Free 2 Lady Luck Runs Out by Shannon Esposito

deciding I didn't really like caviar. "Monkey doesn't happen to like cats, does he?"
    He chewed and gave Frankie a thumbs up. "I'm not sure," he said, pushing the Zorro mask up onto the top of his head. "He's never been around one. Why do you ask?"
    "Well, I'm trying to find a home for Rose Faraday's cat, Lady Luck."
    "Oh, no, sorry, I couldn't. No offense to the poor cat, but I wouldn't bring anything that woman owned into my home."
    I was surprised at the level of anger still evident in his tone. After all, the woman was dead. Maybe it was time to let it go.
    "Tragic how she died." Frankie shook head. "I still can't believe it."
    "Beyond believable," Mallory piped in.
    Jack shrugged. "Seems like karma to me."
    Karma? How is getting bit by a rattlesnake in your own living room karma? No one deserves that. "So, I heard Rose had threatened to poison Monkey?" I watched his expression. I wasn't disappointed. His eyes flashed with rage. Definitely not ready to let it go.
    "Yeah." His face darkened. "I don't know what that woman had against dogs. She went out of her way to make us dog owners' lives miserable there."
    The crowd seemed to be getting louder. I had to yell above the din of conversation and music around us. "So she wasn't well liked?"
    "I can't speak for the rest of the world, but in our little corner, nope."
    I leaned in closer to Jack so my voice wouldn't get drowned out. "Besides the whole dog thing, do you think people resented her occupation? Her being a psychic?" In the back of my mind, I knew I wasn't just asking about Rose here.
    "Oh, no, that just made her strange, not a bitch." He glanced at Mallory sheepishly. "Excuse my language, Miss." Then turned back to me. "You know, it was the whole dog DNA mess. That was all her idea as president, and it just rubbed everyone the wrong way."
    "Dog DNA?" Frankie made a face. "What's this world coming to? But, now that you've been elected president of the HOA, you can change whatever you need to, right?"
    That got my attention. Jack was the new president? Bing. Moving on up the suspect list. Short as it was so far.
    "Oh, yeah. You bet your sweet buns we're working on changing that!" Jack answered.
    I felt a bit of relief that they didn't dislike her just for being a psychic. Time for the big question to see how he reacted. "So, Jack, do you think anyone disliked her enough to kill her?"
    He paused midway of taking a drink and stared at me. Then one side of his mouth twitched. "You mean if the snake hadn't gotten to her first?"
    "Oh!" Frankie grabbed my hand. "Speaking of psychics." She turned to Jack. "I'll be right back. I've got to show Darwin somethin'."
    I groaned inwardly. Bad timing, Frankie. "Guess I'll be back," I said to Mallory right before I was being pulled through the crowd to the steps leading us onto the stage.
    "This guy is amazing. He gave me a message from my great aunt Violet earlier tonight, something only she would have known." Her voice rose in excitement as she led me to a temporary black curtain set up on the right of the stage. A line of costume-clad partygoers had formed in front of it. She patted my arm as we took our place at the end of the line. "Trust me, he's worth the wait."
    A psychic? Huh. I wondered if he was the real deal. Guess I'd find out. We sipped our Halloweeny cocktails and I filled her in on Mallory's visit as we waited.
    "That's good that she's tryin' to get over you leaving Savannah, right?" Frankie said. "Mend fences and all that?"
    I nodded. "Yeah, sure."  I couldn't tell her the real reason Mallory had come was because our father had visited her in a dream and had warned her I was going to be in danger.
    "Well, she seems like a real sweet girl," Frankie said. "Though, I would have never known you gals were sisters, besides the Georgia accents you really are nothing alike."
    "I know. We're yin and yang." Fire and water. Literally. Which is what makes our magick so strong together. Logically, we should cancel each other out,