Cast the Cards

“I don’t get that.”

“These killings are their life’s purpose. The same way we feel about our jobs and bringing justice is the way they feel about murder… I’m just not sure why yet.”

“What do you need to figure it out?”

“Time, analysis… more information. I’ve already begun to draw up a profile, but I need to dig deeper, search the database to see if I can get any hits on similar murders.”

“You think you see a pattern?”

“They talked a lot about fortune… I see a white male. Two actually. Close, maybe even family members. They’d need to have near identical upbringings. This obsession with the Tarot is very strange, even by my standards.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“It wasn’t meant to be. It’s a ticking time bomb. We need to defuse before it explodes.”

“What’s the first step?”

“I’ll call my people.” She pushed away from the table. “I know this goes without saying, but don’t let anyone touch this.” She dug her phone from her Mary Poppins bag on the counter. “I’m going to take this outside.”

He nodded and watched her leave. “Clark, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I could use some guidance right now.”

“Hey.”

Carey jumped. Clark stood to his right. “Can’t you give a warning or something?” Ghost Clark creeped him out slightly. The apprehension made him feel bad. Come on, it’s my brother.

“Like what? The whole angel and bell thing is a myth.”

“So you’re an angel?”Awe filled him as he studied the face similar to his, but frozen in time.

“Uh-uh.” Clark shook his finger. “I can’t go into details. I was just using that reference as an example.”

“Why can’t you talk about anything?” He frowned. Sounds suspect. Had he gone rogue to do this? Risked being banished from the afterlife?

“You aren’t meant to know too much.” Clark looked up. “They don’t like it. Change the subject or this will be cut short.”

“I don’t know what to do with Savannah.” He ran a hand over his face.

“Umm... help her solve this case.” The expression on Clark’s face said duh.

“Obviously. I mean how to act. She’s putting up a great front, but I know she’s hurting. Do I treat her strictly as a partner or as a friend? We’re walking very narrow lines here.”

“What do you think?” Clark tilted his head.

“I think she’ll always be Vannah to me. However, I don’t want to piss her off. If I did something to jeopardize this investigation, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

“Sometimes you have to rock the boat to get where you need to be.” Easy to say when you weren’t the one doing the rocking.

Oka,y Buddha. “I asked for advice not cryptic comments.”

Clark sighed. “She needs to be challenged.”

“Have you seen the guns on her these days?”

Clark laughed. “Are you going to tell me you’re scared of Vannah?”

“I’m not, but my penis is. She looks like the kind to bring you to your knees with a strategically placed kick, followed by a right hook. My balls hurt just thinking about it.”

All humor faded. “She’d never hurt you, Carey.” His fast-paced switch of gears made Carey wary. To have been dead for so long, he seemed to know a lot.