Team Destiny and Archie's Apparition (Team Destiny Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 2)

by Belinda White

  She nodded. “Dad always had an affinity for a good, aged brandy. Not the cheap stuff, either. We got a package delivered to the house a week ago. Two bottles of his most favorite drink of all. The note said he should celebrate his wife’s upcoming promotion.” Betina hugged herself. “I wanted to dump the stuff down the drain, but he wouldn’t let me. He said they were too valuable. That he would sell them to the club he goes to.”

  “Only that didn’t happen, did it?”

  “No. It didn’t.”

  Trevor was looking at me over the table with one eyebrow raised. As much as I no longer thought she was a suspect, I still had questions for her. I shook my head.

  “I’m sorry that happened, Betina. Some people can be so careless with things like that.”

  Her eyes rose to meet mine. It wasn’t hard to see the anger burning through. “Oh, it wasn’t carelessness. It was downright blatant sabotage. The package came from Melissa Moore. The wife of the third CEO candidate. And she knew exactly what she was doing, too.”

  She took a deep, staggered breath, then looked over at Trevor. For some reason, she must have believed he was the one leading the questioning, even though I was the one asking most of the questions.

  “If what happened to Martha really wasn’t natural, then I’d bet just about anything that Melissa Moore was behind it. What is ruining a couple of families if it means her’s gets ahead in the game?”

  Part of what Trevor did next was to further the investigation. I believed that. But a bigger part, I thought, was to get the woman’s mind focused back on the job at hand.

  “Betina, can you walk us through a normal day in the care of one of your residents?” he asked.

  She scrubbed at her face with one hand, then took a deep breath. “Yeah. I can do that. Basically, we have the video monitor feeds going at all times. Most of our work is done sitting at the nurses’ station. But we also do hourly rounds where we check vital signs and adjust their beds, move them around a bit, etcetera.” She threw him a glance. “We don’t want them getting bed sores from lying in one position too long.”

  Trevor nodded. “That makes sense. Walk me through a round, step by step.”

  Betina stared at him for a minute. She had to realize there was more to this questioning than met the eye. For a minute, I thought she was going to balk. But she didn’t.

  “First, we do a visual check of the room and the resident. Then we use an infrared thermometer to check their temperature. No touch. Next, we slip on a finger oximeter to check their oxygen level and pulse rate.” She shrugged. “If everything checks out, then we move them into the next position for the day and move to the next resident on the rounds.”

  “So the only time you actually touch the resident is to move them?”

  She hesitated. “Well, not exactly. I mean, some of them have medications that we have to inject. And then there is the bathroom issue.” Betina wrinkled her nose. “It’s not like they can get up and go for themselves, you know. They wear diapers. Those have to be changed as needed.”

  “You check the diapers on your rounds, too, then?” Trevor asked. After all, he had asked for a step by step run through. It wasn’t good that she was already leaving crucial items off the list.

  She nodded. “Of course. I kind of thought that went without saying.”

  “So,” I said, trying to get us back on track. “You touch Martha to move her every hour, and to change her diaper as needed.” I frowned. “Wait a minute, isn’t she diabetic? How often does she get her insulin shots?”

  Betina shook her head. “She doesn’t. Get the shots, I mean. Although we do have to do a finger prick twice a day to check her levels. She’s on an insulin pump.” She tapped her stomach. “Here. It takes care of the injections for us.”

  I met Trevor's eyes over the table. By this point, I was feeling that Betina wasn't our evil Voodoo practitioner. And if I was reading Trevor right, neither did he.

  One down, and really not a single step further along than when we'd started.

  Well, if you didn't count the news of Melissa Moore. We'd definitely be paying that woman a visit.

  Very, very soon.

  Chapter 17

  We walked Betina back to her station, then went with Karen into Martha’s room to join the others. Mom looked at me.

  “So? We have a resolution?”

  I shook my head. “Unfortunately, no. Just another suspect to track down and question.” We updated them on what we learned.

  Mom was left shaking her head. “The things people will do to get ahead in this world. Ruining other people’s lives. It just ain’t right, that.”

  No. It wasn’t. And it was something I didn’t intend for them to get by with, either. Even if Melissa didn’t turn out to be the one that was doing this to Martha, there would still have to be consequences for the actions she’d already taken against the Dahls. I thought a Karma spell would be the very least I could do to even things out.

  Getting sober wasn’t easy. Having to start from scratch when you’d had a really good run on it was even harder. The woman would pay for that. And for what it did to poor Betina’s family, too.

  And if the woman was behind the vortex deep at Martha’s soul center? Well, she’d pay doubly for that one. You don’t court evil and go unscathed.

  Not with my team on the job.

  I looked at Trevor, planning to ask if he was up to a visit to see Melissa. That’s when my phone chirped at me. I glanced at it but didn’t recognize the number. Not that it mattered all that much. I’d been handing out a lot of cards lately.

  “Is this Amethyst Ravenswind?” the caller asked.

  “Speaking. May I ask who this is?”

  “It’s Stephanie. From Martha’s HOA? I’m so sorry I forgot to call you earlier. They rescheduled the meeting at the park for this afternoon. In half an hour, actually. If you want to make it, you might want to meet me there? Are you close?”

  I glanced at my watch. I could make it, but there wouldn’t be time for a visit to Melissa. Decisions, decisions.

  “I’ll try to make it, but I can’t guarantee I’ll be there right when it starts.”

  “Well, it will be at the park in the center of the community if you can make it. I hope to see you there. It would be nice to have someone unbiased and impartial in attendance. This thing has a lot of emotions riding hide on it right now.”

  Emotions running high. Voodoo was a very emotional magic from what I’d read. What was it the Shaman had said? It was personal?

  That reminded me of the other, more well known saying. ‘It’s not personal. It’s business.’

  What if Melissa wasn’t the culprit in all this after all? What if the HOA really was where the trail would lead?

  Unfortunately, my witch’s intuition was being noticeably silent on the issue.

  I told the others my thoughts. Trevor just looked at me.

  “Who says we can’t split up?” he asked. “I can visit with Melissa, and you can go to the dog park meeting. Cover both in one fell swoop.” He nodded over at the Shaman and Mom. “You guys are still going to be awhile, right?”

  Mom glanced at the Shaman who was sitting on the floor, meditation-style, while he etched an intricate circle in the wood floor. We weren’t really talking to him, because he wasn’t really there. Not on a talking level of consciousness, anyway. I could tell a trance state when I saw one.

  The circle he was carving wasn’t like any I’d ever seen. It was nothing less than a work of art in itself. I was kind of hoping the facility would see it as such too. The thought of them covering it with a rug tore at me.

  It was too special for that. I kind of thought it would up the value of being in this particular room substantially. Especially if the family of one being admitted recognized it for what it was.

  Protection could only be a good thing, right? Especially when their loved one was in no condition to protect themselves.

  I walked over to watch him for a few seconds. He
was barely halfway done. We’d be lucky if he got it done today. His job on this wasn’t an easy one. Not one any of us could really help him with, either.

  None of us had the artistic talent that he had. According to Shaman Crowe, that was important. I had no idea why that would be the case, but I trusted the man’s judgment.

  Even if I thought the actual issue was one of control and certain knowledge that the circle would hold up to its intended purpose. Namely, to contain any evil within it.

  If only we could find some way to separate Martha from the vortex within her, we’d have it made. Seal the circle, board up the room, and call it a day.

  I knew it wasn’t that easy. We’d have to face that evil down and find some way to end it. But I was back to dreaming. One little step at a time.

  “I don’t suppose I could borrow your car, Mom?” I asked.

  She nodded, but hesitated, looking over at Arc. “Why don’t you take Arc with you, dear? There really isn’t anything he can do here to help us. And I have the Shaman here now with me, so Archie has his wish for me not to be alone.”

  “Plus, I have nowhere to go, either,” Karen said with a grimace. “And this room isn’t all that big with all these people in it.”

  Arc’s eyes had a bit of pleading to them when they met mine. “I’ll drive,” he said hopefully.

  Oh, what the heck.

  I hugged Mom, and then gave Karen a quick one, too. The woman looked like she needed one. When she hugged me back, I could tell I’d been right.

  “Call us if they run into any trouble, okay?” I whispered in her ear.

  She nodded. “I will. Be safe out there. If there really is someone behind this all...”

  Yeah. She didn’t need to finish that one. If there was someone behind that vortex, then that person would no longer be a straight out person. Most likely, by this point, the demons had already taken possession of them. Whether that had been their initial desire or not.

  Deals with the devil never quite went the way the people making them thought they would. I was guessing that deals made with Kalfu would go pretty much the same way.

  Badly.

  WE PASSED A MAN IN the lobby coming in as we went out. I could tell from Arc’s slight hesitation that he knew him.

  “Hey, Mr. McCallister. You making your own deliveries now?”

  The man smiled at Arc, then lifted a small white bag. “Only for my most special clients, my boy. For Martha, I make an exception.” He hesitated. “Besides, it gives me a chance to check in on her. Make sure she’s doing okay, and the staff doesn’t need anything.”

  His face darkened. “Something her family ought to be doing, in my opinion. My family would sure as heck be by my side if something like this happened. But then, that’s how I raised them. Guess the Donaldsons think a little differently about family matters.”

  “They care more than you might think. Martha would skin them alive if they messed up their lives just to be here with her. If they could do something about it, it would be different. But not much you can do for Martha at this point, except wait. Might as well follow her dream for them while they do that, don’t you think?”

  The man looked away. “Maybe that’s the right of it. I just hate the fact that she’s lying there in a room all by herself. It just don’t seem right.”

  Arc grinned at him. “Well, if that’s what’s bothering you, don’t worry about it. My family is here now. We’re making sure she isn’t alone.”

  McCallister’s eyebrows rose. “That’s mighty nice of you all to do that.”

  Arc shrugged. “Martha and Dad are close. Riley and me, too, for that matter.” He paused. “Say, didn’t Riley tell me that he and Jimmy are neck and neck for that whole graduating with honors thing?”

  Pride shined through as the man’s face fairly glowed. “That they are, boy. But my Jimmy’ll come through in the end. Just you watch. That boy’s going places. Riley, too, but my Jimmy is special. This legal thing, it’s all he eats, sleeps, and drinks about. You know? That makes a difference in the end.”

  Arc reached out and clasped the man on the shoulder. “Well, may the best man win, right?”

  “Oh, don’t worry. Jimmy will.” He grinned at us, then held up the bag again. “Got to get this to the nurses. You take care, now, okay? And tell Riley I said hey next time you talk to him.” He hesitated. “You are keeping him posted on his mom, right?”

  Arc nodded. “Wouldn’t be a friend if I didn’t.”

  “Good.” The man nodded as he walked away. “Good.”

  ARC AND I HAD TO PARK over two blocks away from the park. Silly me hadn’t thought that parking would be an issue. After all, the people attending would be from the neighborhood community, right?

  As such, I’d expected most of them to walk. Not so. It would seem I had slightly underestimated the blustery winter day. With all the bright sunshine, it looked like a nice day. All it took was a quick step out of the car to feel just how misleading looks could be.

  That wind seemed to have a direct path straight through my jacket and even the clothes beneath. I mumbled to Arc. “You up to doing the warmth spell?”

  He gave a shiver, then a nod. I’d have done it myself, but you have to spend a little concentration on it to keep it going, and I needed to focus on the people surrounding the little dais in the middle of the park.

  I hadn’t been entirely right in my estimation of the attendees. Some had obviously walked here. I could figure most of them out as they held leashes attached to collars on their dog of choice.

  And what a variety of breeds there were, too! Everything from Weiner Dogs to German Shepherds and all the in-between sizes and shapes too. It pleased me more than you’d imagine to see a few mongrels mixed in there too.

  Sue me, but I had a thing for mongrels and rescue dogs. Just because a dog wasn’t born with papers, didn’t mean they weren’t worth love. In fact, some of the best dogs I’d ever known were mutts.

  Yorkie Doodle was an obvious exception to that rule, of course. Yorkie was one hundred percent purebred. But his gorgeous little, off the charts smart, puppies were not.

  We didn’t love them less for that, either.

  Stephanie hadn’t been kidding about the high emotions. We could hear the shouting before we’d made it to within a block of the park. As Arc got the warmth spell in place, I dug out my camera.

  I’d want pictures of all the major players to file in my memory banks, and to make it easier to look them up later. But my camera also served another purpose. It helped me focus.

  Something about looking through the lens of a camera would do that for you. And, as it happened, I’d made my living with pictures before changing careers. That meant my camera was a much nicer model than most people had.

  If that led the people at this mini-rally to believe I was there as the press, well, that was simply an added benefit. Made it even more easy to ask questions, too.

  I handed Arc a notebook and pen. One of us had to act the part of the reporter. His eyes lit up, and I could tell I wouldn’t have to explain things to him. Good. He was onboard.

  We made our way up to the dais. Luckily, the camera tended to part the way pretty effectively for us.

  The person currently at center stage was one on Martha’s side of things. Which, of course, meant he was very adamantly against the dividing of the park.

  “I don’t understand the issue here,” he was saying. “We have dedicated this ground as a safe place for our children.”

  “My dog is my child!” A voice called out from behind me. I turned and snapped a photo. Then turned back and snapped a couple of those on the dais.

  The man continued, “There is an empty lot up for sale right now. If a dog park is so important to you, then you should all pitch in and buy it. Make your park there. Don’t expect our children to suffer just so your dogs can run around without a leash on.”

  The woman behind and to the side of him nodded in agreement. “Kevin has an excellent point. T
his ground was reserved as a children’s community park from the very beginning. It’s small enough as it is. Buy your own park.”

  The woman behind me stepped around to face her. “Why should we have to pay for the land? If you want to make this fair, then there should be an HOA assessment and everyone should chip it to buy that land for our dog park.”

  The man’s face flushed red. “Why on earth should we pay for a place for your dogs to run around in? Having pets is your choice. Not something I should have to help pay for.”

  The woman stepped up on the first step to the dais. “Why not? We’re assessed for the payment on this park, and a lot of us don’t have kids. If you don’t want to divide what we already have, fine. But we should assess the new park the same way this one is.”

  The woman on the platform stepped within reach of the woman on the step, and the shouting started. That was only the beginning.

  Yeah, it turned into a free for all pretty dang quick. Somehow just saying emotions ran high on this one didn’t cut it.

  I stared at Arc as we made our way back to the car. I didn’t want to be there when the cops showed up. And I was pretty sure that’s where it was headed.

  “Wow. That was really something, huh?” Arc asked.

  I nodded. He had the right of that.

  From what I could see, you just didn’t much more personal than this.

  Chapter 18

  It took me a minute to realize that Arc was staring at me. My mind must have drifted a bit.

  “You just asked me something, didn’t you?”

  He nodded. “Yup. Not quite sure where you were when I did, though. Definitely not here with me. Anything you want to share right now?”

  Good question. Was there? Sometimes these things went a lot faster in my brain when I talked them out with someone else. Worth a shot, anyway.

  “Well, the Shaman said that whoever is doing this most likely has a very personal reason for doing it, right?”

  Arc’s expression slowly cleared as he looked back toward the park. “I think I see what you mean. Dogs are family, too, even if some people don’t realize that. And you don’t get more personal than people messing with your family.”