Chapter 5
Marina closed her soft, maroon leather notebook.
She’d done all the googling she could think of.
She’d read Black Pinnacle’s files and memorized the important details.
She’d checked their social network profiles and jotted down anything of interest to do with Sheila Black, including her hobbies and apparent interests beyond the vast real estate deals she’d been undertaking over the last few years.
She was ready for any direction the conversation could take.
The smell of food drifted in through the office window, and her stomach growled in response.
She’d planned to work until it was time to go to the restaurant.
She’d make use of the locker room on the ground level to shower and get ready, so she didn’t need to go home when the restaurant was only a block or so from the office.
But with the scent of spices in the air and the knowledge that River was running a booth nearby…
She grinned and stood up to stretch. She might as well.
In the elevator, she finger-combed her hair and made sure the thin cashmere V-neck sweater was sitting just right.
Her hair was swept into a simple ponytail, with pieces down to frame her face, and she decided that was fine.
It was a street fair, after all, not the Met.
The throng of people heading toward the gates wasn’t surprising.
Although this festival was a small one, it was the precursor to a lot of events held in Grant Park in the autumn and winter.
She stopped at a taco truck and got two chicken tacos, then strolled along the line of booths, noting the cheesy, the homemade, the almost-nice, and the downright gaudy merch being sold.
She’d just finished her last bite when she reached the entrance to the fountain.
Under a blue and white striped gazebo, River sat holding a young woman’s hand and talking, while another woman, the one from the art gallery, talked to customers.
Marina stood back a little way as she took it all in.
Most of the merch was simple tacky stuff, like mugs and aprons emblazoned with stereotypical witches doing non-witchy things.
But there were also crystals of various sizes, incense in an array of colors, and other things she’d never seen before that probably had to do with making potions or some such nonsense.
But the young woman looked enthralled as her friends watched from the sidelines. Marina had to know body language to win her cases the way she did, and everything about River’s spoke of honesty. She really believes the shit she peddles.
“No need to hang back like a geek at the prom.” The woman selling merch motioned at her from where the other area was now empty. “We don’t bite unless asked nicely and always with clear consent.”
Marina laughed despite herself, and she couldn’t ignore the flash of pleasure when River glanced over and then smiled when she saw her. She turned back to the girl, who was clearly eager to leave, based on the way she was sitting on the edge of her seat, her palms on her knees.
“I was just watching the master in action,” Marina said, walking up to the booth and hoping no one she knew saw her there.
“Call her that too often and she’ll want to take you home to have you say it in a whole different way,” the woman said with a wink and a lewd grin. “I’m Audrey, River’s business partner.”
Marina shook her hand and realized her assumption. “Ah. I thought River just worked at a shop. She owns it? That explains her…diligence.” It wasn’t the right word, but it wasn’t necessary to insult River yet again.
“Ha!” Audrey’s eyes narrowed and she pointed at Marina. “You mean another word entirely, but I’ll let it go.”
Marina was a little surprised at the lack of bohemian flare. Both Audrey and River wore their shop T-shirts and jeans. There wasn’t a starry bangle or flowing skirt in sight.
“I have a pointy hat, if you’d like me to wear one. Would it make you more comfortable?” Audrey raised her eyebrows, arms crossed.
Marina took a step back. “How…” She shook her head. “Body language. You saw me looking at what you were wearing and made a guess.”
Audrey rolled her eyes. “By all means, keep thinking that.” She looked at River, who was stretching, her T-shirt pulled tight over a compact, well-defined stomach.
“Now, if you could go find us something to eat while we have a lull, it would be greatly appreciated. And maybe you could take Marina with you?”
Marina frowned. “I didn’t tell you my name.”
Audrey actually chortled. “Did I read it in the ether? Get it from a spirit?”
“Audrey. Knock it off.” River gave her a light shove as she walked past and came to the front. “I told her about you after we met at the exhibition.”
Marina laughed. “It’s just like I told River. There’s always an angle you can use to get information.”
Audrey tilted her head, her brow furrowed, suddenly serious. “Is there now?”
River sighed and lightly held Marina’s elbow. “Come on. Keep me company while I try to decide what to stuff into her mouth to get her to stop talking.”
Marina’s elbow tingled where River’s hand touched it, and she shivered. “I had the tacos. They were fantastic.” She needed to get these people out of her head.
“Tacos it is. Lead the way.” River finally let go of Marina’s elbow and then shoved her hands in her pockets. “I thought you were busy today.”
“I was. But a girl has to eat.” There was no way on earth she’d admit that she’d wanted to see River again. “Does Audrey read minds?” she asked and was instantly irritated with her mouth for not following orders to change the subject.
“Would you believe it if I said yes?” River gave her a curious look. “That’s an interesting question. Most people just ask if she’s a witch, or if she reads tarot or whatever. What made you go straight to that?”
Marina sighed. She may as well finish the train of thought so it didn’t keep bugging her. “I was thinking that you both look normal. Like regular businesswomen. There’s no chunky earrings or lots of gold bracelets or hand-sewn clothing made from homegrown hemp.”
They stopped in front of the taco truck and got in line. “Wow. That’s a lot of assumptions, and a whole lot to unpack in the realm of judgy.”
Marina shrugged. “You asked.”
“And you answered. And I take it Audrey answered in some way too.” River blew out a breath. “I’ll hear about that later.” She got to the front of the line and ordered for them. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“Apparently you don’t need to. Your friend can just read my thoughts.” At River’s expression, Marina waved. “Okay. Go ahead.”
“You’re Latina, right? But you’re a total non-believer? Was there no religion in your house?”
“Now who sounds judgy?” Marina wished she’d told River no personal questions were allowed, ever. “And there are atheist Latin families, you know.”
River held up her hands. “Absolutely. I didn’t mean to push a button, sorry. It’s just that people who come from any kind of religious background are usually at least a little open to the possibility of something extra-sensory. I was genuinely just curious about your use of the word normal.”
Marina thought about that. “I stand by my statement.”
River laughed. “Okay then. Yeah, I guess we’re both normal in that sense. We’re not putting on a show, and we have no need to define ourselves by a stereotype. We are businesswomen. So some of your statement is factually correct.” She winked at Marina before going to pick up her food.
They walked back down a different row that would take a little longer.
A small food truck caught Marina’s eye. It sold “Soul Smoothies” meant to give your spirit the boost it needed.
She thought of tonight’s meeting and laughed at herself.
Anything to get a good result. “Hold on.” She stopped and read the menu.
“I’ll have a Chakra Cleanse, please. Let’s get rid of the gunk in my chakras. Don’t need that hanging around.”
“Um, Marina,” River said, looking critically at the menu. “You might want to rethink that—”
“What? You think my chakras are clean already?” She laughed and proceeded with the order.
“No, it’s just—”
“River, I can handle ordering my own drinks, thank you.” Marina detested little more than being told what to do. She’d meant this to be a fun, silly thing to connect them.
River held up her hand. “Understood.”
They stood in silence until Marina got her drink. It was actually pretty good, and the apple juice taste overrode whatever that slightly acidic taste beneath it was. “See?” she said, lifting it. “I like it. Like I said the other night, I have no problem in knowing what I want.”
River nodded slowly. “And you’ve never regretted a choice you’ve made or decided you didn’t want what you got after all? That seems illogical. Humans always have regrets.”
Talking to River seemed to require wading into deep waters. Marina had no intention of playing in them. “Has business been good today?”
River shrugged, clearly accepting the change in subject. “It has, but that’s no surprise. We always do pretty well at these things. I like them. I talk to a ton of people and learn all kinds of interesting things.”
“Like?” Marina couldn’t imagine wanting to talk to strangers all day about mundane subjects.
“Like that girl I was talking to when you walked up. She was really close to her grandmother, who flew planes in World War Two. The granddaughter is in training to become a pilot, to follow in her footsteps. Isn’t that great?”
It was nice, in a regular folks kind of way, and Marina smiled. “It is.”
They got back to the tent, and River handed the bag of food over to Audrey. “Guess I better get back to work.” She eyed the smoothie Marina brought to her lips but didn’t say anything. “Thanks for stopping by today. It was nice to see you.”