Spell It Out, page 2
“I’ll get dressed,” I said. “It will only take me a minute. You’re not going to wear the tree onesie, are you?” I added as an afterthought.
Camino was clearly affronted. “Do you think I’m mad? Of course I wouldn’t wear a onesie to a tea leaf reading session.” She tapped her chin. “Although it does sound like a good idea, now that you mention it. If only I’d thought of it earlier. Never mind; perhaps Mystical Maria will provide me with inspiration for another line of onesies.”
I chuckled. “Yes, perhaps one without a commercial military application.”
I was looking forward to having my tea leaves read, but I hoped it would not prove to be a portent of doom and gloom, and more murder. Bayberry Creek seemed to be Murder Central, at least since I had moved here. As I got out of my shorts and squashed myself into a pair of jeans, my stomach fluttered. What would those tea leaves foretell?
Chapter 2
I was surprised when Camino stopped her car outside a tall building. In fact, it was the only tall building in Bayberry Creek, being five storeys high. “Mystical Maria is here?” I asked her. “I thought she would be in a cute little place at the end of a small, pleasant lane.”
Camino looked at her slip of paper. “No, this is the address. Top floor. It doesn’t look very New Age, does it?”
I shrugged. “Oh well, I suppose it’s as good a place as any. I’ve only had my tea leaves read once before. What about you?”
“I’ve had mine read many a time over the years,” Camino said. “Thanks for coming with me, Amelia. Ruprecht absolutely refused to attend.”
“I wonder why? I thought it would be something he’d be into.”
Camino gave no response as she was already halfway to the front doors. Wide and glass, they opened as soon as we approached. Once we entered, a huge black sign confronted us. We consulted the sign, and indeed it said that Mystical Maria’s office was on the top floor. According to the sign, most of the offices belonged to accountants and lawyers who only came to town once a month. The population of Bayberry Creek wasn’t sufficient to support more than a tiny group of permanent professionals.
“I hope you don’t mind, but our tickets are to a group setting,” Camino explained. “I didn’t know if Mystical Maria was any good. If she proves to be even halfway accurate, I’ll treat you to a proper individual consultation at some point.”
I thanked her. “You really don’t have to do that, Camino,” I added. “It will probably be more fun with a group of people because we’ll hear what she says to them.”
The building was as bleak as any other office building, but was not glass and steel like most office buildings in a city. This building was faded and old, and made of large sandstone bricks. It smelt faintly of mould and dust.
The first thing I saw when the ancient lift opened was a narrow corridor that sported a carpet in an unpleasant shade of pale olive green. The walls were painted a horrible magnolia colour, a colour I had only seen in the Before segments on television renovation shows based in Britain.
“I think it’s this way.” Camino took off. It was amazing how fast she could move when she wasn’t wearing a onesie. The door to Mystical Maria’s office was open, but Camino knocked nevertheless.
“Come in!” a woman’s voice called.
I followed Camino inside. The room did not look remotely mystical, apart from a small section of shelving that offered items such as Tibetan singing bowls, various crystals, and tarot cards for sale. I wondered if Mystical Maria lived in town, because I hadn’t heard of her before. I would have to ask Camino later. Presently, Camino was speaking to a tall man in a dark blue, pinstriped suit. His face was rugged, and his hair, silver.
“Amelia, this is Aurelius Matters. Have you two met?”
We both said that we hadn’t. “Amelia owns the cupcake store in town, and Aurelius just introduced himself to me and said he owns a big marketing firm in Tamworth.”
We both shook hands. His handshake was firm. I didn’t like the way he eyed me, his eyes roving over me. With one last sensual smile, he stalked away to speak with one of the other women.
I shuddered and touched Camino on her arm. “Has Mystical Maria always been in town?” I asked her. “I really like the look of her tarot cards and crystals. I’m surprised I haven’t heard of her before.”
Camino shook her head. “She only moved to town a month or so ago, I think,” she said. “She’s a music teacher at the local school, and she does this after hours. I’ve heard that everyone likes her; she’s very popular with the kids.”
I took the opportunity to study Mystical Maria. She didn’t look overly mystical, although she was dressed in a bright, floral print with a sparkly scarf around her neck. She caught me looking and smiled. I smiled back.
“Do you know any of these other people?” I asked Camino.
She shook her head. A tall, blonde woman came over and stuck out her hand to me. “I’m Lucy Love,” she said.
“I’m Amelia Spelled, and this is my friend, Camino.”
She pumped my hand enthusiastically and did the same to Camino.
“What did you say your last name was?” Camino asked her.
“Love,” she repeated. “I know it’s a strange name, but it’s the same surname as Georgia Love. She was in The Bachelorette, if you remember?”
I nodded. “Yes, I loved that show. It is an unusual last name.”
She laughed. “Yes, it is. So it looks like you’re the only two who don’t work for the company.”
“What company is that?” I asked her.
“The Influenza Marketing Company,” she said.
Camino tapped her ears. “Did you say Influenza?”
Lucy smiled broadly. “We specialise in campaigns that go viral. We just won a huge contract for the Gum Leaf Tea Company, the newest Australian tea company, and they gave us all tickets to a tea leaf reading with Mystical Maria.”
“Do all these other people work for the same company?” I asked her.
She nodded. “Yes. It’s based in Tamworth. Our boss, Aurelius Matters, didn’t really like us coming as far as Bayberry Creek and taking the day off, but he didn’t want to offend the company because the contract is so big.”
I nodded, only half listening. I was eyeing a particularly beautiful set of Celtic tarot cards. I wondered how much they were.
Mystical Maria clapped her hands. “Now, if everyone could come and sit at the table, we can begin. Has anyone had a tea leaf reading before?”
Camino and I were the only ones who indicated that we had. Maria nodded. “It’s quite simple. I will make everyone a cup of tea. You will drink the tea, but don’t do anything else with your cup after that. One by one, I’ll take your tea cup and turn it upside down, and then read your tea leaves.”
“Do we have to focus or concentrate on any questions we have?” Lucy asked her.
Maria shook her head. “No, that’s not necessary, but feel free to do so.” She stood up. “Now, as I go and make the tea, sit with your eyes shut and try to relax.”
Everyone shut their eyes. I opened one eye and watched Maria leave the room. She went into a little side room, which I assumed was a kitchen. I heard a jug boiling. An uneasy feeling came over me, but I shut my eyes and tried to relax, as soothing flute music filled the room.
By the time Mystical Maria came back, I was quite relaxed, but I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling of anticipation.
Maria was carrying a large tray of tea cups. She walked around the table, setting a cup in front of everyone, before taking her seat. “All right, now, drink your tea as slowly or as quickly as you like. Remember, do not rotate the cup or turn it upside down when you’ve finished, just place it in front of you.”
I thought the tea had quite a strong taste. I made a mental note not to buy any tea produced by the Gum Leaf Tea Company.
As the tea was so unpleasant tasting, I drained it quickly in my hurry to finish. It seemed the woman sitting next to me had the same thought. Mystical Maria, clearly noticing that the woman had finished her tea, beckoned her to hand it over.
Maria turned the tea cup upside down, rotated it three times, and then looked into the leaves. I was expecting her to say that she would have an unexpected windfall of money, or that a tall, dark, and handsome stranger would come into her life, but she did not. “There’s been a recent betrayal in your love life,” she said.
The woman gave a little jump. “That’s right.” Her voice was strained. She fidgeted with her bracelet, a beautiful silver Albertina bracelet with a tassel.
“And career wise, there seems to be a change ahead, although not in the short term. It’s in a duplicate of three, so it could be three months or three years. I’m also getting the feeling of something significant around the month of May, but I can’t tell you what it’s about. I also see you buying a new car for yourself. You’ve never bought a new car, always second hand, but within the next few months, you will think you should treat yourself to a new car.”
The woman nodded as Mystical Maria was talking. “That’s amazing,” she said. “I was actually thinking of getting a new car.”
Maria turned to the silver fox who had been introduced to me as Aurelius Matters. “May I have your cup?”
He slid the cup across to her while shooting her a winning smile.
Maria turned the cup upside down and spun it three times. When she looked into it, she was visibly shocked.
“I urge you to look to your own safety in the coming days,” she said.
I was surprised that she said that—I had read somewhere that clairvoyants usually do not like to warn people of impending doom of any kind. She pushed on. “Are you going skydiving or scuba-diving or anything risky in the next week?”
He shook his head. “I haven’t planned to do so.”
She frowned deeply. “I would advise the utmost caution over the next few days.”
I shot the man a look. If she had been speaking to me, I would have been quite concerned and would have asked her questions, but he remained calm and composed. She held the cup up and looked into it. “There’s a lot of trouble with your child. A very difficult relationship. Yes, this is quite a serious matter.”
He cut her off then. “I don’t have a child.” His tone was snappy, bordering on rude.
She stared again. “Are you sure? It’s quite definite that there is a very serious problem with your child.”
“I don’t want to sound like someone from the Australian Sceptics Society,” he said angrily, “but I can assure you, I have no children.”
I was embarrassed for Maria, and I was surprised she had said something so definite and what’s more, had insisted upon it. I looked at Aurelius again, and his face had turned an unpleasant shade of deep red. Now I was convinced he was lying. If I had to guess, I would say he did, in fact, have a child.
“Well, only you know the truth,” Maria said. “Nevertheless, I would caution you to take particular care of your own personal safety, and to mend any rifts with…”—she hesitated—“family members or anything related to family.”
It seemed to me she was saying he should mend any rift with a child, but she wasn’t going to push it given that he had flatly denied it. I rubbed my eyes, suddenly overcome with drowsiness. I looked at Camino, who was yawning widely.
The woman across from me who was sitting next to Lucy Love suddenly slumped across the table. “Are you all right?” I went to say, but I couldn’t get the sentence out. I was too tired to speak.
I only barely registered my head hitting the table.
I didn’t remember anything else, only waking up. It seemed I awoke at the same time as Lucy Love. “What happened?” she said to me, her speech slurred.
“Asleep,” I said. It was the only word I managed to get out, as my mouth was horribly dry.
The others stirred. “I think we were drugged,” Lucy said. She shook Mystical Maria’s shoulder.” Do you think she drugged us?” she asked me.
My head was too fuzzy to think. I was slightly nauseous, and my head hurt. “Why would she?” I wanted to say. I was desperate for a glass of water, but didn’t think I could make it to the kitchen.
The short, musclebound man’s head was on the table, and he was snoring loudly, but the others, all apart from Mystical Maria, were awake.
“What happened?” people were saying to each other.
“I think we were all drugged,” Camino said. She seemed to have awoken abruptly.
“What happened?” I heard myself saying again and again, although I normally wasn’t one to repeat myself. I felt quite out of it, as if I were watching events unfold from someone else’s body. “I don’t feel well,” I added.
Mystical Maria stirred, and Lucy shook her shoulder again. “What was in that tea?” Lucy asked.
Maria’s eyes bulged wide. “Tea?” she said, staring around the room blankly.
Everyone was now awake, even the musclebound man.
“The tea was drugged,” Lucy said in an accusing tone.
“I didn’t drug it,” Maria said, rubbing her eyes. “Why would I drug the tea? Of course I don’t drug tea.” She continued to talk, but it just sounded like ramblings.
“Someone is missing,” Lucy Love said. “Maybe he was the one who drugged us. Everyone, quick, check your purses! I think we’ve been robbed!”
I pulled my purse from my handbag, but my money and cards were all there.
“Nothing has been stolen from my wallet,” the man next to Camino said, and there was a general murmur of agreement.
A howling wind came through the open window and blew the man’s money away. He snatched at it.
“Someone needs to shut that window,” Lucy said, and when no one did, she strode over to it.
Just then, the door burst open and uniformed police officers hurried into the room. “Did the man fall from this window?” one said.
We all looked at each other. “What man?” Lucy asked. “Oh! Aurelius Matters is missing.”
Camino and Mystical Maria gasped. “He was here a minute ago,” Maria said. She jumped up and ran to the window.
She looked out the window and screamed.
We were all at the window in a flash, jostling each other to look out on the scene below. I stuck my head past a gasping Camino and saw a man sprawled on the ground, five storeys below. He was surrounded by police tape and police officers.
Chapter 3
I woke up again, this time in a hospital, surrounded by the people who had been in the tea leaf reading group. That is to say, I woke up fully. I had dozed off while the police were questioning me, and then I had dozed off again in the ambulance. I had vague memories of having my blood pressure taken and answering question after question.
“Have you signed a consent form?” the woman sitting next to me asked. Her perfume was strong and cloying; it almost made me gag.
I was entirely puzzled. “Consent to what?”
“Consent to have a blood sample taken to see what drug is in our systems,” she said.
I wrapped my arms around me. “I’m afraid of needles.” I was concerned to hear my voice was trembling.
“So am I,” she said. “By the way, my name is Sabrina, Sabrina Sanders.”
“I’m Amelia Spelled. Did you sign the consent form?”
She nodded. “I think everyone did.”
“Do you work for the Influenza Marketing Company as well?” I asked her.
Her face turned ashen. “Yes. Aurelius was our boss.”
“Did he sleepwalk out the window or something?” I asked her.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Camino suddenly appeared. “Amelia, I just had to give a blood sample. Don’t worry, they don’t take much blood.”
I thought I would pass out. “I don’t know if I’ll sign the consent form,” I said.
Camino waved one hand at me by way of dismissal. “Nonsense. You’ve already signed it.”
I was shocked. “I don’t remember.”
She shook her head. “That’s no doubt the effect of the drugs. Amelia, it’s best that they know what drugs are in our system, so they can treat us.”
“Surely we all ingested the same drug,” I pointed out. “Why can’t they just test one person?” It made sense to me.
Sabrina leant forward. “The thing is, I overheard one of the police officers say Aurelius might have been murdered. I expect the police want to see if one of us doesn’t test positive for the drug. That would mean that person is the murderer.”
“Murderer?” Camino shrieked, and all heads turned to her.
Sabrina put her finger to her lips. “I overheard them when I was waking up. I’m sure they thought I was still asleep. Don’t tell anyone, will you?”
It seemed to me that everyone already knew, given Camino’s shrieking, but I didn’t want to point that out.
“Lucy is quite upset,” Sabrina whispered. “She was Aurelius’s latest conquest.” Her lips formed a thin line.
A nurse appeared at the end of the corridor and called my name.
I shrunk back, but Camino put her hands behind me and pushed. “You’ll be okay,” she said. “It will all be over soon.”
I followed the nurse down the corridor into a small room that seemed to be filled with terrifying medical equipment, terrifying to me, that is. “I’m afraid of needles,” I announced. “I think I’ll shut my eyes.”
“Then I’ll shut my eyes too,” she said and then laughed uproariously.
I forced a laugh. I didn’t think her remark remotely funny, but I didn’t want to get on the wrong side of a woman armed with a vicious-looking syringe.
The nurse suggested I lie down, but I felt better sitting up. The needle didn’t actually hurt, it was more the thought of it. Mercifully, it was over rather quickly. “What do you think we were drugged with?” I asked her.
She shrugged. “No idea. You’ll have to ask the police.”
I went back into the waiting room and sat next to Camino. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” she asked me.
