Jeannie and Liz were stopped at a red light when something caught Jeannie's eye.

"Mom, look!" She pointed over to a small, quaint-looking shop. A sandwich board with a drawing of a crystal ball, and the words 'Reader Today' were emblazoned across the front. In the window was a neon sign that said "Psychic Here."

Liz looked over and scoffed. "Jeannie, what are you doing?"

"Maybe the reader could help us with Dad! Don't they do that kind of thing?"

Liz was still rolling her eyes when she flipped on the turn signal so that she could park in front of the shop.

Jeannie smiled, knowing her skeptical mother was just as curious as she was.

Liz parked, and the two of them exited the car.

The shop, although dimly lit, was cozy and smelled of sweet incense.

"Can I help you?" A short, blonde woman in torn jeans and a Metallica tee-shirt asked.

"We're here to see the reader," Jeannie spoke up.

"That's me! I'm the reader." The woman smiled. "I know, I know, I don't look like your typical Medium, but I can certainly help you."

"Great," Jeannie smiled, somewhat embarrassed that she had thought this woman looked nothing like she expected.

"Have a seat," the woman gestured to a small table. "I'm Joy. I just opened this shop. Now, how can I help you?"

Liz sat first, then Jeannie sat.

"It's my Dad," Jeannie began.

"Wait, I see something with your phone. It's a very strong image; otherwise I wouldn't have interrupted." Joy shook her head, her eyes closed as if she was focusing hard.

"Well, it does involve my phone, actually," Jeannie looked at Liz, then back at Joy.

She then proceeded to give Joy most of the details. From her dad's accident, to Jesse, to the strange spoofed texts, to Brandon, and finally to today's meeting with Owen and the news from the police.

Joy listened intently before closing her eyes again.

"Do you know someone by the name of Melanie? Lainie?" She looked extra focused again.

"Melaina?" Jeannie spoke up.

"Yes!" Joy opened her eyes. That's it! Melaina!"

"Well, I don't know her..." she started. In all of the info given to Joy, she left out the part about Melaina, specifically.

"You know of her, though?" Joy prompted.

"Yes, but she's...dead." Jeannie replied slowly.


---


Joy closed her eyes after asking Jeannie not to give her any more details. She wanted to get the messages from Spirit - as she called it - directly.

"This...this isn't good..." Joy finally spoke. "Melaina ended her own life because she had learned she was about to be sold on the Dark Web..."

"Sold?" Both Jeannie and Liz said at the same time.

"Yes," Joy's tone was somber. "She'd seen messages on her boyfriend's phone. He'd recently reconnected with her. She was so happy to see him, but it wasn't because he wanted to get back together with her. He was going to sell her."

"That's awful!" Jeannie shook her head.

"There's more," Joy looked from Liz back to Jeannie. "Jesse was her boyfriend, and this was not the first time he'd done this type of thing."

"Jesse? My Jesse? I mean, I wondered, but..." Jeannie stammered.

"Yes, one and the same." Joy nodded. "This is what he does, apparently. He preys on easy targets. He somehow thought that the death of your father made you one as well, but he could not have been more wrong."

"What do you mean?" Liz asked.

"Jeannie isn't the only one getting strange texts," Joy smiled. "Jesse was getting them too."

"From my Dad?" Jeannie asked.

"No." Joy smiled slyly. "From Melaina."