Chapter 21

I raised an eyebrow, not sure what she meant.

Now she looked around as if not seeing the walls of my loft. “There is something about this place. Not your house specifically, but this area about the bay. In many ways, it’s an archetypal village. Perhaps small nature spirits peep out from behind the trees.”

I could believe that. “There are local legends. We’re planning to use some of the lore as a theme for our local business web sites.”

“Have you researched local First People past and present?”

I shook my head.

Mina nodded and started to say something, but the sound of footsteps on the stairs cut her off.

Niles head popped up. “So this is where the magic happens.”

Mina’s eyes narrowed.

“We’re not quite ready, Niles. I’ll be right down,” I said.

He didn’t retreat right away but surveyed the space, taking his time. Then he slowly descended.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll stay up here.” Mina stood up and dusted her hands off on her skirt. “Stairs get a bit difficult as you get older.”

“I understand.” Perhaps that was why I didn’t see her out on the beach often. I climbed down and searched for Niles.

He sat on the couch and met my gaze as I scanned the room. Dave sat across from him in the glider, and there was the faint scent of sandalwood. “Hey.”

I breathed deeply. “We’re waiting for everyone else. In the meantime, did Gillian…?”

“I did.” Gillian gestured toward their beer bottles.

“Okay then.”

Doris’ disembodied voice said, “Door.” When I didn’t move right away, she yelled, “Now.”

“Gotcha.”

“Let us in! It’s cold out here.”

I stepped back, and Ricardo entered followed by Mia, Samantha, Darius, and Brendan.

Brendan helped Samantha out of her coat and hung it on a hook. “Will we all fit?”

Gillian took Mia’s black velvet cloak from her. “I’ll put this back on the bed, okay?”

“I’ll be back in a minute.” Shivering, I headed out to my porch and called George.

“Hey. Séance can’t have started yet if you’re on the phone. Something happen?”

“Not yet but this has to be short. Two things. In the pictures you left for me, did you notice all the flowers in the arrangement were poisonous and many were out of season? Some of them have to be from a greenhouse somewhere and special ordered. Also, do any of the suspects have an alibi?”

“Funny you should ask. Things aren’t as cut and dried—pardon the joke—in real life as they are in a TV show. These are single males without wives or girlfriends. Their alibis are all loosey goosey.”

“Technical term?”

He laughed. “We don’t know about Gerry because he’s still…”

I heard a lot of background noise that I couldn’t make out.

“Well, speak of the devil. We got him. He’s in Tijuana. Gotta go.” He hung up.

I hurried back inside, happy to be out of the cold.

Darius, the only one wearing a hat, put it up on the very top of the old hall tree. “It’s going to be a bit of a tight fit, but so many of us need some answers and it-it feels right to be together.”

I returned his smile. “It’ll work. Don’t worry. Mina’s upstairs and ready whenever we are. Let’s head up to the loft.”

Niles and Dave took final swigs and set their bottles on the coffee table.

Gillian turned out all the lights downstairs except the one in the bathroom at the end of the hall in case someone needed to use it. I led the way.

Upstairs I counted heads. Eleven people. A bit of a tight squeeze, and George wasn’t here yet. I still hoped he’d show and tell me about Gerry. Gillian settled near the open stairway to prevent anyone from tumbling down. I nodded to Mina. It was her show now.

Mina sat cross-legged on a large, black cushion. The contrast with her pale lilac dress turned her ghostly. “Please find a seat in the circle. I’ve set up microphones and recorders. We may catch something that’s inaudible during the séance. Occasionally, speeding up or slowing down the recordings finds hidden voices. If we do hear something later, we’ll let you all know.”

Niles whispered something to Dave that sounded like “Paul is dead.”

Facing the stairs, I parked myself on the opposite side of the circle from Gillian. It gave me the willies to sit with my back to a hole or a door, always had. A remnant of childhood fears.

As people moved around her, Mina picked up one of the small remotes and pressed a button. The lights lowered. She lifted another, pointed and pressed. The gentle scent of sweet oranges wafted through the room. Couples sat together. Mina was positioned with her back to the windowless wall while Samantha and Brendan were opposite her. Gillian, Samantha, Mina, and I represented the points of a compass. Samantha leaned forward and placed a small picture of a man I presumed to be Gwilym on the table.

When everyone settled down, Mina raised the electric candlelight as Gillian turned off the room light. A very faint glow limned the circle where the spiral staircase opened to the floor below.

“Cell phones off or muted. If your cell phone is not in a pocket or purse, please place it screen down so as not to provide a distraction. The physical world can wait. We are now engaging with the spiritual world. Relax your bodies and minds.”

Thoris padded up through the hole in the floor. I wondered if Doris had made her own circuit of the first floor before inhabiting Thor and joining us.

“You all are here to attend a séance. As Teilhard de Chardin said: ‘We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.’”

A wave of energy swept through the room.

“The word séance means meeting. We are meeting here with a purpose tonight: to facilitate meetings between those in this world and those now beyond. Samantha and Gwilym. Darius and Amelia.”

Mina’s repetition of the word ‘meeting’ let me see the séance as less spooky woo-woo and more practical problem solving. Thor shook himself, took a clumsy step, and sat down to groom. I guessed Doris had left him momentarily. The front door opened, and I heard steps below. I started to rise, but Gillian shook her head at me.

Mina looked toward me. “I believe we have a latecomer. We’ll resume in a moment.”

Gillian remained seated but leaned over the opening and whispered, “Up here.”

A moment later George appeared, looking a bit ghostly as he emerged from the hole in the semi-darkness. “Sorry.” He sat down next to Gillian and nodded at me.

“We’ve set the table before us to be welcoming. While we are open to other communications, we would like to reach Gwilym first.” Mina took a deep breath. “There are so many of us we won’t hold hands during the séance, but let’s begin by putting our hands on the table or floor to touch as best as we can little finger to little finger to establish a group bond as I call out to Gwilym.”

We all stretched our hands, fingers spread, and tried to touch.

“Gwilym, we are here to communicate with you. Samantha has a question she would like to ask. If you are present, please make yourself known.”

We sat in silence for a moment or two. A few people withdrew their hands or shifted. Someone whispered.

Mina looked at me and then at Samantha. She reached over and placed her fingers on the Ouija planchette. I was too far away. Samantha hesitated a second and then added her fingertips.

“Gwilym, I’ve missed you every day since you-you died. I’ve looked for you everywhere. Sometimes I think I see you on the beach.” Samantha cleared her throat. “I’d like your blessing to move on.” She glanced at Brendan. “I’ve brought Brendan with me. We’d like to get married…” She faltered.

Mina said, “Gwilym, if you’re here, please give us a sign.”

The planchette moved slowly and erratically over the board. It neither spelled anything nor selected yes or no. Then the pointer stopped and didn’t move again. The automatic writing board was too far for Samantha to reach easily. Niles set his fingers on it, and Dave followed suit. After a moment, Ricardo did the same. The planchette moved hesitantly, but instead of writing, it drew a rough ghost in a cartoon style. The lighting made it hard to see expression clearly, but it appeared as though Ricardo glared at Niles, who clapped his hand over his mouth. His shoulders shook. Ricardo pulled the board away from Niles and pushed it toward Samantha, but she ignored it.

Mina took control again, removing a scarf from the crystal ball. It was a mesmerizing piece, and I found myself staring into the orb almost against my will. Samantha leaned closer. A cool breeze swept through the room. Mia gasped. I held my breath and listened.

Then Niles turned toward Dave and whispered, “Woo-oo-oo.” He turned his laugh into a cough.

Samantha sobbed as Brendan’s arm encircled her.

Thor crept up behind me. I caught the black-on-black movement behind the others and the glint of amber eyes. He softly pawed my back as he stretched to get close to my ear.

“Do you want me to bite Niles to shut him up or should I manifest as a hazy ghost and scare the heck out of him?”

Thoris was back. I wanted to tell her to fly at Niles and scratch his eyes out, but that wouldn’t do any of us any good. Stupid man couldn’t hold his liquor. “No. We can’t rescue the situation,” I whispered over my shoulder. “But if he gets too obnoxious, I give you my permission to sink your claws into him.” I could have sworn Thoris snickered.

Mina straightened. “If any earthly participants would like to leave, now would be the time. Otherwise, I expect respectful silence.”

Niles settled down.

Mina waited until there was dead silence. “Gwilym, if you’re here and able, please give Samantha a clear sign that she will understand.”

Samantha gasped and her eyes widened. “Thank you!”

I hadn’t seen anything change. The planchette was still. I saw nothing in the crystal. No candles had flickered. And yet something had happened. She’d gotten her confirmation.

Mina seemed to sense it as well and changed gears as she read the road ahead. “Thank you, Gwilym.” Another moment of silence although this one smacked of respect while the other a silence imposed by a head librarian. “Amelia.”

Darius sat between Samantha and me but close enough that I could see him stiffen at the sound of her name.

“Amelia, if you’re here, please give us a sign.”

I swear I saw the battery-operated candles flare, but that was impossible.

“Thank you, dear.”

So Mina had seen it, too.

Darius reached a hand out. “Amelia.” His voice broke. “Amelia.”

Thoris pawed my back again. “She’s here.”

“I love you, Amelia.”

A pop of light filled the room and faded immediately on a sob so fast I wondered if I’d imagined it.

“And she’s gone,” Thoris whispered.

“Where’d she go?”

“Into the light. That really pisses me off. Why does she get to go into the light?” Thoris stalked stiff-legged toward the stairs and disappeared down them. An eerie meow-howl echoed back up toward us.

“What the hell was that?” Niles said and stood up.

Mina’s gentle voice reached out across the room. “Amelia is at peace now. She’s gone into the light.”

“You’re telling me Aunt Amelia was here? This is some sort of trick.” Niles, still standing, shivered. “What was that? A flash-bang?”

But I was watching Darius, and he smiled.

Mina closed her eyes and held both hands out, palms up. “Thank you for joining us here tonight. Spirits, go in peace. Peace and blessings on all who’ve attended tonight.” Mina picked up a remote and raised the light level in the loft. We’d been dismissed.

Niles pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at it. “I have to get to the hospital.”

But as he advanced toward the stairs, George rose and barred his path. “Don’t you want to know who killed your aunt?”

Dave jumped up. “You know who did it?”

“I believe Cass has figured it out, and if she has, she should tell you. She was key to solving the murder.”

“Thanks, Detective. As sad as it makes me to know who killed her, I’m happy that we’ll have justice for Amelia.” I turned to Darius. “That was clever of you to confirm the juxtaposition of Dave’s house to mine at the Halloween party. That alone didn’t tip your hand, but you should have resisted the temptation to send her that bouquet. I didn’t suspect you until I saw those flowers.”

Dave glanced at Darius and frowned. “Uncle Darius?”

Niles sat back down. “What flowers?”

Everyone looked toward Darius, who raised his chin. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

George picked up a photograph from the floor where he’d been sitting and tossed it into the center of the room. It landed next to the crystal ball. “I see prison in your future.”

The photo was the shot of the vase of flowers. People exchanged glances.

“Foxglove is digitalis. Monkshood is aconite. This bouquet is a message. Every flower is poisonous to one degree or another. These flowers had to be special ordered because many are out of season. Notice that they are cut. Even touching some of these without gloves would bring on symptoms.” I looked up at George. “You got the autopsy report, didn’t you?”

George nodded. “Amelia was poisoned. She died slowly and painfully. She would have been vomiting, cramping, and very weak at the end. Her killer watched her suffer and prevented her from calling 911.”

Dave inhaled sharply.

“Darius didn’t love her. He hated her. His fragile ego couldn’t take her rejection. He’s a cold man who wanted cold revenge.” I shook my head. “I was so wrong about you.”

Samantha and Brendan quickly scooted away from him.

“You shouldn’t make claims without proof. You could be sued for slander.” Darius’ voice was very soft but venomous.

“All the potential suspects had insubstantial alibis. Three out of four had monetary gain, but only you had had the kind of relationship with Amelia that would warrant sending a bouquet.”

“So sending a gift is a crime now?”

“Sending a poisonous one is murder. Only you had a motive of passion.”

“The autopsy revealed her stomach contents,” George said. “You fed her a salad that contained leaves from several of the plants in the bouquet and tea that contained enough digitalis to stop her heart.” He turned to Niles. “That’s why you were a suspect, Niles. You had motive and access to digitalis. We got the blood analysis before the complete autopsy report told us the delivery method.”

I continued. “You set Dave up by using his scuba diving knife to deliver a blow to Amelia’s head. A love tap? And sliced her throat.”

“She was barely alive when you hit her. We wondered how you got her onto the beach. She’s a small woman. Alive but stunned, you could have folded her into a large suitcase. We got hold of the owners of the cottage. They had a digital doorbell with a concealed camera. They kindly checked it for us and sent us this.” George dropped a photo of Darius wheeling away a duffle-style suitcase large enough to conceal the body of a small woman on top of the other picture.

A muscle in Darius’ jaw twitched. “I intended to reconcile with her and spend the night. All that photo proves is that she wouldn’t take me back.”

George nodded as if he’d been expecting that response. “The last nail in your coffin is Gerry Waverley.”

Darius blanched.

“You should advise your henchmen not to flee to Tijuana if they don’t speak Spanish. Also let them know the US has an extradition treaty with Mexico. I got the impression he was happy to see the police. He’s terrified of you.”

Darius’ lips thinned to a line. “If you are intent on prosecuting me for something I clearly didn’t do, I’d like to talk to my lawyer.”

“No problem.” George pulled out handcuffs.

“Those are hardly necessary.” Darius pushed himself up off the floor.

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

People scrambled out of George’s way as he advanced on Darius, cuffed him, and led him over to the stairwell.

“Bill.”

A voice rose from below. “Here.”

“Package is on its way to you.” George guided Darius down to Bill’s waiting arms. George turned back to us. “Thank you all for your assistance. Carry on.”

“Let’s give them a moment or two to leave. Gillian?” I caught her eye.

She nodded and went down, followed by Jack. A few minutes later she called up. “All clear.”

“Okay, everyone. Thanks for your participation. Be careful on the stairs.”

Mina sat quietly as the others gathered their things and descended to the living room. “Go on down. I’ll smudge again before I leave.”

“Thanks. I appreciate your doing this.”

She nodded. “I enjoyed it. It’s always good when a soul passes on.” She winked. “And thanks for the additional excitement. I believe the balance in our community has been restored.”

Thinking about Darius, George, and Mina’s last words, I joined the others.