by Tonya Kappes
“I wonder if she still kept in touch with him? Or does David? Because I dug up a lot of his financials where he’d filed bankruptcy a few times since they were divorced.” Mazie had really done some research, thanks to Fluggie’s lead.
“Did Fluggie look all this up?” I asked.
“She only researched Debbie’s background but nothing about her life here. I got to wondering about David and who his dad was, so that’s when I decided to check into him. Interesting enough, he did get remarried to someone named Dee Holt.” She gestured for me to flip the pages. “I have the wedding certificate in there along with a current address.”
“You are amazing.” There was a little bit of hope coursing through my veins that suddenly made me awake. “I’ll check into them too.”
My list of things to do and people to see was growing. How was I going to fit it all in and beat Trevor to the punch? From what Jack Henry had told me, Trevor seemed to be on top of it and had definitely done research. But, did he know how to do research like a librarian?
Doubtful.
Mazie and I had made plans to meet back in a couple of hours. It wasn’t likely we would be finished quicker than that. By the looks of all the rows of psychics there, it was going to take two hours to even walk, much less talk to any of them.
Each psychic had a different setup. Some of them offered readings right there on the spot, while others were taking appointments for later in the day. They had taken this convention seriously. Fancy oriental rugs on the floor with stand-up folding screens to hide the private readings were pretty common in most of the booths.
There were some vendors who were selling witch balls, incense like Debbie Dually used in her readings, along with other things I’d never seen before, much less knew how to use. Nor did I want to find out.
“You.” One of the psychics swirled a finger at me. “You have a gift. I can see them,” she gestured behind me.
I turned around to look, and there was Debbie. She was floating behind me with her hands behind her back.
“But you aren’t here to help people today.” The psychic’s eyes glowed with excitement. “You are here to find… mmmm… yes.” Her seductive voice scared me. “Row thirty-four.”
“She was always nice to chat with.” Debbie had decided to finally join me.
“Thank you,” I said to the psychic, wondering if she really knew I was looking for two different people on my list, which was in my pocket, so I wasn’t sure how she knew.
“I can see the apprehension on your face. Remember, she’s psychic.” Debbie loved reminding how I still had a hard time wrapping my head around my gift, let alone trying to figure out anyone else’s special talent. “They all know you’re here to see someone.”
It was then that I noticed all the psychics would come to the edges of their booths and look at me when I passed. There was a knowing look in their eyes, and it sent a chill through me.
I hurried as quick as my legs would take me to row thirty-four but not without abruptly stopping when I saw David Dually heading toward the exit door. Debbie’s ghost darted after him and floated through the door after he left.
Why was he here? I wondered and made a note to be sure to ask him about it when I stopped by the house to see him. Another stop on my list.
Row thirty-four was different than the other rows of psychics. These were couples who were psychics. Just like the other psychics, the couples would emerge from their seats or from behind their screening to look at me. When I passed by one booth where no one greeted me, I stopped and looked at their sign.
“Goddess Jillian and Mystic Mervin are here to help you connect with your spirit animal.” I read the exact two names on my list. “Are these them?” I turned to see if Debbie had caught back up to me.
No chance. She’d left me high and dry… again.
“Hello?” I called into the booth after I hadn’t seen anyone.
“Welcome. I’m Goddess Jillian.” A woman with a green scarf wrapped around her head and bracelets from her wrists to her elbows on both arms whipped around the wood screen. “Would you like a reading from me and Mystic Mervin?”
When I heard a familiar jingle, I looked down at her ankles. She was wearing the same ankle bracelet Debbie Dually wore.
“I like your anklet,” I mentioned to break the ice.
“Mystic Mervin”—she projected his name—“got it for me.”
A man, who apparently was Mystic Mervin, emerged from the back of the booth, wiping his mouth off.
“Sorry about that,” he mumbled under a mouthful of food. “Reading auras and stuff gets you hungry.”
“Auras?” I looked back up at their sign. “I thought you did spirit animals.”
Goddess Jillian nudged him with a sly elbow, but it wasn’t so inconspicuous.
“I mean, you’re a fluttering goddess yourself.” There was a certain charm to the middle-aged man.
“I’ve never been to a psychic convention,” I said and tried to think fast at how I could get them to open up. “I’m not sure how all of this works.”
“You can have your spirit animal come here or to our new location that we’ve just opened here in Lexington.” Goddess Jillian looked younger than Mervin. She was eager to give me her card.
It was also different than the ones I’d seen at the other booths. Most of them had websites and the types of readings the psychics did, along with backgrounds that looked like something a psychic would have on their cards.
Goddess Jillian’s was white with black ink and looked as if she’d cut it with a pair of dull scissors. Not professional.
“You moved here?” I asked.
“Mm-hmm.” She ho-hummed and smiled. “Would you like to know your spirit animal?”
“You know, I did go to a local psychic a couple of times. In fact, I read in the paper today that she was murdered.” I tapped my temple with the corner of her business card like I was trying to remember Debbie’s name. “Darlene? Denise?” I questioned as I threw out bogus names. “Debbie! Her name was Debbie. So sad. I guess you could say I’m looking for a new spiritual leader.”
“Excuse us,” Mystic Mervin interrupted us and jerked Goddess Jillian behind the screening. It was obvious saying Debbie’s name got his full attention.
While they continued to talk in hushed whispers, I couldn’t help but notice some open luggage off to the side with several stacks of their business cards inside. The dangling leather luggage tag with something written on it caught my attention.
My gut tugged, telling me to grab the tag, and without even thinking it through, I quickly unsnapped it from the handle of the suitcase and slipped it into my pocket.
“Maybe she’ll leave if we stay back here,” I heard Goddess Jillian say in a rushed voice.
It was perfect. I didn’t need to stand around there any longer. They were on my list from Debbie, and they were moving to Lexington just after Debbie was murdered. Another coincidence I just couldn’t accept.
Chapter Eleven
“What on earth happened to you?” I asked when Mazie walked up wearing a head scarf, jingling bracelets, and some sort of odd pendant around her neck.
“I had to buy all this crap from some psychic and Angela Ariel to even get them to talk to me about Debbie,” she groaned underneath all the garb.
I doubled over in laughter.
“Don’t take it off.” I reached in my purse to get my phone. “I’ve got to get a picture of this.”
“You better not.” Mazie put her hand in front of her face.
“Too late.” I was quicker than her and flipped it around to show her.
“You’re evil.” She laughed. “I do look so funny.”
“They saw you coming a mile away and thought, look at that girl. She’s going to buy whatever we say she needs.” It was a trick Debbie Dually had pulled on me the second time I’d gone to see her.
Debbie had tried every which way for me to light incense all over the funeral home. I saw the reacti
on on Hettie Bell’s face yesterday when Debbie was flailing that feather all around the smoke.
“I did it all for you, Emma Lee Raines.” Mazie pretended to pout. “Just because you’re my friend, and I can’t have you going to jail.”
“Awwww. I love you too.” I wanted her to know the feeling was mutual. “Get to the good stuff.”
“Before I do that, did you find your people?” she asked.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Fluggie Callahan walking down the aisle nearest to the exit.
“There’s Fluggie,” I pointed out.
“She must’ve gotten Mervin’s name.” Mazie was probably right. The more digging Fluggie did, the more she found out. I knew only because I’d seen her in action a few times.
“Let’s get out of here.” I motioned to the exit.
“Well? What did your people say?” she asked once we were outside.
“They are a couple who just so happen to have moved to Lexington recently.” I pulled the luggage tag out of my pocket and handed it to her.
“You took a luggage tag?” she asked and looked at it. “Oh my God, Emma! This is great!” She squealed. “Mervin Dually and Deborah Holt! What luck!”
“What?” I ripped the tag out of her hand and read it, feeling dumbfounded. “Mervin Dually and Deborah Holt, 223 Cheshire Court, Lexington, KY.”
“You found Debbie’s ex,” Mazie gasped with excitement on our way back to her car. “What are you going to do?”
“We are going to pay him a visit,” I told her. “Not that he killed Debbie, but he can be checked out. What did you find out?”
“Warrioress Roma was a no-show, so they had some other person in her place that sold me this crystal thing.” She lifted the pendant. “Something about little spirits liking the children’s department at the library, and I don’t need to take any home,” she said and unlocked the car doors. “Then Angela Ariel, she was a bit odd. She said that she’d heard about Debbie this morning after she’d flew in from another convention in California.”
“Was she really in California?” I asked, never assuming anything.
“Yep. I did a quick search on a database from the airlines. I’m technically not supposed to have access to it, and don’t ask me how I do.” She was firm with her words.
“Fine. Let’s head on over to Debbie’s house. I saw David leaving the convention. I wonder if he was there to see his father?” I put my hands in the air then buckled my seat belt. I took another look at the luggage tag and reread it, thinking about the dumb luck I’d just had.
“You better watch him.” Debbie Dually appeared in the back seat. “He’s got more moves than a Slinky going down an escalator.”
“What? Is she here? Hi, Debbie!” Mazie was just too excited. “I’m so happy to be helping Emma get you to the other side.”
“Chipper little thing,” Debbie noted and grinned. “I like her.”
“She likes you and how happy you are.” I thought Mazie would love hearing how Debbie felt about her.
“More than happy.” Mazie decided to go on a ten-minute talking spree to Debbie while I was left with my thoughts.
The thing I knew for sure was that out of the four names Debbie had given me, Jillian and Mervin were the only real suspects I could truly look into. Then there was the mystery guy on Debbie’s answering machine who David had filed the police report on. I also couldn’t forget all the clients Debbie claimed to be regulars and who rarely did what she asked.
My plan for the rest of the day was to visit with David and see where we stood, not to mention pick his brain about Mervin, find out where the mystery stalker guy lived and try to see him, then drive past Mervin’s luggage tag address. Not that I’d stop there, but you never knew.
Since I’d become a snooping-around amateur-sleuth kind of gal, I’d learned you’ve got to go with the flow or at least where the ghosts take you. Not everything goes as planned. Like the convention. I found it interesting David was there.
“Hello?” I answered my phone when Jack Henry called.
“Good morning.” He was always so chipper, and his slow southern drawl was music to my ears. “What are you doing this morning?”
“I’m working.” It was only nine a.m., and if he knew I was with Mazie and we’d already been to the psychic convention and gotten some information before going to see David, he wouldn’t be happy. “What are you doing?”
“I’m working in Lexington today.” Okay… did he see us in Mazie’s car? I jerked around and looked out all the windows. He kept talking.
“What?” Mazie asked in a low whisper. “Another ghost?”
I shook my head. It was ridiculous to think Jack Henry had seen us. Lexington was a bigger city, and there were plenty of places he could be other than where we were currently.
“What are you doing in Lexington?” I asked, knowing there wasn’t a Kentucky State Police post there.
“Jack Henry? Lexington?” Mazie’s eyes grew big. I put a finger up to my lips for her to stop talking. I’d realized that was sometimes hard for her. She was like one of those old windup toys—once you got her going, she had to be worn down. “Which way?” She asked for directions to Debbie and David’s house.
I continued to give her finger directions while Jack Henry was on the phone.
“They are having a few drills on terrorist threats, and I’ve got to get my hours in. I called to make sure you were okay since I could tell you were a little mad last night when I asked you to stop snooping.” Jack Henry was one of those guys that didn’t like conflict. He never wanted us to fight or argue, but sometimes it was healthy. “You barely kissed me good night.”
“I was tired. It’s not every day I’m hauled down to the police station and accused of killing someone. I’m not upset. I love you and only want to make sure Trevor O’Neil finds the killer.” I pointed at the next street for Mazie to turn and gave her numbers with my fingers to which house was theirs.
“Good. I thought since you don’t have to do a funeral today, that we could meet at Bella Vino.” He suggested our favorite little Italian restaurant. “You can drive to Lexington on my lunch break.”
Mazie put the car in park at the curb in front of Debbie’s house.
“What time is your lunch break?” I asked.
“Around noon,” he said. I looked at my watch.
“Nine now.” I rolled through all the places I needed to visit, which meant something was going to have to be put on the back burner because it would take me forty-five minutes to get back to Lexington to get my hearse and drive forty-five minutes back. “Sure. If I leave Sleepy Hollow by eleven fifteen, I should be fine.”
Mazie moaned and groaned in the driver’s seat to get my attention.
“I’ll see you soon.” I hung up the phone. “What? After last night, I have to stay on top of things and not let him think I’m doing any snooping. We are going to have to visit here with David and head back. We can do a drive by Debbie’s ex’s new house later this afternoon.”
“Whatever. Let’s go so we can hurry.” Mazie acted a little hurt. She’d been working so hard on this case and wanted so desperately to be an honorary Betweener. It was sweet how she was acting.
She hurried out of the car, and I followed her to the door. Before I could knock, David swung it open and stood in the doorway.
“You see her, don’t you?” David’s eyes were hollow, black circles underneath. “I stayed up all night trying to get her to visit me. I was so desperate and out of my head, I went to see my own father and his fake psychic bride.”
“Can we talk inside?” I asked him. There was a jingle behind me. I knew Debbie had come and didn’t need to turn around. “I will tell you everything I know.”
A sadness swept over me when I entered, taking my breath away. It didn’t bother Mazie a bit. She strolled right on in and walked around Debbie’s table, taking it all in.
“What are you doing?” David asked Mazie. “Stop touching my mother’s things
.”
“It’s okay. Tell him it’s okay.” Debbie stood as close to him as she could get.
“Your mom said it’s okay.” I offered him a sympathetic smile before I opened my arms to give him a hug. “I’m so sorry.”
Like the little boy I’d met a few years ago, he melted into my arms. My heart ached. He might’ve been a college man now, but he was still too young to lose his mother.
“Can I get you some tea?” he asked, pulling away and wiping his tears. “I know my mom would’ve already had you a cup and not offered, but I’m still learning.”
“We will show him.” Debbie nodded. “I will teach you, and you will teach him.” Debbie had a plan for David to learn.
“I’d love some tea while I tell you everything I know.” I walked into the family room and tugged Mazie along with me, while we waited for David to make us tea. “But first I’d like you to tell me about the guy who has been stalking your mom.”
I reached into my bag and took out the pages Mazie had given me with the police report David had filed against him against his mom’s wishes.
“I know it’s probably not as good as Mom’s.” He was a little calmer than before. He put the tray on the coffee table, and we helped ourselves while he looked over the pages. “Kent Luebe. I gave his name to the Sleepy Hollow sheriff.”
“Did you happen to know anything about his wife coming to see your mom?” I asked since Debbie clearly hadn’t said too much about it.
“Natalia has been a weekly client of Mom’s for years. Mom never got close to her like she did you. Natalia always questioned Mom when she was in the zone, bringing Mom out of the zone.” He glanced into the room where Debbie did her work as though he were remembering something.
Debbie had floated in the room and sat down at the table like she did with her clients.
“I remember.” Debbie ran a hand along the incense in the middle of the table. It wasn’t unusual for Betweener clients to be in a transition period and not recall all the details of their living life. It could be very frustrating to me when I was trying to ask questions and figure out details of their murder or who might’ve been involved. “Natalia never wanted to believe me when I told her about Kent and his ways.”