Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Kari Lee Townsend

his head. “You know where to find us if you have any more questions. You have our full cooperation. Our daughter might be a little different, but she’s not a murderer. You have my word on that, and a Meadows never breaks his word.”
    With that, they were gone.
    I sighed, rubbing my throbbing temples, and a deep meow rumbled softly, sounding more like a groan.
    Detective Stone twisted completely around, his hand hovering just above his weapon. “I, uh, gotta run, Tink, but make no mistake . . . I’m nowhere near done with you. I’ve got a case to solve. I won’t let up on you until I get some answers.” He bumped into the table, knocked over his teacup, and the last little bit of liquid spilled into his saucer. He righted the cup and set it down on the table. “Thanks for the tea.”
    “You’re welcome, Detective. Just know I won’t go down without a fight.”
    “I’m counting on it.” He nodded once, with a gleam in his eye that said he loved a challenge, and then he closed the door on his way out.
    I huffed out a breath, then couldn’t help but giggle a bit. “Where are you, you stinker? You are one mischievous old cat.” Vicky might have character, but I had a suspicious feeling I’d just discovered who was doing the haunting.
    I was answered with a full-blown loud meow.
    “I know,” I agreed. “They make me angry, too, but if you don’t stop spooking people, word will get out and no one will come to me for a reading.”
    The meowing quieted to a soft purr.
    “Apology accepted.” I started cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. “Now quit being elusive and come out of hiding to keep me company.”
    I looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of Morty, when my wandering eyes landed on the detective’s teacup. It was sitting there, calling to me. Biting my bottom lip, I picked up the cup still warm from his hand and pointed the stem to the seat where he had sat. Did I dare? I probably wouldn’t get much of a reading, but he had come to me for some answers. I couldn’t help wonder what question had been burning in his mind the most?
    Morty magically appeared from nowhere and circled my feet, rubbing up against my legs. I took it as a sign.
    Talking myself into doing something I would never normally do—invading someone’s privacy—I rationalized this wasn’t just anyone. This was Detective Stone, and he made no apologies about invading mine. He deserved everything he got.
    Sitting down, I closed my eyes and breathed deep, relaxing my mind and body. Maybe, just maybe, I would see something. Anything to help me understand the man I was up against. Opening my eyes, I peered into the cup and studied the pattern of tea leaves he’d inadvertently made.
    The first thing that jumped out at me was a mask. The good detective was hiding something. Big surprise there. The next thing I saw was a distinct heart, representing love and pleasure. He’d fallen hard for someone, and I couldn’t help but think about his ex-girlfriend. Right below it was a pair of scissors. The relationship had ended in quarrels and separations. The strongest feeling I got that overrode everything the cup revealed was that of intense passion.
    So much passion.
    My head snapped back and once again everything around me blurred, leaving only the scene being played out before me in the center of my tunnel vision. I stared through the eyes of a woman being held so tenderly in the detective’s strong arms. I could feel his warm embrace, experience every sensation coursing through her body.
    His head dipped toward her, the look in his eyes unmistakable. Lust, passion . . . love. Then his lips pressed firmly against hers, moving sensually, as pure, raw electricity passed between them. That same electricity roared through my body now, firing up every nerve ending, every cell, every blood vessel. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, could barely stand from the sheer pleasure of it all.
    They broke apart, and I nearly fell off my chair.