River sighed and went back to placing items in boxes. “I don’t think so. Companies like that get investigated all the time, and I don’t think it even slows them down. Maybe they’ll go quiet for awhile though, until this blows over.” Somehow, she didn’t think that would be the case either, but she wasn’t sure why.
The door opened, and Mrs. Crabtree hobbled in. Right away, River noticed the dimmed, sickly nature of her energy. She got up from the floor at the same time Audrey rushed out from behind the counter.
“Thank you,” Mrs. Crabtree said when River gently gave her an arm to lean on. “It’s one of those days.” She sank into the seat at the tarot table that Audrey pulled out for her.
“What’s going on?” Audrey said, moving her hands along the outside of Mrs. Crabtree’s body, like she was trying to find something. Checking someone’s chakras always looked strange.
“I’m older than Jesus’s daddy and twice as tired.” Mrs. Crabtree waved Audrey off. “Could I get some of that tea you made me last week?”
Audrey nodded slowly, her gaze flicking to River and then away again. “Be right back.”
River sat in the other chair and waited. Whatever Mrs. Crabtree had on her mind, it was heavy. Sometimes silence was the best way to allow that kind of thing to fall into the open.
“I like that you’re not afraid of the quiet.” Mrs. Crabtree finally seemed to shake something off. “Too many people fill the world with inane words because they’re uncomfortable with not saying anything at all.”
River stretched her legs out in front of her. “Very true. But it feels like you have something you want to talk about.”
Mrs. Crabtree didn’t say anything until Audrey had deposited the tea in front of her and then pulled the stool from behind the counter to join them at the table. She sipped and nodded her approval. “I’m thinking I’m going to sell my house after all.”
River’s eyebrows rose, and Audrey looked stunned. “But you were so fiercely opposed to all this.”
Mrs. Crabtree’s energy dimmed even further, to a low static feeling. “I’m not selling to the vultures. I’ll go with some agent or another.” She hesitated and sipped her tea again in an utterly uncharacteristic show of uncertainty.
“What is it?” River said, taking her hand. “How can we help?”
“I fell.” It came out like she had to chop the words off the alphabet. “It’s been happening more lately, and one of these days, I’m going to break a hip or my skull or something. I had to lay there for a good hour before I could crawl over to the couch and lift myself off the floor. Like a snail with a broken shell.”
“Goddess above,” Audrey murmured. “That could have been bad.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Mrs. Crabtree said. “I’m no good living on my own anymore. Susan Martin, the woman you met the other night at the rally? She lives in one of those assisted-living places, says she’s happier than she’s been in years. Even goes on dates sometimes.” She dabbed delicately at her eyes. “I’ll be sorry to leave my place, but it’s time.”
The door opened, and Audrey’s morning appointment came in. She squeezed Mrs. Crabtree’s shoulder and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Whatever you need, you know we’ll be there.”
She walked away and guided the client into the small back room they used for private readings.
Mrs. Crabtree cradled her mug in both hands. “I was wondering if you might go with me to see some of these places?” she asked without looking up. “Between your way with reading people and Audrey’s way of reading people’s minds, I’d know I chose right if you’d been there to check out what people can’t see.”
River hesitated. Places like that were often loaded down with spirits.
“Bah.” Mrs. Crabtree started to rise. “Look at me, acting like some helpless old fool. You’ve got enough on your plate?—”
“Wait, please.” River lightly touched her arm. “We’d be happy to help. We’ve got Apple Fest for a few days this weekend, but we can start looking next week, if that’s okay with you?”
Mrs. Crabtree’s relief was almost palpable. “That would be fine. Thank you.” Her chin lifted. “I assume you’re going to the town meeting on Monday night?”
“Of course. I think we’re in limbo right now, but hopefully, we’ll have some more information by then.”
“Bastards.” Mrs. Crabtree’s energy seemed to have recovered somewhat. “Using intimidation to scare folks into selling.”
River nodded absently, but her thoughts shifted to something else. She pulled out her phone and scooted closer to Mrs. Crabtree. After a quick query in Google, she showed Mrs. Crabtree her phone. “Would you be willing to use a medical alert button? They make them on watches and to wear around your neck. There are a lot of options now, and you wouldn’t have to use it once you were in a place where people were around to check on you. But I’d feel a lot better if you had a way to call for help.”
Mrs. Crabtree peered at the images. “Can you make them bigger?”
River laughed and got up to get her iPad, then did the same search. “Here you go.”
She left Mrs. Crabtree to read and scroll so she could finish packing the merch for the festival. Her mind whirled, thoughts moving from one subject to another too fast to be useful as anything other than distraction.
“These things aren’t cheap,” Mrs. Crabtree said from her spot at the table.
