The shop was busy, with a number of customers wanting to know how Phoebe was. Her grandmother was part of the heartbeat of Harmony. By the time Temperance closed the shop midday, she had her favorite incense burning and Gram’s favorite CD playing. The soothing sound of harps and flutes eased the tension between her shoulder blades as she double-checked stock against what she reported missing the night before. With a steaming cup of tea at her elbow, she went down the list item by item, getting up from time to time to physically check stock.
She noted three of the distinctive athame’s Gram stocked as among the missing. Rowan branch handles carved with ancient Celtic Ogham symbols and beautifully curved blades—not sharp for cutting, but for ritual directing of energy. Odd, but the same number of Rider-Waite Tarot Decks, black ritual candles, and white sage wands were also missing.
Whoever robbed the store and attacked her grandmother had another motive in mind besides stealing from Enlightenment. A shiver worked its way up her spine, chilling her. Rubbing her arms, she picked up the phone and called the sheriff.
*
“Now you just rest up, Gram. I don’t want you trying to run the shop from your hospital bed, even if they’ve moved you out of the ICU.”
Phoebe just smiled, not saying anything. And that’s what worried her. “I mean it. You scared the life out of me for the last three days. I need to know that you’ll be resting.”
“Yes, sweetie,” her grandmother said, reaching for Temperance’s hand to pat it.
“At least pretend you’re resting and try not to get into any mischief while I’m at work,” she said, brushing a kiss on her grandmother’s cheek.
The lilting laughter eased the worst of the knots in Temperance’s belly. Laughter meant her grandmother was on the road to a full recovery.
“And no dilly-dallying when Sheriff Brody comes to visit you today.”
Gram’s cheeks flushed as she placed a hand over her heart. Before she could deny that she and the sheriff were sweethearts, Temperance smiled. “You aren’t the only one who senses these things.”
With her grandmother tucked into bed, Temperance drove the short distance to the shop. Relief swept up from her toes as she parked and got out of her car. The door to the shop was intact, and not hanging on its hinges as it had been the night of the break-in. Focused on the order she expected to arrive midday, she didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary until she reached for the door.
A blood-encrusted Justice card, the eleventh Major Arcana card, was stuck to the door of the shop with an athame she recognized. It was one of the ones stolen a few days ago.
A sinking feeling swept up from her toes as her gut screamed not to touch. With trembling hands, she dialed 911. “Sheriff Brody, please.”
His secretary didn’t ask what was wrong. A first, as far as Temperance knew, and was grateful for it as she was transferred the to the sheriff.
“Sheriff, hi, it’s Temperance,” pausing to step back from the door and the pool of blood beneath the card, she dug deep for strength. “I think Gram’s attacker came back last night.”
“Is anything gone?”
“Not exactly,” she could feel her voice start to break, but she refused to dissolve into tears. “I think he returned one of the stolen items.”
“Are you alone?”
A glance told her she was. “Yes, but I think what I’m looking at is a message.” She knew the significance of the Justice card’s upright meaning, but couldn’t figure out what equity, rightness, and triumph of the deserving side of the law had to do with the athame and the blood.
“Don’t touch anything. Take a deep breath and go back and sit in your car—and lock the doors. I will be there in five minutes,” he reassured her.
Temperance did as she was told. Why would Gram’s attacker leave the cryptic message for her? Gram had a number of tarot decks and the meanings varied slightly from deck to deck. Thank the goddess, it wasn’t reversed.
She shivered, and as she sat and waited, another question surfaced… was the blood animal or human?
*
Sheriff Brody pulled up behind Temperance’s car and got out. “You all right?”
She nodded. “I can’t help but wonder who would do such a thing.”
“Think it’s for you or your grandmother?”
When she stared at him, he knew she was rattled by whatever she’d found and hadn’t thought it through far enough to realize the message might be for her. “Sit tight while I take a look.”
“Sheriff?” she called out.
He looked over his shoulder. “Yeah?”
“I took some pictures.”
“Good thinking,” he told her, keeping his voice even. She was just about vibrating on the seat.
His gut told him the blood wasn’t animal, but he’d need a sample to confirm his suspicion. Even though Temperance had taken pictures, he snapped pictures of the bloody tarot card from a few different angles, the pool of blood beneath the card, and the intricately carved, wooden handled blade buried in the door to the shop.
Whoever did this was a twisted son-of-a-bitch… reminding him of the murder report he’d just read. In Brody’s book, there was no such thing as a coincidence. Phoebe’s shop was a combination Wiccan and New Age shop and fit the pattern.
He shot off a text to Simmons, keeping him in the loop. Walking back over to Temperance’s car, he watched her gaze slide over to the sidewalk and then back.
“I have cleaning supplies inside.”
“Why don’t I send Deputy Hammond over to give you a hand with the clean up?”
She shrugged, and he said, “He’ll be here in a few minutes. I want you to wait in your car. I have to take this evidence to the lab, over in Onley. It’s only twenty minutes away.”
“I know where Onley is,” she huffed. “I’ve lived here half my life.”
“Yes, but right now you’re reacting to a grim experience and not thinking clearly. Just thought you needed reminding,” he explained. “I’ll call when I know more.”
Chapter Four
Temperance turned on the morning news and poured her first cup of tea for the day. She was stirring honey in her cup when she heard, “… local tarot card reader found murdered.”
What? She dropped her spoon in the sink and dashed into the living room in time to hear, “Mary Mack went missing a few days after attending the popular Psychic Fair at Enlightenment, a New Age shop in Harmony, Virginia. Due to the ongoing police investigation, no other information is available at this time.”
Temperance didn’t realize she was shaking until she walked back into the kitchen and reached for her cell phone to dial the sheriff. “Hi, Missy, it’s Temperance. May I speak to Sheriff Brody?”
Had Mary had been robbed and beaten like Gram? Where had she been found? What had happened?
“You saw the news,” the sheriff said.
“Yes, and I know there’s an ongoing investigation, but do you have any information on Mary? Can you tell me anything?” Her heart broke just thinking of the popular tarot card reader. Mary’s appointment slots always filled up before the other card readers.
“As soon as I can, you know I will.” Brody hesitated before asking, “Any chance I can convince you to stay home today?”
“I’m not going to let whoever attacked Gram win. We’re going to be open today and every day until Gram is back on her feet and behind the counter at Enlightenment.”
“Well, then,” he said, “I guess that’s a no.”
*
Temperance parked in front of the shop, and reached into her tote bag for the tiny vial of lavender oil. She dabbed it on her wrists and at the base of her throat. Now she felt ready to greet the day and whatever might come her way.
She reached for the shop’s front door when she spotted the skewered bloody tarot card. The sixteenth card… the Tower. Her heart skipped a beat. Thank the goddess it was upright and meant misery, distress, and unforeseen catastrophe. Gram had taught her to use
her third eye when studying the tarot, letting the cards speak to her, which was why she preferred her deck of gilded tarot cards. Not that the meaning was all that different, but an upright Tower card could also mean that our belief system was shattered by a truth we didn’t recognize.
“Goddess, help me,” she rasped. Enlightenment’s beautiful purple door and hand woven welcome mat were bathed in blood. What catastrophe would be coming their way? she wondered.
Had she or her grandmother unintentionally caused one of their customers misery or distress? She shook her head; she knew they hadn’t. Gram had taught her the truth her grandmother lived by, the Wiccan Rede—An it harm none, do as thou wilt. The Wiccan Rede wasn’t just a phrase to spout to impress those in the mundane world; Gram believed it to the depths of her soul and had taught Temperance to believe it as well. Whatever spell you cast, whatever words you uttered, will return to you times three.
Standing there, an oily, black evil slithered over her feet and oozed up her legs as Temperance tried to catch her breath and reorder her thoughts. Her vision grayed, and she reached for the protective crystal she wore around her neck. She hit speed dial, and called the sheriff. He’d want to see this and bag and tag the evidence.
She walked back to her car, opened the door and slid onto the seat. Her breath came out in a whoosh. “I’m going to have to tell Gram.”
The sheriff arrived a few minutes later, and with a nod and jab of his index finger indicated that she should stay put. Fine by her. The athame and bloody card weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Temperance wished she could figure out what she or her grandmother had done to warrant such an ugly message, but couldn’t think of anyone in their tight-knit community who would do such a thing.
After he finished, the sheriff walked over to her car. “I can send someone over to help with the scrubbing,” he offered. “It’s a mess, and frankly, I’d feel better if you were home under lock and key.”
She laid a hand on his arm. “You and Gram have been protecting me for half my life. I love that you both feel that way, but I’m a big girl now, and I don’t want whoever did this to think I am going to run and hide like a scared rabbit.”
He put his hands on his hips, and she knew a lecture was coming, but she didn’t have time to listen and wasn’t going to give in. “Thanks for coming over. I need to get started so I can cleanse the sidewalk, the door, and the rest of the shop.”
“You know I don’t understand half of what you and Phoebe mean by that, but I know that it is important to you. I’ll ask Deputy Hammond to stop by in a little bit to see if you need anything.”
She thanked him, and using the cloth the sheriff handed her, was able to get inside the shop without touching any of the now-dry blood. Bustling about, she had the cleaning supplies she needed to disinfect the exterior of Enlightenment. Forty-five minutes later, armed with herbs and oils, she was ready for the cleansing.
Pleased with the crystal clear vibe emanating from without and within, she hummed while she put the kettle on. The trio of bells ringing let her know someone was in the shop. Ready to greet whoever it was, she stopped midstride recognizing the man from the other day—the one who wanted to give a workshop on Demonology. The one who had shattered three of the protective stones she’d just anointed and placed in the shop.
“Mr.—” she drew a blank. She didn’t remember his name and had recycled his business card, not intending to ever contact the man. They didn’t need that kind of negative energy in their shop. Hell, call it like it is, Temperance… they didn’t need that kind of evil in their shop.
“Deveraux,” he said smoothly as if he didn’t notice that he had unnerved her.
“Mr. Deveraux,” she acknowledged. “What can I do for you?”
His gaze swept through the shop and landed on her. “Ah, Miss Lippincott, it is what I can do for you.”
She sighed, wishing she’d brought her tea to the front with her instead of her cell phone. Her mouth was dry. “I’m sorry, but I don’t schedule the workshops Enlightenment gives. That’s something Phoebe does and she’s away for the next few days.”
His eyes darkened and for a heartbeat she was afraid that he would explode. Then he seemed to collect himself and chuckled. “Ah yes, how unfortunate that she ran afoul of a thief.”
Temperance’s stomach churned as her heartbeat sped up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she lied. How did he know about Gram? No one but Gram’s closest friends and shopkeepers knew what had happened the other night.
“You don’t lie well, Miss Lippincott. I really must insist—”
She reached for her phone as she warned, “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
“Not until you agree to my terms,” he bit out.
“Then you’ll have to deal with my terms. I’m calling Sheriff Brody and I’ll be filing a restraining order against you. You won’t be able to get within fifty to one hundred feet of me or this shop!”
Deveraux’s gray eyes glittered with rage and he spun on his heel and stalked out, slamming the door with enough force to dislodge her hanging pendulum display. Precious crystal, stone, and wooden pendulums shattered as they hit the quarry-tile floor.
Tears filled her eyes. Her phone connected to the sheriff’s office. On her hands and knees, she told Missy what had happened, agreeing to stay on the line until the sheriff arrived on the scene. Heartsick over the needless destruction, she didn’t hear the siren until the sheriff’s cruiser was right outside.
Chapter Five
Weary of the pattern that had developed after Enlightenment had been broken into, Temperance went straight to the back of the shop. Once again, she gathered the candles, a lighter, and a white sage wand before returning to the counter and placing them there.
She drew in a breath, raised her arms shoulder height, palms up, before tipping her head back and closing her eyes. A deep calm began to radiate in and around her as she grounded herself. Her palms tingled and the air around her pulsed with the energy she raised.
Slowly lowering her hands to her sides, she walked over to the counter to retrieve the lighter and sage wand. The scent soothed her as she walked from room to room. Corner by corner, she repeated the chant to rid the shop of the evil that had entered with Deveraux.
Temperance was pleased with the cleansing, but wasn’t about to stop there. It was almost noon. “Timed it perfectly,” she murmured, getting to work inscribing three red candles with five lines, the glyph representing the element of fire, and the symbol for the planet Mars. She chanted as she smoothed the cinnamon oil over the carvings.
The protective scent from the candles surrounded her. Now that the evil that accompanied Deveraux had been banished, she vowed to do whatever it took to uncover the identity of Gram’s attacker.
*
Temperance held her grandmother’s hand while she went over the steps she’d taken to protect their shop. Gram didn’t ask her about the tarot cards or the athames, only wanting to know if the sheriff had talked to Temperance about the cruiser that would be following her home and parking outside, guarding her so she wouldn’t be all alone in the Black Marsh where they lived.
“Gram, I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“What about Deveraux? What if he found out where we live and decides to corner you tonight?”
She’d thought of that possibility, and had doubled-up on the protective herbs and crystals she carried with her. More concerned about her grandmother’s safety, she stretched the truth, saying, “That’s not even a remote possibility.” Temperance hoped she sounded convincing.
“Besides, what if whoever came to the shop and beat you decides to pay you a visit here at the hospital and puts a pillow over your head while you’re sleeping?” The catch in her voice matched the one in her throat. If anything happened to Gram… “I can’t lose you, Gram,” she whispered.
“You won’t, dear,” her grandmother promised. “Now what did Sheriff Brody have to say when you told him about Dever
aux dropping by the shop?”
A chill swept up her spine as she realized she hadn’t told the sheriff everything. “I… um… forgot to tell him.”
Her grandmother closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the pillow. “Call him. Now!”
An hour later, duly chastised, Temperance drove home, followed by Deputy Hammond. “Are you sure you’re not hungry?” she asked. “I can defrost some red sauce and put on a pot of pasta.”
His gaze swept the perimeter before he let it rest on her. “Maybe later. I need to check the barn and over by the edge of the woods first.”
“Thanks, Jack,” she said. “I’ll go fix supper now, that way I can warm it up for you whenever you have a few minutes to eat.”
His smile softened the hard planes of his face and warmed the cool blue of his eyes. The contrast between Deputy Jack Hammond and Mr. Deveraux was night and day… good and evil. She shivered.
“Are you going to be all right?” the concern in his voice warmed her.
“Yes, thanks, just thinking about something,” she told him. “Just come on in whenever you’re ready. I’ll either be in the kitchen or the living room.”
“Will do.”
*
“Hey, Sheriff,” Hammond said, a short time later. “All clear out in the Marsh.”
“Good,” Brady replied. “Deveraux has gone to ground and until he resurfaces, we can’t let our guard down. I’m counting on you to guard Temperance.”
“You have my word.”
“I’ll call you after my meeting with Simmons. He said he had some new information on the murders.”
“We’re going to nail this guy,” Hammond grumbled.
“Count on it,” Brody said. “Now get on back to your post.”
*
Temperance couldn’t say what woke her, but she pushed herself up in bed and leaned against the mahogany headboard. Breathing deeply, she tuned into the sounds of the night and the old house she shared with her grandmother.
Never Fear - The Tarot: Do You Really Want To Know? Page 33