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- “What is your name, o great spirit?” the hostess insists. The planchette moves quickly. N-A-U-G-H-T-Y-J-O-H-N George raises an eyebrow mischievously. “Say, I like the sound of that. What makes you so naughty, old sport?” Y-O-U-L-L-S-E-E
- cree.py
- For this is the land of dreams.
- The wind has existed forever. It has seen much in this country of dreams and soap ads, old horrors and bloodshed. It has played mute witness to its burning witches, and has walked along a Trail of Tears; it has seen the slave ships release their human cargo, blinking and afraid, into the ports, their only possession a grief they can never lose. The wind was there when President Lincoln fell to an assassin’s bullet. It smelled of gunpowder at Antietam. It ran with the buffalo and touched tentative fingers to the tall black hats of Puritans. It has carried shouts of love, and it has dried tears to salt tracks on more faces than it can number.
- “Prohibition? I drink to its health whenever I can.”
- “You can’t blame a fella for kissing the prettiest girl in New York, can you, sister?” Sam’s grin was anything but apologetic. Evie brought up her knee quickly and decisively, and he dropped to the floor like a grain sack. “You can’t blame a girl for her quick reflexes now, can you, pal?”
- the beginning of the greatest love story.
- “I don’t drink.” “You must get awfully thirsty then.” Evie laughed. Jericho did not.
- It set the tone of their friendship: Memphis was still there to get Gabe out of trouble, and Gabe was there to help Memphis get into it.
- “What took you so long?” Will asked when Evie came panting into the room. He and Jericho had assembled a stack of books, which they were tucking into Will’s attaché case. “I walked to Jerusalem for the Bible. I knew you’d want an original,” Evie snapped.
- It took Evie a moment to understand that he expected her to draw the symbol on the slate. “No, you’ve drawn it right side up. Inverted, please.” With a sigh, Evie erased her five-pointed star and drew it again with the two points up and the one down. “What’s the difference?” she grumbled. “I’ve told you: Inverted means matter over God. Spirit becoming flesh rather than the other way ’round.
- “How do you invent a religion?” Evie asked. Will looked over the top of his spectacles. “You say, ‘God told me the following,’ and then wait for people to sign up.”
- “Evangeline,” Will said with a sigh. “Charity begins at home.” “So does mental illness.”
- Evie whirled around to face Will. “Unc! He’s a thief!” “Yes. So he is. Are you a good thief, Sam?” Sam smiled. “The best, sir.” “A good thief in need of a job,” Will mused. “I suppose you may start right away.”
- “Well.” Sam nodded, slipping on the coat. “I am pretty fond of this hat. Nice to see you again, Sister.” “The pleasure was all yours,” Evie said and ran to catch Will.
- Like this—love charm of the Hopi. Oh, I better not let you hold this, sister. You might get goofy for me.” “That’ll be the day.” “I’m counting on that day.” “I hope you can count pretty high, then,” Evie said. He leaned in a little closer. Evie could see the flecks of amber in his eyes. “Admit it—you liked that kiss.” “You owe me twenty dollars.” “Cash or check?” he said cheekily. Even the dullest Ohio girls knew that bit of lingo: Kiss now or kiss later? “Bank’s closed, pal.” Sam nodded. “Check, then.”
- Solomon’s Comet party!
- “Event of heavenly significance,”
- "heavenly significance" is a good name for something
- “I’m embalmed.” “Potted and splificated?” “Ossified to the gills. Time for night-night.”
- The book is pos-i-tute-ly a cure for insomnia, but it does have this.”
- Evie replied with an eye-roll. “Do you think you can manage to not steal anything while I’m gone?” “The only thing I’m trying to steal is your heart, doll.” Sam smirked. “You’re not that talented a thief, Sam Lloyd.”
- “You smell good enough to eat,” Sam said so close to her ear that it made the skin along her jaw buzz. “Just like the Big Bad Wolf,” Evie murmured.
- oh my
- “Swell.” She sighed. The Scotty fellow continued rambling, making Mabel feel smaller and plainer. Her dress was all wrong; she looked like she was auditioning for a Christmas pageant somewhere. She was tired of being overlooked or compared to someone’s sister or passed off as a sweet, harmless girl, the sort nobody minded but nobody sought out, either. How had she allowed herself to be talked into this misery? It was different for Evie. Evie was born to play the role of carefree flapper. Mabel wasn’t. In nightclubs or at dances, she was out of her element. Just once, she’d like to be the exciting one, the girl somebody wanted.
- I feel this deeply
- But what was the point of living so quietly you made no noise at all?
- “Thought I might find you here. What happened with your uncle Will?” Evie turned her face away and wiped her eyes. “I stirred the tea counterclockwise.”
- she said and batted those baby blues. Fellas, start lining up. There’s more than one killer in this town.’ ”
- “You’re so right, Unc. That Woodhouse is a rat. But he did mention the museum, at least,” Evie said. “Do you know what this means?” Will blew twin streams of smoke from his nostrils. “Trouble,” he said.
- “I’m a librarian, not an oracle,”
- Evie handed over her notes, as well as several newspaper articles, which Will regarded with an expression of alarm. “How did you get these out of the library?” Evie shrugged. “I’ll take them back tomorrow and tell them I’m awfully sorry for thinking they were my Daily News.” “Does your mother know you’ve a burgeoning criminal mind?” “That’s why she sent me to you.”
- In New York’s more fashionable quarters, the smart set, who were too swell to admit fear, organized “Murder Clubs” where they swilled cocktails with names like Pentacle Poison, Voodoo Varnish, and The Killer’s Cocktail—a potent mix of whiskey, champagne, orange juice, and crushed cherries said to make anyone wish she were dead the next morning.
- “There are times when one friend requires the blind faith of another, darling girl. This is such a time,” Evie said after a long pause. “Besides, when have I ever steered you wrong?” “Would you like a list?”
- Sam settled into a chair and placed his boots up on the table. He laced his fingers behind his neck, and his bent elbows stuck out on either side of his head like wings.
- hot
- “What good is it to have this power and not use it?” “I salute your spunk, but I question your sanity,” Sam said.
- “Why is this happening now?” Evie asked. Will templed his fingers again. “I don’t know. Something is drawing the likes of John Hobbes. Some energy here. Spirits are attracted to seismic energy shifts, chaos and political upheaval, religious movements, war and invention, industry and innovation. There were said to be a great many ghost sightings and unexplained phenomena reported during the American Revolution, and again during the Civil War. This country is founded on a certain tension.” He pressed his fists against each other. “There is a dualism inherent in democracy—opposing forces pushing against each other, always. Culture clashes. Different belief systems. All coming together to create this country. But this balance takes a great deal of energy—and, as I’ve said, spirits are attracted to energy.” He let his hands rest on the desk.
- But this balance takes a great deal of energy—and, as I’ve said, spirits are attracted to energy.” He let his hands rest on the desk.
- Often, the monsters we create in our imagination are not nearly as frightening as the monstrous acts perpetrated by ordinary human beings in the aim of one cause or another.
oct 4 2026 ∞
oct 4 2026 +
oct 4 2026 +