CHAPTER TWENTY

Setting up for a new day of predictions, Julia, Noah, U-Jin, Ruby, and Irene were pleased that the weather was a bit milder today. Just the hint of cooler temperatures and partly cloudy skies was a welcome distraction. School was back in session, so many of the tourists were gone, but there were still a few stragglers.

"What can we do for you, baby?" asked Irene of the young man seated in front of her. He handed her a twenty-dollar bill and just smiled.

"That's all I have, but I just want to know if I'll ever get a break. I've been workin' on the riverboats for three years now, hopin' to save enough money for my own place. I'm thirty-seven years old, been workin' two to three jobs for as long as I can remember. I'm gettin' tired," he said, sounding defeated.

Irene reached across and handed the young man his twenty back. She squeezed his fingers around the bill and smiled at him.

"You're gonna do just fine, Paul."

"How'd you know my name?" gasped the man. He looked at the smiling faces of the women, then shook his head. "Right. You're psychic."

"Trust me, baby. You're gonna do just fine. I tell you what, go on over to the convenience store there and grab me a bottle of water. I'm awful parched."

"But…"

"Go on now and buy a little something for yourself," said Irene. He nodded and stood, doing exactly as he was told. She watched him and smiled, giving him a nod.

"Mama, you can't promise people that everything will be okay when it might not be," said Gaspar into comms, seated across the Square.

"I can and I will." They heard a loud ‘whoopee!' and the young man ran out, handing Irene her water.

"You did it! I don't know how you did it, but you did it! I won! I won a million bucks on a scratch off! I won!"

"See, you're gonna be okay, baby. You go get your own place and enjoy." He hugged Irene tightly, kissed her cheek, and then ran off, turning back to her, he yelled.

"I'll be back!" Irene and Ruby just chuckled, shaking their heads.

"Mama, how did you know?"

"Know what?" she mused.

Whether she did it to drive her son mad or just because she could, Irene knew how to make everyone suspicious and filled with anticipation at the same time.

A few hours later, Noah noticed that there was a man seated across from U-Jin. He appeared to be Korean as well and was speaking to him in his native language. Noah knew a lot of different languages, but Korean wasn't one of them.

"Let me ask my friend," said U-Jin, nodding at the man. "Noah? This man's sister recently died while in a retirement community in Tennessee. Their family was quite wealthy, having owned dozens of Korean groceries in the South. She wrote to him that she was in love and might be getting remarried."

"I'm sorry for your loss," said Noah. "What was her name?"

"Wei-Na. I just called her Wei-Wei," he said with a sad smile. "Do you see her? I want to know if she is okay. I sensed that something was wrong the last time we spoke, but she seemed distracted."

Noah nodded at the man and closed his eyes. Like Julia, he didn't need to close his eyes, but for some reason, it made the customers feel more confident in their abilities.

He took in a deep breath and, beneath the table, gripped Julia's hand. They both had powerful abilities, but together they were able to call forth even the most horrible spirits and settle them.

When he opened his eyes, a lovely, tiny little woman was standing beside the man. She pressed her fingers to her lips, grinning at him, and pulled her brother's hair. The man instantly reached for the back of his head, frowning.

"Wei-Wei, that's not nice," said Noah, grinning at the woman.

"She's here. I knew it. She's here," said her brother. "Is she well?"

"She is well," nodded Noah. "Your brother is worried about how quickly you died. Did something strange happen?"

"I became ill with a stomach bug, and it attacked me quite quickly. I was lucky that the man I was dating was so kind to me."

"What man?" asked Noah.

"What? What is she saying?" asked her brother. U-Jin gripped the man's hand, quieting him.

"The man who ran security at my retirement community. We'd become great friends. And then became more. He was so lovely to me but then asked to marry me. I didn't want to marry again. There wasn't a reason for me to marry again. He was upset but then suggested we move in together. I refused."

"Did he hurt you in any way?" asked Noah.

"I don't know. I don't remember much after I became ill. I gave him access to my checking account so that he could purchase my medications. Was that wrong?"

"No, Wei-Wei, that wasn't wrong," smiled Noah. "We'll find out what happened. I promise you. What was the man's name?"

"Bill. Bill Laughlin. He was a lovely man. A recent widow himself. That's why I thought it was strange he wanted to marry again so quickly. It had only been two months since his wife died."

"Is there anything you'd like me to tell your brother?" asked Noah.

"Tell him to stop worrying about me. I'm in a much better, more peaceful place. He should worry about himself and find a life."

"I'll tell him," smiled Noah. "You can go now if you wish."

She slid behind her brother and tugged his hair one more time. He laughed, shaking his head as he rubbed the spot. When she was gone, Noah told him his sister's final words. After he left, he wrote down the name of the man she'd been dating and asked comms to check on him.

It surprised none of them when the bus from Maison Soleil pulled up to the Square, and a dozen women stepped off. Word was traveling fast.

"Good morning," said Miller as he opened the door to the reception area.

"Good morning," smiled the woman. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I'm interested in looking at a residence here. I've been retired for a while but wanted to move back home. You know, aging parents and all that."

"Of course, of course," said the woman. "Please, have a seat, and I'll call Mike to explain everything to you." She handed him a clipboard with information to fill out, and Miller skimmed over most of it. When the other man entered the room, he immediately felt the need to punch him in the face.

"Good morning!" he said in a chipper voice. "I'm Mike, head of security here."

"Head of security? I thought you managed the place," said Miller.

"Well, I'm sort of a jack of all trades." He explained all the features and benefits and then finally got to the cost of the condos. Miller let out a slow whistle, shaking his head.

"Man, my police retirement doesn't allow me to afford that. I hate it too. Worked my ass off for decades, and for what?"

"A retired cop?" said Mike, looking intrigued. The man was good-looking, muscular, big as shit. The women would love him.

"Yeah. Right here in New Orleans. My wife, Addie, she's back at the hotel. She's a retired cop too. Worked vice for years. She deserves something nice like this. I did some time in the Army as well, but that doesn't make you a rich man either. Shit, I hate this. I really wanted to find a place like this." He stood and reached out a hand to the man. "Well, if anything should change, please let me know."

"Hold on. Pierre? Is that right?" said Mike.

"That's right. Pierre."

"Well, Pierre, I think we might be able to help one another. But before we talk about that, let's go down to the restaurant and have some lunch. I have a feeling about you."

Their restaurant or cafeteria was packed this time of day. The food seemed relatively decent, and there were dozens of people, although it was decidedly female. Immediately, women began coming to their table.

"Hi, Mike, who's your friend?"

"Mike, you brought me a present."

"Oh, Mike. Well done. Fresh meat," winked a woman.

"Holy fuck, is it like that all the time?" asked Miller, genuinely surprised by the women and their assertiveness.

"Every day, man. The women are willing to do anything you want just for the chance to have a date or even a husband."

"Not sure my wife would like that, but we do have a pretty open marriage. Makes things more exciting if we can do our own thing if you know what I mean," said Miller.

"I get it, believe me. You don't have to marry anyone, but these women are wealthy as shit and willing to give favors, trips, gifts, surprises, anything."

"Seriously? I mean, I'm uncomfortable with gifts, but it seems harmless," said Miller. Mike smiled at him, gripping his arm.

"Man, there is so much more."