Split (Chapter-19)

Angelica’s last client of the day slid a twenty-dollar bill across the table.

“Let me give you change for this, Gretta.” Angelica reached for her enormous hobo-style pocketbook.

“No, honey. You keep that. You’re worth it.” Gretta winked as she buttoned up her fur coat. In the background, Madonna crooned Santa Baby. “I’ll be back next week.”

“Enjoy your weekend. But not too much!” Angelica had predicted a new love would enter Gretta’s life in the coming days or weeks. The sixty-something-year-old was probably going to adopt a kitten from the shelter, but love is love, after all.

As she wrapped her tarot deck in a batik scarf, Angelica was tempted to read her own cards, something she rarely did. Most of the time, she figured if something wonderful and magical were about to come her way, she’d like to be surprised. And if what was coming wasn’t so great, she’d prefer to live in denial.

The problem was Ian.

She had known from the first moment she looked up into his turquoise eyes she was a goner. She fought it hard at first, but when he made it clear he felt the same way, her resistance melted. Now, after all they’d been through together, the bond between them was strong.

Or so she’d thought.

The past few days put a serious strain on that bond. Ian seemed to be bouncing all over the place, one minute warm, the next cold. Although Janice had certainly screwed him over, Angelica couldn’t see why this translated into him questioning the rock-solid relationship the two of them shared.

Just as she was about to remove the scarf in order to shuffle the deck, Angelica felt a feather-light touch on her shoulder. Every muscle in her body tensed. “Oh, you startled me!”

It was only Erica.

Her sister laughed. “You must have been deep in thought. We didn’t exactly sneak up on you.” She pulled out a chair.

Harriet sat down next. “You ready to order?”

Angelica fingered the silk scarf for a moment. “Sure. I just need to check the specials.” She slipped the cards into her bag with a mixture of regret and relief.

“Felix is taking class until six, but Vivian thought she could cover for him till then. It shouldn’t be too busy.” Harriet passed Angelica a hand-written list of specials for the night. “So, you’re off duty.”

“I’ll have to thank her,” Angelica mumbled. She could feel Erica’s eyes on her.

“Are you okay?” her sister asked. “You look pensive.”

Angelica shook her head. “You shouldn’t be worrying about me. How are you feeling?” She noticed the tiny lines of strain around Erica’s mouth, the gaunt hollows beneath her cheekbones.

Erica shrugged. “No more cramping. No more bleeding. I guess I’m fine.” Her sardonic look said the rest.

Angelica reached for her hand while Harriet leaned out of her chair to put an arm around her.

“We’re here for you,” Angelica whispered across the table. “Whatever you need.”

“I know you won’t be ready for a while, babe, but we can try again. As soon as you want.” Harriet pressed a kiss against Erica’s temple.

“I’m sure Bruce will be up for it,” Angelica added. “Anytime, anywhere.” Bruce was their on-call sperm donor. “But let’s make sure we invest in a new turkey baster. Preferably before we cook our Hanukkah turkey.”

Finally, Erica cracked a smile.

Before they had a chance to order, a gust of frigid air blew in and another visitor arrived at their table. Ian shrugged off his overcoat and grabbed the list of specials. “Is Felix back yet?”

“No sign of him,” Angelica reported.

“Well, I received some new information today. Had a little chat with the chief of police up in Woodstock.” Ian’s eyes flashed as he imparted the news. “Then I paid a visit to one of Jewel’s students, Trixie Nash. Turns out she noticed a lot more than she mentioned in our first conversation.” He smiled before he deployed the next bombshell. “I have a whole new plan for tomorrow morning’s yoga class.”

Angelica watched Erica and Harry’s faces as Ian’s plan slid out of his mouth like a venomous snake, slippery and dangerous. The more Harry heard, the harder her expression turned, until her face seemed to solidify into stone. Erica’s brown eyes grew bigger and bigger.

“NO.” The word dropped from Harriet’s mouth like a depth charge. “I won’t allow you to put Erica in that kind of danger. Use someone else. A trained undercover police officer.”

Ian turned toward Erica. “What do you say? If you’re not comfortable, I’ll get someone else. But I promise I’ll do everything possible to ensure your safety is not compromised.”

“You can’t be in the room with her!” Harriet’s voice rose several decibels. “How the hell are you going to ensure anything?”

Erica laid a hand on her partner’s arm but kept her eyes on Ian. “I’ll do it.”

Harriet opened her mouth to protest some more when Felix finally showed up, unwinding a long woolen scarf from around his throat. “Agent Awesome reporting back from his mission,” he stage-whispered to the table.

Ian and Harry scooted their chairs away from each other, the tension palpable between them. Felix inserted himself into the space. Vivian approached but read Angelica’s subtle shake of the head and veered off again.

“How was your class?” Ian addressed Felix who had stripped down to a tightly fitting Lycra leotard and leggings. A terrycloth headband adorned his damp forehead and similar stretchy bands encircled both wrists.

“Did you sweat a lot?” Angelica couldn’t help wondering, given his accessories. She reached out a finger to poke his headband. “Ew! You did!”

Felix swatted her hand away and gave her the evil eye. “A man perspires when he exerts himself.” He turned to Ian. “The class was pure, unadulterated heaven. I have never experienced such bliss. Not ever in my life. Jewel is the perfect name for the instructor. She is absolutely precious.”

Angelica rolled her eyes toward heaven, expecting everyone else to do the same, but Ian leaned forward with interest. “Really? Tell me about it.”

“That woman has magical powers. She is a true healer. I was feeling completely stressed out before the class, and now I’m a wet noodle.”

“The wet part is definitely true,” Angelica muttered.

“Did you catch the names of the other students in the class?” Ian pulled out his notepad.

“Of course. I did everything you asked of me.” Felix pretzeled his legs into the lotus pose. “Including at least five full minutes of downward-facing dog, which was no picnic, I’ll tell you. Let me think. There was Cheryl Hunter, Marjory Barstow, Bunny Vanderwald, Clara Deforest, and Laureen Something-beginning-with-a-T. No men. You were right about that.”

“Bunny Vanderwald?” Angelica blurted. Janice’s mother. She had a face pulled so taut from plastic surgery; she could barely smile. Although the one-time Angelica met her, she hadn’t been in much of a smiling mood.

Ian seemed to be absorbing the information. “Almost everyone in Nyack is taking advantage of the opportunity for healing, I guess. Cheryl Hunter is the daughter of the first victim. She didn’t sound like a yoga aficionado when I spoke with her.”

“Maybe Jewel murders a bunch of people and then offers her healing services to their families? That could be her business plan,” Angelica suggested. Everyone turned to stare at her. “What? It makes sense from a financial perspective. Kill off one student, gain three or four more.”

“Jewel is not a murderer, Angelica.” Felix used a patient tone, as if speaking to an impaired person. “She is a goddess. You really should try her class. She could help you with all that negative energy you have.”

“There is no way I’m taking a class with that narcissist.” Angelica snatched her coat off the back of her chair. “Since I’m obviously not needed here, I’ll see you guys some other time.”

With this declaration, she stomped out of the café and continued stomping all the way home, smashing her boots through the snow and slush, trying to flatten the entire world.