THE WITCH AND THE TEA PARTY (A Rachael Penzra Mystery) by Elizabeth Shawn

telling fortunes. In the early nineteen hundreds, pictures and symbols replaced the common ‘pips’. There are a number of different decks divided in different ways. Some of the best known cards are The Empress, The Fool, The Hanged Man, Death, and The Tower. There are generally fifty-six cards, with four suits of fourteen each. In the Minor Arcana, pentagrams correspond with earth, Swords with Air, Wands with fire, and Cups with water. The Major Arcana has twenty-two cards with no suits. There are different spreads that can be used for readings. The Celtic Cross is perhaps the most popular. The three card spread is often used as a secondary reading, the cards representing past, present and future. Some believe that certain cards, in certain positions, are not open to any but the strictest interpretations. Some believe that interpretations should be guided mainly by intuition on the reader’s part. Often the cards mean one thing upright and quite the opposite when upside down. Arguably the Tarot is open to the individual’s reading, so be sure you’re comfortable with the skill of the reader before being too deeply influenced.
     
    Chapter Five
     
    I have to admit that the tapes were fascinating. Moondance really was a good reader, or maybe just a good BSer. Either way, it seemed to work. It was interesting to see how much a client’s needs and reactions showed up in the voice. It must be that way in everyday life, but I’ve never really noticed it so strongly as with just the sound—no sight. Add body language to the mix and a clever, alert person must be able to tell a lot about people. I imagine psychologists learn to listen and watch just as much as they hone in on certain words and descriptions. A patient calling someone stupid is one thing. Heavy emphasis on the word “stupid” moves the word from general to personal, and clenched fists, or even change of position, adds strong emotion.  “He’s so stupid,” becomes “HE … IS … SO … STUPID! ” It’s no longer a comment, it’s an accusation.
    Apparently Mrs. Brown-Hendricks felt that she should be the first client, either as a form of entitlement as the provider, or as a good example. The sound of a chair being moved indicated that she’d seated herself.
    “Welcome,” Moondance began in a deep voice. She didn’t get a chance to continue her spiel.
    “We’ve done this before,” the party mistress said. “I don’t need a repeat. Now, what I want you to do is find out which of them is guilty of trying to kill me. This is not to be repeated to your buddies, either. Don’t think I won’t find out if you talk.” Moondance tried to interrupt, but was overridden. “I have some ideas of my own, but I’m not sure one of the problems is connected with the murder attempts.
    “You’ll tell my husband that you know he’s been unfaithful, but that you sense he’s being used and deceived. That’s enough for him. You can do some extra mumbo-jumbo, but those two things need to be the main point.”
    “I don’t do that sort of thing,” Moondance said indignantly. “I only repeat what I see in the ball. I can’t make things up.”
    “This is my party,” Mrs. B-H made her position clear. “You’ll do what I say.” She changed to a more placatory voice. “Of course you can do a regular reading along with my instructions, but it won’t hurt to include my needs, will it? You can understand why I have to know these things, can’t you?”
    “Can’t you talk to him yourself?”
    “Could you accuse your husband of adultery without proof? Even if you knew it was true? If it isn’t, your warning will just be a joke to him. Right? And that will tell me a lot and make me feel much better.” She really sounded persuasive.
    “I can see that,” Moondance was beginning to sound mesmerized. “I could say that to him, I suppose, but what about the other thing? What happened?”
    The ‘other thing’ must have been the attempted