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“Would you like a drink?” I offered.
“No, thank you. I need my mind to be clear.”
“Okay…so what’s this about Greer?”
Marina’s eyes filled with tears as she took a small piece of folded white notebook paper out of her pocket.
“I know this is, like, so childish, but I wrote down everything I wanted to say—just bullet points—to make sure I didn’t forget anything. This might be the last time I ever talk to you.”
I didn’t confirm or deny her statement. I just wanted her to begin.
“Okay, first of all,” she began, pausing as if it was difficult for her to get the words out, “when you broke up with me on our anniversary, I didn’t see it coming. I was devastated. I acted like I didn’t understand why, but I think I did, even then. At the time, I didn’t know who she was to you, only that you’d seen that other woman—Greer—and you suddenly didn’t want me anymore.”
“Marina…”
“Just…just let me finish all of this. I tried to accept it. I did accept it because I believe the universe has a different plan for me. But I was also curious. You’re so intimidating. So…dominant. But she wasn’t scared of you. The way she spoke to you…I swear I just wanted to learn a little more about her. So, I asked Anna.”
“You what? Anna?”
“Eugenia was living at Richmond House. Don’t tell me you didn’t know she’d been running her mouth around town for months, talking about Sterling Richmond’s death and how unfairly his assets had been divided, and then about how his granddaughter was coming back. I saw Anna at the library a few days ago and thought she’d have the inside scoop.”
“And did she? What did she tell you about Greer?”
“That she was a stuck-up bitch. That if it wasn’t for Greer, she and Eugenia would own Richmond House. That Greer didn’t care about the house, she was just here to steal you away from me.”
“Marina. I know you’d have given her the benefit of the doubt. You’d never have believed the worst without seeing it yourself.”
“Normally, I wouldn’t. And I didn’t. But then Anna asked me to do her a favor. And I didn’t see the harm in agreeing.”
“What favor?” I asked, experiencing the familiar feeling of my blood thickening in my veins. Anger rising.
“She asked me to convince Greer to hold a ritual in the big downstairs room at Richmond House the next evening. I asked her which ritual she had in mind, but she said it didn’t matter. You have to believe me—I thought a séance would actually be helpful to Greer. And I wanted to meet her.”
I had no words, my brain working double time. Anna? Anna, who’d professed her love for me once? Who at one time openly hated Greer but now seemed like a different person? Shy. Meek. Apologetic. I’d interacted with her on several occasions in recent years, and though I suspected she still had a crush, she’d been nothing but professional. Why would little librarian Anna want Greer downstairs? Was it the occult ceremony that mattered? Or did she just need her away from the rest of the house? Why? Greer had said she’d seen Anna from the top of the scaffolding, and I’d thought it was a delusion…but now I wasn’t so sure.
“How was Eugenia involved in this plan?”
“She wasn’t. I called Greer, and it was her idea to invite Eugenia. A séance works best with lots of people.”
“I’m confused.” I sat back in the booth. “You proposed this…”
“Séance.”
“You proposed this séance as a favor to Anna? Or to help Greer? Or to meet Greer and size up the woman who quote, unquote stole me?”
“Honestly? For all those reasons. But mostly to help Greer.”
I searched Marina’s eyes for deception but could find none. She’d genuinely thought she was conducting a séance for the purpose of helping Greer. I only had one more question.
“You got to meet her. Was it all you’d hoped for?”
Marina gave a sad smile.
“Greer is very beautiful. Sharp, like a knife. And she’s struggling.”
“You sensed that from her…aura, or whatever?”
“No. I think anyone could see that.”
