Jason pushed the button for the third floor. “We’re meeting in their apartment, if you don’t mind. I guess they feel more comfortable there. They said it helps to connect in their um… sacred space, I think they called it.”
Joe shrugged. “Whatever floats their boat.”
Jason chuckled.
As soon as they arrived at 3B, the door opened. Jason had just lifted his fist to knock but didn’t have the chance.“You gotta love psychics.”
“Come in, gentlemen,” Gwyneth said. “How nice to see y’all again, Mister Murphy.”
“Nice to see you again too, Gwyneth. You look lovely.”
“Why, thank you.”
She blushed that peachy color only redheads can turn. Chad thought he saw a little mutual attraction going on there.
Morgaine was already seated. A teapot steamed on the coffee table in front of her. Four unmatched bone china cups and saucers had been laid out. Honey and milk took center stage along with a plate of cookies.
“Can I pour either of you gentlemen a cup of tea?” she asked.
“Thank you,” Joe said.
Jason shook his head. “I have to go after this. I’m taking Merry out to do some Christmas shopping.”
“Morgaine, please don’t tell me you’re going to do the Southern manners thing again and chit chat the afternoon away. I’m dying over here.”
She chuckled. “Be patient, Chad. You’ve waited over forty years; you can wait another four minutes.”
“Is Chad getting restless?” Jason asked.
“Oh, he’s been fussin’ about this all day,” Gwyneth said. “‘When are they gonna get here? Can’t you call and tell ’em to hurry it up?’ He’s been drivin’ us crazy.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have planned this get together when he was listening,” Morgaine said.
Joe frowned. “How can you tell if he’s around anyway?”
“We ask him to announce himself. It’s only polite.” Morgaine handed Joe his tea. “Eavesdropping doesn’t show respect, and we expect to be treated with the same respect we show others.”
“That’s good. Otherwise, it might prove very inconvenient to have him around. Of course, now that I have an answer for him, he shouldn’t be around much longer, right?”
“We hope he can move on to Summerland after that,” Gwyneth said.
Joe raised his eyebrows. “Summerland? Is that some kind of rest home for spirits?”
Gwyneth and Morgaine laughed.
“Aren’t you just precious? Bless your heart. No, Summerland is what we call the place spirits get to. Kinda like what some people call Heaven. And we believe in reincarnation after that.”
“Okay, okay. The Wicca lesson is over, girls. Get to the point, will you?”
Morgaine sighed. “I’m sorry gentlemen, Chad is trying to push us along.”
“That’s fine,” Joe said. “We can chat more after he’s gone.”
“What makes him so sure I’ll be gone? None of us know what’s going to happen after this.” He seems downright anxious to get rid of me, though.
Joe gazed at the ceiling. “So, Chad. It’s a good thing I researched the international angle. I managed to obtain some fingerprints from your old case file and a friend of mine ran them through Interpol. The guys’ names were Hans Gottlieb and Franz Keiser.”
“Hans and Franz. You’ve got to be kidding.”
