“Very fast learner indeed. Yes. Vhen reversed, it means you’ve accepted a loss. You’re trying to move on from some sadness and grief dat has held you back. Often, it means a broken relationship, but in your case, I see more. A parent, perhaps?”
Jessie’s jaw dropped, and she looked around the room, wondering if a ghost was about to show up.
“Relax, my dear. Only my guides are vith us now. No vone else. Let’s move on.”
“Yes.” She sighed. “Let’s.”
“Da middle card is what you vish to uncover. Dis is a very good card. Da King of Swords. Its very essence is air. Dink of a cloudless blue sky. Vhat you seek, you already know.”
“But I don’t. I’m confused.”
“Child, da King here says you are surrounded by men of action and determination. Men vith such devotion dat is incorruptible. You know dis already, but doubt.”
Images of the Wilde brothers swam in her head, sometimes wearing cowboy hats, sometimes wearing nothing at all. “Go on.”
“Mmm. Jessica, dis card is troubling. Da critical element approaching.”
“It’s reversed.”
“Yes. If it vasn’t, da Seven of Wands would be a card revealing something very different dan it does here.”
“What do you see?”
“Failure. Great challenges met vith cowardice. Embarrassment. Danger. I’m so sorry, my dear.” Carlotta scooped up the cards and put them back into the cabinet.
Jessica tensed. Maybe she was becoming a believer. She’d screwed up royally. Once her boss got wind of who she’d been spending time with in Wilde, embarrassment would be the least of her troubles. “Thank you.”
“Da cards only show vhat the current path leads to. You may change da course, and da outcome might be different.”
“That’s exactly what I plan on doing. Now, I think I’m going to need two bottles of wine tonight.”
* * * *
Jessie looked again at the document she’d pulled from the file at the mine. She compared the signature with others she’d seen of Austin Wilde’s. It matched. Sure, the guy was arrogant, but she still found it hard to believe he would issue instructions to limit safety equipment in the mine to below required standards to save money. But the evidence was in her hands. A single memo with his signature.
She took a photo of it with her cell then attached a digital copy of it to the draft e-mail she was working on to update her boss about her investigation.
An hour later, all she had were three sentences:
Still working on the investigation at Wilde Mine. Attached is one piece of evidence that is pretty damaging for the management. I’ll keep looking for clues that will shed more light on the accidents.
It just didn’t make sense to her. Or was she just trying to fool herself? Could she be afraid of what would happen once the other Wilde brothers found out that her investigation was pointing to Austin as being responsible for the accidents at the mine? Things would never be the same. Still, something seemed fishy about this whole affair, and the eldest Wilde brother did seem capable of pretty dangerous actions.
“I’ve got three weeks to find out the real truth.” She detached the copy of the memo. I’ll send that another time. She deleted one sentence from her draft message to her boss. The e-mail now read:
Still working on the investigation at Wilde Mine. I’ll keep looking for clues that will shed more light on the accidents.
She took a deep breath, and then pressed the enter key.
* * * *
Phoenix watched his mom whirl around the massive kitchen from counter to counter like a well-trained dancer.
Mary Wilde loved to cook, and this room was her favorite domain in the family’s mansion. Even still, she wasn’t a woman who only doted on her husbands. She had a mind of her own with modern sensibilities he’d seen time and again. She had a way with his dads that was dazzling to behold.
Her blue eyes sparkled. “I’m so glad to have at least one of my sons in this old house.”
“I’m glad I came.” He’d lived at the mansion until he turned eighteen and moved into his own home. So many wonderful childhood memories.