thirty-one

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I pulled out of the alleyway and headed down Waller. The church where Rita claimed the local drug connection hung out was a block and a half away. I drove as slowly as possible. The only man I spotted was a janitor hosing down the sidewalk in front of the entrance of the church. I was starting to wonder if Zims, the old vet, was a myth. Maybe he conducted business inside the chapel. Frankly, in this neighborhood, nothing would surprise me.

I kept going and headed out on Geary to the Avenues, passing by the Honda shop. Glancing over, I noticed the metal gate was down and the shop was closed. Steve was such an unpleasant character I couldn’t imagine what Moira could have seen in him. When I reached my apartment, I parked on the street and ran up the stairs. Wizard padded down the hall to greet me, his bell jingling. I scratched his ears and doled out some food. He circled and rubbed against my legs ecstatically until I dropped the nuggets into his dish.

Something was hovering at the edge of my consciousness, but it still eluded me. Something to do with seeing Michael’s dog Harry today. I reached down and rubbed Wiz’s tummy. If it hadn’t been for Wizard, I might have adopted Harry myself. Although he was better off with Maggie. My schedule is far more erratic and a dog is a lot more work.

I washed up and brushed my hair, adding a little makeup. I checked the apartment and straightened up my desk, making sure I had my tape recorder, water, and tissues at the ready for Matt’s session. I slipped into a skirt and fresh sweater, made a small pot of coffee, and then lit a cone of incense, placing it in the belly of the Buddha. Everything was ready.

Matt arrived exactly on time. Once jovial and larger than life, he was now quiet and seemed subdued. The stockbroker façade had dropped away.

“Come on up, Matt. Would you like some coffee or tea?”

No thanks, Julia. I’m fine.” We’d reached the top of the stairway. “By the way, I should ’fess up. I Googled you.”

I turned to look at him. “You did what?”

“I hope you don’t mind.”

I shrugged. “Not at all. I could have offered you some references if you were concerned.”

He smiled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Here it comes. “Tell you what?”

“That you were the astrologer that broke up that preacher’s cult last year. I had no idea you were so well-known.”

“Oh Matt,” I groaned. “Please. I’m not famous, I’m not rich. I’m a pretty good astrologer, but I doubt I’m any better than many others.”

“Well I was impressed.” He laughed. “Maybe you should see what the world is saying about you.”

I led him down the hall to the office. “Frankly, I’d rather not. I’m just grateful I got through it all.” I avoided mentioning a former friend who hadn’t survived.

“Shall we?” I indicated the client chair. Matt sat and I turned the screen slightly so he could visualize what I was referring to. From my study of his chart, I suspected his problems were romantic.

“Well, Julia, what do you see? I’ve never done this before, so …” He laughed again. “I guess I’m a little nervous.”

“Most people are, the first time, but that’ll disappear when you understand more. Now, I see you’ve just gone through a Saturn transit over your fourth house cusp. That’s an important transition. You’re concerned with building a more secure foundation in your life. Financially and emotionally, you’re ready. However, I also see there’s been a recent disappointment. Several months ago. A romantic disappointment. Saturn by transit opposed your Venus and made a hard angle to your Moon. That must have been quite lonely and tough.”

Matt nodded. “Amazing. You’re absolutely right. You know, I really hustle to make good investments for my clients, and I’m doing all right. But I want to do more.”

I ignored his effort to change the subject. “I think that’s brilliant and very much in line with Saturn’s transit over the fourth house cusp. But let’s talk about your emotional life.”

Matt cleared his throat, obviously not so comfortable.

I waited. He didn’t respond. “There was a breakup, I assume?”

“Yes. I got involved with someone who … wasn’t free, and I … I guess I got in over my head. I feel really bad about it. I’m still having trouble with it and I can’t seem to get her out of my mind.”

“Do you have her birth information? Perhaps we could have a quick look. It might give us some insight.”

“Only her birth date, no time or anything. It’s October third. She’s a Libra.”

I started to plug the information into the program and stopped, my fingers hovering above the keyboard. He had given me Brooke’s birth date, fresh in my mind from Geneva’s notes.

“Matt, I have to stop you. I think I know who this woman is.”

You do?” He looked quite surprised.

Geneva is my client, and she gave me her family’s information.”

Oh. Oh, I’m sorry. I’m so embarrassed.” He wiped his forehead. “I just don’t know who I can talk to. It’s been awful. It started when she and Rob were having trouble, about a year ago. It didn’t last very long though. I met her at Geneva and David’s. I’ve thought maybe I couldn’t forget about her because I feel guilty, or because I know it’s taboo, you know what I mean?”

I nodded. “Forbidden fruit and all that stuff. Look, because Geneva’s my client, I really can’t talk about Brooke’s chart. I can look at the composite between your chart and hers, however.”

I clicked on the button that would generate a chart of midpoints to describe the relationship and studied it a moment. I turned the screen toward Matt again so I could point out the placements I was talking about. “There’s a twelfth house Sun. That is not positive. Not in a composite or relationship chart. Either a secret relationship or something that can’t quite come out into the light of day. And that Sun has an opposition from Uranus near the seventh house cusp.”

“What does all that mean?”

Even if Brooke had been free when you met, there would have been difficulties. It’s just the very nature of the relationship. Some other circumstance would have existed that wouldn’t have allowed this relationship to ‘come out,’ and there would always be an instability about it. With Saturn transiting over your fourth house cusp, you’re looking for something solid, someone you can build a future with.”

Matt was silent.

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t her and never will be. Not under any circumstances.” Perhaps harsh words, but a reality I’d had to face in different circumstances.

“You’re right. I know you’re right. I’ve wracked my brain over this thing. I know I have to forget her.”

I couldn’t ask the question directly, but I was fairly certain Matt had not heard of Brooke’s arrest, and unless I wanted to be the astrological town gossip, I wasn’t about to inform him. He would probably be attending Moira’s wake. I was sure he’d hear of Brooke’s arrest soon enough.

“Do you see anyone coming along in the near future?” he asked.

Let’s have a look.” I went back to his chart and used a timer to advance his progressions. “In about a year, you’ll be in a committed relationship. That’s definite. It’s possible you’ll meet her in about four months’ time, when Venus progresses to your natal Sun. Can’t guarantee that part, it’s an educated guess, but you’ve got the next year to be single.”

“Whoa. That’s scary. I’ll have to think about that one.”

I smiled. “Be careful what you wish for.”

Matt left, much more cheerful than when he arrived. I closed up his folder and filed it away. I was sure no one suspected his relationship with Brooke, and I certainly wasn’t free to blab about it anyway, even if I were so inclined. I also didn’t want to be the one to tell him that the police believed Brooke and Moira had exchanged emails plotting Rob’s death. It was simply too ridiculous.

Was Geneva correct in suspecting Andy? He could be guilty, whether he’d pulled the trigger or not. If Moira had found out that her identity was being used for real estate deals, maybe she was getting ready to blow the whistle on Andy or his boss. If so, the possibility of jail time could be a very compelling motive for murder. Dan hated Rob and would blame him for Moira’s death no matter whose gun had killed her. Rob, on the other hand, suspected a plot against Brooke on the part of Moira and Dan to get access to the money in Brooke’s trust fund. If anything, that was a motive that made monetary sense.

I couldn’t think what else I could do. I could try again to locate Tony, the bartender at Macao, although the idea of returning there gave me the shudders. Maybe Zims really did exist, but what information he could offer would be dubious if not downright suspect. The guy was a drug dealer, after all.

I could even call Detective Ianello and tell him what I suspected about Andy and turn over Moira’s tax form to the police. Had those papers we found stuck behind the broken drawer been misplaced, or had Moira hidden them there? Had she been aware her identity was being used all along, or had she recently discovered what Andy was doing? If there were records on her computer, the police might already have figured all that out. Maybe Andy was completely innocent of any involvement with Moira’s difficulties. Maybe the tax form listing real estate had absolutely nothing to do with him. But Dan’s comment about Andy’s under-the-table real estate deals was too much of a coincidence. It was time to find out.