Page 13 of Dead Evil (Cold Case Psychic #37)

Surprisingly, Ten didn’t have a problem getting into the swing of his readings that morning. He’d put his encounter with Agatha Louise behind him and focused his gift on the paying customers who’d booked readings with him that morning.

Ronan stood a few feet away, keeping his eyes on the customers visiting the West Side Magick psychics. He’d snapped pictures for them with Tennyson and Cope and also had to send a few on their way when the scheduled reading time was over. For the most part, everyone was courteous.

Ten was sitting with a young woman from California who’d lost her father a few months before.

His name was Jason and he’d drowned off the coast of Santa Monica after being caught in a riptide.

So far, Ten wasn’t having any luck in channeling the man.

He found himself wishing Everly was there, he had a feeling his daughter could have helped the man to open up.

“Does this mean my father isn’t resting in peace?” Marybeth asked, dabbing her eyes with a soggy tissue.

“Not at all,” Ten said. “Sometimes it takes a while for spirits to get the hang of communicating when they’re on the other side. Do you have anything that belonged to him? Objects can often make connecting a little easier.”

Marybeth’s face brightened. She reached for her purse and pulled out a plastic toy soldier.

It looked like an old G.I. Joe figurine, but Ten wasn’t an expert.

“Dad got this for Christmas when he was ten years old. He kept it on his desk at work. I was so happy to see it when his boss returned the items from my father’s desk. ”

Ten held his hand out and Marybeth deposited the toy soldier on his palm. “Jason, my name is Tennyson Grimm. I’m with your daughter, Marybeth. She’d like to hear from you.”

“Isn’t my daughter beautiful?” a deep voice asked.

“Your daughter is very beautiful,” Ten agreed.

“Is that my father? Daddy is that you?” Marybeth asked.

“I’m right here, Minty.”

“Your Dad is here and he called you Minty. Does that name ring a bell?” Ten asked.

Marybeth gasped. “When my sister was little, she couldn’t say my name, so she called me Minty and the name stuck.” She swiped at freshly fallen tears. “Ten, is my father okay?”

“Tell Minty I’m fine. I should have listened to the lifeguards who warned me about the strong current. I was training for my first Ironman Triathlon and needed to get some experience swimming in the open ocean.”

Ten shivered. He and Ronan had a Jaws movie marathon a few weeks back. Ten wouldn’t put a toe in the water now for a million dollars. “He’s telling me that he should have listened to the warnings about the surf.”

Marybeth sighed. “Dad had been chunky all his life and started dropping weight a few years ago, thanks to a mild heart attack. He promised to come back stronger than ever and that’s when he decided to try the Ironman.

I wanted him to get through a 5K first, but my father was as stubborn as they come. ”

“She’s right about that. Tell her I’m sorry I’ll never get to walk her down the aisle at her wedding or be there to hold my first grandchild.” Tears streaked down Jason’s cheeks.

Ten relayed the message.

“I can’t believe he said that. When I got the call that my father was gone, the first thing I thought was that there wouldn’t be anyone to walk me down the aisle now that he was gone.”

“He’ll be there with you in spirit,” Ten said, after relaying the message from Jason. “Thank you so much for letting me connect with your father. I’m so sorry you lost him.” Ten handed the toy soldier back.

Marybeth shook Ten’s hand and headed off.

“That was quite a performance, Tennyson,” Levi Shackleton said, stepping up to the booth. “Long time no see.”

“Not quite long enough, unfortunately.” Ten saw Ronan heading his way. “Pastor Shackleton, this is my husband , Ronan O’Mara.” Ten made sure to emphasize the word husband for Shackleton’s benefit. “He’s a detective with the Salem Police Department’s Cold Case Unit.”

Shackleton turned to look at Ronan. He seemed to be sizing him up. Neither man offered a hand for the other to shake. “Yes, I’m aware of your unholy alliance with Satan’s spawn and how you use your devil-given powers to allegedly help solve crimes, as if you’re a member of Scooby Doo’s gang.”

Tennyson burst out laughing. The gall of this man tracking him down and insulting his gifts and his husband was too much. The only thing this clown was missing was a red nose and giant shoes.

“How can we help you, Pastor ?” Ronan asked, with a cold smile.

“I recognized Tennyson’s name on the list of vendors and wanted to see how he’d grown up. When I knew him, Ten was a mild mannered boy who loved Jesus. Now, he’s an occultist and a sodomite. It’s obvious he’s strayed from God’s great love thanks to you, Detective O’Mara.”

“I haven’t strayed from God’s love,” Ten said.

“God created me in his perfect image. It’s bigots like you who have a problem with me being gay, not God.

As for my psychic abilities…” Ten paused, it was against Ten’s better judgement, but he reached out and grabbed Shackleton’s wrist. Ten instantly saw all the many, many sins the man had committed in vivid detail.

The pastor yanked his arm away. “Don’t you put your whore’s hands on me.”

Ten smirked at the enraged pastor. “You must have me confused with Kitty, or maybe Athena, or possibly Jezebel. Seriously, someone named their daughter Jezebel? Or is that her street name? So many women of the night, so little time, am I right?”

“How dare you speak such blasphemies to me?” Shackleton roared, sending spit flying in all directions.

“Doesn’t the Bible say that if your eye caused you to sin that you should pluck out? It would be better to enter the kingdom of heaven without eyes and minus your Christian soldier than to burn in the pits of hell, right, pastor ?” Ten asked with a sneer

Shackleton raised his hand as if he was going to strike Tennyson.

Ronan stepped in quickly and grabbed Shackleton’s arm, twisting it behind his back.

“Touch him and you’re going to jail for assault.

Since it’s Saturday, you’ll rot in county lockup until Monday.

It would be awful if someone were to let the guards and other prisoners know that you’re a raging racist. This is just a guess, but I think the black officers who work at the jail might wait a bit before coming to your rescue. ”

“Is there a problem here, Ronan?” Fitzgibbon asked, pulling his suit jacket back to reveal his gold captain’s shield.

“Pastor Shackleton was just renewing his acquaintance with my husband. Unfortunately, he left his manners at home along with his white robe, hood, and burning cross.” Ronan’s eyes didn’t leave Shackleton’s as he spoke.

“Please come with me, pastor.” Fitzgibbon yanked him away from Ronan’s steel grip.

“I’d like to make a report against that man. He assaulted me!” Shackleton shouted. “You saw him grab me!”

“Didn’t see a thing friend. The exit is this way.” Fitzgibbon ushered the sputtering pastor away.

“Are you okay?” Ronan asked on a laugh. “I wished I’d had my phone out to record that bullshit.”

Ten laughed along with him. “Boy, did that feel good.”

“Which part, revealing the pastor’s sins or watching Fitz lead him away?”

“Both, actually, but naming off the women he cheated with was extra special.” Ten snickered.

“Was that all of them or were there more?”

“ So many more!” Ten laughed. “Turns out the man of God so happy to call people out on their sins is a serial cheater, oh, and he has a love child with one of his former mistresses. He pays child support under the table so his wife won’t find out.”

“What an asshole!” Ronan shook his head. “We’ll talk more about this later, I think your next client is here.”

“Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

“You didn’t need me. You were handling Shackleton all on your own.” Ronan headed for the young woman who was waiting to see Tennyson.

Ronan was right. Ten did have things under control with Shackleton. That wasn’t going to be the case the next time the pastor came into contact with Tennyson. He couldn’t wait for the fireworks to start.