Free 78 Keys by Kristin Marra

toward its anchor in Laura? I wasn’t given to getting the vapors over a pretty woman, so I knew this draw to her had to be investigated. I’d done a reading for her eight years earlier and recently glimpsed her a few times in my visions. Why her? And the genesis of my visions was still unknown to me.
    Elizabeth Stratton’s bizarre but lucrative visit created more questions. What was her connection to Laura Bishop? How far could I go with my methods for persuading Laura to not expose whatever it was Stratton was hiding? What did Stratton want to hide? I felt the link between Stratton and Bishop was obvious, hiding in front of me like a refrigerator magnet that becomes part of the kitchen scenery and, therefore, unseen.
    I knew somehow it was all related to the macabre High Priestess with no fingernails, but I couldn’t contact her or Pento at will, at least not yet. The video Fitch had made of me while I was visiting the Theater would have to wait. I had other work to do.

    *

    The morning after the Stratton visit was a Monday. Fitch and I studied the information about Laura Bishop that Elizabeth Stratton had left with me on the flash drive. The facts were remarkably thin with little except education and professional background on the successful attorney. However, there was one piece of pay dirt, the fridge magnet. I was a little angry at myself for not remembering the key piece of information I’d forgotten about Laura Bishop.
    “Damn, if I’d remembered that Laura Bishop and Elizabeth Stratton were working in the same firm ten years ago, I could have asked Stratton better questions.” We were bending over my little laptop reading the files together.
    “Meyers, Gaines, and Stratton, that’s some high-powered legal firm. It’s now called Meyers and Gaines. They must’ve dropped the Stratton part when she entered politics. Dev, call Stratton and dig a little deeper into the work connection between her and Bishop.”
    “Uh, I can’t.” I closed the file and got up to refill my coffee. “Stratton didn’t leave any contact information, and I was too fartootst to remember to ask. I normally don’t let confusion cause me to make mistakes.”
    “Well, not many people have a harridan of hell show up on the doorstep of their secluded island house. Had I known who it was, I’d never have gone to get that food. I would’ve hid out and spied on her. It’s the least she deserves for causing so much hatred in this country.” Fitch’s eyes had grown dark, and I worried for her slaves when she got back home. Then I remembered they liked it when she got rough.
    “Oy.” Fitch looked at me and I felt obliged to redirect my thoughts. “So what do you think Laura Bishop has on Elizabeth Stratton?”
    “Well, I intend to find out. Maybe Stratton had some shady dealings at the law firm, and Bishop discovered them. Bishop’s holding Stratton hostage with the information. Stranger things have happened,” Fitch said.
    “That’s probably what it is. My question is what should I do about it? Do I just waylay Laura Bishop, or should we find out what the information is that Bishop is holding?”
    “Rosten, your job is to deter Bishop, but my job is always getting the information. How about you do your part, and I’ll back you up with what I can find out. If Meyers, Gaines, and formerly Stratton has the usual lame information protection like other law firms, I’ll be into its files in no time. I’ll start when I get back home to my equipment.”
    Fitch ate five pieces of butter-drenched toast while I drank my protein smoothie with a vitamin C boost. Then we reviewed the visions I had the previous evening. She was remarkably relaxed with the idea that I was getting information from “elsewhere.” I chalked it up to the fact that Fitch’s world was so out of the norm that she had a high tolerance for strange.
    “The first time you saw Bishop was when you did a reading for her about eight years ago. The next time was