to know, Jessica.”
She was tempted to tell her about the time she’d been spending
with Phoenix and the other Wilde brothers, but she didn’t. She liked Carlotta, but didn’t want to be a part of small-town gossip, especially given her investigation was still going on. “I want to know if I’m on the wrong track, both professionally and personally.”
“Excellent inquiry for da spirits.”
“Glad to hear it.” Jessie smiled.
“Let’s see vhat da spirits tell us.” As before, Carlotta shuffled the cards several times. She patted the deck and created three piles on the table.
“I know. Don’t touch. Just point.”
The sweet soothsayer grinned. “Fast learner.”
86
Chloe Lang
She pointed to the deck to the left.
“You sure? Dis is the vone?”
Jessie closed her eyes. It would be great if the cards and Carlotta really could tell her what to do. Her mind whirled.
“Take your time, my dear. Make sure.”
Phoenix’s face appeared in her mind, then Jackson’s. “I just don’t
know.”
“Breathe. You’re very close to knowing da vone.”
“The one on the right. That’s it.”
“Good girl. You know, I dink you’ve got a bit of da gift yourself.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Skeptics often do, you know. Okay. I tink dhree-card spread for
you dis time.”
“I’m ready.” Jessie sat on the edge of her seat as Carlotta turned
over three cards and placed them on the table.
“Dis shows da arc of da past, present, and future around vhat
you’re curious about, my dear.” She pointed to the first card. “Dis is da Five of Cups.”
“Since it’s upside down, that means something?”
“Very fast learner indeed. Yes. Vhen reversed, it means you’ve
accepted a loss. You’re trying to move on from some sadness and
grief dat has held you back. Often, it means a broken relationship, but in your case, I see more. A parent, perhaps?”
Jessie’s jaw dropped, and she looked around the room, wondering
if a ghost was about to show up.
“Relax, my dear. Only my guides are vith us now. No vone else.
Let’s move on.”
“Yes.” She sighed. “Let’s.”
“Da middle card is what you vish to uncover. Dis is a very good
card. Da King of Swords. Its very essence is air. Dink of a cloudless blue sky. Vhat you seek, you already know.”
“But I don’t. I’m confused.”
“Child, da King here says you are surrounded by men of action
Wilde Fire
87
and determination. Men vith such devotion dat is incorruptible. You know dis already, but doubt.”
Images of the Wilde brothers swam in her head, sometimes
wearing cowboy hats, sometimes wearing nothing at all. “Go on.”
“Mmm. Jessica, dis card is troubling. Da critical element
approaching.”
“It’s reversed.”
“Yes. If it vasn’t, da Seven of Wands would be a card revealing
something very different dan it does here.”
“What do you see?”
“Failure. Great challenges met vith cowardice. Embarrassment.
Danger. I’m so sorry, my dear.” Carlotta scooped up the cards and put them back into the cabinet.
Jessica tensed. Maybe she was becoming a believer. She’d
screwed up royally. Once her boss got wind of who she’d been
spending time with in Wilde, embarrassment would be the least of her troubles. “Thank you.”
“Da cards only show vhat the current path leads to. You may
change da course, and da outcome might be different.”
“That’s exactly what I plan on doing. Now, I think I’m going to
need two bottles of wine tonight.”
* * * *
Jessie looked again at the document she’d pulled from the file at
the mine. She compared the signature with others she’d seen of
Austin Wilde’s. It matched. Sure, the guy was arrogant, but she still found it hard to believe he would issue instructions to limit safety equipment in the mine to below required standards to save money.
But the evidence was in her hands. A single memo with his signature.
She took a photo of it with her cell then attached
She was tempted to tell her about the time she’d been spending
with Phoenix and the other Wilde brothers, but she didn’t. She liked Carlotta, but didn’t want to be a part of small-town gossip, especially given her investigation was still going on. “I want to know if I’m on the wrong track, both professionally and personally.”
“Excellent inquiry for da spirits.”
“Glad to hear it.” Jessie smiled.
“Let’s see vhat da spirits tell us.” As before, Carlotta shuffled the cards several times. She patted the deck and created three piles on the table.
“I know. Don’t touch. Just point.”
The sweet soothsayer grinned. “Fast learner.”
86
Chloe Lang
She pointed to the deck to the left.
“You sure? Dis is the vone?”
Jessie closed her eyes. It would be great if the cards and Carlotta really could tell her what to do. Her mind whirled.
“Take your time, my dear. Make sure.”
Phoenix’s face appeared in her mind, then Jackson’s. “I just don’t
know.”
“Breathe. You’re very close to knowing da vone.”
“The one on the right. That’s it.”
“Good girl. You know, I dink you’ve got a bit of da gift yourself.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Skeptics often do, you know. Okay. I tink dhree-card spread for
you dis time.”
“I’m ready.” Jessie sat on the edge of her seat as Carlotta turned
over three cards and placed them on the table.
“Dis shows da arc of da past, present, and future around vhat
you’re curious about, my dear.” She pointed to the first card. “Dis is da Five of Cups.”
“Since it’s upside down, that means something?”
“Very fast learner indeed. Yes. Vhen reversed, it means you’ve
accepted a loss. You’re trying to move on from some sadness and
grief dat has held you back. Often, it means a broken relationship, but in your case, I see more. A parent, perhaps?”
Jessie’s jaw dropped, and she looked around the room, wondering
if a ghost was about to show up.
“Relax, my dear. Only my guides are vith us now. No vone else.
Let’s move on.”
“Yes.” She sighed. “Let’s.”
“Da middle card is what you vish to uncover. Dis is a very good
card. Da King of Swords. Its very essence is air. Dink of a cloudless blue sky. Vhat you seek, you already know.”
“But I don’t. I’m confused.”
“Child, da King here says you are surrounded by men of action
Wilde Fire
87
and determination. Men vith such devotion dat is incorruptible. You know dis already, but doubt.”
Images of the Wilde brothers swam in her head, sometimes
wearing cowboy hats, sometimes wearing nothing at all. “Go on.”
“Mmm. Jessica, dis card is troubling. Da critical element
approaching.”
“It’s reversed.”
“Yes. If it vasn’t, da Seven of Wands would be a card revealing
something very different dan it does here.”
“What do you see?”
“Failure. Great challenges met vith cowardice. Embarrassment.
Danger. I’m so sorry, my dear.” Carlotta scooped up the cards and put them back into the cabinet.
Jessica tensed. Maybe she was becoming a believer. She’d
screwed up royally. Once her boss got wind of who she’d been
spending time with in Wilde, embarrassment would be the least of her troubles. “Thank you.”
“Da cards only show vhat the current path leads to. You may
change da course, and da outcome might be different.”
“That’s exactly what I plan on doing. Now, I think I’m going to
need two bottles of wine tonight.”
* * * *
Jessie looked again at the document she’d pulled from the file at
the mine. She compared the signature with others she’d seen of
Austin Wilde’s. It matched. Sure, the guy was arrogant, but she still found it hard to believe he would issue instructions to limit safety equipment in the mine to below required standards to save money.
But the evidence was in her hands. A single memo with his signature.
She took a photo of it with her cell then attached
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