I TOSSED AND turned for what was left of the night. Trey and his transgressions, my financial worries, Marlette’s murder, the pile of queries I’d brought home, the agents at Novel Idea: they were all tangled in angst-filled dreams.
When the sky finally lightened, I dragged myself out of bed, had a hot shower, and brewed a very strong pot of coffee. I needed to figure things out before Monday. Without a car, I’d have to take the train to work every morning, and that was too expensive. Moving to Inspiration Valley was the solution, of course; a prospect that had excited me Friday evening when I’d stood before the cottage for sale on Walden Woods Circle. After last night’s fiasco, I knew I could never afford it.
As I was refilling my coffee mug, the phone rang.
“I flipped around in bed last night like a fritter in the fryer!” My mother greeted me dramatically. “What happened at work yesterday? I was right about somethin’ bad comin’, wasn’t I? I got a real case of the shivers, like a spirit was standin’ right behind me, breathin’ down my neck!”
Sighing, I admitted that her prediction had been accurate. I’d expected her to be triumphant over the successful demonstration of her physic abilities, but she fell strangely despondent.
“Poor soul,” she whispered. “He was all alone in this life.”
I started. “You knew Marlette?”
“Not well enough to trade recipes, but the whole valley knew him, hon. He stood out, like a low-cut dress in church.” I heard a shuffling sound in the background and knew Althea had her tarot cards in hand. “But you’ll set things to rights, Lila. People can’t just pluck a string from Fate’s brilliant tapestry and not pay the price.” She went on before I could interrupt. “I do believe you were gonna call and ask me somethin’ this fine mornin’. The answer is yes, of course. You and Trey can live with me so you can fill up your piggy bank again. Maybe livin’ in the country will keep that boy outta trouble!”
My jaw came unhinged. “How’d you know about Trey?”
A satisfied cackle emitted from the earpiece, and then I recalled that my mother was great friends with the police chief’s wife. In fact, she was one of my mother’s most loyal customers and often spread news of a juicy arrest before the most dogged journalist could get a jump on the story. I suspected the woman slept with a police scanner by her bed.
I didn’t feel like further questioning Amazing Althea’s sources, especially since her invitation was a godsend, so I simply said, “I was going to ask if we could spend the summer with you. I’m going to put this house up for sale, hope it sells right away, and pray that three months without mortgage payments, thanks to living with you, will keep my head above water.” I stared at the papers on my kitchen table, which included bank statements, insurance policies, and the business card of a real estate agent I’d met while working at the Dunston Herald. “Between Trey’s tuition bill, the house payment, and whatever I’ll have to fork out in damages because of my son’s unbelievable lack of judgment, I’ll be lucky to have enough left over to buy a bicycle, let alone a car.”
My mother clucked her tongue. “Trey’s just helpin’ you go green. Now tell your mama everythin’ that happened last night. And don’t forget the part about the good-lookin’ man. I turned up the Lovers card in the Future position, and I want to know who this hot new number is. I can already tell he’s got enough electricity to fuel a power station!”
I hedged the question, wanting to keep Sean to myself for a while, and went on to describe how I’d spent the midnight hour. When I was done, she offered to drive her vintage turquoise pickup into Dunston late on Sunday afternoon and bring Trey and me back to her place. Trey could look for a summer job in Inspiration Valley, and I wouldn’t have to worry about commuting to Novel Idea come Monday.
“I love you, Mama.” A rush of affection and gratitude flowed through me. Amazing Althea might be eccentric, but she was a bighearted woman who’d do anything for us. For the first time since I found Marlette’s body, I felt like things might turn out okay.
I’d barely hung up the receiver when the phone rang again. “I’m still not going to answer your question about the Lovers!” I exclaimed, assuming the caller was my mother again.
“Oh? Which lovers?” a male voice quipped. “This is Sean, um, Officer Griffiths?”
Immediately, my exasperation disappeared and I smiled. “Oh, good morning.”
“I wondered if you’d like to meet me for coffee,” he said. “At Java the Hut? Say in half an hour?”