Silence Is Golden (A Pet Psychic Mystery No. 3) (13 page)

"What would be important enough to kill for? It would have to be worth a lot of money. Besides, she was an unarmed woman, if someone wanted something she had, it would have been easier to just rob her. No, I think the theory about Victoria finding out about Tara's affair seems more plausible. She's already a top suspect because of the whole dog show rivalry. But then again, I'm exhausted so not sure how straight I'm thinking."

I sighed. "Sorry, guess it doesn't help I'm throwing all these theories at you with the day you've had. You know, your job is hard."

Will laughed. "I think you'd make a great detective, Darwin. But meanwhile, please stay out of trouble. I don't need to be worrying about you too right now."

The fatigue drew out his words, and I felt so desperate to do something to ease the worry I could hear in his voice. "Can you do lunch tomorrow?"

"I'll have to let you know. Seems I have some new questions for Victoria's husband."

"You're welcome," I teased. "Good night."

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I was just about to flip over the closed sign Thursday evening when Josie busted through the door and stumbled across the boutique, knocking into the treat table and falling behind the counter. Sylvia, who had just been about to pour us some tea, shot me a startled look. I flipped the sign and locked the door. We both walked over and stared down at her. She was huddled on the floor, holding her knees and mumbling to herself. Large black sunglasses hid most of her face.

"Josie?" I said calmly. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

She lifted her head and pulled off her glasses. Her face was ashen, her eyes bloodshot. "Check the door. Is anyone looking in here?"

We both turned our heads and stared at the door.

"No. No one's there." Was she having some kind of alcohol-induced hallucinations?

She collapsed against the counter and took in a shuddering breath. "They found me. I saw 'em. I'd know Deacon's thugs anywhere." She shoved her hands into her mussed hair and began to sob. Goldie dropped Gator and came over and nudged her elbow. Josie swiped at her nose with the back of her hand and gave Goldie a hug. "Thanks, girl."

I kneeled down in front of her while Sylvia stood with her arms crossed. Willow watched the whole thing from the tea table. "So someone named Deacon is looking for you? Why?"

"Money. Why else? Money makes the world go round. Money and pain." She snorted.

"So you owe him money?"

She cringed and dug in her bag, pulling out her flask with shaking hands. After a deep swig, she sagged and nodded. "A lot of money. Their kind of interest adds up fast and when you hit a losing streak... well, let's just say I dug my own grave."

Sylvia mumbled something in Portuguese and then touched my shoulder. When I glanced up, she flicked her chin toward the door.

"I'll be right back." I patted Josie's knee.

When we got out of earshot, Sylvia looked hard into my eyes and shook her head. "I know you like to help stray things, Darwin, but this girl is bad news. What she's talking about, owing gambling debt money, is very dangerous. Could be to the mob. They own Las Vegas. We cannot have that kind of trouble."

I pressed my lips together. "I know. You're right. I'll get her out of here."

"Josie?" I waited for her to open her eyes. "We've already closed the store. Can I give you a ride home?"

"No." She rolled her head back and forth. "They've probably been watching me. I'm sure they know I've been staying at dad's place."

"Is there somewhere else you could stay for a few days?"

She blew out a sigh. "Yeah. I guess I could go to Eugene the Bean's house. He's got a good alarm system. Guess I'll be skipping this town sooner than I wanted to. I'll need to talk to him about selling dad's house for me anyway."

*     *     *

Willow pulled up into Eugene's driveway. "Wait here," I told her.

I could feel Josie's body shaking as I helped her to the front door. She kept darting glances at the street. I rang the doorbell for her.

As we stood there waiting, I asked for her cell phone and put my number in. "Call me if you need anything."

She squeezed my hand. "Thanks for being so nice to me."

The door cracked open and a startled Eugene stood in front of us. "Josie? What are you doing here?"

He looked bad. He had tried to cover his bruised eye with a thick layer of foundation.
And what in heaven's name is he wearing?
I tried not to stare, but my gaze kept slipping back down to the black and red silk robe. I had heard of people not washing pillowcases of their deceased loved ones to hold on to their scent, but was it normal to wear their clothes? I hoped he was getting help with his grief. It seemed like he was one false step from going over the edge.

"I need a safe place to crash... just for tonight," she added when she saw him start to protest.

He held up a notebook. The one I saw on his table with stuff about CD's written on it. "I'm working on an article, Josie. It's a tight deadline. Can't you stay at your dad's place?"

"She's got some bad people looking for her, Eugene," I offered. "She needs a safe place tonight."

"Just for tonight," Josie pleaded. "I promise. Please?"

He sighed and held the door open wider.

"Thanks," I said as Josie stumbled into the house. I wanted to say more. To ask him if Victoria knew about Tara's affair. Or if she ever felt threatened by her. But I bit my tongue. Will was going to talk to him, so I needed to mind my own beeswax.
I did lean in and give him an awkward hug, though
.
I couldn't help myself. He looked like a lost puppy. The scent of Victoria's perfume was still strong on the robe. Or maybe he sprayed in on there again to hold on to something from her.
So heartbreaking.
My eyes watered and I sniffed out a goodbye. "Make sure you set your alarm."

CHAPTER TWENTY

There was a barking match going on in Darwin's Pet Boutique. Pinky the peekapoo vs. Hershey the doberman puppy. Pinky was winning. She kept up the steady beat of yips and yaps like a seasoned pro. Will came through the door as I tried to bribe them with treats to settle their differences in a more civilized manner. The owners pulling and shushing wasn't working.

A loud, shrill whistle suddenly stopped everyone dead in their tracks. Hershey tilted his head, his mouth snapping shut as Sylvia came down the aisle clapping her hands.

 "What is all this racket, my babies? No, no, no." She kneeled down between the two contenders in her gypsy skirt and waterproof apron, scratching each one under the chin as they sat and beamed at her like she was the best thing since sliced beef. The owners beamed at her as well. She took the peekapoo's leash from the owner. "You see. Much better. Come on, Pinky. Time for your spa day."

Will smiled as he stepped around the group but the smile didn't reach his eyes. I hurried to him and felt the wall of grief around him.

"What's wrong? What's happened?" I said, taking his hand.

"It's my dad." His blue eyes were bloodshot and glistened with unshed tears. "He... passed away last night."

My chest squeezed with the shock. I shook my head, which suddenly felt as heavy as a bowling ball. "No..." I grabbed him hard and pressed myself into him as if I could share the pain if I just got close enough. "I'm so sorry," I whispered through my own tears. I pulled back and looked up at him. "I'll get Willow to help out for an hour, let's go take a walk."

He shook his head. "I can't. I only have a few minutes. We got a hit on a black rental car that was turned in three days late and a local body shop that did work on that model. Hood and windshield work. The person paid cash. So, I have some interviews to do, and then I'm going to head back to Tampa to make funeral arrangements."

"I could probably take a few days off—"

"I appreciate it, Darwin, I do. But I'd rather do this alone."

Ouch. Why did that hurt so much?
"Oh. Okay."

"We'll have that dinner as soon as I get back, I promise." He kissed my forehead. "I miss you."

I let a small smile I wasn't feeling cross my lips. "Sure."

*     *     *

The next three days moved like molasses. I tried to be the understanding girlfriend and not be upset that Will didn't want me by his side during such a devastating time in his life. He didn't need my support in this.
Well, why did he need me at all then?
Every time the hurt and confusion surfaced, I stuffed it down with a cinnamon roll. Sylvia was rubbing off on me. I also threw myself into work at the boutique, cleaning and organizing. Then at home, Willow and I baked treats and talked.

"So, your magick's gotten a lot stronger since I left." I pulled sweet potato bones out of the oven and stepped over Goldie—sprawled out in her favorite position on the kitchen floor—to place them on the counter. "How much do you practice?"

Willow thought for a long moment. "It's not really the time, but the intensity now. I finally got it. That place Grandma Winters kept telling us about. That seemingly infinite source of power. When I can tap into this, it doesn't drain me at all."

"Oh." I paused. "What Grandma Winters calls tapping into the Original Consciousness?"

"Yes. And it's amazing. There's this feeling of oneness with the creative power of the universe, of completeness. I can't even put it into words. And it doesn't totally leave you." Willow pushed the next batch she'd been stirring toward me. "Ready."

I was envious she had reached that point already
. Not her fault I had shunned my gift and stopped practicing though.
I stuck my finger in the batter and licked it.
Just right.

"You remember you're making dog treats, right?" she asked with a grimace.

I shrugged. "Not really any difference, except the shape." I put my hand on my hip. "I've been thinking about what you said. About using magick to help ease Will's grief. You don't think it's unethical?"

Willow stared at me thoughtfully before she answered. "Remember what Grandma Winters says: We are just in tune with the elemental powers of nature which we are all a part of. There's nothing immoral or unnatural about our magick. Our brains are just wired differently."

I sighed. "Everyone has their own definition of natural, though and Will's definition most definitely does not include magick. He still isn't even comfortable with me getting information from animals."

Her shoulder moved slightly under strands of silky brown hair. "So, don't tell him. Just do it."

I stared at her.
Is she serious?
"Just use magick on him without his knowledge or consent? No, that wouldn't cause any trust issues." I flattened out the dough with more vigor than it called for. "Besides, I want to eventually be totally honest with him. That would be a big secret to carry."

"Bigger than being able to wield water magick to begin with?"

I frowned. She had a point. I thought about how sad he was. I glanced at the French doors. I could feel the Bay waters humming beyond them, giving me comfort. Water was medicine.

"He would take an aspirin if he had a headache, right?" I said softly. "So, for heartache... I could give him the medicine he needs."

Willow nodded. "And with no side effects."

I made my decision. "Yeah. Okay."

 I still hadn't decided if I would tell him. I couldn't tell him beforehand, he'd never agree to it. But, when he felt better, when he realized I did it for his own happiness, then maybe he would accept it. "He's coming over for dinner when he gets back tomorrow night."

Willow nodded. "I'll make myself scarce. Maybe drive over and commune with the Mound."

"Not alone. Not with everything that's been going on there lately."

Willow shot me a look. "Now you sound like mom. I can take care of myself."

"Fine. Whatever," I said, offering Goldie a cooled treat. She dropped Gator and eagerly accepted it.  "Don't come running to me if the ghost dog shows up or some wacko wielding a shovel."

*     *     *

I had everything cleaned up and dinner in the oven. It was time. Grabbing the rainwater I had collected, I went upstairs and entered the spare bedroom where I kept my chalice and book. The chalice had been keyed to my particular vibration and so it was important to keep it separated from other people's energy patterns.

"Stay, girl," I said to Goldie, who had followed me to the door. "I won't be long." I gave her a pet as she sat down to wait with Gator tucked in her jaws, and then closed the door behind me. Besides my tools, the room had a couch that converted into a bed, a glass coffee table and a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. I lowered myself onto my zafu cushion in front of the coffee table and poured the rainwater into the chalice. I then lit the two candles and put some rock salt into the rain water. It helped clean up any negative energy the water absorbed. I pushed the leather book to the corner of the table. I wouldn't need it for this.

First thing's first... clearing my mind. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath in and filled my lungs, then followed the air back out. I repeated this ritual until I felt my shoulders relax and saw the empty blue sky, my symbolic image of a clear mind. Clouds of thought drifted in.

Should I really do this? Am I doing no harm? Do I really feel like this is the best thing for Will?

Yes. Let go. Yes. Let go. Yes. Let go.

I felt myself fall deeper into my own consciousness. Everything slipped away except a translucent violet light. I moved my attention there and settled into the seat of my consciousness. From here, I reached out with my energy to the water in the chalice. Immediately, I felt an expansion of power, a pulsing. I held an image of Will in my mind. When it was solid, I brought forth feelings of love and happiness for him. White hot feelings with streaks of blue and violet. I opened my eyes. The light fused with the water molecules, making them glisten like tiny prisms of glass beads.

I pulled myself back. It was done. And so much easier done with my chalice. I'd have to thank Mallory for bringing it to me, even though I
had
left it behind on purpose.