Page 7 of Sapphire Nights
Walker could see the argument on either side and didn’t much care which group was right. The main issue was that the Kennedys and the remnants of that early hippy commune had been at war eversince.
Kurt Kennedy had a security crew to patrolthe grounds, since the county road stopped at the front door. Still, Walker liked to cruise in, check with Juan, head of security, and keep an eye on things. It was good publicity for the sheriff’s department and gave him an opportunity to observe newpeople.
This small town job was a no-brainer next to the corporate investigation firm he needed to returnto.
It still had its moments.Today, the parking lot was spilling over with locals and tourists on foot instead of in cars. He had to stop on the side of the road and stroll the last few hundred feet, studying the crowd for its source. His damaged leg muscles needed stretchinganyway.
Crazy Daisy was the center of attention, of course. Her face was unlined and ageless, but her graying dark hair stood out in a tanglednimbus around her head, giving evidence that she wasn’t young. She was of average height, probably weighed more than he did, but her flesh hung on her bare arms in folds, as if she’d lost a lot of weight. On any given day she could be garbed in beaded leather or red western attire, but the shedding feather cloak went with hereverywhere.
Today, she wore purple and black satin and a ringof flowers in her hair—dead ones. She was busily sprinkling sparkling dust in a design at herfeet.
“We are telling you, she willdie! The prophecy has come true! Look around you, see what you have wrought with your iron and your steel, your destruction of mother earth! Evidence lies right up that mountain,” a voice declared in the thunderous tones of an experienced stageactor.
Walker rolled his eyes as the crowd gave way so he could see into the clearing. Daisy seldom spoke in anything except circles and never with such venom, so he knew it wasn’t Daisy speaking, but Valdis. Her real name was Valerie Ingersson. But half the people up here invented their own names. Valdis called herself after the Norse goddess of death. Tall, skeletal, usually garbed in flowing black rags,and a veil concealing her face and black hair, she played the partwell.
He’d seen her once without all the gear. Her black hair had blond roots, and her chin was marred by an angry scar. Everyone up here had astory.
From the steps of the resort, Kurt Kennedy glared at the show with disapproval. Walker caught his eye and quirked a questioning eyebrow. Kurt nodded without asmile.
Not much older than Walker, the wealthy, uptight resort manager had no sense of humor on a good day, if he ever had gooddays.
Walker entered the clearing and caught Valdis by her bony elbow. Daisy made an awkward curtsy in her billowing purple skirt. He bowed his head in acknowledgment of her wordlessgreeting.
Valdis continued screeching, but at him now. “Save the earth goddessor she will die as the otherdid!”
“I don’t think the guests can help,” he said, applying the respectful tone he used on his mother when she raged. “Why don’t we go somewhere quiet and discuss this?” He steered Valdis toward the side of the sprawling lodge and offered his arm toDaisy.
“You have kept your crystals safe?” Daisy asked beneath her friend’s shouting. “You are walkinga dark path, and you will need them to light theway.”
Daisy had built him a clever stone man of wire, rocks, and shiny crystals when he’d first arrived. He kept the sculpture on a window sill in his Baskerville apartment because he admired both the stones and the art. “Rocky is doing just fine. What’s the shoutingabout?”
“We don’t know for certain,” Daisy whispered. “But the prophesieshave been proven. More deaths willfollow.”
Sometimes Daisy made good sense, if one weeded out references to paths future andpast.
Walker nodded at the security captain opening his office door for them. “Juan, good to seeyou.”
The older, stouter man nodded unsmilingly as he gestured for them to enter. Walker got the impression that Juan disliked Walker’s Chinese heritage,or maybe just his city background. Since he had more important goals here, Walker preferred to ignore any implied slight and use the guard’s authority for his own purposes. The resort was private property, afterall.
Juan’s crew would break up the crowd now that the troublemakers were out of sight. Walker could just leave the two women here and let them calm down, but generally, they didn’tcreate trouble without reason, however weird their purpose might be. So he pushed them inside, where he perched on the edge of the desk and crossed his arms. “All right, ladies, who will die? Is there something I cando?”
Valdis paced jerkily. Daisy drifted off in her own world, staring at a photograph of anowl.
“It is as Cassandra predicted—” With a dramatic gesture pointing upthe mountain, Valdis glared. “The earth mother will die unless we act now. Her gatekeeper is already dead.” She stalked out, as if expecting him tofollow.
“There are four black crows on the gravestone,” Crazy Daisy said sadly. “The Morrigan hasarrived.”
She used a tone that might as well have said “The end is nigh” and followed the Norse deathgoddess.
Since they went upthe mountain and not back to the parking lot, Walker debated whether to go after them.You’re a crazy magnethis inner demon complained. Walker ignored the warning and sent a wordless question to the olderman.
“They been gathering up on Menendez land all morning,” Juan reported. “Might want to take a look. They could be having a ritual sacrifice for all I know. They’re off our grounds,so I haven’t checked itout.”
“They?” Walker stood up and led the way out, the shorter man on his heels. He pretty much already knew the answer to his question, but he’d rather avoidsurprises.
“The usual bunch,” the guard confirmed. “We let them park here when we don’t have a lot of guests. Monty says encouraging the locals is good forbusiness.”
Walker snorted at the mayor’speacemaking efforts. Monty and Kurt jointly owned the lodge with their mother. He was glad he didn’t have to keep the family peace. “What does Kurtsay?”
