Sunday, November 11th, Early Afternoon

Something cool brought her up from the dark depths.  However, this time, her mind was quiet with no harrowing afterimages.  Jennifer’s eyes fluttered open and she looked up into Betty’s concerned whiskey brown ones.

“Don’t scare me like that!  I didn’t know what to think.  You’ve been out for twenty minutes!  How’re you feeling?”

Alarmed, Jennifer tried to sit up, noticing she was on the couch.

“No!  Lie down.  Stay still because I have no idea what’s going on with you.  You better start talking.  You need anything?  Water?  Something stronger?”

Jennifer settled back against the pillows and shook her head.  Neither food, nor drink, would make her feel better.

“Okay, shoot.”

Jennifer started talking.  She began with her childhood, the death of her uncle, the shrinks and the horrible mess that was her high school experience.  She fast forwarded to the taking of the .38 unwittingly, recapped the midnight cleaning frenzy on Thursday night, got through traveling to Resorts and the cashing her winnings and just about broke down about the Friday night blank out.  Face awash with tears, Jennifer hiccupped through her Saturday morning’s revelations, including the receipt and the additional cash, then finished up with the dreams from the night before and the one on the railroad.

“Putting it all together, something’s going on with me, to me, around me…I don’t know!  Whatever it is, I don’t like it.  But here’s the thing, even though I’m not in control I’m so much more clear.  I can focus my thoughts, the past isn’t crippling me anymore and my job is not just about carrying a gun to protect myself.  Or, blindly trying to win the lotto so I can quit.”  She looked up at Betty and flushed pink at the inadvertent admission.  “That wasn’t so much of a surprise, was it?”

“Nope.  Of everything you’ve said, that was the one piece I knew,” Betty shrugged, “We’ve all been shocked at how you’ve stepped up to the plate and gone gangbusters with the Barnes murder.  I’m proud of you – we all are.  But shit, you should’ve gotten help.  I don’t know how you managed to pass all the psych exams and get on the force with all the crap you’re carrying around.  Then you get tapped for the Barnes case?  Brutal.  You?  Carrying a gun?  I’m friggin’ scared.  Damn good thing I’m not a dude, or else – wait!  If a guy even thinks of raping you he’s gonna to get plugged.”  Betty shook her head staring at her colleague with newfound understanding.

Jennifer sucked in a noisy breath and let it out.  “You’re right.  I learned how to act to get past the teachers, principal, social workers, therapists, and whatnot at the millions of facilities I had to live in those four years.  Shit, I learned how to act from Mom.  She pretended all was good for years.  So here I come.  Me?  Making a fuss?  It wasn’t done.  Had to pretend.  Did it so much it became the norm.”

Looking stern, Betty asked, “Are you pretending now?  I need you to be a hundred percent straight with me.”

Jennifer looked up and shook her head for emphasis.  “I’m not pretending.  I have no idea what it all means especially the receipt part.  I’m so OCD that for me to have a crumpled receipt in my bag?  No fucking way.  To wake up on my couch fully clothed?  And to have three rounds missing? Something’s not right.”

“Have you looked at the news today?”

Jennifer pursed her lips while thinking. 

Betty snorted, “If you have to think about it the answer’s no.” Betty grabbed the remote and clicked on her flat screen TV and flipped to News 12.

Jennifer stared at the screen, her eyes getting wider and wider.  There was a still shot of a blackened hotel room in the upper right hand corner of the screen with the reporter in the foreground in the studio talking, but there was no sound.

“Turn it up!” Jennifer ordered.

“…found in the room alone.  The body has been identified as that of Derrick Palmer.”  As the man’s name was stated, a picture of him replaced the burnt out room.

Jennifer heard a sharp intake of breath along with a keening sound.  It was only when Betty’s hands clasped hers that she realized she had been making the sound.

“Jennifer, shh…I want to hear this.”

She stopped her whimpering as she mentally superimposed Palmer’s image and the image of the dead man from her dreams.  Jennifer knew it was the same man.

“A representative from the hotel told the police that Palmer checked-in with a woman but no other remains were found in the room.  We’re told the hotel security cameras were not functioning that night so no images of the woman are available.  However, she is wanted for questioning.  Authorities are asking the woman to come forward as she is a person of interest…”

Jennifer snatched the remote and clicked the TV off.

“What did you do that for?”

“I don’t want to hear any more.”

“But I do!  We need details, Jenn.  You need to know where this happened and one of us, probably me, should go and check it out.”

“You’re already assuming I did it, huh?” Jennifer surged off the couch and began pacing.

“You recognized him.” 

When she received no answer from the pacing woman Betty continued. “I’m not assuming anything but all the pieces seem to fit from what you’ve told me. The dreams, the burnt room, a tall blond man...they didn’t mention anything about the stomach cavity…”

“Yeah, and why would they?”  Jennifer stopped pacing.  Her eyes were riveted on Betty’s as she continued her thought. “If someone volunteers that information…”

“That’s their person of interest.”  It was Betty’s turn to sigh.  “Okay, Jenn, so how about you go into the kitchen and make yourself some lunch while I find out more details?”

Jennifer looked across at her and gave her a wan smile. “I’ll go into the kitchen and you can turn the TV back on low.  I promise not to wig out, or eat your brains.  Is that good, Mommy?”

“It’s not my brains I’m worried about now is it?”

Jennifer stuck her tongue out at Betty before heading to the kitchen, but smiled when she had turned back.  It felt good to have someone whom she could safely confide in.

Half an hour later, Betty came into the kitchen with some printed screenshots that she flipped through as she spoke.  “So, it happened in Brooklyn, but only just.  It’s a spot called The Riviera on Atlantic Avenue.  Driving, you can get to this fleabag from the casino in less than fifteen minutes with no traffic.  It was him who chose the spot, right?”

Jennifer speared her with a sharp look.

 “All right, all right.  No memory.  I had to check.” Going back to the sheets Betty said, “He was a big guy.  Six foot two.  Educated at Yale.  A lawyer.  Left behind a wife and two little girls…”  Betty looked up and saw Jennifer turn green.  Betty flipped through a few more pages and said, “Says here, he had a history of stepping out on his wife.  Shortly after his death came to light — earlier today — this bimbo said she had an affair with him and she’s pregnant with his kid.  She’s some sort of call girl in a swanky Upper Eastside pad that she says he pays for…”  Betty looked up at Jennifer with wide eyes before glancing back down.  “Can you believe this?  To the tune of $7,500 a month!”

Jennifer whistled. “That’s a lot of dough.  Wonder how he hid that?”

Betty shrugged and dropped onto one of the seats. “So, he wasn’t the best of the bunch.  You might have done the world a favor, or at least his wife.”

“That’s not funny!”

“What I want to know is how you managed to hook up with someone like him.  You went from being dude-o-phobic to a man magnet in a few days.” Betty gazed at her for several long moments but Jennifer had no response.

Betty continued.  “Other than the blackouts and the dreams anything else going on?  Do you remember tripping and hitting your head…?”

“I didn’t bang my head and become schizophrenic if that’s where you’re headed.  The only tripping and falling I remember is at the Barnes murder site.  I tripped while gagging.”

Betty’s eyes narrowed.  “At the murder scene?”

“Yeah.  Why?”

“Weird place to trip.  You hit your head?”

“Good smack against some new glasphalt they poured earlier that day.  It had a tarp over it and I wanted to make sure I didn’t contaminate the scene, so in my haste,” she shrugged sheepishly, “I guess I just tripped on the body, the tarp — I can’t remember.  All I know is I fell and hit the side of my head.  Had a scratch ‘cause there was a bit of blood on my head but it was nothing; no skin breakage.”

Betty tilted Jennifer’s head to the side and leaned over to inspect her forehead.  “Nothing.”

“I just said that.”

With an inquisitive look on her face, Betty got up and walked into the living room.  Jennifer trailed after her.

At the bookshelf near the bay window, Betty was flipping through a thick old fashioned tome with gilt edges.  Her finger whizzed across a page every now and then before slowing down.  However, after several intense minutes of reading and skimming, Betty’s left index finger poked at the book, and with a grunt she muttered something.  She then took her time to study the passage while mumbling to herself some more.

Jennifer crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she waited.  She knew better than to interrupt Betty’s concentration.  As Jennifer stood there, her mind wandered to Betty’s secret.  How the hell had she kept this huge part of her life hidden from a bunch of cops?  Jennifer wondered if her friend had any other secrets.

Betty looked up at that moment. “That would explain Bastille’s reaction.”

“If you would let me into the conversation I would deeply appreciate it.”

“You ever hear of a Sprite or a Fury?”

“Sure, the first one’s a soft drink and the second’s that thing I’m about to get into if you don’t tell me what the hell you’re talking about.”  Her voice rose with the fear she was trying to keep at bay.

“Hell is right.  That’s where these things are from.  I’d say it’s probably a Fury because of the aggression against men…men who have perpetrated evil towards women.”

Jennifer blinked three times and spun on her heel and said, “Okay, I’m outta here.  You’re fuckin’ nuts!”

“Bastille!  Come here, now.”

Still heading toward the door, Jennifer saw a black streak pass her and within seconds the door was barred by the snarling cat.

The Fury came out to see what the commotion was about.  It saw the pentagrams and the hissing cat and became uneasy.  Abatu couldn’t afford to have the witch and her familiar throw it in jeopardy.  Kyma’s killer had yet to be found and the Fury was just beginning to have some fun.  The demon hissed back at the cat.

Watching Jennifer hiss at Bastille spooked Betty.  As she stifled a cry, the heavy book fell from her hands and thudded to the floor.

In seconds, Jennifer felt something heavy, and white, drop over her from behind.  It was some sort of heavy cloak.  She thrashed but could not get free.  She heard Betty saying words she didn’t understand and heard the splatter of water.    When the sound of the gong boomed, something deep inside of Jennifer quaked and rattled her to her core.  With a strangled gurgle, Jennifer fell into a dead faint and crumpled to the floor.

***

Abatu was incensed.  The Jennifer host was unconscious and Abatu was suspended in midair by the lady cop vis à vis witch.  Snarling and snapping its claws was proving ineffectual therefore the Fury tried to possess Betty.  However, when it tried to breach the woman’s spirit, the demon encountered a wall that completely encased the blasted woman.  Abatu shrieked.

“That’s right you mean little fucker.  You can’t jump into me!  I’m on to you!”  Arms outstretched with her palms facing the demon, Betty held the demon in an impenetrable spherical force field.  Watching the diminutive demon squirm in hopes of escaping, Betty almost laughed, but she knew better.

“You’re so damned tiny!  Hard to believe that you’ve been causing Jennifer all this trouble.  But, unlike our world, size doesn’t matter in the spirit world, does it?”

Ignoring her comment, the Fury turned and hissed at its captor.

“What do you want from me?  I did not bother you…”>;>;

Betty was taken aback.  The voice was deep and menacing as it reverberated inside her mind.  “You already know; leave Jennifer alone.”

;>; The Fury crooned using its powers of persuasion. ;>;

“That’s a lie!  You jumped into her from the dead woman!  When Jennifer hit her head!”  Betty’s mind made the connection just as a rusty tinderbox laugh filled her mind shaking the confidence in her theory.

“Not quite, witch.  It’s a good deduction, but no cigar.”>;>;

Betty chewed on her lip wondering if the Fury was trying to mess with her.  She increased the number of protective spirit layers around herself, and her aura; this demon was insidious and she had better not underestimate its powers.  However, the effort of protecting herself and entrapping the Fury was taking a toll.  Betty began to sweat.  She quickly sent a telepathic prayer-message to Lady Ariella, the High Priestess of her coven.  Within thirty seconds, her phone rang.  Keeping her concentration trained on maintaining the protective imprisoning sphere, Betty backed her way to the phone on the credenza near the entrance to the kitchen.  She picked up on the third ring.

“You’re never going to believe this one, Lady Ariella.”

“Try me.”

“A fellow officer got herself snared by a Fury.  I’ve got it trapped in a spirit sphere and I’m fresh out of ideas on what to do next.”

“You’re home?”

“Affirmative.”

“See you in fifteen.  Can you hold out that long?”

A long pregnant pause passed as the High Priestess sent a prayer-message to her eldest coven member.  Betty grunted to let her know the message was received.

“I’ll try to get there faster.”

“Thank you, my Lady.”

The line went dead.  Dropping the phone, she leaned over and scooped up a small round object also on the credenza.  Walking back to the spirit sphere, she inspected her handiwork and the Fury within it, whose back was now turned.

“What are you up to in there?”

“Ponder well upon my likeness,

You’d do well to quote my speech.

Here in your world of light and darkness;

The balance has been lost!

Rains, winds and the hounds of Hell,

Hath ruined the fields of the Dell.

No need to look for clues,

All you need is to book your cruise —

To the Underworld from where I arise;

I will take you back with thunderous drums

And peel the skin right from your bones and

Grate your skin into my nose to be as petals of a rose gone old.

I feel you quake, shiver and roll as my rage grows evermore!

Stop this charade of imprisonment do!  Or else, you too shall rue

The day you interfered and broke the chain from host to Fury Abatu!”

The Fury’s incantation grew in pitch until the onslaught of sound brought incredible pain into Betty’s cranium.  Fighting with every ounce of her strength, Betty bit down hard on her tongue until she tasted blood.   The pain ground to a halt and the Fury watched, salivating, as a thin trail of blood leaked out of Betty’s mouth.

“Come and get me you old bitch.  Come and get me if you dare,” whispered Betty, opening her eyes as she panted and dragged more oxygen into her lungs.

The Fury bellowed and ran straight through the sphere bursting it into tiny shards that rained down on the still unconscious Jennifer wrapped in the cloak.  The demon zoomed straight toward Betty who was bouncing on the balls of her feet like a third baseman trying to strike out the favored runner.  Betty smirked at the small ball of furious demon hurtling towards her.  At the last second, Betty pulled the round object out and trapped the Fury inside a polished mini globe paperweight made of lead crystal.

Betty immediately kneeled and prayed as the High Priestess instructed her via the last prayer-message.

“Peaceful Mother of the Earth, hear my prayer.  I beseech you to triple my powers of concentration, tolerance and patience to hold captive this pugnacious visitor from the Ancient One who wishes us more harm than good.  Give me the sustenance that I require to maintain this entrapment to protect the life and soul of Jennifer Holden.  I ask this of you, and so shall it be!”

Little pinpricks of light began to dot the room until everything felt light, even the air. As the room filled with the ephemeral beauty of the Earth Mother goddess, the feeling of lightness of being progressed until everything in the room felt lighter than the coolest mountain breeze in mid spring including Betty.  Her fatigue drained away as the radiant light buoyed her mind and made the task of keeping the Fury contained not even a slight difficulty.

Betty grinned as she saw the light envelop Jennifer’s prone body.  The white of the cloak shined brightly as the light slid over her friend.

Unbeknownst to Betty, the Earth Goddess was healing the damage the Fury had caused in Jennifer’s mind, body and soul.

Time crept as the Goddess did her work.  The deity distributed Her white light into every corner, under every nook. She poked Her brilliance into each crevice until no dark spaces could be found anywhere in Betty’s house, or on the grounds her home rested upon.

Betty felt a caress upon her cheek and closed her eyes to take in the wondrous sensation.  She allowed herself to relax into the Goddess’ healing and smiled her pleasure when the Fury was first iced, then silenced, by the Goddess.  The icicle-laden lead crystal sphere fell to the floor with a thud.

The light diminished in stages as if a dial was being turned down until the room returned to normal luminosity.

And then, the doorbell rang.

Rising slowly, Betty went to let Lady Ariella in.

***

“You’ve done very well, my sister,” Ariella’s sliver earrings studded with turquoise, rose quartz and obsidian touched Betty’s shoulder as the matronly woman moved to embrace Betty.  The High Priestess wiped Betty’s brow with her thumb and tasted it.  “Much agony and fear; I see the Mother answered your call and made you strong again.  I’m glad you called on Her.”

“Kind of had no choice because there was no way I was holding that thing off until you got here.  Besides, you told me to call.”

The High Priestess looked over at the white-cloaked bundle on the floor.

“We need to speak with her now.  We must know what she remembers.”

“But — the Fury?”

“The Goddess has entrapped it.”

“For how long?  What do we do with it?  Is it gone?  Is Jennifer safe?  She murdered a man!”

Shooting Betty a stern look, the High Priestess moved over to Jennifer and pulled the cloak off of her, being mindful of the tiny glass shards.

“Haven’t you learned the ways of the Mother yet?  All is as it should be.  The Mother brings things back into balance.  Sometimes we understand, and other times…we do not.  Take care and remember that.”

Puzzled, Betty looked at the High Priestess and prayed that one day she would become as calm and wise as the woman before her.  She went to help the High Priestess assist Jennifer onto the couch.

“She’s coming to.  Should I get her some water?”

“No, she will be refreshed from the Mother’s healing.  She’ll be fine.  Name?”

“Jennifer Holden…Detective Holden…uhm, also called Holy Holden — she’s an atheist.”

“Right, your colleague.  No practicing religion of any kind?  Not even as a child?”

“Not that she’s ever said to me.  This is not a regular topic among cops, Lady Ariella.”

“Hmm.  Family practices?”

“Ah, no real family structure to speak of; not even sure if her mother’s still in the picture.  Raped by her uncle….”

Lifting her hand, the high priestess shook her head. “Oh dear,” Lady Ariella looked down at the slim Black woman now settled on the couch and a frown creased her brow.  More to herself than to Betty, she muttered, “I wonder what our Divine Mother has in store for you.”

Lady Ariella took Jennifer’s hand and patted it three times.  Within moments, Jennifer’s eyes fluttered open.  She stretched as if she was surfacing from a long restful night’s sleep.

When she focused on who was touching her, she drew her hands back and exclaimed, “Whoa!  Who are you?!”

“Jennifer?  This is my Aunt Cora!  She was in the neighborhood and stopped by to pay me a visit and you…fell asleep after lunch so I didn’t want to disturb you and… Say hi to Cora!  Jennifer, Cora.  Cora, Jennifer.  Anybody want some tea?  Water?  Something stronger?”

Betty stumbled through her lies and stood ready to flee into the safety of the kitchen when she saw thunder clouds of accusation brewing in Jennifer’s eyes.

“Jennifer, what do you remember of today?” Lady Ariella questioned.

“Bad dreams.  Coming here to talk to Feinster about – a problem I’m experiencing, with work then, eating.  Next, coming into the living room and feeling this heavy thing drop on me and nothing after that,” Jennifer answered with lowered eyebrows and distrust radiating from her.

“Okay, good.  Thank you for sharing that.  Now, let me clear up some things,” Lady
Ariella turned to Betty and said, “Kamali, please make us all some tea.”  She waited until Betty left the room before speaking.

“My name is Cora Wadsworth.  I am also known as Lady Ariella, the High Priestess of the East Raven coven where Betty – Kamali – is the eldest member.  She’s been a member for the better part of 5 years and is an initiated First Degree witch.  She’s a good and dedicated priestess but high-strung, not quite as trusting in the Mother as I’d like her to be.  I’m sure being a police officer has something to do with her skepticism levels.”

Jennifer grinned at that and her shoulders eased down a notch.

“Now, getting back to you, Kamali clearly has a strong bond with you and that is what may have saved your life.”

It finally clicked.  Kamili was Betty.  Jennifer jerked as if she had been electrocuted. Feinster has a complete other identity! And, she’s a witch?!  Ignoring her confusion she tried to stay focused on what was important.

“Saved my life?  But, I wasn’t in any danger.”

“On the contrary, yes, you were, and still may be.  I can’t explain it all since you are not familiar with anything of a spiritual nature but you had a demon that was living in your body.  That demon most probably killed a man however, that murder may well be pinned on you as, in essence, you did do the crime – at least your body did.  In reality, you are as innocent as a young babe.  But, in the eyes of the law, you already know how what I have just said will sound to a judge, or jury.”

Jennifer nodded her head slowly.  However, she knew that she had to move with caution around this Cora person because while Betty’s friend appeared rational, she was actually stark raving mad. 

As soon as she could, Jennifer would escape to the kitchen and have a word, or two, with Betty about choosing better friends.

But, if this woman is right?  Then everything would make so much sense!

“While you’re planning on having a talk with Kamali about my sweet eccentricity, I suggest you listen to me for a while longer.  These bad dreams, can you share them with me?”

Jennifer stilled.  How did she know?  Is she a witch, too?

“If you’re into hierarchy, I’m actually the head witch.”

 “You do read minds!”

“That wasn’t much of a mind read as much as body language, facial tics and cues.  For a cop, you have a horrific poker face.  That is to say, you don’t have one,” said Lady Ariella with a bright gleam in her eyes.

Jennifer covered her mouth with her hand and eased away from Lady Ariella.  Jennifer looked over at the clock above the gong and said, “Would you look at the time?  I need to get going and catch the train back home.  Would you excuse me?”

A vise grip restrained Jennifer from fleeing.  Jennifer was shocked at the strength of the high priestess who looked like someone’s well-toned New Age-inclined grandmother.

“There are other ways for me to get the dream out of your mind.  However, I’d prefer if you told me.  And, yes, I am a good witch.”

Spooked by the age-old look in Lady Ariella’s eyes, Jennifer resettled on the couch, then after taking a deep breath, re-told her dreams and the circumstances surrounding them.  Jennifer spoke for a good while before ending with, “So, when Betty saw the news story on Derrick Palmer in the burnt out motel room, that clinched it, the blond guy from my dream?  It was him!”

“Okay, now that you’ve told me your story, what do you think of my story?” asked the High Priestess.

At that moment, Betty came back in with a tray of mugs and a bowl with teabags, a small jar of honey and a white and gold sugar bowl with the sweetest little ornate silver sugar spoon sticking out of it.  Betty set the tray down on the coffee table and took a seat on the other side of Jennifer so that Jennifer was now flanked on both sides.

Jennifer looked at Betty. 

Betty gave her a winning smile.

Jennifer looked at Lady Ariella who tilted her head and waited for a response. 

The youngest woman in the room realized she had to find out the truth and there were precious few people she could turn to.  Trust was something she had never given away freely; it was too easily abused by those she had loved in the past.  However, what choice did she have now?  Her life had seemed to be all about boring routine, yet in the last few weeks, it seemed as if her life had been about to take off.  But to where?  With the memory lapses and strange behavior, where could any of it lead?  She went with her gut.

“Your story may have some merit…possibly.  What kind of demon did you say it was?”

“A Fury.  It’s an avenging demonic spirit that comes to right any wrongs, and, of course,kill the wrong-doer.  It has a particular fondness for protecting women,” Betty said with a smirk.

Scrunching up her face, Jennifer said, “That doesn’t sound so bad.  This thing wanted to help me find Kyma’s killer, right?  ‘Cause after I banged my head is when things began to get clearer about the case and when I started OD’ing on the caffeine and Red Bull.  Either way, I had the stamina to keep up with all of the energy I felt streaming through me...”

“Oh, yes!  The Fury would have assisted in unblocking some…obstacles in your particular mind/body pattern to allow you to be a more effective tool for it to work through.  So, initially the Fury was a boon to you.  But once the killer was found and dealt with, the Fury would own your soul and use your body until it was no longer useful.  And, in the meantime, to keep the Fury in tip-top shape, it would have made you kill men on the side to consume their life-force so it could maintain its existence on Earth,” said Lady Ariella in a voice devoid of any emotion.

Jennifer turned green.  “Oh.”

Betty gave Lady Ariella a sharp look. 

Lady Ariella shrugged but did have an apologetic look on her face.

“So, how often does this thing need to feed?” asked Jennifer.

“Each one is different in their needs.  It depends upon the Fury’s age and its propensities.  When was the original murder — when the Fury possessed Jennifer?”

“Early morning on Halloween,” Betty blurted.

“Hmm, not quite two weeks ago.  And you recall only this one blond man?”

“Yeah…”

Lady Ariella gave Jennifer a pointed stare.  “Don’t keep anything from me.  What else is there?”

“There are three rounds missing from my gun.  But, I’m pretty sure that I would have only needed one shot to kill the blond guy since it was…close range.”  Jennifer dropped her eyes and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Lady Ariella understood immediately. “I see.  So, where do you think the other two bullets went?  Maybe shot into the room?”

“If I set a fire, there didn’t need to be any other shots.  The one shot was risky enough as that may have been heard…”

“So, you think that maybe…?” Betty trailed off as the High Priestess gave Betty a slight shake of her head.  They both looked at Jennifer.

“There’s only one way to find out for sure…” Lady Ariella said.

“…you have to go in and see,” finished Betty.

“Yes.”

“Ah…Ladies?  Go in where?”

“Inside your spirit,” the witches said in unison.

***

Jennifer looked back and forth between the two women who were both trying to outtalk one another.  Betty jumped up and kicked the lead crystal ball that enclosed the Fury before picking it up and holding it towards the High Priestess.

“So what do we do with this?”

“The Earth Mother did it so it should be buried in the earth.  Bury it in your garden.  It will keep there.  The Goddess’ natural magic will keep the demon in check.”

“What do I have to do?” asked Jennifer.

“Nothing!  Sit down and relax,” Betty said, pacing with the sphere in her hand.  “Right now is the easy part for you.  In the next few weeks, when things start coming to light about the Palmer murder?”  Betty noisily blew out a breath before continuing.  “I don’t know.  But, for right now?  Things are under control.  Just sit tight.  I’m gonna go bury this sphere.  I’ll be back in a jiff.”

Betty walked into the kitchen.

Jennifer and Lady Ariella heard Betty rummaging through the supply closet before banging her way out the back door.

Jennifer turned to Lady Ariella who had begun tidying up the living room.  She watched as the older woman sought out every piece of glass and drop each piece on the heavy white cloak.  Lady Ariella moved with grace and verve. 

The older woman was studiously ignoring Jennifer. 

Shrugging, Jennifer leaned forward, snagged the remote and flicked on the TV trying to find something to get her mind off of everything.  Jennifer came across Independence Day, the Will Smith blockbuster movie, and grinned.  The movie had just started a little while ago; Jeff Goldblum was riding inside on his bike and Harvey Fierstein was an irritating worry-wart telling him something was really wrong.  Goldblum was unflappable.  Jennifer watched and wished for time to go back to the day she first saw the movie well over a decade ago. 

“God, he’s hot,” Lady Ariella came to stand just behind the couch and watched along with Jennifer.

“Don’t you mean was hot?”  Jennifer looked up at the High Priestess with a hint of a smile in her eyes.

Lady Ariella made a sound that was suspiciously giggle-like.  Jennifer noticed the older woman’s cheeks turn a faint shade of pink.

“At my age, that man is still hot.  I’ve seen recent pics of him on Google and he makes me shiver all over.  Now, turn it off.  We need to chat before Kamali returns.”

Trying to hide her smile, Jennifer clicked off the TV and moved over to make room for the high priestess.

“There’s no real way to say it, except to say it.  Jennifer, your life is going to have to change.  Now that you’ve been touched by a denizen of evil, you will have to be very careful.  Evil will think you belong to them.  The only way to deter them would be for you to begin practicing some kind of faith.”

“Like going to church?”

Lady Ariella paused, then smiled, but the levity did not reach her eyes.  “Not quite.  For many who go to church, they partake of the service, communion and the fellowship with the other parishioners.  Many do not take the teachings and lessons to heart in their day-to-day lives.  That’s exactly what you need – to have a daily intimate relationship with something greater than yourself.  You need a hard tangible practice that is actionable.  Then, if any other dark entity appears you’ll know how to disarm it and protect yourself as Kamali did for you today.  Make sense?”  Her eyes bore holes into Jennifer.

Jennifer knew what Lady Ariella was saying but she didn’t want to accept it.  Not yet anyways.  It was all too much.

“I’m not going to become a witch, or whatever, you both are.  I can handle this on my own.  I’ve got a Bible at home.  Crosses are easy to acquire and, so’s Holy Water.”

A sad smile trembled upon Lady Ariella’s mouth.  “Yes, you know the implements to be used.  Every hack horror movie uses them.  However, Miss Holy Holden, do you have the faith to make those implements work?  The items alone do absolutely nothing.  The force, the activator, is one’s faith.”

Lady Ariella studied Jennifer closely peering into her eyes as if she could see into her soul.  She’s no crack in Jennifer’s armor, the high priestess continued using a different tack. “What do you believe in Jennifer?  Is there something outside yourself that you have faith in?”

The young detective’s mind went blank.  Jennifer blinked a few times hoping something would come to her mind to rescue her from this woman’s perfectly reasonable question. Nothing came.  Not one spark, or an iota, of an idea came to her aid.  She had not one ounce of faith in anything other than her gun and her badge.

Jennifer did have a strong belief in one thing – that she would hit the lotto big someday — and that had partially come true but she wasn’t sure if she’d live long enough to deposit her winnings.

“I believe that I will wake up every morning.  And, that I will be able to protect myself from harm if I have my gun and…that I will be okay financially.  I have — faith — in those things.”

Lady Ariella reached out and patted Jennifer’s hand and held it for a long moment.  “Your life hasn’t been such a good one so far, has it little one?”

Jennifer pulled her hand out from between but Lady Ariella’s motherly clasp. 

Lady Ariella was joyful!  She had found a chink in Jennifer’s armor. 

Looking into the older woman’s eyes, Jennifer blurted it out before she had time to think it through.

“Today this guy I just met, did some kind of card reading thing and it said that there were a lot of bad omens around me and that…that I may die.  It said that I have no control of what’s going on around me.  Or, at least, that’s what I understood it to say.  Do you know if it’s true?  Am I going to die?”  Jennifer’s eyes were wide and pleading.

The back door opened and they heard Betty rumble in putting her garden implements away.

Jennifer waited none too patiently as she shook her head willing the tears back.  She waited for a life line from this perfect stranger, a thread of hope, to help take her out of the pit of fear Jennifer found herself in.

Lady Ariella grabbed both of Jennifer’s hands and pressed them between her own once more. “If you were supposed to be dead, you’d be dead already.  Kamali saved you.  Remember that when you’re thinking about things over the next few days.  It’s clear that whoever this guy is, he’s part of the Goddess’ plan as some of what you need to know was revealed through him.  I beg you, keep Independence Day in mind.  Everyone in that movie was faced with a challenge that they never dealt with before.  They had to have faith in something greater than themselves because they were tasked to save the planet and all of the people on it.  It took courage, defiance and guts.  All the things we Americans love, right?  That’s what you need to think about.  Those are the qualities you need to look for in yourself.  You’re in a fight right now and it’s a dirty one.  One that if you don’t use every single trick in the book, you won’t be around long enough to try something else.  Being part of a coven would accelerate your learning curve and give you support.  Think about it.”  Lady Ariella patted the back of Jennifer’s hand, got to her feet, and went into the kitchen.

Joining a coven?  What the hell is my life coming to?

Shaking herself out of the Twilight Zone Jennifer checked the time.  It was almost six o’clock.  She should head back to Brooklyn but she really didn’t want to face her apartment, and the missing bullets, alone.  She refocused on the TV and waited until Lady Ariella and Betty came out of the kitchen. 

Jennifer heard Betty’s cell ring a couple of times before being picked it up. Jennifer heard her friend answering the call in her cop voice and Jennifer’s ears perked. 

Usually an officer was not called when they were off duty but they were detectives – someone had died. 

Jennifer heard a long silence.  It felt tense.  Jennifer heard Betty say, “Damnit!  Why’s it my turn already?  Yeah, I’ll be in.  Give me ‘bout an hour. I’ll be in.”

Jennifer was up and moving into the kitchen, Lady Ariella followed her, all thoughts of Jennifer’s own predicament were pushed to the side. 

“What?” Jennifer asked tersely.

“Ever hear of Stagg Rennkler?”

Lady Ariella and Jennifer both made incredulous sounds.

“Who hasn’t?  He’s the freakin’ billionaire’s billionaire.  Why?” asked Jennifer.

“He’s dead.  I’m on the case and I’ve got to be at the precinct like an hour ago.”

“What?  How the hell do you get the case?”

“Seems Rennkler bought it down by the Waterfront in Dumbo.  The Mayor’s calling for a team to be put together immediately.  That puts the case squarely in our house and I’m one of the senior detectives in the precinct.”  Betty sighed and ran a slightly muddy hand through her hair.  She snapped herself out of it and moved while speaking as she strode out of the kitchen.

“Okay, Holden I’m giving you a ride back to Brooklyn.  We’ll have to finish this later Lady Ariella.  Duty calls.  I’m going to see about having you on the case this way we get your amped up perceptions and I get to keep an eye on you at the same time.”

“I don’t need a babysitter!  Wait – amped up perceptions?  The demon’s gone, right?”

“No one said, or implied, you needed one.  What you need is a damned spirit guide but we don’t have time to teach you how to connect with yours so this is the best alternative.  And, for a time you’ll have a residual effect of having had the Fury walking and breathing inside of you.  What do you think, Lady Ariella?”

“Yes, she needs the extra fortitude you can provide,” was all she added to the conversation.

“Hello??  Still here.  I’m right next to you both.”

“But, what if while we’re working something else tries to come and possess her?  With all the precinct guys around that’ll be an interesting little song and dance I’ll have to come up with to protect her and not appear nutters.”

“As I recall, you were a drama major…”

“Lady Ariella…this is serious.  A little more direct help, please?”

“Make an emergency pack, give her a small Bible, a rosary and a cross to wear.  Then, douse her with holy water and pray over her — we’ll both pray with her…you.”  Lady Ariella looked at Jennifer, apologetically, finally including her in the conversation.  “Since you don’t have your own faith we must drape you in ours for the time being to give you a fighting chance.  I’ll put a strong charm around you to make your aura appear unblemished and teach you a simple incantation to call your guardian angel and your strongest spirit guide to your side.  Yes!  You have them, and don’t tell me you don’t; everyone has protective and guardian spirits surrounding them from birth.  And, let’s not get into the discussion of where they’ve been all your life – we don’t have time for a pity party,” Lady Ariella finished by pointing a forefinger at her with a stern look in her eye.

Jennifer snapped her mouth closed, chagrined.

Betty, barely hiding a snicker, took the stairs two at a time.  Moments later, she was flying back down the stairs talking a mile a minute.

“Jennifer, take Lady Ariella’s number,” Betty scribbled it on a Post-It note and handed it to Jennifer.  “Memorize it!  Put it in your phone.  Write it all over the house.  We don’t know if the Fury has left booby-traps in your mind maybe so Lady Ariella’s info and my info get warped, or forgotten, once you’re not with us.  Got it?”

Jennifer’s insides went ice cold.  She gulped hard and wished for a strong drink.  Jennifer managed a nod, grabbed her purse and followed the witches out into the gathering dusk.

“Woof!  Wooof!!”

“Shut up, Moxie!  Don’t have time for your bull right now and you better leave my hedges alone if you like your pathetic life!” 

Stifling a hysterical giggle, Jennifer waved farewell to Lady Ariella.  Jennifer hurried to Betty’s vehicle and Lady Ariella walked briskly to her car.

“Lady, I’ll call you as soon as I can!” Betty called out.

“Make sure you do!  And keep a close eye on Jennifer,” Lady Ariella responded before glancing over at Jennifer and addressing her directly.  “And you, I’ll keep tabs on you through Kamali.  Love, light and blessings to you both!”

Both cars started but Betty pulled off first with a screech of tires.  She high-tailed it out of the ‘burbs and headed towards Brooklyn.

***