this is sort of sudden, but I really need to know the location of the watch.”
I gave Jerry a warning glare, which he ignored. “I’ll be glad to help. Give me a few minutes to set up.”
He went into the front parlor. “Sylvie,” I said, “you shouldn’t rely on what Jerry tells you. This isn’t real, you know. It’s more like entertainment.”
Her eyes were wide. “Oh, it’s very real to me. I know he has a link to the other side. You can’t fake these things.”
Okay. Looked like the harder I protested, the more she was going to believe. “I don’t want you to be disappointed if he can’t find this watch.”
“Well, really it’s up to me and Aunt Flossie to find it. We just have to interpret the clues he gives us.”
“What exactly will you do with it if you find it?”
She looked at me as if I’d asked what will you do with the Holy Grail? “Put it in a place of honor, of course. Treasure it. Hand it down to my children and tell them the story of how it was found, how Aunt Marge and Aunt Marie fought so bitterly in life but were transformed by the healing power of the light of eternity.”
I did not have an answer for this.
“Okay, Sylvie,” Jerry called from the parlor. “Show time.”
I followed Sylvie as she hurried to the parlor. She sat down at the table where a fat candle glowed. Jerry took her hand. “I’m not sure what kind of response we’ll get, Sylvie. It’s a little harder in the daytime, you know.”
She nodded. “I’m just so grateful you’re willing to do this.”
Did Jerry look just the teensiest bit guilty at her blinding faith in his non-existent ability to speak to the dead? I hoped so.
“Okay, here we go.”
He closed his eyes and went through his usual array of noises. Sylvie watched him anxiously. Then he jerked in his chair and began to speak in a higher voice.
“What is it, my child?”
Sylvie had to take a breath. “Is it Aunt Marge or Aunt Marie?”
“Aunt Marge.”
“It’s about the watch, Aunt Marge. Aunt Flossie and I still haven’t been able to find it. We’ve looked behind every door we could find. We even looked on the porch Uncle Ray closed off. I was hoping you could give me a better idea where it is. We don’t have enough information.”
Jerry hummed tunelessly for a few minutes and then said, “Is the watch that important to you, Sylvie?”
She looked taken aback. “Yes, it is. It’s very important.”
“Wouldn’t something else do, say, a fond memory of your Aunt Marge?”
“But I don’t have any fond memories of you, or of Aunt Marie. You were always fighting. The watch would be a symbol of your newfound friendship in heaven.”
Jerry gulped. I couldn’t tell if this was part of his act or his realization he was losing his grip on the situation. “But we are very happy in heaven, dear. Don’t you believe me?”
“Yes, but something I could hold and pass along to my children would be so much better. And you did promise.”
Another gulp. “I’ll see what I can do. I—I must leave you now. The light. I must return to the light.” Jerry gave a realistic gasp and came out of his so-called trance. “Did one of them come through? What did she say?”
Sylvie looked pleased. “She’s going to see what she can do. Thank you, Jerry.”
She started to get out her wallet. “No, that’s okay,” he said. “You can pay me later.”
“Thanks.”
After she’d gone, I looked at him. “Nice try.”
He gave me a wry grin. “That’s what happens when you try to reach the spirits in the morning.”
“You might be more helpful at Tori’s.”
***
When Tori met us at the door of the chateau and saw Jerry, she took a step back and wrapped her thin arms tightly around herself.
I wasn’t sure what had alarmed her. “Tori, this is my husband, Jerry.”
Jerry kept his distance and smiled. “Mrs. Satterfield, I’m Jerry Fairweather. Mac’s brought me along for the heavy lifting.”
I don’t know if it was his
I gave Jerry a warning glare, which he ignored. “I’ll be glad to help. Give me a few minutes to set up.”
He went into the front parlor. “Sylvie,” I said, “you shouldn’t rely on what Jerry tells you. This isn’t real, you know. It’s more like entertainment.”
Her eyes were wide. “Oh, it’s very real to me. I know he has a link to the other side. You can’t fake these things.”
Okay. Looked like the harder I protested, the more she was going to believe. “I don’t want you to be disappointed if he can’t find this watch.”
“Well, really it’s up to me and Aunt Flossie to find it. We just have to interpret the clues he gives us.”
“What exactly will you do with it if you find it?”
She looked at me as if I’d asked what will you do with the Holy Grail? “Put it in a place of honor, of course. Treasure it. Hand it down to my children and tell them the story of how it was found, how Aunt Marge and Aunt Marie fought so bitterly in life but were transformed by the healing power of the light of eternity.”
I did not have an answer for this.
“Okay, Sylvie,” Jerry called from the parlor. “Show time.”
I followed Sylvie as she hurried to the parlor. She sat down at the table where a fat candle glowed. Jerry took her hand. “I’m not sure what kind of response we’ll get, Sylvie. It’s a little harder in the daytime, you know.”
She nodded. “I’m just so grateful you’re willing to do this.”
Did Jerry look just the teensiest bit guilty at her blinding faith in his non-existent ability to speak to the dead? I hoped so.
“Okay, here we go.”
He closed his eyes and went through his usual array of noises. Sylvie watched him anxiously. Then he jerked in his chair and began to speak in a higher voice.
“What is it, my child?”
Sylvie had to take a breath. “Is it Aunt Marge or Aunt Marie?”
“Aunt Marge.”
“It’s about the watch, Aunt Marge. Aunt Flossie and I still haven’t been able to find it. We’ve looked behind every door we could find. We even looked on the porch Uncle Ray closed off. I was hoping you could give me a better idea where it is. We don’t have enough information.”
Jerry hummed tunelessly for a few minutes and then said, “Is the watch that important to you, Sylvie?”
She looked taken aback. “Yes, it is. It’s very important.”
“Wouldn’t something else do, say, a fond memory of your Aunt Marge?”
“But I don’t have any fond memories of you, or of Aunt Marie. You were always fighting. The watch would be a symbol of your newfound friendship in heaven.”
Jerry gulped. I couldn’t tell if this was part of his act or his realization he was losing his grip on the situation. “But we are very happy in heaven, dear. Don’t you believe me?”
“Yes, but something I could hold and pass along to my children would be so much better. And you did promise.”
Another gulp. “I’ll see what I can do. I—I must leave you now. The light. I must return to the light.” Jerry gave a realistic gasp and came out of his so-called trance. “Did one of them come through? What did she say?”
Sylvie looked pleased. “She’s going to see what she can do. Thank you, Jerry.”
She started to get out her wallet. “No, that’s okay,” he said. “You can pay me later.”
“Thanks.”
After she’d gone, I looked at him. “Nice try.”
He gave me a wry grin. “That’s what happens when you try to reach the spirits in the morning.”
“You might be more helpful at Tori’s.”
***
When Tori met us at the door of the chateau and saw Jerry, she took a step back and wrapped her thin arms tightly around herself.
I wasn’t sure what had alarmed her. “Tori, this is my husband, Jerry.”
Jerry kept his distance and smiled. “Mrs. Satterfield, I’m Jerry Fairweather. Mac’s brought me along for the heavy lifting.”
I don’t know if it was his
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