“What’s your plan today?” Marina asked.
“I’ll go to the shop and work like I do every day.” River shrugged. “My life isn’t the one in flux. The question is, what are you going to do today?”
Marina took a bite of toast and chewed, her expression thoughtful. “I have to face the music, so to speak. I’ll go in to the office and meet with Montgomery, and I’ll just have to go from there. I don’t think I’ll hear from the Disciplinary Commission for a week, at least, since they’ll be aware it’s a federal investigation. Then it will probably be up to the Illinois Supreme Court as to whether I’m disbarred or not.”
River flinched. “What are the lesser possibilities?”
“Reprimand, suspension, probation. A fine.” Marina ticked them off on her fingers. “But I was thinking about something in the shower.” She shook her head at River’s dirty grin. “Not that. At least, not the whole time. I was thinking that I don’t regret it. Yesterday was a lot, and whatever comes, it’s not going to be easy. But I don’t regret handing Sheila to the Feds. She’s a particularly evil bit of carnage in more ways than you know.”
“Oh, I have a feeling I’m pretty aware.” River grimaced, remembering the look and feel of Sheila’s energy. “It’s not all that surprising she went nutty when she thought we were together. She wanted you something fierce.”
Marina made a gagging sound. “She made that clear.” She took her plate to the sink. “I’d better get going. I hate putting things off, and I’ve avoided this long enough.”
River handed over her plate, then went and finished getting dressed. She came out to find Marina staring out the window at the blue vista of Lake Michigan. “You going to be okay?” she asked, slipping her arms around her from behind.
“I will be.” Marina turned in her arms. “Thank you for last night. And this morning.” She winked and laughed when River spun her around. “Get out of here. I’ll call you later.”
River capitulated and gave Marina a last kiss before heading out to the Lime. The snow was a couple inches deep, and she was glad she didn’t have to try to navigate her bike in the snow, but the Lime wasn’t going to get her anywhere fast either. She sent a quick request to the Universe to help her get back to South Shore in one piece.
It wasn’t as bad as she’d thought it would be. The roads were mostly clear, and she only had to go slowly in case of ice. When she pulled up to the shop, she saw that the sidewalk had been shoveled clear and the lights were on.
The bell chimed when she went in and Audrey called from downstairs, “I’ll be right there.”
“Just me,” River called back and hung her coat in the back room.
Audrey came up and headed for the little kitchen. “Did you treat my precious Lime well?”
“Did you remember to feed Shamus?”
Audrey yawned widely. “Ask him yourself.”
As though summoned, the fluff ball ran into the room and jumped into River’s arms. His yowls made it clear how he felt about her sleeping elsewhere. “You brought him into a place where he can knock a zillion things off the shelves?”
“But he won’t. We had a talk, and he knows he has to be on his best behavior.” Audrey sat behind the counter, sipping a hot cup of coffee. “And I want you to have company once I’m gone.”
River hugged Shamus a little tighter. With everything going on, she’d forgotten about Audrey’s departure plans. “At least Shamus won’t cost me a fortune in pastries and fancy coffee,” River said with a sad smile.
“True.” Audrey looked outside and tilted her head. “I have an appointment today too.”
Mrs. Crabtree came in, looking far more hale than she had for the last few days. She tapped her cane on the floor and looked at Shamus suspiciously. “That’s no cat.”
River put Shamus down and he trotted over to sniff at Mrs. Crabtree’s cane. “You’re right. He’s a shapeshifter from a different world.”
“Let’s go.” Audrey grabbed her keys and jacket. “We’re going to check out a couple places for our spitfire to set fire to.”
Mrs. Crabtree laughed, but River held up her hands. “I thought I was supposed to be doing that with you?” River said.
“I don’t need both of you. And frankly, Audrey’s ability to zap into people’s minds is more useful than you getting a feeling about folks.” Mrs. Crabtree waved River off. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring her back.”
Then they were gone, and River was alone in the shop. For a second, she didn’t know what to do with herself, and she watched as Shamus carefully picked his way over the things in the window and then settled among the autumn wreaths they’d put out in preparation for Thanksgiving.
“Okay then.” River went to the appointment book and was surprised to see a handful of readings and two afterlife conversation requests. They were never this busy in the shop this time of year. Not only did she get to keep her shop, but it was thriving thanks to the whole debacle.
Before her first appointment, she spent some time going through stock, making notes of what they needed, what they’d sold out of, and what else she might want to bring in. She got texts from Adriana, Madison, and Emma, all congratulating her on the win as well as on her new relationship. She asked if there was any way they could all get together to celebrate, though she knew full well how busy they all were.
After her second appointment of the day left, she ordered lunch and sat in the back room to eat. The door chimed just asshe finished her last bite. She chugged down some iced tea, then headed out. “Hi. Can I help?—”
She froze. Sheila Black stood like the Tower in the middle of the room, destruction personified. Dressed all in black, with her hair pulled back in a severe style, she might have been a character out of a dark fairytale. There were three men standing behind her, all in suits and ties. “What are you doing here?” River asked, determined to stay calm.
