“Come on in,” I say. “It’s finally become a lucky day for this Aquarius, too.”
23
THERE IS A TIME WHEN EVERY SIGN MUST DRAW
STRENGTH FROM WITHIN. FIRE SIGNS DRAW IT FROM
BELIEF IN THEMSELVES. EARTH SIGNS DRAW IT FROM
BELIEF IN THEIR BELIEFS. AIR SIGNS DRAW IT FROM
BELIEF IN THEIR WORDS. WATER SIGNS DRAW IT FROM
BELIEF IN THEIR FEELINGS.
—Fearless Astrology
Air sign that I was, I knew that I needed to draw strength from my own words. I couldn’t escape back home the way a Pisces, Cancer, or Scorpio might. Although it would be great to see Chili, Paige, and my dad, and maybe even Nathan ( just to let him know that I no longer cared about him, right?), I needed to do something else this weekend. And that was to pay another visit to Cookie Burke. I had to warn him that Ren Baylor knew that we spoke, and even more important, I needed to ask him about Mercedes Lloyd-Chambers.
Saturday morning. Tati and I had herb tea on the patio. I must admit it was kind of nice waking up to peace and quiet and not the roar of an industrial strength, dressed-to-impress espresso machine. Kind of nice drinking from cheap mugs instead of heirloom china. The room seemed airier, less tense without Candice and her baggage in it.
Even though Tati and Candice were both Earth signs, I should have paid more attention to all of the emotional Water signs in the rest of Candice’s chart. I should have also paid more attention to all of the nasty stuff she said about her sisters. Not to mention that fake-calm expression of hers that looked like glass on the brink of shattering.
I could only imagine the conversation Jaffa and Vanessa had shared yesterday. My guess was that whatever debt he had felt he owed his college roommate was paid off in full.
After we finished our tea, Tati went to meet Dirk, who apparently hadn’t been entirely captivated by Vanessa’s legs in class on Friday, after all.
And I went to meet Cookie Burke.
He’d been reluctant to talk again but finally agreed to meet me at a little chocolate shop on Cannery Row. If this place had a sign, it would have to be an Air sign. Everyone was chattering to each other and to strangers in other booths.
“Hey, kid. Over here.” Cookie had been standing there all along, but he looked different in the dark glasses and black leather jacket.
“Hi,” I said. “I didn’t recognize you.”
“That’s the idea. I didn’t think anyone would notice us in here.”
“So Ren Baylor got to you, too.”
“She tried to get me fired from my gig. I’ve been playing at that club for years. It was a bummer having to ask the manager to go to bat for me.”
“Why is Ren Baylor afraid of you?” I asked.
“Who knows? The woman doesn’t want any publicity about her brother, but with all this Ghost Seekers stuff going on, she doesn’t have a choice.”
I took out my notebook. “Why you think Ren wants to stop the ghost stories?”
“Probably for the same reason I do, and it might be the only time she and I have agreed on anything in our lives. They’re faked, and that’s it in a nutshell.”
“How do you know that?”
He took off his dark glasses, stared into my eyes with such emotion that if I hadn’t already known he was a Water sign, I would have figured it out right then. “Because Sean Baylor was like my brother, that’s how. Why would he be haunting some fancy restaurant? We lived on chow mein, pizza, and take-out chicken back then. If he was really some kind of ghost, he would be haunting me or the burger joint on the pier.”
“What about the fairgrounds?”
“Maybe there. Assuming he’s anywhere, that is, and I don’t believe it.” He looked off into the ocean. “The fairgrounds. Yeah, that’s where we had one of our best times.”
“The Ghost Seekers people are filming here next week. Do you think I should take them out there?”
“Who cares? The best thing that could happen is for the Ghost Seekers to go back where they came from, and for everyone else to stop talking about Sean.”
I got the feeling that he was asking me to stop the publicity. “There’s nothing I can do about it.” I reached in my book bag and pulled out the record my dad had given me.
He took it, ran his long musician-fingers over the cover. “You shouldn’t have brought it. Too many hard memories.”
I touched the face of the wild-haired brunette smiling up at them. “Who’s she?”
“Who knows after all these years? There were lots of women.”
“You hinted that Sean had a special one, and that they argued the night of his death. I was just wondering if this might be the girl you were talking about.”
“And I told you that you have some imagination. I can’t tell you anything else. Just drop it.” He turned the album over so that the photograph was facedown. “This whole Baylor mess needs to go away, but you just keep on stirring the pot.”
I took out the photo I’d removed from the boat and put it on top of the album. “Her name was Mercedes, wasn’t it?”
“Don’t.” His tone went cold.
“I talked to her,” I said.
“You see what I mean?” He got up so fast that he almost knocked the table over. “You kids are poking around where you shouldn’t. You can’t seem to understand this is someone’s life you’re messing with.”
“I do understand,” I told him. “If you tell me the truth about Sean Baylor, I can write the real version, and we can stop all of the crazy Ghost Seekers stuff.”
He stared at me for a moment, and I got that uneasy feeling again. “The truth, huh?” he said.
“Do you want Ren Baylor out of your hair or not?”
“Mercedes Lloyd. She was Sean’s woman. They fought like hell the night he died. Write what you need to and don’t bother me again.”
As if disgusted with himself, me, or maybe both of us, he turned and walked out of the restaurant.
NOTES TO SELF
I’m so glad I stayed in town this weekend. Even though Cookie hadn’t wanted to, he had confirmed what I had suspected. My brain is spinning out all kinds of possibilities. Did Mercedes murder Baylor? Did they fight on the boat, and did he fall overboard? I can’t wait to hear what Jeremy thinks. I can’t wait to see him. Lucky for me, he’ll be here all weekend, too.
24
AT SOME TIME IN YOUR STUDY OF ASTROLOGY, YOU
NEED TO LOOK AT WHERE YOUR VENUS IS LOCATED.
VENUS IS LOVE, AND WHERE YOUR VENUS IS WILL
DETERMINE HOW YOU DEAL WITH YOUR PASSIONATE
RELATIONSHIPS, AND THE OTHER ONES, TOO.
—Fearless Astrology
WHERE’S YOUR VENUS?
Aries: Attractive, confident, sometimes arrogant. What you need from a partner is breathing room and spontaneity. You are Fire and may create sparks with Air signs Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius.
Taurus: Purposeful, sexy, loyal. You need a partner who will appreciate your sensuality and share your appreciation of the comforts of life. Earth and Water signs are a good start.
Gemini: Charming, eloquent, often opinionated. You need a partner who will calm your tendency to give up on a relationship too soon. Best bets are Fire and Air signs.
Cancer: Caring, moody, tied to mom or a mother figure. An urge to merge completely, especially with someone who reminds you of a lover from your past, or even the real thing. Best bets are a loyal Taurus, Scorpio, or Pisces.
Leo: Sexy, and fully capable of stealing the spotlight from just about anyone. You need a partner who is even more demanding, exciting, and in charge than you are. Best bets are those Air signs, Gemini and Libra. And maybe even a Fire sign or two.
Virgo: Observant, discriminating, eternally youthful. Earth signs such as Taurus and Capricorn will provide security and lessen what can be judgmental attitudes.
Libra: Diplomatic, uncertain, a need for attention and balance. Best bets include fellow Air signs Gemini and Aquarius, and somet
imes even a little Fire. Aries, anyone?
Scorpio: Dark, emotional, passionate. You need someone who appreciates you for your ability to care about and keep secrets. Best bets are Water signs Cancer and Pisces.
Sagittarius: A need to get around, through travel and sometimes, various partners and interests. Judge your audience before you speak. Another Sadge will appreciate you for who you are. Other best bets are fellow Fire signs Aries and Leo.
Capricorn: Deliberate, organized, hard-working. Able to overcome most obstacles. Best bets include Fixed signs, especially Taurus and Virgo.
Aquarius: Faithful, distracted, committed to larger concerns. You refuse to be bored. Thus, your best bets are your own Air sign, including Air sign Gemini.
Pisces: Another emotional sign, lots of Water. If not careful, the last car of that zodiac train can not just take up the rear, but be a doormat. Go for an Earthy Taurus or Capricorn.
Chili and Paige arrived on Saturday night, and they connected with Tati, as I knew they would. Waking up with my best friends and Tati in the same room that Sunday made me feel as if I were home. Before the others woke, I read about Venus and was surprised to see that Jeremy’s Venus was in Cancer. Although I wouldn’t have guessed it, I knew he was very close to his mom. That made sense. From what I could figure out, a loyal Fixed Taurus with his Venus in emotional Cancer might stick with the first female he falls for. Hmmm.
I could have sat there all day Sunday with Tati, Paige, and Chili, eating English muffins and talking. But I couldn’t. Most of all, I needed to go find Jeremy, tell him about Mercedes, and try to get him to go with me to the fairgrounds.
Chili served her mom’s Armenian brunch of shish kebab and stuffed grape leaves, and Tati asked if she could invite Dirk. He arrived looking totally cool with his ponytail and dark jacket. Chili and Paige exchanged expressions of approval with Tati.
Although he admitted, in his proper British accent, that he had never eaten Armenian food, he was soon raving about the cheese boereg, which was a combination of puffy pastry, great melted cheese, herbs, and magic. He was also clearly unable to take his eyes from Tati’s. Sorry, Candice and Vanessa. You lose again.
Once Chili and Paige left for home, I went looking for Jeremy. He wasn’t hard to find. The door to his dorm room was open, and guitar music poured out, lovely music, familiar yet fresh and somehow different from anything else I had heard.
I stepped inside, and it stopped.
He put down the guitar and stood. “What Vanessa and Candice did to you sucks.”
“I never expected it from Candice,” I said. “I wouldn’t put anything past Vanessa.”
“Don’t start on her again.”
“It is what it is, Jeremy,” I said. “Remember, I saw you together in that room.”
“I kissed her, okay? One time. That was all. She was lost, and when I walked into the room, it just kind of happened.”
I said. “I saw you together in that room.”
“I kissed her, okay? One time. That was all. She was lost, and when I walked into the room, it just kind of happened.”
He kissed Vanessa. If I thought about it, I would not be able to do what I must. So I said, “Let’s keep our private lives private. I’d like us to work together, and we can’t do that if we’re fighting about what you did and didn’t do all the time.”
“Working together hasn’t worked very well so far.” He smiled at his joke and then moved toward me, slowly, the way the hot guy moves toward the cute girl in every romantic film ever made. “Sit down and tell me what we need to do next.”
I didn’t sit. I couldn’t. “We need to visit the fairgrounds,” I said. “Sean Baylor’s drummer and his girlfriend said that was where his spirit would be if this Ghost Seekers stuff is anything but a hoax.”
“Who are you talking about?” We were face-to-face now, so close that I could feel his warm breath. And, yes, I liked it. I knew I shouldn’t but still did. “What drummer? What girlfriend?”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about,” I said. “There’s a woman who still writes columns for the newspaper. You missed her the day you showed up, but the security guard connected me with her. She wrote articles about Baylor, but she was also his girlfriend. She’s even on the cover of his album. I’m pretty sure that they argued the night he died.”
“Are you saying she killed him?”
“I’m not saying anything except that he had a girlfriend, and I talked to her.”
“And she admitted it?” he asked. “Admitted that she was his woman?”
“Not yet,” I said. “But she will.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“She’s not the type to lie,” I said. “Want to go tomorrow after class?”
“I’d be crazy to.” He gave me a look too warm to consider.
His hair had fallen over one eye. It was all I could do to keep from touching it.
“So would I,” I said.
“Now that we’ve settled that . . .” He looked down at his guitar then back up at me. “. . . What time do you want to meet?”
NOTES TO SELF
I have got to forget those soulful eyes of his. Jeremy has crossed me before, and he might be playing games again. I so hope not. Just let him be a true, loyal, Taurus with a faithful Venus in Cancer. Faithful? What am I even thinking?
Later that night, I got a call from my dad. I wasn’t sure what it was all about. He was cheerful and upbeat as ever, but there was an uncustomary tightness to his voice. After asking how I was and if I needed anything, he ever so casually said, “By the way, Mom won’t be able to be home next weekend.”
So that will make three out of three. I started to say it didn’t matter but knew he wouldn’t be calling me if that were true.
“Let’s talk about it when I’m back,” I said. “I have a lot going on right now.” Was that ever an understatement!
“I’m sorry I called, honey. I just didn’t want you to be disappointed.”
I told him I was glad that he had called, told him that I loved him. It’s pretty clear that I’m not the only one who is disappointed.
25
VENUS ISN’T JUST ABOUT LOVE. IT’S ABOUT HOW YOU
DEAL WITH ALL RELATIONSHIPS. FIND YOUR VENUS,
AND YOU WILL FIND YOUR HEART. AND MAYBE A GREAT
DEAL MORE.
—Fearless Astrology
So my Venus was in wimpy Pisces, the same as my Moon. That meant as rational as I liked to think I was, I might just be a secret hopeless romantic. Thank goodness for my fiery Aries Rising sign. I already knew that I was spending too much time thinking about Jeremy and not enough time trying to stay ahead of him. If tonight worked out, at least we might find out if Sean Baylor was a ghost or a scam.
Vanessa was subdued in class that Monday. She must have run out of her constant supply of sweaters, because she had the red turtleneck on again, zipped to her throat this time. Candice was right beside her with the frozen smile that barely masked the chaos within. Best friends forever—for now, at least. Candice avoided my eyes and remained silent in class.
Jaffa, on the other hand, was upbeat. He praised me, praised Tati, and gave only short answers to Vanessa’s few vacuous questions.
Once we were out of the classroom, I forced myself to keep from approaching Jeremy. Paused. I spoke to Tati and Dirk. Waited.
“Hey.”
I felt that warm breath on my neck, tried to fight the shiver that spread from there.
“Seven o’clock,” he said. “I’ll meet you at your room.”
He arrived at 6:45.
I opened the door and could only look. The black hair, freshly shampooed—I could smell it—curled around his neck. And he’d put on some kind of scent that made me think of a burning candle. There was a name for it. I just couldn’t think of it right then. I couldn’t think of much of anything.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
I nodded and closed the door behind me. Let Sean Baylor’s ghost
show up at the fairgrounds. Let me find some reason for risking my safety and my emotions like this.
Once he pulled onto the deserted fairgrounds, we both sat in Dirk’s car and looked out into the starlit darkness. On a raised brick area, a fair poster showed cypress trees silhouetted against an orange sun, much the same as we would soon be.
He turned to me, and I breathed in that scent again. “May seventh,” he said. “My birth date.”
“I was close.” Right again. Thank you, Fearless. He really did have Venus in Cancer.
“I don’t know how you did it, but I’m going to stop trying to second-guess you, Logan.”
Probably not, Mr. Fixed Earth, but it was good to hear.
I started to ask him why he had decided to trust me with his birth date after having accused me of stealing it. Instead, I asked, “So what do you think we ought to do now?”
“I’m trying to decide the best approach,” he said. “The place has to have all kinds of security. And there could be some kind of event going on somewhere in there.”
“But it’s wide open. There must be a way we can get in without anyone seeing us.” I reached into my bag. “I printed a map off the Internet.”
“You did?”
Ignoring the newfound wonder in his voice, I just did my academic Aquarius bit. “Right here is where I think they must have performed.” I tapped a place on the map, the grassy area with three dressing rooms. “It’s supposed to hold fifty-eight hundred people, but that weekend in 1967, there were more than two hundred thousand.”
“I want to see it.” He reached for the car door.
“Not that it matters,” I said, “but are you sure it’s safe to go out there?”
“No.” Those Taurus eyes met mine, and I fought the urge to turn away.
Instead, I returned the look. “All right then. Let’s get started.”
We got out of the car, and he slung his guitar over his shoulder. Then we moved around the exterior of the stark fairgrounds until we found the opening I had located on the map.
Taurus Eyes Page 14