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Chapter Seven

Rachael was finishing wrapping her headband on as she prepared herself for another day of reading fortunes. Her arm was wrapped up where Cosma had bitten her and she felt uneasy everytime she looked at it. The memory kept returning no matter how hard she tried to push it away. She was planning on calling out today yet she did not want to be left alone with Cosma.

Cosma was her typical loving self but she refused to leave Rachael's side. Everywhere she went in the house Cosma was right there next to her. Rachael had the feeling that maybe Cosma was feeling guilty and wanted to make up for it by being her bodyguard. Rachael just needed some space because she had a deep down fear she might get bit again. Martha knocked on the door of the room as Rachael was using a smudger to clear the room of any negative energies.

A smudger is natural bits of sage tied together to make a wand and one end is lit by fire to let the smell fill the area. Native Americans believed that this would help cleanse a person's home of negative energies or malicious spirits. Rachael was amazed at how spiritual the Native Americans were; between using smudges and dream catchers they knew about warding off evil. Had the settlers not stolen the land from them they might have shared more of their secrets and the general unease many face today would not be affecting them. They could have had the secret to living better but they were foolish in their treatment of the original inhabitants here. At least that is how Rachael felt.

"Yes Martha." Rachael said and her friend entered the room.

"That woman that visits you is here for her weekly visit." Martha said cautiously and Rachael was surprised by her unease.

"Thank you, I'll be with her in a few minutes."

"Just... be careful something seems off about her today. I can't quite put my finger on it but something.... Just seems off, that's all I can say." Martha said and she left. Rachael stood there trying to figure out what she meant. Margarett looked a bit lonely at times but nothing ever seemed off or strange about her.

Rachael entered the main part of their place. It was set up to look like a store that sold many New Age items like tarot cards, incense, burners, and other items. There was a main desk that had about three or four rooms behind where they provided their services for their clients. A small display was set up on the desk, next to the cash register, where several CDs were set up next to a CD player radio. A featured New Age artist's CD was on special today which meant the CD was prominently displayed and the player would play the CD so customers can sample the music and see if they wanted to buy it.

The CD showed a man that held a glass ball, almost like a crystal ball, that had lightning shooting inside of it. The title was "Within is the Power" and the music held a Celtic vibe and was entirely instrumental.

"Hi Margarett! won't you come this way." Rachael said and the look on her client's face told her why Martha felt something was off about her. She had a strange smile that Rachael had never seen her use before. The smile looked like the smile the Joker has from the Batman comics and movies. Her eyes seemed cloudy as if on some kind of medication or drug and She looked like she had not blinked her eyes while Rachael was talking to her she just seemed to be starring.

Rachael entered the room and spread the pentacle tablecloth over her table as she prepared and Margarett slowly entered and her face looked like an unchanging mask. Rachael tried to ignore how disturbing it was and asked a few simple questions as she finalized the room and prepared her cards to read Margarett's fortune. Rachael sat as Margarett stood there watching and even as Rachael gestured for her to sit the woman just remained standing.

It was odd how quiet she was because usually Margarett was talking up a storm about one thing or another but just standing there in absolute silence made Rachael more uneasy. Thoughts of their last conversation went through Rachael's mind and she wondered if this was a sign that the poor dear was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's Disease.

"Don't you want to sit down?" Rachael asked but there was no response as she just stood there staring. "Margarett are you OK?" Still no response and Rachael fanned her tarot cards across the table face down but she started to stare back at her. She felt a tang of fear that she was going to have to call someone to take care of her. She started to wonder who could she call to get Margarett help? She had told her about being distanced from her family so who does that leave her with? Should she risk calling the police or would they yell at her for wasting their time on something like this.

Margarett suddenly grabbed the end of the table and threw it aside as Rachael sat there stunned as she watched her cards fly in all directions. Rachael could feel the words of protest raising in her throat but she could not make her mouth work. She felt paralyzed as Margarett grabbed her arm and looked like she was about to bite her. Rachael just sat looking and wondering if she was still dreaming and this was a nightmare from Cosma biting her last night.

Margarett suddenly stopped and she began to smell Rachael's arm. She had grabbed her left arm, the one not covered in bandages, and felt it firmly as she smelled it. Rachael had no idea what was going on and just watched and wondered if this was what it was like to have Alzymer's Disease. Margarett smelled a couple more times then released Rachael and began to walk away as if nothing had happened.

Rachael watched her leave the room and finally recovered her senses and screamed as loudly as she could. By the time Martha and Cindy ran into the room Margarett had left the shop. Rachael began to tell them the tale and they immediately urged her to call the police.

Joseph sat at his desk going over paperwork when his phone rang and he saw it was George calling him.

"Detective Namer how can..." Joseph began and George immediately interrupted him.

"I need you on a case that dispatch just sent over."

"Is it an emergency? My plate is kinda full with the Krong matter."

"It may be related. A fortune teller called saying a client of theirs just tried to attack one of the owners. They claim the aggressor tried to bite her after she entered the store and was acting strangely. When I heard about it; it reminded me of the animal attack at Krong's place. I thought you might wanna check it out." George said.

"But a fortune teller? I mean come on you know I don't believe in that nonsense." Joseph replied.

"It may be relevant as I said or do you have any more prominent leads to go on?"

"I'll get right on it." Joseph retorted. It felt as if he were being led on a wild goose chase but even he had to admit he had no better leads to go on. The autopsy had finally come in and a folder with the results was sitting on his desk. He planned to look over the findings later on after he finished a few more pressing cases that were ready to close.

He quickly put away the case files and dropped by George's office to get the address of the fortune teller. He tried to hide his disgust over being sent to a fortune teller but he remained stoic because he would not give George the satisfaction of knowing he had got to him. The look on George's face made him wonder if George was just conveniently using this as an excuse to make fun of him. George did have a slightly twisted sense of humor.

Being both a police officer then changing to detective have shown Joseph the value of skepticism in solving cases. It amazed him by using it; it had helped tremendously in solving difficult cases by looking at the facts and evidence. Using logic helped fit the pieces in place in order to draw a clear conclusion based on the facts. The philosopher Immanuel Kant soon became one of his favorite authors because it helped reinforce using science and skepticism in a more practical way. Too many people disregarded their uses and this made it easy to catch criminals. As such Joseph did not regard fortune telling as being of any value whatsoever.

Joseph arrived at the location and saw it was a store called the Incense Box. The outside looked like a regular shop with windows displaying merchandise. He saw the displays were centered on five pointed stars inside of circles. There were books with titles like: "When Angels Talk" and "The Five Chakras of Success." He recognized a couple of names remembering that the authors were Mediums that do readings on television. He wanted to roll his eyes but quickly remembered he needed to be professional.

He was allowed inside as he knocked and identified himself as being with the police. The store was amazingly empty and the lack of customers made him wonder how they managed to stay in business. An older woman approached and nodded to him and she held a mug of tea. The mug was black colored and in white lettering it said "I talk to dead people." It made him think of a movie that was out several years ago about a child that could talk to the dead and helped the police solve the murder of his best friend. While in theatres it was popular but once it left it was as soon forgotten.

"Hello detective. We are glad you rushed over. My name is Martha. I am one of the owners here." She said and her voice seemed calm and soft but deliberately slow as if she picked her words carefully.

"Thank you. I was sent here because of a disturbance, can you tell me what happened?" Joseph said as he removed his notebook and pen from his pocket.

"Do you have to wear that suit all day? It looks uncomfortable. Feel free to remove the tie because it looks like it's choking you." She said and Joseph's eyes widened at what he heard. Not many had complained that he was dressed professionally but he loosened his tie to be polite and set her at ease.

"Would you like some tea? I have this delicious green tea that is very healthy for you." She continued.

"Thank you. The reason why I was called here?" Joseph urged as she walked away to make him a cup. Nearby was a coffee machine that looked like one of the expensive fancy ones but a sign over it labeled it as a Cure-It brewer. He guessed it must be a New Age version much like churches might have their own name incorporated to promote the religion.

"Rachael is another owner here and she was scheduled to do a tarot card reading. Her clent, named Margarett, came in and attacked Rachael, then just left. Here is your tea dear." Martha said with her back to him but as the brewing cycle ended she turned and handed him a cup almost filled to the brim with green tea.

"Where is Rachael?" Joseph said and tried to politely take a sip but it was too hot to drink at the moment.

"She is in the second room," Martha turned and gestured but then reached out and caught his arm. He stopped moving and looked at where she was touching him then turned his gaze to see why she had stopped him.

"I see an older woman coming through, a mother or possibly a grandmother." Martha said and Joseph looked at her in surprise. He wondered what she was going on about but he knew next to nothing about fortune telling and Mediums.

"Huh?"

"She is coming through from the other side into our world. She is showing an image of a man about your age... he appears to be on the same plain as you so maybe a brother or close friend." Joseph was drawing a blank wondering who she was talking about. He did not have a brother and neither could he remember a friend dying, so he had no clue what she was going on about.

"She is trying to tell me your friend isn't dead." Martha said and her eyes rolled back into her head for a moment then she seemed to return to normal and she stood there smiling at him.

"He isn't?" Joseph said, still unsure who she was talking about. She quietly and gently patted his arm then walked away.

When he walked into the room the first thing he noticed was the table turned on it's side and cards were scattered everywhere. A young woman sat in a chair looking like she had been waiting a while. Her face looked as if he had been crying but a new look of determination showed itself, although she still had tear streaks on her face.

"Ma'am I'm Detective Namer, Fallen River City Police Department. I understand you were attacked. Could you please tell me what happened?"

"I have a client named Margarett who comes for weekly readings. She seems like a lonely sort with her family either wanting nothing to do with her or those that did, have passed on." Rachael said and it suddenly felt better to finally be able to talk to someone about it. Someone independent who would just listen and would not be showing her any apathy.

"She attacked you?" Joseph asked probing to get her to stay on topic. One thing that made interviewing difficult is that if the victim knows the attacker they have a hard time staying focussed. Most times they refuse to believe they were attacked or more pleasant memories cloud their thinking as a defence mechanism. Joseph was concerned that her relationship with Margarett might make it difficult for her to stay on topic.

"Yes and No," Rachel said, her eyes drifting upwards indicating she was trying to remember the event.

"Can you explain?"

"Well, She came in and threw the table, as you can see. Then she grabbed me and smelled me.... Then she left." Rachael said her expression changed to disbelief as if even she was not able to believe what happened.

"I couldn't help notice that your arm is bandaged up. Was that from Margarett grabbing you?" Joseph asked.

"No this was from my dog."

"Your dog?! Is she always that rough?" Joseph probed again remembering the recent attacks.

"No she is the sweetest most kind thing, but I guess she got too excited or didn't know who I was. After it happened she was very sad and she's been following me around like she is my bodyguard as if to apologise."

"She just randomly, out of the blue attacked? Do you know about the recent animal attacks lately?" Joseph asked.

"No."

"You did not hear it on the news?"

"I don't watch the news because there is so much negativity that it clouds the chakras." Rachael replied with a look like she expected him to berate her for not watching the news. He did feel her reasoning was foolish but decided not to comment. The last thing he wanted was to make a victim feel ashamed after coming forward.

"Lately there have been animals, mostly pets, biting and attacking their owners for no reason. Animal control is unsure why but they have a theory. Could we get you to submit your dog for examination to make sure it is not ill in any way? It might help us understand why the animals are suddenly attacking their owners." Joseph said.

"I doubt my dog is sick." Rachael replied.

"Has your dog been bitten by any other animal?"

"No and believe me I'd know if she was."

"Has she been acting strange in any other way? Moodiness, change in behavior?" Joseph asked.

"No and she was very sorry. Now she is super affectionate. Would she do that if she were sick?"

"I dunno. She may have had a sudden lapse in judgement. It could happen again and next time the victim might be a child. Do you want something like that to happen? I think that's why it is important to make sure she is healthy, don't you think?" Joseph said with urgency. So far no pet owners that were attacked had come forward with their animal. This might help if they had an infected animal they could research to see if this was a new form of rabies or something.

"What about Margarett?! Why don't you get her tested?" Rachael said deflecting.

"We will! I'm gonna get some information from the records here to see if you have anything on her. Name, address, and anything else that will tell me how to find her. But, and not to get sidetracked, you like many others were attacked by your own pet. If we can find out why then we can stop it from happening again. I mean what if Margarett was bit and she's acting like that because of some virus." Joseph said and saw a change in Rachael's face. She brightened as if she just remembered something.

"She told me her dog had bit her too. After that she had terrible headaches! Could the same thing really happen to me?" Rachael asked.

"I hope not but the only way to be sure is to get both of you checked out." Josephe pleaded hoping to get her to change her mind.

"I just feel so unsure about all this." She replied.

"What can I do to ease your mind? The testing won't take long and won't you feel better knowing that you can be sure that you and your dog are not sick???"

"I'll do it but only under one condition," She said as she stood up and began to collect her cards and stood up the table again. Joseph looked at her with curiosity at first then realized what she wanted even before she said it.

"I want to do a tarot reading to make sure I can trust you." Joseph flinched wondering why a reading on him would prove she could trust him? She seemed determined as she reset the room and he stood there confused but watching her absently before it suddenly struck him that he should be helping her but by the time he was ready to act, it was too late.