Mulder doubted it. The roach clip in her hair seemed like more than a fashion statement.
“What was his name, Rain? Look it up.” Roach Clip Girl gestured at Rain’s clipboard. “Anyway, this Earl guy was a total creep, and he was obsessed with Rain. He kept telling her about his critical role in restoring the balance. Why can’t I remember his name? Was it Ray? He worked at a nursery that sold exotic plants, and he kept bringing her weird gifts. Didn’t he give you a Venus flytrap?” The girl grabbed the clipboard out of Rain’s hand and flipped through the pages, scanning the names.
Rain nodded. “Yeah. I pawned it off on Corinda.”
“Earl Roy!” Roach Clip Girl blurted out. “That was his name!”
“Okay, everyone. It’s time to clean up and clear out,” Rain said, taking the clipboard from her.
Mulder kept his eyes glued to the clipboard, and he noticed the moment Rain set it on the table next to the doughnuts. She puttered around the room, stacking chairs and collecting trash.
“What can I do?” Phoebe asked.
Rain took a rubber band off her wrist and gathered her hair into a ponytail. “You can finish clearing off the table and throw the trash bag in the dumpster out back, while I take down the banner.”
“No problem.” Phoebe looked at Gimble and Mulder and tilted her head in Rain’s direction. Keep her busy, she mouthed.
“Let me help,” Gimble said, following Rain.
Mulder took a step toward the refreshment table, where Phoebe was tossing crumpled napkins in the trash. She noticed and shook her head, warning him to keep his distance. He wandered over to Gimble and Rain but kept his eye on Phoebe.
“Should I throw away the paper tablecloth, too?” Phoebe called out.
“Sure.” Rain paused as if she was about to say something else, but Gimble hit her with a hailstorm of questions.
“So if I’m trying to get into a gnostic state, is it better to practice in my bedroom or the family room?”
Mulder watched Phoebe in his peripheral vision until she made her move. As she gathered up the paper tablecloth, she pretended not to notice Rain’s clipboard, and she shoved it into the black trash bag along with the rest of the trash.
After she tied it up, Mulder joined Gimble in hammering Rain with questions, as Phoebe speed-walked to the back door. She slipped out just moments before Rain freed the last corner of the banner. Mulder and Gimble stalled by folding the banner incorrectly, but Rain had it refolded in under a minute. She did a quick check of the room, and tucked the banner in her bag.
“Wait. Where’s my clipboard?” She looked around. “I think I left it on the table.”
Hurry up, Phoebe.
“Are you sure?” Gimble asked. “Because I lose things all the time.”
Rain headed for the back door. “Phoebe?”
As Rain reached for the push bar on the door, it opened, and Phoebe walked in holding the clipboard.
“This was in the trash,” Phoebe said, handing it to Rain. “It must’ve been on the table when I tossed the doughnut box and the tablecloth. I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. Accidents happen.” Rain wrote down the fake addresses they gave her for the mailing list. As they exited the storage room, they parted ways at the coffee bar, where Rain stopped to catch up with Sam.
“Did you get it?” Mulder asked Phoebe as they walked toward the front of the store.
“I’m not even going to answer that,” she said.
On their way out, Phoebe paused to scan the bookshelves. But Mulder couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He wanted to see the address. He hovered by the door, waiting.
Gimble picked up a handful of maroon octagonal gemstones from a bowl by the door. “These look cool.”
“Those are raw rubies.” Corinda walked up behind him, her wild curls falling down her back. “They have healing properties.”
A familiar black stone sat on the table next to the bowl. “What’s this one called?” Mulder asked, even though he already knew the answer.
“Nuummite,” Cordina said. “It’s the oldest mineral on earth. In magical circles, it’s known as the Magician’s Stone.”
“What is it used for?”
“It has powerful protective qualities that can strengthen the auric shield.”
“I’ve never heard of an auric shield,” Mulder said.
“It’s a barrier that protects our aura from all the negative energy out there in the world.” Corinda picked up the black stone. “Nuummite is also used for self-examination and shamanic journeying, an altered state shamans reach that allows them to travel to other planes.”
Yeah, right, Mulder thought.
Roach Clip Girl was on her way out and noticed them talking to the shop owner. “Hey, Corinda? Remember the guy who bought Rain the Venus flytrap?”
Corinda nodded. “And who bought up all my nuummite?”
“I forgot about that,” Roach Clip Girl said. “He’d sit there during the meetings, rubbing a stone the whole time.”
“Did he buy anything else?” Mulder asked.