A Spirited Gift

I took a chair on the side, trying not to envy the three of them sitting in my favorite place, and explained about the séance to Trudy while the water boiled.

“That’s amazing!” Trudy said. “Do you really think your mom was trying to talk to you?”

“I don’t,” I admitted. “Other things happened after I got to the Blue Whale.” I filled them all in on the point of light that had come at me and the other odd phenomena that had occurred. “I don’t know who’s following me, but I don’t think it’s my mother.”

We all had a cup of Earl Grey tea and contemplated my recent otherworldly experiences.

“Maybe it was the storm,” Trudy said. “Maybe all those extra storm ions they’re always talking about created some kind of spectral field during the séance.”

Shayla shook her head. “That sounds good, but I knew last night something was up. I could feel it before and again during the storm. Spirit balls aren’t a normal presence, even during a séance. It takes a powerful spirit to put all its energy into producing a visible, moving light. I think we might’ve called up another spirit—maybe one related to you, Dae.”

“You could’ve mentioned that last night,” I suggested.

“You were in such a hurry to get to the conference,” Shayla fired back. “And now look what’s happened—that poor woman is dead.”

“I don’t think Mayor Foxx’s death was related to spirit balls following Dae from the séance,” Kevin said.

“But you don’t know for sure, do you?” Shayla asked. “You may be an expert on police things, Mr. Ex-FBI Man, but leave the spiritual things to me. That’s my expertise. I’m fourth generation at this. And I might be related to Marie Laveau.”

“That’s no reason to get nasty,” Trudy said. “Kevin was just stating his opinion. That’s still legal here, I think.”

Shayla humphed and sat back to drink her tea. Trudy was quiet, drinking tea with a smug smile on her pretty face for putting Shayla in her place.

“Whatever happened, it’s affected me,” I said. “I can feel that something isn’t right. And I keep seeing things in mirrors.”

“What kinds of things?” Shayla asked.

“I can’t explain it. It’s like something is there, but I can’t quite make it out. Like when you see things out of the corner of your eye.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a haunt following you.” Shayla put down her empty tea cup and stood up. “Stand over there and let me clear your aura. That should help. Then get some rest and don’t eat any meat. My gran used to say haunts can smell that and find you again.”

I stood toward the back of the shop, and Shayla stared at me for a few minutes before mumbling some words and walking around and around me. She threw back her head and wiggled her arms around like snakes.

Then she patted her thick black hair and smoothed her black silk shirt. “That should take care of it. Not quite your normal green-blue Dae aura. But close enough. And at least it’s clear now.”

“What was that?” Trudy asked.

“I was working on Dae’s aura,” Shayla explained. “It wasn’t looking too healthy. Yours could do with a tune-up too, missy. I’ll do it for free right now.”

“No thanks.” Trudy stepped back, almost behind Kevin. “My aura is fine just the way it is. I’m going to call my appointments for today and see if I can reschedule for when power comes back on. I’ll see all of you later.”

“What was the bee in her bonnet?” Shayla asked when she was gone. “That woman has some serious superstition going on, you know? Okay, now that we’re done with that, can we go take a look at my shop? Kevin, honey, you bring that hammer right on next door. I’m sure we’re going to need it.”

“But there wasn’t anything wrong with Missing Pieces or Trudy’s shop,” I said. “I’m sure your place is fine too.”

Shayla turned up her nose. “Then you don’t know anything. My instincts tell me I’ve got some damage. I’m willing to put money down if you are.”

But I never bet against Shayla’s instincts. They were usually right. She took Kevin’s arm and they walked out the door together. It only bothered me a little—they’d dated briefly before Kevin and I got together. It didn’t mean anything. Shayla liked to remind me in small, annoying ways that he’d been hers first.

I glanced in the small mirror near the door as I was walking out behind them. I looked in it carefully and didn’t see anything unusual. All that reflected back at me was what was supposed to be there. With a smile, I left Missing Pieces and locked the door.

There was a creak on the boardwalk behind me and a strange rattling sound from the locked door to the shop. The temperature outside was mild and damp after the storm. A gust of wind blew across the boardwalk and made me shiver.

I heard laughter—solid, male-sounding laughter—and turned back quickly, but no one was there. I hurried into Shayla’s shop to find her and Kevin. Something was still not right. A haunt, she’d called it. Was I being haunted by a strange spirit that had been called up instead of my mother?

Chapter 11