Page 11 of A Charming Touch of Tarot (The Gin & Tarot Club #2)

11

Two of Wands

“Why are you back?” Nina asks as I slink my way into the house, shutting the door behind me.

My shoulders slump as I drop the bag to the floor with a harrumph.

“He got called away to a homicide.” It’s all I offer, and neither one of them presses.

“So…no sleepover tonight with the hot cop?” Lanie purses her lips, pouting for me.

I shake my head. “Nope. That is on hold until further notice.”

“I’m sorry, Ally,” Nina says, rushing toward me to give me a hug.

I chuckle into her shoulder. “It’s all good. I get to spend my night with you two now.”

Nina pushes me to arm’s length, inspecting my face. “You’re allowed to be disappointed, Alyssa. Own your feelings so you can actually have a chance at a good night.”

I huff. “Thank you, Dr. Nina. I shall endeavor to own my dissatisfaction.”

She purses her lips, narrowing her eyes at me. “Sarcasm is not a good look for you.”

I stick my tongue out before leaning forward and placing a kiss on her cheek. “I’m honestly good, Nins. If my plans were going to fall through, I’m happy to have you two here.”

Lanie claps her hands together. “Great. We have another accomplice,” she says to Nina, who raises her eyebrows and gives me a look that screams You’d better run .

“What are you needing an accomplice for? Do I even want to know?”

“Lanie had a dream,” Nina says, widening her eyes for effect.

I turn to Lanie, whose head is lowered as she rocks back on her heels. “It was a nightmare. One that’s going to come true if I don’t heed its warning.”

“You’re shook by a dream ?”

She glares at me, apparently picking up on my incredulity.

“It was more than a dream, Alyssa. It was a warning.”

In all the years I’ve known Lanie, she has never been easily shaken. If anything, she’s poked fun at Nina and I for acting the very way she is now.

“What was this dream about?” I ask, taking the cursed shoes off my feet and throwing them off to the side, happy to be done with them. Lanie takes a seat on the floor, and I make my way to the couch.

“I was tasked with completing a list of New Year rituals, and if I don’t do it, my year will be catastrophic.”

I smother a chuckle because Lanie is dead serious. It’s as though Corinne or some other mystic told her these things personally and she’s taken them to heart.

“Lane…it’s not real,” I say, trying to quiet her nerves. “It was a dream.”

She throws her hands up in the air. “Exactly. Dreams can spell doom.”

I pull my upper lip into my mouth and turn to Nina, hoping she can help calm our distressed friend. She shrugs, and I know she’s leaving it for me to work out.

I huff, settling in for a whopper of a story. “What did these rituals include?” I say, opening myself up for a long night if Lanie’s superstitious panic is any indicator.

“I don’t remember,” Lanie says, voice pitching. “I only recall that a scarecrow was involved. I have to burn it.”

I can’t help it. I laugh. “A scarecrow? Seriously, Lanie, are you hearing yourself?”

She shoots daggers at me with her eyes. “I know what I sound like, Alyssa. I’m scared. It’s real. I can feel it.”

“Tell us what we need to do, Lanie,” Nina says, giving me a chastising look. “We’ll help you beat this bad luck.”

Nina is supposed to be the voice of reason. The one who helps us see the cracks in our foundation so we can get back on solid ground. She shakes her head imperceptibly, telling me not to rock the boat anymore. I throw my hands in the air. Apparently, we’re going along with this.

“Fine.” I huff. “How about we look up New Year rituals. I’m sure we’ll find that a burning scarecrow is not involved,” I suggest, offering a smile to hopefully mollify Lanie. “Then you’ll know it was just a dream and there’s nothing to worry about.”

Lanie bobs her head, moving toward my office.

I fire up my Mac and start my search by plopping in the terms scarecrow new year and hitting Search. I’m biting my lower lip, trying not to make it obvious that I’m completing this search only to prove to Lanie that she’s being unreasonable.

To my shock, I get a hit.

“New Year’s Eve rituals to banish ill fortune and bad things,” I read out loud.

Apparently, it’s an Ecuadorian thing to set fire to scarecrows filled with paper at midnight.

“See,” she screeches. “I told you.”

“You probably read that somewhere,” Nina says.

Now she wants to talk reason.

“I didn’t. I swear. Something bad is coming for me. I know it.”

This is so unlike Lanie that she’s truly scaring me. She’s damn near hysterical. I’ve never once seen her like this.

“Okay, so we’re burning a scarecrow at midnight,” I say, giving in because what other choice do I have? I don’t want Lanie to spiral any further. “What else do you feel you need to do, Lane?”

She motions toward the computer. “Can I…search? I think I’ll know when I see it.”

I remove myself from the seat, standing aside so that Lanie can sit and scroll for as long as she needs.

“I’m going to go pour us some drinks,” Nina says, motioning for me to follow her.

“I’ll go change. I’m not wearing this getup,” I say, twirling one more time to see the sparkle.

Nina heads to the kitchen and I follow, grabbing glasses while Nina opens the bottle of merlot she brought.

“What do you make of that?” Nina asks, and I lift both eyebrows.

“I was going to ask you that question. I’m a little shocked that you went along with all this.”

She takes a little more than a sip of wine, sighing after she swallows.

“I’m a little caught off guard, if I’m being honest. This behavior is very odd for her.”

I bob my head like a doll. “Very. What can we do?”

She shrugs. “Be here for her. And drink this,” she says, lifting her glass to me. “I thought you were going to change.”

“I am, but I think we’re going to need a lot more of that,” I say, pointing to her already empty glass and thinking about what’s to come tonight. “Between my date being cancelled and Lanie, let’s keep the drinks coming.”

“I think we should run to the store and grab some champagne before everything closes. We can’t burn a scarecrow at midnight without champagne.” Nina laughs.

“No, we cannot.”

By the time I’ve changed and we join Lanie in the office, she’s compiled a list. I run over it, realizing that the night is going to be wacky for sure.

“Throw white flowers into the sea? We can’t go to the Atlantic,” I say, looking to Nina, who shakes her head, agreeing with my assessment.

“But we can put it in the harbor, and it’ll make its way to the ocean,” Nina suggests, and that seems to pacify Lanie.

Visit a cemetery is next on the list.

“For what?” I say, not bothering to elaborate on which item I’m referencing.

“I don’t know…play with the dead?” Lanie barks.

“Honor the dead, maybe?” Nina suggests. “We could take some of those flowers and place them on the graves.”

“That’ll work,” I say, turning to Lanie to see what she thinks.

She’s nodding her head, which is a good sign.

“Where exactly do you plan to burn a scarecrow?” I ask. “The ground is covered in snow.”

“That…I’m not sure,” Lanie says, tapping her chin. “I’m also wondering where we’ll even get a scarecrow, considering it’s going to be January in a few hours.”

“I have some options,” I say, drawing Lanie’s attention.

“Why?” she asks, sounding appalled by the idea that I would actually have the very item she needs.

My nose scrunches. “I’m an adult homeowner who likes to decorate for the holidays…” I lift a hand and look to Nina for support.

She’s too busy reading the list to acknowledge me.

A smile spreads across Lanie’s face. “Thank god one of us is an adulty adult.”

Nina chuckles, finally joining the conversation. “I too have scarecrows. We might as well use mine, because I have no intention of taking half my shit with me when I pack up and move.”

“Okay, so the plan is to stop by and grab Corinne, and then we’ll head to your house,” Lanie says, pointing to Nina.

“Corinne is coming?” I ask, sounding a little underwhelmed by the idea.

Corinne has fast become a part of our group, but there’s a piece of me that loves the idea of simply hanging with my two best friends tonight.

“She’s the DD. We’re all drinking,” Lanie says, as if I should’ve known that. “Dress warm,” she says, heading up the stairs.

“Where are you going?” I ask, and she makes a face.

“To your closet. I need a sweater.”

Tonight is going to be interesting.

“We could always go to the mortuary,” Corinne says behind the wheel of my car, on our way to start our list of rituals. “My parents are gone until well into tomorrow morning, dancing the night away, buzzed up on champagne and gummies.”

“Is that safe? To mix the two?” Nina asks.

Lanie makes a face. “Who cares?”

“Fine. Let’s do that,” I say, and Lanie’s head snaps to me.

“Where do you think I’m going to get gummies at this late hour on a holiday?”

My mouth drops open, and my nose scrunches. “I was talking about going to the mortuary.”

Her mouth forms an O. “Got it. Makes more sense.”

I turn back to Corinne, shaking my head. “It’ll be a lot safer than burning anything in the cemetery.”

“Does this all need to be done before midnight?” Corinne asks, eyes trained forward.

It’s pitch black and the roads, while mostly clear, are still a little slick.

“Yes. If it’s not done before the final stroke of twelve, Lanie will burst into flames and join the otherworld.” I grin, meeting Corinne’s laughing eyes through the rearview mirror.

At least she finds me funny.

“You’re an ass,” Lanie spits, and I shrug.

Corinne pulls up to the docks, parking the car. “Get out,” she barks. “Let’s get this over with.”

Nina and I roll our eyes at Corinne, and Lanie flips her the bird. I’ve become numb to Corinne’s snark and sass. It’s just who she is.

The place is empty, most of the boats having been stored for the winter months. Ahead of us is nothing but dark sky and still black water as far as the eyes can see.

“It’s chilly out here tonight,” Nina says, shivering next to me. She’s wearing an NYU sweatshirt that looks two times too big for her. It hangs loosely, mid-thigh, against her black yoga pants. The only indication she realized it was winter are the gray-and-tan duck boots on her feet.

“Why didn’t you wear a jacket?” I ask, watching her shoulders shake and hearing her teeth chatter.

“I was warm from the merlot. Now I’m not.”

“Okay, let’s get this over with,” Lanie says, bundled up under a furry, oversize, green-and-cream-striped sweater jacket, holding a bundle of white flowers in her hand. “We’re going to run out of time.”

We all trail after her, making our way to the end of a dock, overlooking the dark water beyond.

“What should we say?” I ask, looking around at our little group.

“I’ve got this,” Lanie says, taking a deep breath in and letting it out. “Mother Earth, universe, spirit guides, and angels, we bring to you a token of our appreciation; and with this gift, we benevolently ask for a prosperous New Year. May you bless us all with abundance and joy. Namaste.”

“Namaste,” Corinne and Nina echo.

Lanie gives me a pointed look, which I just barely see under the dim light from the pole overhead, and I rush out the word. “Namaste.”

“Were you practicing that little speech the entire way over here?” Corinne says.

Lanie doesn’t deign to answer, concentrating on passing out a few flowers to each of us. She places a kiss atop the petals of her small bouquet before tossing them into the harbor.

We all follow suit, and then stand and watch as the white flowers disappear into the pitch-black night.

“What the hell kinda hoodoo was that?” a man slurs, appearing out of nowhere.

He’s wearing a large, tan fishing coat that’s seen better days. His hair is disheveled, and he’s clutching a bottle of cheap booze.

None of us had seen him before now, but he must’ve witnessed our whole ritual.

“We used to burn witches back in my day,” he slurs, moving toward us at a snail’s pace, dragging his right leg behind him. He’s giving me I Know What You Did Last Summer –vibes, and I think it’s time we go before we meet the same fate as the girl in red.

“Shut up, you old drunk,” Lanie barks. “Go back into the hole you crawled out of.”

“Lanie,” Nina snaps. “Be nice.”

“Yeah…Let’s not provoke the scary guy. He might have an ax under that jacket,” I whisper.

“Get gone before I call a priest,” he shouts, and I grab Nina by the arm, pulling her along with me, Corinne and Lanie right on our heels.

When we’re in the safety of the car, I let out the breath I’d been holding.

“Good grief…where did that guy come from?”

“Hell. It’s another sign,” Lanie says, far too serious for my liking.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Lanie. That was no sign from Hell. If it were, you’d be thrown into the deep, strangled, and gutted.”

My head snaps to Corinne, face screwed up. “Geez, Corinne. That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

Lanie sighs. “She might be right. He was a sign that I need to get a move on. One ritual down. More to go.”

“Better get moving before Superstitious Sally goes berserk,” Corinne says, starting the car.

We’re on our way to Wintersgate Cemetery to deliver the additional bundles of flowers we purchased from the grocery store, and nobody says a word. Everyone is focused on Lanie, watching her fidget in the front seat.

I think she needs to see Natalia. Whatever the horrible dream was, it has a hold on Lanie that isn’t healthy.

“The plan is to get in and get out,” Corinne tells the group. “We place the flowers on the first graves we come across and leave.”

Lanie clears her throat. “No.”

“No?” I say, head tilting to the side, staring into the back of Lanie’s head.

“We need to place the flowers on specific graves,” she says, voice far off. “We need to find graves of a person whose first or last name starts with a g , u , y , l , i , and t .”

“Guylit? Why?” I say, my voice rising incredulously.

“We just do.” The tone of her voice has me very worried. Lanie is clearly going through something.

“We should probably split up then,” Nina says. “I’ll take the g and i . Alyssa, would you take the u ?”

I bob my head. “Sure.”

“Corinne, you have the t , and Lanie, you have y and l .”

We all agree with Nina’s suggestion, wanting to get in and out. It would’ve been a great plan, but when we arrive, the gates are closed, locked by a chain.

“We really should’ve known that this would be the case. Not like they’re going to leave the cemetery open for vandalization,” Nina says, and she’s not wrong.

We were not thinking.

“Now what? We can’t get in there,” Corinne says, turning back to look at Nina and me.

“Well…we could just throw them through the gates and be done. We’ve technically visited a cemetery,” I suggest. “We’ll just have to be okay with not finding specific graves.”

“No, we must step foot on hallowed ground. And it must be done the way I said,” Lanie says, and I shoot her a look.

“Where did it say that? I don’t recall that as part of the tradition,” I challenge, about done with catering to an idea that’s bordering on insanity.

“It is. I know it is,” Lanie snaps, eyes trained beyond the giant gates of the cemetery. “Just like we all knew you were telling the truth when you said you could see ghosts, I need you to stop questioning me and recognize that I know what I’m talking about.”

I slam my mouth closed because she’s got me there. Who am I to question? Strange things have been happening to us all. Maybe this dream is something more. Something sinister.

“We could go to the crematorium and set the stove to begin at midnight. I know my dad has something that could break that lock,” Corinne suggests, and I make a strangled sound.

“We’re not breaking into the cemetery,” Nina says, and I nod my head vigorously, grateful to know she’s on my side.

“I agree with Nina,” I say. “As much as it sounds like a cloak-and-dagger night of fun, it has bad idea written all over it.”

“Cloak-and-dagger?” Corinne laughs. “Alyssa…I thought we had a conversation about your use of outdated phrases. Do better,” she snaps, and I glare at her.

“Well whatever you want to call this idea, I’m not on board. There is no way I can go to jail for trespassing. It would ruin my future plans.” I lean toward Lanie. “I’m sorry, Lane, but I can’t do this.”

She nods her head. “I understand. I’m not asking anyone to do anything they’re not comfortable with. This is my problem, and I’ll do it myself.”

She opens the door and exits the car, walking toward the gate.

“Are we really going to let her do this?” Nina asks, glancing between Corinne and me.

“I don’t think there’s any stopping her,” I admit, watching as Lanie fusses with the chain.

“You know…there’s a better way.”

My head snaps toward the voice, eyes widening when I see the ghost who should not be here.

Isla.