Tiger's Eye (A Stacy Justice Mystery Book Three)

by Barbra Annino

  I wobbled for a moment as she whisked off toward the kids.

  That’s when I heard the words that changed my life forever. “We can touch her?”

  Holy Moses and his brother Doug. This was not good.

  Arms and voices came at me in all directions and my heart rate jumped into overdrive.

  “No, no. Please. One at a time!”

  The faces and voices collided into a terrifying wave of desperation. My own desperation was bleeding through as I searched for an escape route.

  There was none.

  “Thor!” I cried, but I didn’t see or even hear him.

  My throat began to close up and I realized I was having a panic attack. I thought I spotted the man from my meditation, but I couldn’t be certain.

  “People, calm down, please!”

  Just then, I heard a gunshot. I twisted my neck to see a one-armed man fire again.

  “Back off! This little lassie needs her space.”

  The voice was familiar. But he looked too young. “Mr. Scoog?”

  He winked his glass eye at me.

  Someone shouted, “He’s a newbie! He hasn’t even gone through registration yet!”

  Wow. Even in death, there was paperwork.

  Someone disarmed Scoog and the mob turned their sights back to me.

  I stretched my arms out to distance them. It was about as effective as herding cats with a laser pointer.

  “Can you tell my husband that skank he married is cheating on him?” one woman asked. “The rat bastard.”

  A round man said, “Tell my son the family sauce recipe is hidden behind the painting of his uncle. No more of that canned crap!”

  “Sure, sure.”

  I backed away as they hurled more and more demands. They kept moving forward, reaching, groping, vampiring my life force. My heart was beating so fast, I was sure it would explode.

  My last thought, before I tripped over a tree root and took a header into a headstone, was, How ironic would it be to die in a cemetery?

  Chapter 23

  “Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There’s so little hope for advancement.”

  —Snoopy

  The pungent aroma of frankincense awakened me.

  There were voices. Questioning voices that made me hesitate to open my eyes.

  Please, please don’t let me see dead people.

  I heard the cardinal’s song and a familiar woman said, “Hello, Mr. C, nice to see you.” She punctuated her greeting with her own whistle to the bird.

  Fiona was here.

  But where was here? Slowly I opened my eyes.

  The three Geraghty Girls were huddled over me all suited up as if they were hosting a sporting event for sorcerers and I was the crystal ball.

  “She’ll be fine now,” Birdie said and stepped back.

  I sat up, looked around. I was back on top of my father’s grave, ensconced in a circle of candles, herbs, and gemstones. Thor had his head in my lap, looking worried. My legs had fallen asleep from the weight of it.

  “It’s a good thing your familiar was smart enough to call on us,” Birdie said. Her crimson cape flared around her and she was wearing so much jewelry, her neck wasn’t visible.

  “Thanks, Thor.” I kissed his big black nose.

  He yawned and hauled himself to his feet. I shook out my legs.

  A phone rang and I jumped. It was in Lolly’s hand and I said, “Don’t answer that!”

  Too late. Lolly picked it up and said, “Hello? Hello? Who’s this, please?”

  She shrugged and said, “This thing is fussy.” Then she handed it to Fiona.

  “You were holding it backward, dear,” Fiona said. “Hello? Yes, Stacy is right here.” Fiona reached her hand out, her emerald cape covering all but her rose-colored manicure.

  I shook my head, “Take a message.”

  I wasn’t falling for that crap again.

  Fiona shrugged and said, “Mr. Parker, she isn’t feeling well right now. May I take a message?” She paused. “Well, I’m not sure, I think perhaps she may need the afternoon off.” Another pause. “Yes, of course. Bye-bye.” She clicked the phone off and said, “I guess it was a good thing Lolly turned it back on. He had a question about an article you submitted.”

  Thank you, gods.

  Lolly leaned in to grab the phone and her yellow cape parted just enough to reveal a Wonder Woman costume complete with red satin boots and golden lasso.

  Which explained the headband.

  Fiona said, “Do you mind if she uses it, dear? Lolly likes the Texas Hold ’Em app.”

  “So,” Birdie said, her words sharp as razors, “would you care to explain?”

  I sighed and rose to my feet. Still a bit shaky, I touched my father’s stone for support.

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  The three of them exchanged glances and Birdie said, “No. Here. Now.”

  It was not up for debate.

  I was too weak to argue anyway. I began with the phone call, which led to the visions, the dead guy in the water, the tiger sightings (and what I thought they signified), the shooting, Mr. Scoog, and the meditation. I ended with the grand finale of being accosted by a bunch of spirits all seeking some form of closure.

  I wiped a trace of sweat from my brow and felt a lump on my skull beneath a bandage. Birdie must have patched my head where it smacked the granite. My bag was in a heap within the circle and I reached for it to grab a water.

  Lolly quickly slapped my hand away. She handed me a leather flask. I took a swig and spit out the stinging liquid.

  “Is that tequila?”

  Lolly frowned and said, “Sorry, that’s mine.” She reached into her cape and produced a second flask. “Detoxifying tea.”

  I sipped it. Tasted a lot like Earl Grey.

  The three of them huddled again, whispering.

  They broke out of it a few minutes later. Lolly and Fiona looked a bit too excited for my liking.

  Birdie was wearing her poker face, but I could see she wasn’t as angry as I thought she would be.

  Which scared the bejesus out of me.

  “We think the tiger is your mother’s messenger sent to protect you.”

  “Not her?”

  Birdie said, “Impossible. Her astral force would be bound to her confines by the terms of her punishment.”

  Fiona chimed in, “But she learned to wield her guides well. Her gift of predicting harm to you, it seems, has returned.” Fiona smiled. “That, my child, bodes well.”

  “For what?”

  “For her retrieval.” Birdie couldn’t help but grin. “When you go before the council this Samhain, we expect them to rule in our favor.”

  I clasped my hands together. “Birdie, that is wonderful news. However, right now, I’ve got a few other things to worry about.”

  Birdie nodded. “Tell us about the meditation.”

  I explained in detail exactly what I did and who appeared—my father, the other man, and of course the four-legged intruder that I met at the park after my spell. They huddled together again, which pissed me off, but I bit my tongue.

  I heard Fiona say, “Of course it’s the same dog. Odd, him coming back.”

  “What dog? Who are you talking about?”

  Fiona turned around and said, “Your first familiar, of course.”

  Oh hell no. Oh no, no, no.

  “Wait a second, time out, time out, team!” I made a T with my hands. “Are you telling me that nasty little gnat that did this”—I pointed to my scratched-up shirt—“was my dog at one time?”

  Fiona frowned and said, “Honestly, sweetheart, I can take you shopping for new clothes. You went to work like that?”

  I felt that vein in my forehead again. “Focus, please. Explain.” I snapped my fingers.

  Fiona stepped away from her sisters and told me about the adorable little Chihuahua she got me when I was two years old.

  “But that doesn’t
make any sense. I don’t remember him.”

  “Well, you were so upset by his passing that I took care of that,” my great-aunt said.

  This was a nightmare. That rodent was once my familiar? It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t. Unless…

  I hated to ask, but I had to know. “Fiona, can you think of any reason why he would be angry with me?”

  She said, “No, not really,” and turned back to her sisters. After a beat, she popped her head out of the circle and said, “Except, of course, you killed him.”

  “What? Did not!”

  What a horrible thing to say. Until I met him, I never even had a bad thought about an animal.

  “You left the gate open, dear. That’s why the car hit him. He never matured into his full potential as a familiar. Which means he cannot evolve into a spirit guide. It was all he ever wanted,” she said sadly.

  I was stunned. Stunned. “Well, but…how old was I?”

  She tilted her head toward the sky and said, “Oh, about four, maybe five.”

  Okay, I didn’t feel so bad, but still. I had amends to make.

  And I was not looking forward to it.

  It seemed an eternity had passed and I was sprawled on the ground beneath a maple, using Thor’s behind as a pillow when they approached.

  “We have something to tell you,” Lolly said.

  I put my hands over my eyes to shield out the sun.

  “What is it?”

  Birdie cleared her throat. “It seems conclusive to us that Stacy Senior met with foul play.”

  Just like that. Said it like she was ordering lunch.

  I laid there for the longest time, absorbing the strength of the women around me, recharging my wares from the spirits who had stolen my energy, and just listening to the even breathing of my dog.

  An odd peace came over me. An acceptance.

  It was true. My father was murdered. It wasn’t my dream that led to his death after all.

  Which meant I had turned my back on my family, my heritage, my calling—for nothing.

  I banged my fist on the ground and felt a fire leap inside me. It would fester there for days to come.

  But right then, something broke. Something altered within me.

  It is difficult to describe the moment when you realize the person you are is not the same as the person you must become to face the challenges before you. It’s a slithery, uneasy sensation like a tarantula shedding its skin.

  But victory only comes with sacrifice.

  And failure was not an option.

  It was time. Time to let go of the fear.

  Time to become who I was born to be.

  I rose to my feet and said, “Teach me.”

  The Geraghty Girls stopped chattering for a moment and stared at me.

  “Teach you what, dear?” Fiona asked.

  I looked from her, to Lolly, to Birdie. “How to be the Seeker of Justice.”

  Chapter 24

  “Some of my best leading men have been dogs and horses.”

  —Elizabeth Taylor

  My initial lesson was to begin tonight, but I had much to do before then. I dropped Thor off at home and then called Parker back.

  “Hey, I was just fact checking your article and these dates can’t be right. Some of these dogs were lost for, like, fifteen years.”

  “According to the pet owners, they’re right.”

  Pause. “Maybe I should run the piece without the dates.”

  “Probably not a bad idea.”

  We disconnected, and Chance called, telling me he would be working late. I told him I had plans with Birdie and that I would be at the Black Opal later if he wanted to meet me there.

  I was on my way to the police station to talk to Leo when a thought occurred to me so I called Fiona. Before we parted ways, she had provided me with some tips on what to do with the pissed-off pup.

  I said, “I understand what I’m supposed to do with the incantation, but how do I explain to Leo what happened to the dog?”

  “One cannot remember what was never there.”

  Right.

  I double-checked my pocket for the charm after I pulled into the parking lot.

  A young girl stood behind the reception desk when I walked through the doors.

  She looked up, smiled. “Hi, Stacy, I’m Amy. I recognize you from your picture in the paper.”

  As Iris said, she was a cute little thing who looked more like a woodland sprite than a dispatcher. She had a fluff of blonde curls with pink skin and sparkly eyelashes.

  “Hi, Amy, is Leo here?”

  “Gee, you just missed him. He got called out to the Shelby Farm.”

  “What was it this time?” The high school kids were forever playing pranks on Mr. Shelby. Summer in a small town meant they had very little to keep them entertained.

  “They glued magnets to the goats and now they’re all sort of stuck to the fence.”

  I said, “Well.” Because there was no other response for that.

  “Gus is here if you want to talk to him. You can go on back.”

  “Thanks, Amy.”

  I found Gus at his computer registering for ComicCon.

  “Oh, hey, Stacy. The chief isn’t here.”

  “I know, Gus.”

  His focus went back to the screen.

  “Hey, where’s that adorable little dog? Thought maybe I’d take him for a quick walk.”

  “That would be great. Leash is on the door. He’s sleeping in Leo’s office. It’s not locked.”

  “Great.”

  I grabbed the leash and steeled myself for an attack.

  As promised, mini-Thor was sleeping soundly in a tiny round bed beneath Leo’s desk. He must have smelled me before he saw me because his nose twitched. Fiona said for the enchantment to work properly, it would be best if I took him back to the area where I found him.

  I whispered, “Thor.”

  Felt weird to call another dog that. Especially one the size of a peanut.

  He opened one eye. Took one look at me and growled, his teeth vibrating between his lips.

  I was afraid of that.

  “Thor, old friend. Listen to me.”

  He opened the other eye, stood up, and stretched. He put his head down low and pinned his ears back.

  “I know you’re upset, but I’m here to make it up to you.”

  If he had been launched from a slingshot, he couldn’t have hit me harder.

  “Calm down, calm down!”

  He clamped onto my boob and I cried out. I kicked the door shut while trying to wrestle him off me. “Shh!” He snapped and spit, strong for such a tiny thing. It was like trying to fight off a Venus flytrap.

  “Fiona! Remember Fiona?”

  He stopped mid snarl and cocked his head.

  “That’s right, Fiona. She gave me something that will make it all better. But you must trust me. Okay?”

  He looked skeptical.

  “Look, I am really, really sorry that I ruined your dream. But if you let me, I’ll make it right.”

  He grunted for good measure and jumped down.

  I quickly got him in the car before he changed his mind.

  There were a few kids at the park, so we took the long route down to the pet cemetery. Mini-Thor kept a pretty good pace while keeping one eye on me as if I might double-cross him any moment.

  We found the little grave with his name on it next to a fern patch.

  I took the leash off him and said, “Again, I apologize for my carelessness. I was just a kid.”

  He barked once.

  “Come.” I pointed to the place where he should sit, at the center of his burial spot.

  He followed my direction and sat facing north. Then I extracted one black ribbon, to release him of the spell I put out Saturday night, one red, representing that he was once a familiar, and one white, to send him on his journey to become a spirit guide.

  I took them all one by one and charged them with my requests, first by placing them
on my third eye and then via the sun’s rays.

  That done, I tied the three ribbons together.

  “Cernunnos, guardian of four-legged beings, send this creature what he seeks. Banish the spell and his hold to me, as I will it so mote it be.”

  I tied the trio of ribbons around my first familiar and blew the herb from the charm Fiona gave me (witchbane root, representing the god of thunder) and blew it into the air.

  I prayed like mad that it would work.

  At first, nothing happened, and Thor looked a little cranky that I had interrupted his nap for this nonsense.

  But then, right before my eyes, his skin stretched and popped, his muscles bulged, his fur darkened, his legs lengthened, and his entire frame shot into the air, and majestically—he morphed into a gorgeous black horse.

  His body was shiny, his legs strong, and his mane kempt. He had just a streak of silver running the length of his head, but his eyes—his huge chocolate eyes—were filled with such love of a gentle soul that I wanted to cry.

  Gingerly he approached me and lowered his head. I patted his nose and said, “You’re welcome.”

  He galloped off into the forest. And I hoped, with his release, the others would find their peace.

  “I feel like I’m forgetting something,” Leo said to Gus.

  I had just sat down in his office.

  “Yeah, me too,” said Gus.

  Good. Fiona was right; the Chihuahua had been erased from their memories. I nudged the dog bed just far enough out of sight that I hoped Leo wouldn’t notice it for a while.

  “Should I come back?” I asked.“No. You stay put. It’ll come to me.”

  I just smiled as Gus walked out, scratching his head.

  “What did you want to talk about?” I asked.

  Leo rose and shut the door. He pulled a file from a basket on his desk. “Cole Tripp. That’s the name of the guy we pulled from the lake. The ME was able to lift his prints and he was in the system.”

  I opened the folder to find a photograph of a scruffy man with small eyes that had seen their share of cruelty. His face had more lines than it should, judging from his date of birth, and his jaw was set to a deep scowl. If he were the attendant on duty at a gas station on a dark night, I would keep driving. The face I saw in the lake was the same one, but different too and not just because he was dead. It nagged at me.