no one questions me anymore.
“That was fast,” Phoebe mutters.
Gloria lowers her voice. “So, about the séance….”
16
Gloria lays down all the conditions for the “ideal” séance environment. They’re a bit wacky, but what do I know about talking to the dead? All I know is that to pull this off, I’m going to need help from my best friend.
It kills me to have to wait till The Bistro closes for the day, but I’ve already left work early twice this week, and it wouldn’t be fair to Sarah if I take off again. Once all the customers are gone and the kitchen is clean, I put Paco in my car and head over to Will’s.
He’s just getting home from the library at the same time I pull into his driveway. He looks exhausted, which doesn’t make sense since he took some vacation days this week.
“Big run on Hemingway today?” I ask.
He grins at my joke. “Been cataloguing a new shipment.” He unlocks his front door to let us all in. “Hey, little guy,” he says, rubbing the top of Paco’s head affectionately.
“You wouldn’t happen to be in the market for a dog, would you?”
Why didn’t I think of this before?
It makes so much sense. Will isn’t allergic. He’s kind to animals. Paco already likes him. And he’s already offered to take him once, even though it was just for the night. If Will adopts Paco, then I can see Paco all the time. It’s a total win-win scenario.
“Lanie Miller wasn’t interested?”
“She was. Dharma wasn’t. So, how about it?”
“I don’t know, Luce. He seems like a great dog, but I’m at work all day. I’m too busy to give him the kind of attention he’ll need.”
“But he doesn’t need much,” I protest. “And I’d help.”
“What about Sebastian?”
“I already thought about him. He’s my last resort, but he’s busier than all of us combined.”
“I wish I could, but—stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Doing that thing with your eyes.”
“What am I doing with my eyes?”
“Making them all sad looking. It’s like you have deer eyes.”
I giggle. No one has ever told me I have deer eyes before. “Okay, I’ll try to look mean.”
He sighs. “Look, if you can’t find anyone else to take the dog, then I’ll do it.”
“Really?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Thanks! Hey, by the way, what you do know about an author named J.W. Quicksilver? Apparently, he writes these intense thrillers.”
“Never heard of him.”
“Really? I thought you were supposed to be a librarian. Anyway, Betty Jean’s book club is reading his latest. She promised me lots of big action and hot sex.”
He looks at me over the top of his glasses. “You’re joining Betty Jean’s book club?”
“It’s a big honor,” I tease. “She says she’ll push me to the top of the waiting list if I bring muffins.”
Before Will can respond, my cell phone pings. “Yes! It’s Travis. I’ve been waiting all day for this call.” Will opens his mouth to say something, but I put a hand up in the air to stop him. “Did the prints match?”
Travis makes a grumpy sound.
“I’ll take that as a yes?”
“Don’t get all bigheaded, but you were right. Derrick Delgado’s fingerprints are on the doorknob from the rec center. We already had his prints on file. He was arrested ten years ago for assaulting a guy during a bar fight.”
No big surprise there. “You’re going to arrest him, right?”
“No. I’m going to bring him in and question him. But you’re getting your hopes up for nothing. We don’t have any evidence of wrongdoing. For all we know he’s going to tell us that he was at the rec center during the opening celebration and that’s when he touched the doorknob.”
“Only you know it wouldn’t be true.”
“And how would I know that exactly?”
If only I could be there when Derrick is being questioned, I’d be able to tell Travis if he’s lying or not. Except, no, that wouldn’t work because it would mean telling Travis about my gift. His dad, I trust. But Travis…it isn’t that I don’t trust him. And it’s not even that I think he won’t believe me. But he would definitely think I was strange, and for some unknown reason, I don’t want that.
“Is there any way I can be there when you question him?”
“Absolutely not.”
“You’re no fun.”
“Sure I am. You just haven’t been around me long enough.” The way Travis says this, it sounds almost…flirty. He clears his throat. “So you’re not going to like this, but I wanted you to hear it from me first. We’re also going to bring your brother in for questioning.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, Lucy, I’m not. He knows something, and he refuses to cooperate. I have no choice. If he were anyone else, this would have happened three days ago.”
Logically, I know that Travis is right. But I still hate that my brother is being dragged into this. I have to find out what went on in that rec center the night Abby died. Which means this séance has to happen.
“Thanks for the heads up,” I say grudgingly. When I get off the phone, Will is staring at me as if I’ve done something wrong. “What?”
“Nothing.” But he sounds moody, and that isn’t like him.
“So, the reason I came over here is because I need a favor. And you aren’t going to like it.”
Will opens his refrigerator and takes out two beers. He hands me one. “Why aren’t I going to like it?”
I wait till he’s taken a sip of the beer and looks relaxed before I say, “Because it’s sort of illegal. But totally for a good reason. I need to get a small, very small group, into the rec center at midnight so we can have a séance. And since the center is normally closed that means we’ll basically have to break in.”
Beer comes
sputtering out of Will’s mouth and spills onto the leather sofa. Paco runs to lick it up. “You want me to help you break into the rec center?” he asks incredulously. “Isn’t this the same thing you want Derrick Delgado locked up for?”
“That’s different. I’m this close,” I say, putting my thumb and index finger up so that they’re practically touching, “to finding out what really happened the night Abby died. And I do not have PTSD I just need this séance to help put the pieces of the puzzle together.”
“Are you listening to yourself? When did you start believing in this stuff?”
“I don’t believe the séance is going to work, silly. But Phoebe does. That’s the important part. These people think that Abby is linked to me. So all I have to do is fake it, and once Phoebe thinks she’s talking to Abby, I’ll get her to confess everything she knows.”
Will closes his eyes for a moment like he’s trying to absorb all this. “Let’s say I thought this was a good idea, which I don’t. Why does the séance have to be in the rec center? Why can’t it be in someone’s spooky old house? Or better yet, in a graveyard?”
“Right? The rec center is Gloria’s stipulation. She says we need to do the séance in the rec center because that’s where Abby died, and we need to do it as close to the time of her death as possible. Which means we need to do it around one in the morning. Oh, and Paco needs to be there too because you know, they think he sees dead people, and that could really come in handy.”
“And you don’t think this all sounds crazy?”
“Maybe. A little.” He glares at me. “Okay, maybe more than a little. All I know is that my gut is telling me Phoebe had something to do with Abby’s death. And…now the cops want to bring Sebastian in for questioning. And you know him. He’ll never tell them anything that he thinks might be breaking some sort of sacred confidence. Even if the cops go easy on him, there will always be a cloud of suspicion hanging over his head unless we can figure out what he and Abby were doing in the rec center.”
Will sighs wearily. “What do you need from me?”
“You’re the head librarian, which makes you an important public employee, right? Isn’t there some kind of master key to all the city-owned buildings?”
“No.”
“Okay, well, Gus had a set of keys to the building during the celebration. Who usually has those?”
“I would imagine that the rec center director has those. And probably some of the class instructors.”
“Like Viola?”
“Yeah, she might have a set of keys. If she ever opens or locks up the building. But…” Will shakes his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this. I think I know who might have a set of keys.”
“Really? Who?”
“Brittany. She teaches the evening Pilates class. She said something about having to lock up after class the other day.”
Fate must be laughing in my face right now because the last person I want to be indebted to is Brittany Kelly. “Do you think she’ll help?”
“I don’t know, Lucy. She could get in a lot of trouble. We all could.”
“Not if we don’t get caught.”
He snorts.
“Please. Will you ask her?” I decide to play my ace again. “For Sebastian?”
“Let me think about it.”
“Thanks, Will!”
“I said I’d think about it. I was going to call her later this evening to solidify our plans for Friday night. I’ll throw some feelers out and see if I can gauge her reaction. If she shuts it down even a little, which she probably will, then I’m not going to pursue it. Understand?”
Since this is the best I can hope for, I nod eagerly. “Sure, thanks. Speaking of Brittany, where are you taking her on the big date?”
“I was thinking of that steak place in Seaside. Then maybe a walk along the beach afterward. What do you think? Too lame?”
There’s no such thing as too lame for Brittany.
“Sounds perfect.”
Neither of us say anything for a few beats.
My cell phone rings. It’s too soon for it be Travis again, so I’m about to decline the call when I notice the area code. “Oh my God. It’s the Cooking Channel!” I’m too excited and shocked to move.
Will’s eyes light up. “Lucy, you’re on the show.”
“What if they’re calling to turn me down?”
“They’d do that in an email. Go on,” he urges, “answer the phone.”
I take a deep breath and press the accept button. “Hello,” I croak.
“Is this Lucy McGuffin?” asks a female voice.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“This is Tamara Hayes from The Cooking Channel. How are you today?” She sounds upbeat, which is a positive sign. Right?
“I’m good. I think.”
She chuckles, but it sounds more practiced than sincere. “I’ve had a chance to go over your application, and I’ve seen your audition tape. You’re fabulous, by the way! A complete natural!”
“I am?”
“The camera loves you, Lucy, and the camera doesn’t love everyone. I’m thrilled to tell you that we’re moving you on to the next phase of the auditions.”
“There’s another phase?”
“Oh yes. We’ll be sending a camera crew to your kitchen. To get a feel for the locale, that kind of thing. You’ll receive an email with an attachment that explains everything.” I can hear her shuffling some papers around. “Let’s see…your café is called The Bistro by the Beach, and you own it along with a Sarah Powers?”
“That’s right.”
“Fabulous. Of course, we’ll need Sarah to agree to the filming, and she’ll need to sign all the waivers.”
“Sure! She’s just as excited about this as I am.”
“Marvelous. We’ll be in touch soon. Ciao!”
I click the disconnect button in a daze.
“Are you on the show?” Will asks eagerly.
“Not yet. There’s one more phase to the auditions.”
“Lucy, that’s awesome.”
“It is, isn’t?”
And then because it feels natural, I reach out and hug him and he gives me a quick sisterly hug back. I wish he didn’t feel so solid or smell so good. My life would be a whole lot easier if Will and I were on the same page here.
“Do they go to all the contestants’ hometowns before they decide to put them on the show?” he asks.
“I don’t know. Maybe this is part of the intro package. You know, when they’re telling the audience about the contestants. Only you’d think they’d only film those with the people they’ve already picked.”
“Seems to me that you’re a shoo-in.”
“Thanks. But you have to say that because you’re my best friend, which reminds me, if I win Muffin Wars, I’ll be able to pay you back the money you loaned me for the down payment on The Bistro.”
“No worries. Pay me back whenever you can.”
“No worries? Ten grand had to have put a big dent in your savings.”
“It’s a great investment,” he says, sounding uncomfortable the way he always does whenever I mention the loan. “Have you thought about how you’re going to fake like you’re talking to Abby Delgado’s spirit?”
“That’s the easy part. I just have to watch Ghost again and get my Whoopi on.”
“That’ll make, what? The hundredth time you’ve seen it?”
Will knows that Ghost is one of my favorite movies. The pottery wheel scene between Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore always makes my heart do flip flops. I’ve made him watch it at least three times. He pretends that he hates it, but deep down, I know he gets a big kick out of the whole who’s-good-and-who’s-bad theme.
“So I’ll make it a hundred and one. Your job is to convince Brittany to let us use her key to get into the building.”
“That’s if she even has a key.”
“I have every confidence in your abilities to persuade her.”
H
e shakes his head. “Sometimes being your best friend is a lot of work, Lucy.”
“But you wouldn’t want it any other way. Right?”
He hesitates just a fraction of a second too long before he answers. “Right.”
17
After I leave Will’s house, I take Paco to the park, where he behaves like a perfect little gentleman. Every five minutes I check my phone to see if either Will or Travis has called to update me on their respective assignments.
When a good hour goes by, and I don’t hear from either of them, I decide to take matters into my own hands. I’m about to dial Travis when my cell rings.
“Hello?”
“Lucy? It’s Aurelia Finch, Susan Van Dyke’s cook.”
“Oh! Hi, Aurelia.”
“Anthony and I were wondering how Cornelius was faring. Have you found a permanent home for him yet?”
“I’m pretty confident I can talk my best friend Will into taking him. He’d be terrific with the dog.”
“The sweet little thing has been through so much. I feel better knowing that you’re looking out for his welfare.”
Now that I have Aurelia on the phone, I realize she’s the perfect person to give me some intel. “When Susan was alive, you said that she used to host séances in her home? And that Cornelius assisted?”
“Oh, yes. She couldn’t have done them without him. He’s a very gifted medium.”
“Good to know because he’s going to be participating in another séance soon. Maybe even as soon as tomorrow night. Is there anything I should know about how to prep him? Any special foods or anything?”
“No special prep is needed, but I should warn you. Talking to the dead isn’t a trifling thing. This has to be done correctly, or who knows what might happen. If the environment isn’t carefully monitored, it can turn dangerous for Cornelius.”
Dangerous? It occurs to me that I’m clueless here. “Exactly how does Cornelius whisper to the dead?”
“Cornelius makes contact with the spirit we’re calling to. Then the human medium picks up on Cornelius’s vibrations and communicates those vibrations back to the other members of the séance. If the human medium isn’t talented enough to sense what Cornelius is feeling, then all those thoughts can be trapped inside him and create an unhealthy chi.”
