The Resurrection of Josephine by Melinda Barron Read Free Book Online

about your job, maybe someone you picked up who'd done something outrageous."
    "Lola liked to laugh,” Rumer said, smiling.
    "Yes, keep going.” As they talked, Martin reached out with his senses. He could feel Lola hovering nearby, trying to make contact, with no success. Each time it felt as if she were near, he'd double his efforts, but she'd fade, her agitation at not being successful very evident.
    He knew this one would drain him, and as his friends, old and new, traded stories, he kept his energies focused on Lola, on bringing her into the room.
    After about forty-five minutes, Noah launched into a tale about a drunk who had decided he was a statue in Jackson Square. The man waded into the fountain and assumed various poses, running from area to area so everyone could get a good look at him. At one point he slipped and “conked his head on the side,” Noah explained. “It took fifteen stitches to close him up, but he survived. Then he spent the night in the drunk tank."
    "At least he had his clothes on,” Quinn said, everyone joining in her laughter.
    "So he says.” Martin glanced at the form floating next to him. She was an older version of Rumer, with long flowing black hair and a gorgeous smile.
    "Hi.” The room grew silent as everyone turned to him.
    "Grandmother?” Rumer started to stand, but Martin put out his hand to tell her to stay silent, and still.
    "Yes,” Martin said, his voice low. “She's saying the guy might have been naked. Was he, Noah? Are you holding out on us?"
    A ripple of nervous laughter floated through the room, and Noah cleared his throat. “Yeah, the people watching him said he stripped after about twenty minutes of posing."
    More laughter filled the room, but it was muted this time, and tinged with excitement.
    "We need your help,” Martin said. “You know why."
    " Josephine. I knew she would come back to haunt me, it's just strange I had to go for it to happen. "
    "She needs to die,” Martin said. “She's out of her crypt."
    " I would imagine so. Two of the witches who bound her are dead, myself and Mary Elizabeth Mason. Only Sandra Tilbet is left. And when Sandra dies, the magic will be broken. She'll take the first human body she comes across, and she'll go back on her merry way, killing witches and stealing their bodies, and their powers ."
    Martin repeated her words for his audience, and Rumer held up her hands in offering. “Help me, grandmother. Tell me what to do.” She looked around as if expecting the woman to appear, and Martin wanted to gather her in his arms, push away the tears he saw clouding her eyes. Noah put his hand on her shoulder, and Martin nodded in appreciation for the man's gesture.
    " The only thing I can think of is to rebind her on Halloween. Rumer is strong enough, and the veil is thin that night. That will keep her in the crypt until you can form a better plan ."
    Martin shivered as Lola's form began to fade. “Don't go yet."
    " It's so hard ,” she said softly, reaching her pale hand toward Rumer. “ I'm sorry for leaving you with the mess, baby girl ."
    Martin tried to grab hold of Lola's essence, keep her here until she'd answered all their questions, but it was too late. She was gone. He repeated Lola's words for Rumer, and the threatened tears began to fall. She wiped them away quickly, then coughed.
    "We need to find Sandra Tilbet,” Rumer said. “Maybe she can at least tell me the spell they used. That will help."
    "Did your grandmother ever mention her before?"
    "No, I've never heard the name."
    Martin stood, his legs wobbly. Then he sat back down. Readings always took a bit out of him, and this one had left his body trembling. “We need to search, see if there's some clue here that might tell us who she is. Rumer, is that all right with you?"
    "Yes.” She took charge of the situation, sending different people to different rooms to look through bookcases, desks, and anything else they could find. It took almost two hours before