Shaman, Healer, Heretic by Green M. Terry

Author:Green, M. Terry [Green, M. Terry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Spirituality, Urban Fantasy
Goodreads: 10589156
Publisher: Middleworld
Published: 2011-01-21T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

AS LIVVY FOLLOWED SK up the driveway, she wondered why they passed the front door. Although she felt as though she was in more familiar surroundings than Palm Springs, the grinding poverty of this part of Pacoima was shocking. She felt at home with all of the Latinos and their businesses but, without the high rises of downtown, the city had a flat border town look, pushed up against the hills of the northeast valley where the smog was thickest.

At the end of the driveway was a detached one-car garage. A rickety gate spanned the gap between it and the house.

When SK had mentioned that they’d be coming to see Carmen, he had sensed her apprehension in the car.

“Have you ever met her?” he had asked.

“No,” she had said. “But…”

Livvy didn’t think of herself as a poacher and, really, she wasn’t. The clients had sought her out.

“But what?”

“Well, a few of her clients have come to me and they’re…well, kind of my clients now.” Without waiting for his reaction she had rushed on. “I didn’t seek them out. I wasn’t hunting for them or anything.”

“All right,” he had said. “It happens. Does she know?”

Livvy didn’t know. Maybe now she was going to find out.

SK knocked on the gate. Livvy heard a door on the garage open and then the gate bolt sliding. A short, rotund woman appeared.

“Hello, Carmen,” said SK.

“Gallito,” she said to SK, then checked the driveway. She looked at Livvy, eyes lingering on her hair and then on her bag.

“She’s clean,” said SK.

Livvy couldn’t help but smile. Gallito, little rooster–how appropriate.

“Sorry,” said Carmen, as she pulled the gate open. As they passed by she said, “No guns, no knives, no drugs.”

The converted garage was barely more than a real garage, with a few pieces of furniture, a carpet remnant and a couple of floor fans, one of which was running. Overhead were a couple of long fluorescent tubes in a flimsy metal fixture. Carmen closed the door behind them. It was stifling.

“Livvy, I’d like you to meet Carmen,” said SK, hopping onto a folding chair.

Carmen offered her hand but Livvy hesitated. She hadn’t shaken hands with any of the other shamans and this opportunity had taken her by surprise. She hadn’t discharged the static electricity to anything.

As Carmen started to withdraw her hand, Livvy quickly clasped it. The spark was clearly audible and Carmen jerked her hand back.

“Sorry!” said Carmen, before Livvy could even mention the Santa Anas.

Carmen wore an off-white muumuu that nearly touched her feet. Hanging from her thick neck were a silver chain and a small pearl pendant. She looked as though she colored her own hair since Livvy could see the gray that was right on top.

“Nice to meet you,” Livvy ventured, but Carmen was already turning away.

Livvy looked at SK, who looked down at the ground where she was standing. Livvy looked at the floor but didn’t see anything.

Carmen had gone to sit in a well-worn recliner that looked like it was permanently in a semi-reclining position.

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