Elizabeth Basque - Medium Mysteries 01 - Echo Park by Elizabeth Basque Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Basque
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tried not to show it. “Sure thing, hon. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
It’s wonderful what a good night’s sleep can do for a living human being. I awoke rested and refreshed, and with the hope that a new day was always supposed to bring. Some days, I didn’t feel that hope, but that morning, I did.
Cigarette, coffee without booze in it, and a shower. Now, I was applying makeup, and thinking about how to best guide today’s session with Julie, Carla and Michael. As a Medium, I oftentimes played the role of mediat or , too. Sometimes, besides relaying information, I had to run a little interference between the living and the dead. I had the feeling that today would be one of those days.
Julie and Carla arrived promptly at ten. When I let them in, Carla was actually calmer than Julie, but the girl did scout out the place for any signs of Michael’s presence.
“He’s not here,” I told Carla, “not yet.”
“ Thank God,” Julie breathed. “I’m not sure I can do this, Pauline. I mean, are we going to have a séance or something? I’ve never done that before.”
“ Sure you have,” I replied, bringing her a cup of coffee. “Séances are pretty easy. It will be like when we contacted Carla.”
“ Oh,” she said, a little doubtfully. “But your other ghost friend, Mack, brought her. Right?”
“ Well, that’s true.” I was wondering myself where the old fart was. “But that doesn’t happen all the time. I can usually summon spirits by myself. And, I think Carla’s presence could help.” I didn’t mention that there was a possibility that Carla’s presence might be a hindrance, too. From the short time I’d connected with Michael, he seemed standoffish, and I’d read a strong emotion of guilt within him. He might not want to face the girl. But I kept quiet about my doubts.
Carla hovered about an inch above the couch, in a sitting position, next to Julie. “How did he die? What’s his name?” Carla fired more questions as I drew the heavy drapes closed and turned off the lights.
“His name is Michael,” I answered. “Does that ring a bell, dear?”
Carla bit her nonexistent fingernails. “No.”
“I don’t know how he died,” I continued. “I can’t see any signs of bloodshed, but he looked like he was pretty sick.” I didn’t want to make Julie any more uneasy than she already was. Julie clearly wasn’t looking forward to this.
I sat across from them, now pushing the thought of old Captain Morgan out of my mind. I could wait for my next drink. For them , I could wait.
I turned on the TV, muted it like I had before, and set the remote on the coffee table. Then I lit a couple of aromatherapy candles. “Just to set the mood,” I told Julie with a wink. To Carla, I added, “If you really want to, you can draw some energy. But I was thinking we’d save that for our intended guest. Does that make sense?”
Carla nodded.
I looked around the room. A “séance,” as Julie called it—it was really no more than an unveiling of two worlds, a path opened between them—didn’t require much effort on my part. I just didn’t know why I didn’t want to get started.
“What’s that smell?” Julie asked out of the blue. “Sorry, it just kind of smells like…”
I turned to her now. So, I wasn’t crazy after all. “Smells like vinegar?” I wrinkled my nose. “I’m not sure. It was noticeable last night, even over the cigar smoke.”
Carla’s demeanor changed at this. She kept silent, but I had the feeling she understood something I didn’t. She had an uncanny ability to stop me from reading her thoughts.
“ Well, are you ready?” I asked Julie and Carla. Carla gave a curt nod, still chewing on her nails.
“ Wait,” Julie pleaded. “What’s going to happen? I mean, I’m pretty sure this Michael ghost isn’t going to be as sweet as Carla. I’m a little nervous.”
“ I’m just going to request his presence,” I explained, with more
It’s wonderful what a good night’s sleep can do for a living human being. I awoke rested and refreshed, and with the hope that a new day was always supposed to bring. Some days, I didn’t feel that hope, but that morning, I did.
Cigarette, coffee without booze in it, and a shower. Now, I was applying makeup, and thinking about how to best guide today’s session with Julie, Carla and Michael. As a Medium, I oftentimes played the role of mediat or , too. Sometimes, besides relaying information, I had to run a little interference between the living and the dead. I had the feeling that today would be one of those days.
Julie and Carla arrived promptly at ten. When I let them in, Carla was actually calmer than Julie, but the girl did scout out the place for any signs of Michael’s presence.
“He’s not here,” I told Carla, “not yet.”
“ Thank God,” Julie breathed. “I’m not sure I can do this, Pauline. I mean, are we going to have a séance or something? I’ve never done that before.”
“ Sure you have,” I replied, bringing her a cup of coffee. “Séances are pretty easy. It will be like when we contacted Carla.”
“ Oh,” she said, a little doubtfully. “But your other ghost friend, Mack, brought her. Right?”
“ Well, that’s true.” I was wondering myself where the old fart was. “But that doesn’t happen all the time. I can usually summon spirits by myself. And, I think Carla’s presence could help.” I didn’t mention that there was a possibility that Carla’s presence might be a hindrance, too. From the short time I’d connected with Michael, he seemed standoffish, and I’d read a strong emotion of guilt within him. He might not want to face the girl. But I kept quiet about my doubts.
Carla hovered about an inch above the couch, in a sitting position, next to Julie. “How did he die? What’s his name?” Carla fired more questions as I drew the heavy drapes closed and turned off the lights.
“His name is Michael,” I answered. “Does that ring a bell, dear?”
Carla bit her nonexistent fingernails. “No.”
“I don’t know how he died,” I continued. “I can’t see any signs of bloodshed, but he looked like he was pretty sick.” I didn’t want to make Julie any more uneasy than she already was. Julie clearly wasn’t looking forward to this.
I sat across from them, now pushing the thought of old Captain Morgan out of my mind. I could wait for my next drink. For them , I could wait.
I turned on the TV, muted it like I had before, and set the remote on the coffee table. Then I lit a couple of aromatherapy candles. “Just to set the mood,” I told Julie with a wink. To Carla, I added, “If you really want to, you can draw some energy. But I was thinking we’d save that for our intended guest. Does that make sense?”
Carla nodded.
I looked around the room. A “séance,” as Julie called it—it was really no more than an unveiling of two worlds, a path opened between them—didn’t require much effort on my part. I just didn’t know why I didn’t want to get started.
“What’s that smell?” Julie asked out of the blue. “Sorry, it just kind of smells like…”
I turned to her now. So, I wasn’t crazy after all. “Smells like vinegar?” I wrinkled my nose. “I’m not sure. It was noticeable last night, even over the cigar smoke.”
Carla’s demeanor changed at this. She kept silent, but I had the feeling she understood something I didn’t. She had an uncanny ability to stop me from reading her thoughts.
“ Well, are you ready?” I asked Julie and Carla. Carla gave a curt nod, still chewing on her nails.
“ Wait,” Julie pleaded. “What’s going to happen? I mean, I’m pretty sure this Michael ghost isn’t going to be as sweet as Carla. I’m a little nervous.”
“ I’m just going to request his presence,” I explained, with more
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