More pain? I nodded slowly, feeling a chill I hadn’t sensed before. “All right,” I murmured.
“I believe you will survive to return to the love of your heart. But only if you take great care.” She laid her other hand on top of my palm and closed her eyes again, murmuring something silently.
What could she be talking about? I was on vacation, seeing friends, trying to uncover the truth about my mother’s death. How could that be dangerous?
She pressed my hand, released it, and stood. She took a deep breath, as if shaking off her trance or whatever it had been. “I take cash or credit.” Woo-woo aside, this was her livelihood.
I picked up my bag and rose, too. “Thank you.” I fished out the right number of bills and handed them to her.
“Thank you. And, miss?” Her accent fell away. “I don’t usually say this to visitors, but I meant what I said. I couldn’t discern what kind of danger will befall you. It was crystal clear that something will. You will be in great peril.”
I shuddered.
Her gaze bore into mine. “Please proceed with extreme caution.”
Chapter 14
Alana and I met out at Arroyo Burro Beach—or Hendry’s, as locals call it—at a little before five. One of my favorite pieces of the coast, it offered a long, flat, sandy stretch to walk on. Boathouse, a foodie restaurant perched on a low bluff above the beach, was perfect for drinks and sustenance before or after a stroll. After we exchanged a hug, we sat first on a bench overlooking the ocean. Each member of a couple walked a shaggy black dog on the sand, and a kid learning to surf finally caught a wave.
“What have you been up to since Saturday?” Alana asked.
“This and that.” I opened my right palm and regarded it, then looked up. “Have you ever been to the palm reader out on the pier?”
“Madame Allegra?” She hooted. “Never. I don’t lean that way, Robbie. This shouldn’t surprise you.”
“It doesn’t. And I usually don’t, either, as you know. You were the one who said I was as little woo-woo prone as you were.”
She laughed. “I remember.”
“Anyway, I went for a meander on Stearns Wharf this afternoon.”
“And for some inconceivable reason you decided to waste money on getting your fortune told.”
“Actually, yes.”
She gave me a classic Alana side-eye.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. I thought it would be fun, or at least interesting. Instead it was kind of disturbing.” I told my friend what had gone down and about Madame Allegra’s warning.
“Creepy,” Alana said. “You really think you’ll be in danger?”
“I sure hope not. I mean, why would I be? The woman seemed dead serious about it, though, and said she didn’t usually give customers such a specific warning.” I shivered again, remembering how sincere she’d been, telling me to proceed with extreme caution. I’d left the pier and ended up sitting on my towel on the beach as planned, but her warning had disturbed me too much to really enjoy it. “Enough dark stuff. Do you want to walk first or eat first?”
“Let’s eat and talk, then we can walk off our drinks. The ’rents want me back later tonight for an end-of-life meeting.” She rolled her eyes.
“Ouch. Is one of them sick?”
She laughed. “No, but they want to get their ducks in a row, as they put it, and make sure I know their wishes. I’m their only kid, so . . .” She lifted a shoulder and dropped it.
“Actually?” I smiled, but it wasn’t a bright one. “It’s a good idea, even though they aren’t old. For some reason, Mom had gotten her affairs in order, too. A will, a prepaid cremation, all her account numbers and passwords in one place, her lawyer’s number posted on the fridge. It made dealing with her estate so much easier.”
“Do you think she had a premonition of her death?” Alana gazed somberly into my eyes.
I lifted a shoulder. “I have no way of knowing. Let’s go in and not talk about dying.”
“Deal.” She gestured toward the restaurant. “Patio?”
“Sure.”
The restaurant building had a wall of windows facing the beach, but it also included a big patio with glass walls as a shield from the sea breeze. Tall propane heaters warmed the air when needed. A ten-foot-long waist-high stone bin flamed and cast warmth around, too. All-season outdoor dining, a very California way to eat.
Ten minutes later we had drinks in hand, a blood-orange margarita for her and a honeycomb mojito for me. A blond waiter younger than us, clothed like the other waitstaff in a black polo shirt with black pants, had just brought us a plate of hot Parmesan truffle fries to start. We’d opted for the happy hour menu, from which I’d ordered Baja-style fish tacos. Alana asked for the lobster-truffle mac and cheese.
“Cheers, girlfriend.” She lifted her glass.
“Here’s to friendship.” I clinked and sipped. “You never gain weight, do you?” She was as lean as she’d been in high school.
“Not really. I guess I have a naturally fast metabolism. You look good. Staying in shape?”
“I bike a lot. I’ve never had skinny hips, as you well know. But I do my crunches every morning, and my work keeps me on my feet and moving.” I took another sip. “Are you going to hire Katherine to plan your wedding?”
Alana cocked her head, regarding me. “I guess I could talk to her about it. Antonio and I haven’t started planning anything yet. My mom thinks we’re nuts not to have even set a date. And she’s in good company. The rest of the known universe has exactly one question when they see my ring. When’s the wedding?” She shook her head.
“You’ll get there.”
We chatted about her research, my restaurant, national politics, and movies as we sipped and munched the perfect crusty fries.
“Jason seems like he’s doing well, doesn’t
