Chapter 29
Rachel walked down Market Street on her way to Madame Verdene’s Voodoo Shop. The streets were alive with people: some locals, some tourists who were either on their way back to their hotel after a night of cruising the bars or just beginning their day with coffee and beignets. She loved walking the city streets of New Orleans. She saw a mother pushing her child in a stroller, a couple holding hands, a group of young women who’d obviously been out partying all night, a homeless man asking for a handout, a business executive talking on his cell phone while juggling a cup of coffee and his briefcase—all coexisting together. There was something oddly comforting about it all. If she wasn’t working this case, Rachel thought, she could be one of those people having a leisurely breakfast and then maybe going to one of the many art galleries or museums that New Orleans had to offer. If she was a tourist, she seriously doubted she would be going where she was headed now.
After her meeting with Matt the night before, she’d relayed to Red what Matt had requested. With nothing much to go on, Red said he would see what he could do to find out the identity of Erin’s mystery man. While Rachel went to visit Madame Verdene—Red had made it clear he couldn’t stomach another visit to the voodoo queen—Red had decided to take a trip to the Flora Gallery and Coffee Shop instead.
Rachel and Red both agreed with Matt that finding out the man’s identity could provide insight into Erin’s frame of mind before she was kidnapped. Although Rachel thought that Matt should share his information with Agent Krapek or the police, she didn’t push it. She’d try to stay good on her word to keep Matt’s revelation under wraps.
Rachel hesitated at the front door of the voodoo shop. She took a deep breath before opening the glass door. Red would probably flip if he knew why she was really here. Hell, she was even second-guessing herself. This went against everything she believed in. But, as her father would have said, “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“Hello, Ms. Scott,” Debbie said from where she stood behind the counter. “Madame Verdene is waiting for you. Go on back.”
Rachel thanked Debbie and walked down the narrow aisle to the back of the store. She pushed through the curtain and saw Verdene dressed in her usual long flowing skirt and peasant blouse, her long hair hanging down her back in multiple colorful braids.
“Are you ready to get started?” Verdene asked, getting up from behind her desk.
Rachel nodded.
“Let’s sit down at the table.” Verdene turned down the lights while Rachel sat at the small table.
Verdene sat across from Rachel. She grabbed Rachel’s hand and covered it with her own. “Just relax.”
Rachel took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
After what seemed like an eternity, Verdene finally spoke. “As Queenie told us already, your child is alive. I can feel her spirit. The connection between you and your daughter is very strong. Still.”
Rachel felt her heart give a lurch. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. Madame Verdene let go of her hands and closed her eyes. “Your grandmother wants to let you know that you mustn’t give up. She’s very insistent about that. Don’t give up, she says. She keeps repeating that over and over.”
“I won’t.” Rachel felt the familiar tugging in her chest. “Can she tell me where Mallory is?”
“She’s telling me that Mallory is happy. Healthy.”
Rachel felt torn by conflicting emotions. Relieved that her daughter was safe and happy. Sad that someone else was filling her shoes of being a mom. Angry that her daughter was ripped from her life. And also skeptical. Maybe none of this was real. Just hocus pocus, as Red would say.
“Queenie is showing me that Mallory is close by.”
“Where?”
Madame Verdene opened her eyes. “Your grandmother is showing me a peach.”
What the hell does that mean? Rachel thought wryly.
Verdene dropped Rachel’s hand. “She’s gone.”
“Why couldn’t she just tell me where Mallory is?” Rachel said, feeling frustrated. She didn’t know whether to feel exasperated at the lack of information or comforted that Mallory was safe. Or entirely unmoved. Maybe Verdene was making the whole thing up.
“I’ll try to explain.” Madame Verdene got up and turned on the lights. “I’ve been able to see the spirits since I was a little girl. My grandmother had the same gift. It always seems to skip a generation in my family. At first, it scared me. I didn’t know what to make of it. I would go to school and all day long hear voices in my head. At night when I was alone in bed was the only time it was quiet. Pretty soon, I realized that every time I left my house and was in the company of other people, the voices would come back. I started feigning sickness and avoiding going out.”
Verdene got up and walked to the refrigerator, pulling out two bottles of water. She handed Rachel one.
“My mom was worried that something was terribly wrong with me,” Verdene continued. “We lived with my grandmother at the time, and she knew pretty quickly what was going on with me. One morning, my grandmother explained the gift to me. She taught me how to tune out the voices when I wanted to and how to make them come through stronger if I needed. You see, it takes a lot of energy for a spirit to come through, and they don’t always stay as long as they’d like to. Nor are they able to get across everything that needs to be said. This is the hardest part to understand. Sometimes they can’t tell us everything we need to know. In your daughter’s case, we know she is alive. Your grandmother was very insistent on that. But only you, Rachel, have the power to find her. It won’t take magic, exactly, but it will take persistence. You just have to open your mind. Trust your instincts. I can show you how if you are willing to learn.”
“I can’t believe I have some kind of psychic ability,” said Rachel.
Verdene shrugged. “Call it mother’s instinct if you want, instead. Does it really matter what it is as long as it helps you find Mallory?”
Rachel saw no point in arguing. Madame Verdene was right. She would go to any length to find her daughter. “What exactly do I have to do?”
Verdene sensed her reluctance. “It doesn’t involve chicken heads, blood, or any kind of weird stuff, if that is what you’re thinking.” She chuckled. “Opening up your mind is as easy as practicing daily meditation, tuning in to your higher self, and saying a bit of prayer.”
Rachel nodded. “Okay, I’m willing to try.”
“Before I show you some techniques on meditation and fine-tuning, we’ll need to clean and balance your chakras.”
“I thought we did that during the ceremony the other night.”
“We did. This is something you have to do once a week to keep your energy channels open and wash out any negativity that you may come across.”
“Okay, so weekly cleanses and meditation. Sounds too simple.”
Verdene smiled a toothy grin. “It is simple. You just have to practice opening your mind. I’ll give you some things to help you get started.”
Rachel followed Verdene into the shop. She watched as Verdene filled up a tote bag with various herbs, potions, and colorful rocks. Once Verdene was satisfied with the items, she led Rachel back into her office and showed her how to use them as part of her cleansing practice. With the tutorial over, Rachel began gathering her things to leave. She paused when she heard a familiar voice in front of the shop. She peeked around the door and was surprised to see Melinda talking to the cashier.
“Melinda O’Malley. Does she come in regularly?” Rachel whispered to Verdene.
“She started coming in with Erin. I see her every so often.”
“What does she usually buy?”
“The usual stuff. Candles, lotion, some herbal remedies.”
“Do you know that woman with her?” Rachel asked. A pretty brunette woman was standing beside Melinda holding a basket of stuff to purchase.
“No. I’ve never seen her before. But I can tell you,” Verdene said, lowering her voice to just a whisper, “I don’t like that Melinda. She gives off a bad vibe I can feel a mile away.”
Rachel nodded, taken aback that Verdene had the same instincts as her own about Melinda.
“I feel the same way. There is something about her that I don’t trust.”
“The bad energy that I was telling you about? The one that plagued Erin? I saw another person involved. I believe there was something sinister between the two of them.” Verdene motioned discreetly to Melinda and kept her voice at a whisper.
Rachel thought about the mystery man at Flora. Could Verdene have sensed the affair that Erin was having? What did that have to do with Melinda? Deep in thought about that, Rachel followed Verdene to the front of the store, stopping to say hello to a surprised Melinda.
“What brings you out this way?” she asked Rachel.
“Just picking up some souvenirs for my staff back in Florida,” Rachel said, thankful for the bag of stuff that Verdene gave her. She didn’t want Melinda to know the true nature of her visit. “How are you?”
“Great. Alanna Brennan, meet Rachel Scott.”
Rachel shook the brunette’s hand.
“Rachel works with a search-and-rescue company.” Melinda dropped her voice down to a whisper. “She’s helping us find Matt’s kids.”
Alanna raised her eyebrows. “Tough job, huh?”
“Yeah, it can be sometimes,” Rachel agreed.
“Do you have a card?” Alanna asked.
Rachel dug into her purse and handed one to Alanna. “I have to get going. It was nice to meet you.” Rachel waved good-bye to Verdene and headed out of the shop.
“Hey, Rachel, wait up.”
Rachel turned to see Melinda waving to her, her blond hair blowing in the breeze.
“What’s up?” Rachel asked.
“There is something I wanted to tell you. I was going to call you later and see if you wanted to meet for a drink, but since you are already here…”
“Okay, go ahead.”
Melinda paused, like she was collecting her thoughts. “I don’t know if this will help with the investigation or not, but I thought you should know…there was a man named Gavin Beckwith. Erin was having an affair.”