Read Online Pall in the Family by Dawn Eastman - Free Book Online Page B

limits,” Vi told him.
    She didn’t tell him that without it the medium might as well pack up and move somewhere else. The law was passed decades ago and was still on the books, mostly because no one had had a reason to fight it. Whenever a new medium or psychic wanted to set up shop in Crystal Haven he or she had to interview with the city council and then pass a test that included giving readings to three council members. The certification process was not easy, but someone with Sara’s talent should have had no trouble.
    â€œTish had a rough couple of years, and she and Sara just didn’t see eye to eye on everything,” said Mom. “Tish thought Sara was too showy, and Tish didn’t care for the kinds of séances she was doing. But it was all within the regulations, and Tish had no recourse but to remove her concerns and allow the certificate to go through.” She started to clear the table, a signal that she was done talking about this topic.
    â€œWhat’s the deal with Sara’s divorce?” I asked, holding my plate as she tried to take it.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Vi glanced at my mother and then at me.
    â€œI heard there was some trouble there, too. Sara told me she and Gary had a custody battle over the dog.”
    â€œHis name is Tuffy,” Seth said, and grabbed the meat platter from my mother. Tuffy’s collar jingled as he lifted his head in response to Seth’s voice.
    â€œTuffy. They fought over him, and they were seen fighting recently in town.”
    â€œAre you involved in the investigation?” My father had perked up a bit now that Vi was done talking. He swirled his wineglass and allowed my mother to take his plate.
    â€œOnly in the sense that I discovered the body and they’ve been asking me questions,” I said, but I didn’t meet his eye. My father could always tell when I was hiding something.
    â€œWhen I heard on the scanner that you had found a 10-100, I thought maybe you could help them with the case, get back into the swing of things,” he said, studying the tablecloth. We had been over this ground before. My family tiptoed around the question of why I was living with them again. They knew I had been involved in a shooting incident while on duty. But they also knew I was keeping something from them. My “administrative leave” excuse was wearing thin.
    â€œI don’t know that they want my help,” I lied.
    â€œWhat’s a 10-100?” Seth said through a mouthful of potatoes.
    â€œDead body,” Dad and I said together.
    â€œI wish
we
could help somehow,” my mother said.
    â€œIf only mother were still alive,” Vi said with a heavy sigh.
    My father rolled his eyes. Vi brought most crises back to wishing my grandmother were alive. Agnes Greer had left her mark on Crystal Haven and on her two daughters, who wanted nothing more than to continue her work. Aunt Vi had always been jealous that my mother had snagged a guy named Fortune. Not for any love of my father, just that his name was such good advertising. Her only compensation was that Greer carried its own weighty heritage in Crystal Haven. Greer’s Woods, one of the largest public parks in the area, was named after my grandparents. Agnes’s work as a psychic had brought fame to Crystal Haven and her donation of a large parcel of land meant that she had put Crystal Haven and the name “Greer” literally “on the map.”
    â€œI wish I could have met her,” said Seth.
    â€œOh, she would have loved you, Seth,” my mother said. Her eyes welled up.
    â€œShe could have helped with this situation,” said Vi. “She could have contacted Sara for us and found out what happened. No problem.” She snapped her fingers to demonstrate how quickly we would have had our answer. “Sometimes I sense her here with us.” She looked up to the ceiling.
    â€œMother has never come back to us.