ATwistedMagick by Shara Lanel Read Free Book Online

Gabe’s wife mentioned that they planned to raise their children as Methodists. He and his father never recovered from the ensuing fight though the marriage had fallen apart quickly for a variety of reasons, like Gabe’s business going bankrupt and his wife’s dream lifestyle. When Gabe had tried to mend the rift, his papa went off because he wouldn’t get the marriage annulled through the church. Gabe decided it was just easier to stay away from his family.
    Then his father had died.
    As Gabe left the Horton house and headed for his car, he thought about how hard it must’ve been for Angela to lose Lalia so quickly, so irrevocably, and he wished he’d been able to come out and work on the case sooner. He never wanted to let down his family again.
    Of course, family emotions had been known to lead to murder, so he reminded himself to ask Michael Horton about his extended family. He knew Angela’s extended family, even her in-laws, pretty well, but he should try to talk to them as well.
    His talk with Mr. Horton did not go well. They were in the back of the store near the stacks of lumber and fences, with half a dozen do-it-yourselfers asking questions and taking measurements. Gabe tried to drag the father to someplace quieter, like a break room, but his tone went from belligerent to cutting in a few minutes. Gabe would be worried the man was reacting that way because of guilt, but the man also broke into tears every time Gabe asked him a question. His grief seemed genuine, but a murderer could feel genuine grief for a victim. Gabe wouldn’t cross him off the list, but his gut said the only guilt Mr. Horton felt was from being unable to protect his child. He gave Gabe a list of a few extended family members, but none lived in town. Most of them lived in Richmond or Hampton. He planned to at least speak to them on the telephone.
    * * * * *
    Shylah stared at the tarot spread before her, but instead of divining her client’s future, she envisioned the face of private detective Gabe Niguel, remembering his arresting eyes and the flicker of interest he’d shown in Wicca. She couldn’t deny she was attracted. Too bad the only time she was likely to see him was when he was trying to trip her up to prove her guilt.
    “What does it say? Is it something bad?” The squeaky voice of the twenty-seven-year-old blonde in the chair opposite interrupted Shylah’s thoughts, which was a good thing. Shylah did not need to be dwelling on possibilities that were impossible.
    She refocused on the cards and tried to remember Amber’s question. She was single with a master’s degree in philosophy, but she didn’t understand why she couldn’t find a job or love. Shylah didn’t need the cards to tell her the answers. Amber’s voice grated on her nerves during their half-hour sessions; she couldn’t imagine a man putting up with it for longer than two dates. And she obviously hadn’t thought through the philosophy major as far as the job market. Currently she was a sales associate at a bookstore. Who else would want to discuss Descartes and Plato? Her specific question was, what should she do to move forward in her life? Shylah looked more carefully at the cards, allowing their vibrations and archetypes to speak to her.
    “We’ve already discussed some of this,” she began. “And the cards definitely confirm it. You need to turn your philosophy degree into something marketable. The cards offer two pathways, but they both involve going back to school for a short amount of time. You could pursue a second master’s in teaching and use your philosophy knowledge to teach others.” Others who will come out of college as confused as you are. “Or you could explore a degree in theology or the law. Or use your master’s education as more of a liberal arts background to pursue any career that values a college education. Maybe administrative or government?”
    “Do the cards say which is best for me?”
    “No, because your choice will