The back door burst open when Levi stepped back inside with a basket full of various ingredients from Anna’s garden that they had collected for the potion. He set it on the counter and stepped across the room.
“Evelyn?” he called out.
“Do you know this girl?” Anna asked from the foyer.
Frankie walked over to Evelyn and placed a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged off his touch.
“No! Don’t touch me! I fell in poison ivy or something. I’ve been itching like crazy.”
Anna turned to Levi for clarification.
“She’s a friend of ours,” he said. “She’s a psychic.”
“Oracle,” Evelyn murmured.
“Let’s go sit down.” Frankie led Evelyn to the living room, careful not to touch her.
Evelyn took a seat. Levi and Anna followed and stood in the doorway.
“What happened?” Frankie sat in the chair adjacent to her and leaned forward on his knees.
“I was hit with Lady Luck’s bad luck.” She scratched at her arms. “Are you sure I should be sitting here? I don’t want to cause anymore problems. After my run-in with her, I’m radiating bad luck.”
“Nonsense, dear,” Anna said. “You sit here and rest up. I’ll fix you a quick remedy for that itch.” She disappeared back into the kitchen.
“Is Lady Luck on her way here, then?” Levi asked. “The potion isn’t ready ye—”
“The potion will be fine and so will we.” Frankie leaned in close to Evelyn. “Tell us what happened.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’m just in the way. I shouldn’t have come here. You have enough to worry about.” She rose and started toward the door. “I’ll just walk home and let you guys take care of this—”
Levi caught her hand before she could reach the front door. “No, you’re wrong. We do need you.”
“That’s not true.” She pulled her hand away from his. “You were doing just fine on your own. You already started a potion. Already have a plan. What do you need me for? I’m just in the way.”
Levi glanced over at Frankie with wide eyes before turning back to her. “Evelyn, you’re the one who figured out that Charles Bennett died at the hands of magic. And you’re the one who had the vision of Patrick getting stuck on the railroad tracks—who we were then able to save. We need you.”
“It’s no use.” Frankie walked up from behind him. “She’s not really listening. Not in this state. She’s convinced that she’s not helpful.”
Evelyn looked at him with sad eyes. Her shoulders slumped and she wiped at her eyes. “See? Even Frankie recognizes it.”
“No, what I see is that a poisonous thought has been planted in your head,” he countered with an edge to his voice. “These aren’t your own thoughts. They’re fake ones, put there to make you believe that you’re useless. Lady Luck is behind this. This is the way she wants you to feel.”
“You think?” Levi asked.
Evelyn stumbled into an end table in the foyer. The vase on the table toppled over and landed on a chair, splattering water into the cushion. It then fell to the floor rolled across the hardwood, where Anna was coming from the kitchen with a steaming pot and a rag over her shoulder. The vase got caught up in her feet and she tripped. She wobbled on her feet, and just as Levi rushed over to prevent her from falling, she dropped to the floor and landed on her butt. Somehow, though, she managed to maintain a tight grip on the pot so only a little spilled onto the floor.
Frankie jumped up and he and Levi both rushed to Anna’s side to help her up.
“Are you okay?” Levi asked.
“How’s the baby?” Frankie asked.
Back on her feet, Anna reached back for a chair at the kitchen table. “I don’t know yet. Give me a minute to get my bearings on what the hell just happened.”
“See?” Tears streamed from Evelyn’s eyes. “I’m no good.”
“Oh, hush up,” Anna snapped. She winced as she reached back at her aching behind. “You have bad luck. We all get it sometimes. I, however, happen to have good luck so I think we’re evenly matched. In the meantime, the boys and I are working on a fix to your bad luck. Sit down so I can start treating your poison ivy.” She turned to Frankie. “I think it’s past time that we finish that damn potion.”