* * *
Ones you should trust will sell you cheap,
Loyalty bought, their secrets deep?—
When hope runs thin, let love stay strong,
For truth will rise and right the wrong.
* * *
For a long moment, the seer stared at Simon. Then her gaze dropped to the nutria he held. “Leave Renault in the crate and secure the latch. He’s quite the Houdini escape artist.”
She disappeared through the door and closed it behind her.
Simon held the rodent a few moments longer, wondering what the seer had meant by all she’d said.
When Renault nipped Simon’s finger, he nearly dropped the animal.
“Here, let me.” Holly carried the nutria to his crate, laid him gently inside and secured the latch. Then she held out her hand.
“What?” Simon asked, his head still spinning with the seer’s predictions.
“Do you have forty dollars?” Holly asked.
Simon fished his wallet from his back pocket and handed her two twenties.
Holly laid them on the red cushion, then hooked his arm and led him out of the wagon.
Once they were back in the truck, he started the engine, backed up, turned around and drove down the gravel road. He glanced one last time in the rearview mirror and shook his head. “What the hell just happened?”
“Nothing,” Holly said, her gaze on the road ahead. “Just drive.”
They spent the trip back to Bayou Mambaloa in silence. Several times, Simon opened his mouth to say something and closed it, shaking his head.
Usually, he didn’t buy into all the supernatural bullshit, but something about the session in the gypsy wagon had set him on edge.
By the time they made it back to Bayou Mambaloa, they had to hurry to get to their meeting with LaShawnda at a home a block off Main Street.
They walked through the small bungalow painted lemon yellow with white trim. Though it was well cared for, with fresh interior paint and updated countertops, it didn’t inspire more than a passing glance from Simon. Holly had little to say as well.
“I’m sorry we only have one home to view today,” LaShawnda said as they left the yellow house. “The other two homeowners couldn’t alter their appointment times. I’ll have to set up viewings on another day.”
“It’s okay,” Simon said. “We can do this another day.” He took Holly’s hand and walked with her to the truck. “Thank you for being flexible,” he said to LaShawnda.
She gave him a bright smile. “I just want you to find the house that suits you most. I won’t try to sell you something you don’t love.”
“Thank you,” Holly said and climbed into the truck.
As LaShawnda drove away in her sleek black SUV, Simon sat with his hands resting on the steering wheel. “Where to?”
Holly leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. “How about we hit the diner? We missed lunch, and I won’t make it through my shift on an empty stomach.”
Simon drove the few blocks to the diner, parked and rounded to the passenger side to help Holly to the ground. He pulled her into his arms for a moment and rested his cheek against her temple. “I don’t know about you, but the visit with the seer sucked the life out of me.”
She laughed and leaned her forehead against his chest. “I thought it was just me. I came away from Bayou Miste completely drained from our session with Lady LaChance.” She leaned back and stared up at him. “Or is it we’re tired from being up all night and fighting a fire this morning?”
He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “Or are we just hungry and reading too much into her mumbo jumbo?”
