* * *
About an hour later I sat with Benny at his living room table, the sun now heading towards the city skyline in a breath-taking display of pink and crimson cloud ribbons.
It was our third hand of poker, and the third in a row I had successfully predicted with near 100% accuracy.
He had mentioned that I might find the process easier now with apparently immense amounts of new spirit. I was reluctant to tell him the process seemed neither easier nor harder to the best of my judgement.
“Low pair,” I declared, withdrawing my focus, “I’d say threes or fours.”
He revealed the cards, a frown creasing his brow; pair of kings.
“I’m not sure what happened there.”
“You’re distracted, Jet, something on your mind?”
“No. Well, yes.”
“Then spit it out. Best way to clear your mind is discussion.” He gathered up the cards and shuffled, looking at me expectantly.
I hesitated for an agonising moment. The internal conflict was so chaotic I half expected my hair to spontaneously ignite. But I was merely delaying the inevitable decision that followed, one that would determine the course of the rest of my life.
“My mother and grandmother are illegal magic users,” I said at last. And as the words left my mouth the world around me seemed to shift, altering as if acknowledging the irrevocability of the event.
His shuffling hands froze.
Then eyes never leaving my face, he placed down the cards and drew out his pouch of tobacco.
“Fair warning,” he said, initiating the cigarette rolling ritual, “Depending on what you say next I may be forced to act. So don’t start talking unless you’re prepared for that. Should you choose not to proceed, I am willing to agree that no mention was ever made of it.”
“I thought discussion was the best way to clear one’s mind.”
“Don’t twist my words,” he scoffed, smiling placidly as a rolling paper was taken from the endless supply in his top pocket, “You may not believe it, but I take my job very seriously, Jet.”
“You’re right, I don’t believe it.”
The smile melted. “Proceed with caution, my good chum. There are some things about which I do not joke.”
“You’re saying that some crimes are to be taken more seriously than others, is that it?”
“As with all things, Jet, some rules are guidelines, and others are made of steel.” The cigarette took shape. He inserted it between his lips and the magical flame ignited, creating a ghostly effect of shadows and highlights on his face. “Some crimes deserve to be punished by a man eating his own liver, others can be overlooked; the laws stretched to accommodate. If the situation permits. There are only grey areas in this world of ours; the realm of black and white is where people like Selena live. Obsessed with perfection in an imperfect world. And it’s a lonely place that black and white realm, populated by the delusional. Am I right?”
These were righteous words coming from a man who I had seen participate in an illegal card game, manipulate old Mrs Nelson to forget anger concerning her car and even scramble a waiter’s brain to forget something as silly as a smoking violation. But I once again acknowledged that when compared to what was possible with magic Benny was the most insignificant of criminals. Perhaps even justifiable in cases. Next to my mother and grandmother he seemed the lesser of two “evils.”
“Now, tell me about these magical crimes,” He continued, “if you so choose.”
“The Sushi Palace, a restaurant my mother runs, she’s using it to manipulate the customers.”
“I see. Heard about that place. Heard the sushi is the best in town.”
“Yes, it would be.”
“Ah. So there’s one mystery solved. She’s manipulating customers. Not such a big thing, Jet, pretty common. How many customers?”
“All of them. And the staff. They’re all being manipulated. The whole place is a sham.”
“What about her Enforcer?”
“It’s my grandmother. She’s in on it.”
“Name?”
“Fran.”
“Never heard of her.” He exhaled a cloud of smoke.
“Well, she’s over eighty. Doubt she holds much of a reputation.”
“Uh huh. And so the stupidity of allowing family to regulate family is once again highlighted.” The cigarette was flicked towards an open window. “That’s fairly interesting. Corrupt Enforcers are not taken lightly.”
Again I hesitated, but knew it was too late to turn back. “There’s more.”
“Go on.”
“I’ve been told about some kind of… family network of illegal magic users. It’s a major thing from what I can tell. A sort of mafia.”
“A network?” He squinted at me through the still rising cloud of smoke.
“Yes.”
His eyes drifted to the table as wheels turned. Finally he sighed and leaned back in his chair with raised eyebrows. All sign of good humour had vanished. “What else do you know, Jet?”
“Not much. That’s more or less the extent of it.”
“Well this is a turn of events. It’s something I’ll have to investigate. I warned you.”
“Good.”
“You’re happy?”
“Yes.”
“I suspect you have your reasons.”
“I do.”
“Would you like to talk about them?”
The little flame still burned in my stomach, growing ever stronger. I hadn’t meant it, the feeling would pass. I was not capable of murder. I was not like my grandmother. Even if she did deserve to pay for what she had done, I had not meant what I said. It was better they were both locked away for life. Wasn’t it?
“No.”
“Alright. We’ll talk about this again. You feel better for telling?”
I nodded.
“Good. Then let’s focus on the task at hand, shall we?” He slipped back into high spirits and managed a grin. “Okay?”
“Sure.”
“Right, you need to be faster,” he said, “it’s still too obvious when you do the spell. Try achieving results without taking your eyes off your own cards. Peripheral vision.”
“I’ll try.”
“Good. That’s why we’re here.”
A new hand was dealt.
By the time the sun had completed its decent and allowed the night to roll in, I had grasped using peripheral vision as a means to establish mental contact.
Practice continued till midnight, after which we enjoyed a supper of microwave lasagne and headed for bed.
“No demon for me tonight,” I told myself as the painkillers were fed into my eager mouth; two, then two more for good measure. It dawned on me that I was starting to look forward to the ritual as the only part of every day I was assured a bit of peace.
As the euphoria set in and I sighed in relief, the alarm I had felt at the pill bottle being a bit empty soon drained away into bliss.