They found Sage in the lounge, laying out tarot cards and crystals in intricate patterns on the table. To Roxy, who had a birdlike, tense, nervous energy, Sage seemed like a strange, exotic creature. Normally her peaceful demeanor was communicated by her floating robes, smooth-as-honey voice, creative, colorful hair, and unhurried movements. Even her hair creations seemed like works of art, especially when compared with Roxy’s “wash and go,” short-cropped, naturally blonde style. Sage often wore flowers in her natural afro hair or opted for flowing mermaid-style wigs and weaves in a variety of colors. Tonight though, her gorgeous face was drawn with worry. And despite the ribbons in her hair, she was pinched and otherwise unadorned.
“Have you heard about what happened?” Roxy said gently. She pulled out a chair and sat down at the table next to Sage. “About Dr. Jack?”
“No, honey, I have not. I have been waiting for you to tell me. I know that it is terrible, though. I can feel it,” she said, arranging and rearranging the crystals on the table as if once she got the right formation, everything would be okay again.
Roxy told Sage about the séance, about Meredith being shot dead, about Meredith’s husband and assistant staying in the guestrooms upstairs. Sage turned, her big brown eyes connecting with Roxy’s. “It is so sad that that poor woman was killed.” Sage lay a hand on Roxy’s arm and looked at her with her soulful eyes. “Now, what is it you really want to tell me, honey? About Dr. Jack.”
Sage had increasingly been spending more and more time at the botanica, leaning on the counter and talking life, the universe, and everything in between with Dr. Jack. Secretly, Roxy wondered how long it would take for them to admit to each other they were head over heels in love. Everyone else could see it. They didn’t need spirits to tell them that.
“He’s…he’s,” Roxy cleared her throat. “He’s been arrested.” Roxy looked dubiously at Sage. “For Meredith’s murder. They say he shot her.”
Sage jerked her head away from Roxy, frowning. “What? That’s ridiculous. Jack would never do something like that. I know him. I know his soul, and it’s as pure as anything, trust me. That man is like an angel on earth.” Sage sat back as she comprehended the news. “So that’s why his phone was off. I wondered why I was feeling so disturbed.” She half-rose from the table. “I must go to him. He will need comfort and spiritual sustenance.”
“No, no, I don’t think you should do that.” Roxy rose too, her hand out, placating Sage. She could just imagine how Detective Johnson would react if they turned up at the police station now. “Nothing will happen until morning. They might have let him go by then. Besides, I don’t think they would let us see him.”
Sage hesitated, but she could see the truth in Roxy’s words and slowly she sat down again. “Perhaps you’re right. I don’t need to be with him physically anyhow. I can send healing and freeing energy to him from here. He will still feel it and know that it’s from me.” Sage leaned over the table and resumed moving her crystals around, albeit more absentmindedly.
“It can’t have been him,” said Roxy, although she couldn’t be sure, not really. She watched Sage as she moved the crystals from one position to another. It was mesmerizing to see how they changed color with each new position as they interacted differently with the light coming from lamps around the room. “Hopefully Detective Johnson and Officer Trudeau will see sense and let him go soon.”
“What grounds did they have for arresting him?”
“I’m not sure,” said Roxy. “Well…I guess it was because he and Meredith were having a big argument before the séance began.” Roxy flushed. “I told Officer Trudeau about it. I have no idea what it was about. Dr. Jack said that something Meredith was proposing was unethical.”
“Hmm, I wonder what the problem was. Dr. Jack certainly enjoys a debate on spiritual philosophy sometimes,” said Sage, “and things do get heated at times, but he’d never shoot someone. He doesn’t even own a gun!”
“I know, I know, none of it makes any sense at all,” said Roxy. “We can only hope things will work out and the truth will prevail. Justice will be done, right? Isn’t that what you tell me—the universe will see to it, and all that?”
Sage shook her head. She suddenly looked very tired. “Eventually. But not always in this world.” She ran her fingers over the tarot cards. “I’ll do a reading later. Now I just want to be a source of support.” She shut her eyes and stayed still and silent for a long while. There was chattering coming from the kitchen, and Roxy was itching to see what was occurring in there, but she daren’t leave the table and risk upsetting Sage. Disturbing the “healing energies” would not portend well, she was quite sure.
Sage breathed in carefully through her nose and slowly opened her eyes. “It may not be the time to go to Dr. Jack, but perhaps I can help Meredith’s husband and her assistant. They’ve had a terrible shock.”
“Yes, they have,” said Roxy. “I’m waiting to see if they want dinner. I’m trying to be warm and welcoming without being intrusive and disrespectful, if you know what I mean?”
“I do,” said Sage. “Let’s just be kind. I think that’s the most important thing. You can’t go wrong with kindness.”
“No, you can’t,” Roxy agreed. She headed toward the kitchen, Nefertiti still trailing in her wake. “Not in the kitchen, princess. It’s unhygienic. Go play.” Roxy pressed her hands against her cat’s sides and spun Nefertiti around. Nefertiti stalked off, mildly annoyed. Roxy sighed after her with a little smile.
She pushed open the kitchen door with her hip and found Nat and Evangeline cooking up a storm. Elijah was leaning against the counter eating one of his own pastries, chatting to them. As soon as he saw Roxy, he stood up straight and shoved the remainder of his pastry into his mouth, wiping his hands together to brush off the confectioner’s sugar that was stuck to his fingertips.
“Roxy! What is happening, girlfriend? I cannot believe you are embroiled yet again with that awful Johnson fella! That’s some voodoo bad luck, that is.” He wagged his finger from side to side, his lips pursed.
“Are you okay?” Nat asked, coming from around the counter. “You weren’t hurt were you?” Nat, as usual, wore black jeans and black Doc Marten boots. A black band T-shirt exposed her arms that were covered in tattoos and currently cradling a huge mixing bowl full of cake batter.
“No, no, I’m fine. It wasn’t a very big room, but whoever it was that shot Meredith seemed to be quite certain of what they were doing. One shot and that was it, she was dead. The police think Dr. Jack did it.”
“What? Are you serious?” Nat rolled her eyes. “That Detective Johnson is such a fool. Of course, it wasn’t Dr. Jack. He and Sage are made for each other. She would never go for a murderer!”
“But wasn’t it obvious who shot the gun? You know, when the lights went up?” Elijah was incredulous. “I mean, in the dark, how could they tell who they were shooting? They could easily have missed or even shot the wrong person. Risky.” Elijah popped another pastry into his mouth, frenetically munching as he thought about this.
Nat’s eyes grew wide. “Hey, perhaps you’re right. Perhaps the wrong person was killed. Perhaps the bullet wasn’t meant for Meredith at all?” She looked at Roxy, her eyebrows nearly above her hairline.
“Oooh, very possibly, Nat,” Elijah said. “Not sure we can trust Detective Johnson to work that out, either. He’s not that bright. You need to get a-sleuthing, Roxy. You know, like you have the last two times?”
“No, I do not,” Roxy said. The feverish speculation Elijah and Nat were indulging in was giving her a headache. She most certainly did not want to get involved.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“CHER,” EVANGELINE SAID warmly, walking up to the three young people and cocking her head on one side as she looked at Roxy with her big brown eyes. She hugged her. Evangeline was a very no-nonsense old woman at the best of times, and after the shock of Meredith’s murder and the arrest of Dr. Jack, her concern and affection caught Roxy off-g
uard.
Roxy gulped back a sudden lump in her throat. She didn’t want to cry. The image of Meredith’s body was accompanying Roxy everywhere she went and what had happened in the past few hours was starting to hit her hard. The room swam a little, but she told herself she couldn’t break down. She had to be strong for Charles and George, for everyone at the Funky Cat Inn. That’s what a leader did, how a leader was. That’s what she was. Roxy cleared her throat. “The air’s spicy,” she said, by way of an excuse for her watery eyes.
The air was spicy. It was filled with Creole and Cajun aromas. The room was hot, too. Nat’s and Evangeline’s cheeks were flushed, and they had rolled-up their sleeves. Condensation formed on the windows.
“Well, at least our guests will eat well,” Nat said. “Everyone feels better after six courses of Evangeline’s finest.”
“Eatin’ at all’s a task when your heart’s been ripped out, cher,” Evangeline said to her. “They may not feel like eating nuttin’. And mind yer mouth, y'hear? Don’t you go sayin’ anything harsh to them good people, will ya?”
“Of course, I won’t!” Nat said. “Why would I do that?”
“It has been known, cher,” said Evangeline. “You can’t deny it.”
Nat sighed and her shoulders sagged. “Look, I know I haven’t always been the most sensitive of people. But I’m different now, I promise. And I’m doing better.”
“Actions speak louder ‘n words, cher,” Evangeline said. “You keep workin’ on holdin’ your tongue. You show Roxy you can do it. You owe it her.”
Nat’s cheeks flushed even more, her eyes glassy in the spicy, steamy air.
Roxy changed the subject quickly. “So what was the spread planned for tonight? Maybe we can holdover some courses until tomorrow.”
“First course is crudités. You know, carrots, celery, cucumber, asparagus, and some beets, with Cajun chicken dip.” Nat pointed to some trays covered with brightly-colored vegetables aside a pale yellow sauce.
“That might work,” Roxy said. “Light, fresh. They could take some to their room.”
“Next was to be deep-fried crab cakes,” said Evangeline. “We don’t have to fry them until they say so. We can always save them for another night.”
“We have a veggie option if they prefer, deep-fried okra,” Nat pointed out.
“We’d planned a Cajun-spiced beef broth,” said Evangeline.
“That might work, too, if they want to eat lightly,” Roxy said.
“Then the fourth course is the main: oyster pie, roasted potatoes, greens, and beetroot salad. The cheese course, of course, after that.”
“And what’s for dessert?”
“Berries cooked in red wine, apple juice, and sugar,” said Nat.
“Over homemade macadamia and white chocolate ice cream,” Evangeline added.
Roxy let her mouth drop open. “Wow, that sounds fantastic as usual. How do we eat it all?” she said.
Nat laughed. “We always say that, but we always manage!”
“So true,” said Roxy. “How long ‘til it’ll be ready? I want to offer them food as soon as possible so that Charles and George can get to bed early if they wish.”
“It’ll only be ten minutes or so,” said Nat.
“You find out what they want to do, and come tell us, cher. We’ll work around whatever they want,” Evangeline added.
“Okay, great,” Roxy said. She rang up to Charles and George’s rooms and explained the situation. To her surprise, they both agreed to come down for dinner—all six courses.
“It’s what Meredith would want,” Charles said. “We’ll dress for dinner in her honor.”
After relaying the message to Nat and Evangeline and the others—Elijah, Sage, and Sam—Roxy dashed to her room. Nefertiti was curled up on her bed.
“Hi, Princess,” Roxy said, giving Nefertiti a scratch as the cat stretched out her full length, her soft belly fur spreading like a concertina, her claws retracting lazily. “Oh, to be a cat, huh? Just sleeping and eating all day long. How lovely that must be.” Roxy let out a slightly envious sigh. “But there’s no time for cuddles and relaxing now.” Nefertiti sat up and shook her head, looking up at Roxy with her piercing blue eyes. “Oh, okay, just one cuddle,” Roxy said. She bent down to give Nefertiti a squeeze and a kiss on the top of her head. Then she rushed off to shower.
As she let the jets of hot water pound against her, Roxy wondered what to wear. Earlier that day, she had planned on wearing her midnight blue dress, the one that had silver threads all over it, along with an abundance of silver and crystal jewelry, but now it clearly wasn’t appropriate. A black dress felt a little too literal in the circumstances, but neither did she want to dress down in jeans. In the end, she settled on a dark green skater dress that didn’t draw too much attention. She added single pearl earrings, but no necklace, and flat pumps.
A short while later, they were all in the dining room, tucking into their crudités and crab cakes. Elijah, still in his zebra shirt, sat at the end of the table, clearly not knowing what to say to Charles and George, especially after his faux pas in front of them earlier. Sedate and somber weren’t natural states for him, but he sporadically attempted conversation with Sage who sat next to him. Both Elijah and Sage regularly dressed as though they were ready for a formal dinner anywhere, anytime, so they didn’t look ill-suited to the occasion. Sage was in her pink robes from earlier. But now Roxy noticed that her facial expression flickered between serene and stressed, and she wasn’t very talkative, answering Elijah’s questions only briefly. Sam had dressed in a black suit and tie and was gamely making attempts at conversation with Charles. Roxy’s heart warmed to him for the effort he was putting in.
George and Nat were talking earnestly in quiet, gentle tones, their heads close together. Nat looked different. She hadn’t just “booted” it this time. When it came to dressing for dinner, Nat often simply changed her work boots for a pair of snazzier Doc Martens. Today though, she’d put on a fresh pair of jeans and a band t-shirt that was more than simply monochromatic. The band logo plastered across the front of her t-shirt had some color in it—green, blue, and yellow to be precise, although the band name was indecipherable to Roxy’s eye. George wore a pair of navy slacks and a Black Watch tartan jacket while next to him, Charles was wearing a blue bow tie and a navy blazer with brass buttons and beige pants. Evangeline had decided to sit the meal out and was busy in the kitchen doing the last-minute food preparations.
As Nat cleared away the first course and they waited for Evangeline to bring out the broth, Roxy heard Sam ask Charles about his work.
“I am a pediatric surgeon at Mercy West Children’s Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina. I specialize in the surgical repair of birth defects. I’ve worked at Mercy West for forty years, although I travel a lot.”
“He’s a pioneer,” George said breaking off briefly from his conversation with Nat. “Fetal surgery. It’s an emerging field. Charles is a leader in it.”
“Wow, that’s impressive, important work you do, Doctor. Where does your work take you?” Sam responded.
“I travel to different parts of the country to help out where I’m needed, but I also have a foundation that provides surgery to children around the world, especially in poverty-stricken areas.” Charles' voice shook. He looked away and blinked. “I—I…,” he said quietly. He stood suddenly and flung down his napkin. “I was wrong. I’m sorry, I just can’t do this!” he burst out. He threw the dregs of his white wine down his throat. “I’m going to my room. Sorry, I’m sorry. I just can’t…”
Sage stood up quickly. “May I come with you? As one spiritual person to another? Perhaps we can provide each other with some solace?”
“Oh, I’m not really spiritual. That was M—Meredith’s thing. I’m all about science, me.” Charles was speaking in a big rush. His words came out harshly.
The conversation in the room died, and everyone looked at Charles. Evangeline came through the kitchen door carry
ing the broth but stopped abruptly when she noticed the scene in front of her.
“B—But, thank you,” Charles said more graciously now. “I would, however, prefer to be alone.” He sniffed and walked awkwardly out of the room as the others watched him in silence.
“Would y’all like some broth? It’s pipin’ hot ’n’ hearty. Just what y’all need on a night like tonight,” Evangeline chirped brightly. The awkward silence broken, the remaining diners gratefully allowed her to ladle the steaming liquid into their bowls. Cutlery and crystal rattled as they turned their attention once more to their food.
The evening continued in a subdued mood. Later when Nat softly crooned I’ll Be Seeing You, accompanied by Sam on the saxophone and Elijah on the piano, it felt slightly eerie. It was a beautiful song, but it wasn’t cheery. It had a bittersweet melody that went right into Roxy’s bones and stayed there.
CHAPTER NINE
“HELLO?” ROXY SAID blearily, picking up her phone.
A peal of light bells had floated across the light of the early morning that streamed into Roxy’s bedroom. She had stirred as the tinkle of musical notes woke her gently. Roxy had purposefully chosen the ringtone for its subdued, discreet quality. She had found over time that shocking her nervous system early in the morning with something as ordinary as a phone call was violent and unnecessary. Trouble was, the low volume and mellow nature of the sound meant it often took some time to rouse her. Nefertiti meowed indignantly as Roxy moved to sit up, waking her cat as she lay curled in a furry ball behind Roxy’s knees.
“It’s Sage, Roxy. Sorry to wake you up so early, honey. Dr. Jack has rung from the police station. He’s still in custody. He wants you and me to go over there. Right now.”
“Okay,” Roxy said, sliding from between the sheets and shaking herself awake. “Did he say what was happening? Like why they are still holding him?”
Roxy Reinhardt Mysteries Box Set Page 35