Tragic Magic (27 page)

Fun
, she thought to herself. Then she just happened to notice Olivia Wainwright sitting at the bar. With that double take, she also noticed Sawyer Barnes sitting next to her.

Having a drink together?
Carmela skidded to a stop, backpedaled as best she could in high heels, and peered around the corner.

Yup, there they were. Acting a little cozy, too.

Carmela continued on her way to the ladies’ room. What was going on? Wasn’t Olivia supposed to be going out of town? Or had she changed her mind? And why?

As soon as Carmela had fixed her false eyelash, she hustled back to Babcock.

“You have to go look in the bar,” she told him.

“Why?” he asked. “Is there a pole dancer or something?”

“No, I just saw Olivia Wainwright having a drink with Sawyer Barnes.”

“Seriously?”

“No, I made it up. Yes, seriously. Go look. See for yourself.”

But when Babcock went to look, they were gone.

“You’re sure you weren’t just seeing things?” he asked her as he slipped back into the booth. “Maybe you’ve been hanging around Medusa Manor too much. Maybe it was just a projection.”

“No,” said Carmela, through gritted teeth, “they were there.”

“A
VA?” Carmela knocked at the front door of her friend’s shop. The shiny red door, illuminated by a small overhead light, had fat, bouncing black letters that spelled out
Juju Voodoo
. In the multipaned front window, a neon sign glowed bright red and cool blue, illustrating a palm with its basic head, heart, and life lines. A wood shake roof, slightly reminiscent of a Hansel and Gretel cottage, dipped down in front.

Still no answer, so Carmela turned the handle and pushed the door open. She was greeted by the scent of sandalwood incense, then an immediate impression of a red glow and a cool rush of air. And Ava, hurrying to greet her wearing a long black velvet gown, cut generously low to show off her female attributes. It was the kind of slinky outfit Morticia Addams might have worn to entice Gomez, or Ava to pique the interest of Sidney St. Cyr.

“You made it,” said Ava, giving Carmela a slow wink. “You have any trouble pulling yourself away from the studmuffin?”

“He was a little miffed that I had to leave early, but I let him assume it was because of tomorrow’s big settlement meeting.”

“You see,” said Ava, leading Carmela toward the back of her store, “he’s malleable. That’s what you want in a man: someone who’s cute and smart, but still a little bit malleable.”

Carmela glanced around the shop as she followed in the whisper of Ava’s footsteps. Rows of gleaming white skulls grinned at her. A shelf of crystal balls seemed to glow magically from within. Aided, no doubt, by some strategically placed lighting. “We’re going to do this in your back room?”

“Sure,” said Ava. “We’ll light a few candles for atmosphere and play some haunting music to ratchet up the chills. And . . .” She paused at the thermostat and hastily pressed a few buttons. “I want this place icy cold to help welcome any ghostly apparitions.”

“I can see you’ve done this before.”

Ava stepped over to a shelf and grabbed a large silver candelabra. “A few times for fun, a few times for real.
Cher
, go grab eight of those tall white tapers, will you?”

Carmela went back out to the darkened shop, passing counters of sachets and charms, monkey paw key chains, and small jars of herbs. Vials filled with “blood” lined a shelf, along with jars of floating “eyes” that watched as she passed by. Carmela selected the candles and hustled past crystals and a tree of small amulets, back to Ava’s “reading room.”

A crystal skull sat on the table, the air was heavy with exotic smoke, music tinkled around the table from hidden speakers, and the air-conditioning had already chilled the small space.

“Say now,” said Carmela, “this place is already starting to give me the creeps.”

“Success then,” said Ava. She set a Ouija board in the center of the table, then picked up a planchette, the Ouija board’s movable indicator. It was an intricate scrolled metal
triangle with three short legs covered with felt pads to allow for smooth, silent gliding across the board. Smiling, Ava placed the planchette carefully in the center of the board.

Carmela studied the Ouija board setup. The planchette seemed to hunker there by itself, waiting for eager fingers to rest atop it. Then, hopefully, it would glide across the board, spelling out words or answering yes or no. Carmela shivered in spite of herself.

Ava grinned. “Are you afraid we may actually make contact?” Before Carmela could answer, a sharp rapping echoed throughout the store.

Both women jumped, then laughed at how easily they’d been startled.

“That’s gotta be Sidney,” said Ava, bouncing up from her chair. “I’ll go let our guest in.”

A few minutes later, Sidney St. Cyr, dressed all in black and sporting a long black cape, entered the room. His perpetually stooped shoulders flexed his posture forward as he approached Carmela and extended a slender arm.

“Nice to see you again,” Carmela said, as his cold, slightly moist fingers wrapped around hers.

“My pleasure,” said Sidney. “I’m delighted to join you tonight.”

Ava hustled in with a small silver tray that held three brandy snifters and a crystal decanter filled with amber liquid. “Spirits to get the spirits moving?” she chimed. She placed the tray on the table, uncorked the bottle, and poured a finger of brandy into each glass.

Sidney accepted a snifter and swirled the liquid around. He brought it under his beaklike nose and inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma. Then he closed his eyes and took a blissful sip. After a moment he spoke. “What kind of séance did you have in mind?”

Ava lifted a hand to casually indicate the Ouija board.

Sidney smiled and nodded. “Have you had much success with this?”

“I don’t want to brag,” said Ava, “but I’ve been very lucky in finding answers. Of course, each time the results are a little different. There’s no real predicting what might happen.”

“I’m always amazed at the responses Ava gets,” added an enthusiastic Carmela, expecting Ava to give her a conspiratorial kick under the table.

“Then let’s get started,” said Sidney, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s . . .” He paused, suddenly looking a little wary. “Shall we try to, uh, contact the spirit world?”

“Yes,” said Ava, closing her eyes and tilting her head back.

She placed her enameled fingertips lightly on the planchette. “Let’s try to make contact with a spirit guide. See what we can find out about Melody.”

Sidney swallowed hard and took another sip of brandy. “Sure. Why not?”

“Then let us begin,” intoned Ava. “Everyone place your fingertips gently next to mine.”

As Carmela and Sidney stretched their arms forward, the lights seemed to dim, as if on cue. Carmela wondered how Ava had managed that.

“Spirit guide,” said Ava, “we implore your help. We ask that you guide us safely into another dimension.”

All three glanced down at the board and waited. Nothing happened.

“Let’s approach this in a slightly different way,” said Ava.

She drew a deep breath and asked, “Is there a spirit present?” She glanced at Carmela and Sidney. “Please, everyone concentrate on that question.”

The flames of the candles seemed to flicker, and shadows danced around them.

Carmela thought she felt the planchette begin to move. Helped along by Ava? Helped unconsciously by herself? She didn’t know. But her eyes widened in surprise as the planchette moved slowly toward the upper left-hand corner of the Ouija board, then stopped abruptly over the word
Yes
.

The temperature seemed to take another dip.

“Welcome, spirit,” said Ava. “Will you kindly tell us your name?”

The planchette jerked once and then slowly slid over to the letter
M
. Then it continued on to
E
, where it stopped.

“
M
—
E
,” said Ava. “Is that correct?”

The planchette suddenly slid to the upper left and stopped over the word
Yes
again.

“We have made contact with the great beyond,” said Ava, her voice taking on the tenor and tone of a medium from an old William Castle horror flick. “Is there something you can tell us? Is there something we should know?”

“We have to focus harder,” said Carmela.

“Spirit guide,” said Sidney, “is there something you want to tell us?”

The planchette stayed in place for a long time, then finally glided to the right and landed on
M
. It paused there for a second, then continued on to the
U
. It seemed to circle that letter, then moved to the left and stopped over the
R
.

Carmela’s eyes widened again.

The planchette continued left to the
D
, then stopped.

Suddenly, the planchette vibrated, then shot violently from beneath their fingertips. It zoomed across the board and continued off the table, running smack dab into the wall, then clanking noisily to the floor.

The room fell silent.

Everyone bent forward to stare at the planchette now lying inert on the floor.

“Well . . .” said Sidney, looking a little shaken. “We’ve never had anything like
that
occur on one of my ghost walks.”

“I’d venture to say Ava’s never had anything like
that
happen in her shop before,” said Carmela.

A cool breeze seemed to circle the table.

Then Ava spoke up. “Perhaps the tarot cards can tell us more.” She picked up the Ouija board and placed it on a
shelf, then grabbed the deck of tarot cards that was conveniently stacked there. Making a big show of shuffling the cards, she was careful not to mix up the card order she’d rigged earlier.

“This is a little more my style,” said Sidney, giving a slightly nervous laugh. “I’m a big fan of tarot cards.”

“So you believe in them,” said Carmela. “You use them for guidance.”

“Once in a while,” said Sidney. He glanced at Ava. “I prefer to use a six-card layout.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” said Ava. She peeled off the first card and laid it on the table. It was an angel with golden hair wearing a long white robe. “This is Temperance,” said Ava. “As you can see, she’s pouring water from one goblet into the other, which is supposed to signify harmony and balance.”

Carmela peered at the card. “She looks a little like Melody.”

Sidney’s eyebrows shot up and he sat back in his seat. He nodded his head in agreement.

“The problem,” said Ava, tapping the card with her fingertip, “is that this card is upside down, so it has the reverse meaning of discord and chaos.”

“You mean like . . . murder?” Carmela prompted.

Ava gave a tight nod, then ran her fingers over the rest of the deck. “Kind spirits, what can you tell us about this poor woman?” Ava’s fingers peeled off the next card, then flipped it onto the table. “The Tower,” she said.

The card showed a castle turret on fire. Lightning bolts and roiling clouds formed the background; a man and a woman seemed to have leaped from the tower and were plunging to their death.

“What does
this
mean?” asked Carmela.

This time Sidney answered. “Sudden change, release . . . downfall.”

“Or death?” Carmela asked.

“Perhaps,” said Sidney. He no longer seemed to be enjoying himself.

Ava continued. “The next card tells of . . .” Her hand turned over the Judgment card. It showed an angel blowing a horn, gazing down at three people who seemed to be standing inside their own coffins.

“That looks ominous,” said Carmela.

“This card foretells judgment day, rebirth, and absolution,” said Ava. “The angel is calling the faithful to heaven, while the unbelievers . . . well, let’s just say their fate isn’t quite so rosy.”

“This is a very strange tarot reading,” said Sidney in a whispery voice.

Ava didn’t waste any time. She flipped over the next card. It depicted a man walking toward the edge of a cliff, completely unaware of any danger. “The Fool,” she announced harshly. “Which means . . .”

“Accepting your own folly,” finished Sidney.

“Look at his hand!” exclaimed Carmela. “He’s pointing at something.” Her gaze followed the Fool’s fingertip. “He’s pointing at you, Sidney!”

Sidney seemed to shrink back in his chair.

Ava glowered at him. “Did you kill Melody?” Her voice was rough, caustic.

“Is that what this is all about?” Sidney yelled, his voice rising in a squawk. “No, of course not! I had nothing to do with Melody’s death!” He scrambled to his feet and glowered at them, then seemed to recover slightly. “This was a setup!” he yelled, his face turning a blotchy red. “You’re both trying to accuse me of something I didn’t do!” He turned sharply, threw his cape over his shoulder, and staggered away. Hitting the doorjamb with one shoulder, he stumbled slightly, then strode through the shop and out the front door. Both women heard the door slam behind him.

“Mother of pearl!” exclaimed Ava. Shock and surprise were written across her face. “What do you think?”

“I think Sidney’s really ticked off,” said Carmela. “I think you can probably kiss his ghost walk business good-bye.”

Ava shrugged. “But was this enough to send him scurrying to the police? Will it prompt a confession from him?”

“Only if he’s guilty,” said Carmela. “And even then we have no guarantees. But, seriously, you had me going with all your spectral incantations and spooky effects. I was ready to jump up and confess myself.”

“It was good, wasn’t it?” Ava mused, pleased with herself.

“That was some cool trick,” said Carmela, “sending that planchette zooming across the table.”

Ava stared at her friend in amazement. “I thought
you
did that!”