John Coyne
FURY
A Novel of Reincarnation and Revenge
For Nansey Neiman, who asked, “What if I”
Book One
I wasn’t unhappy or disturbed by what I was learning. Not in the least. As a matter of fact, it was a kind of liberation of understanding to realize that my life today was a result of the lives that had preceded it, that I was the product of many lives and would be again. It made sense. There was a harmony to that—a purpose—a kind of cosmic justice which served to explain everything in life—both positive and negative.
I became aware that I was losing contact with myself. At each step of the descent a new person was disclosed within me of whose name I was no longer sure and who no longer obeyed me. And when I had to stop my exploration because the path faded beneath my steps, I found a bottomless abyss at my feet, and out of it comes—arising I know not from where—the current which I dare to call my life.
CHAPTER ONE
“MS. WINTERS,” THE HOTEL receptionist said, “I believe we have a message for you.” The small black man moved down the counter to the computer terminal and typed in a command, then waited for the response on the screen.
Jennifer glanced around the lobby of the Washington, D.C., hotel and spotted a printed sign that read:
That’s what she needed, Jennifer thought wryly, a change, especially in her love life.
“Yes, here it is,” the reception clerk said. ” Room twenty-three fourteen. Jenny, I have a two o’clock appointment. See you at four.’ And it’s signed, ‘T.’ ” The reception clerk looked up. “Would you like a copy?”
“No, thank you. Room twenty-three fourteen, yes?”
“That’s right. I’ll delete this message?”
“Yes, please.” She bent down and picked up her briefcase.
“And I’ll have your luggage sent up,” the clerk added, handing her a computer card. “Your room won’t be ready for another twenty minutes, at two o’clock.”
Jennifer took a deep breath. It was Tom who had also made sure his Justice Department meetings were scheduled for this Thursday so that they could spend the night together in the Washington hotel. She had not seen Tom in three days; they had not made love in a week. She wanted to make love to him so much now, she could taste it. Sometimes it seemed to her that all they had in common was good sex. They certainly did know how to make that work.
Turning away from the reception counter, she caught her reflection in the lobby mirrors and was pleased and surprised to see how thin she looked in her new Calvin Klein suit. The French blue color was right, she saw. It favored her fair complexion and her honey blond hair. But she wasn’t happy with her lip gloss. The shade was too orange and exaggerated her lips. Her mouth was big enough as it was.
“Jenny! Jennifer Winters!” A woman’s high, sharp voice stopped her. Jennifer glanced around and spotted Eileen Gorman waving to her from deep in the lounge. “Jennifer, is that really you!” the woman said, rushing toward her.
Jennifer grinned and went to her. “Eileen, I can’t believe it’s you!” She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman and briefly hugged her. “It’s so good to see you! What a surprise!”
“Are you here for the conference?” Eileen asked.
“Yes, the foundation conference. Who are you with, Eileen?”
“Foundation, no. I’m here for Kathy Dart. She’s going to channel Habasha.”
“Who? What?” Jennifer let go of Eileen’s hand and set down her briefcase.
“You don’t know who Kathy Dart is?” Eileen asked, her green eyes widening.
She still looks like a cheerleader, Jennifer thought, smiling at her old friend. “Eileen, you look wonderful! Do you live here in Washington?”
“No, I’m still living on Long Island.” She took a deep breath and sighed, then, still grinning, said, “What a wonderful surprise! It’s so good to see you, Jenny.” She reached over and again embraced Jennifer. “You look beautiful. Now, what do you do? Where do you live?” she asked.
“In the city. New York. Brooklyn Heights, really. I’ve been there since law school.”
“I had heard you moved to California. Anita told me. You remember Anita?”
“Yes, of course. Yes, I did move to L.A., but—”
“Some guy?”
Jennifer nodded, then turned her thumb down.
Eileen laughed and asked, glancing at Jennifer’s left hand, “Married?”
“No, just well, involved.” She shrugged her shoulders. “You know how it is.”
“Tell me!” Eileen sighed, still smiling at Jennifer. Then she said, “It’s so good to see you, Jennifer. What is it that you do exactly?”
“I’m a lawyer with the James Thompson Foundation. We give money to good causes—civil rights outfits, that sort of liberal thing. I came down for a meeting. Now, who is this Kathy Dart?”
“Oh, you must see Kathy. She’s just wonderful!” Eileen’s voice rose, and she beamed at Jennifer. “She’s a channeler. A wonderful channeler!”
“What?” Jennifer asked, laughing.
“You know what a channeler is, don’t you?”
Jennifer shook her head, suddenly feeling foolish. “I’m sorry, but I—”
“Channeling was written up in People magazine. There was a story about Kathy’s psychic powers. Kathy receives information from this prehistoric human called Habasha who has returned to help us with our lives today.”
“Are you into that stuff?” Jennifer asked.
“This is one of her few East Coast appearances this winter,” Eileen went on.
“Appearance? Does she do seances?” Jennifer kept smiling at Eileen, amused by her overwhelming enthusiasm.
“No! She’s a channeler.” Eileen opened a pink folder. “It’s a special session called ‘A Weekend with Habasha’!”
“Who?” Jennifer laughed out loud, and then touched Eileen’s arm and said, “I’m sorry to be so flippant.”
“That’s all right,” Eileen answered. “I can’t blame you. I was the same way until I heard him.”
“Him?”
“Habasha. I know it’s confusing, but Kathy Dart is only the channel, you see. Habasha uses her body to speak to us. It’s sort of like possession, but isn’t. She ‘channels’ him. He speaks to us through her body. What she does—Kathy that is—is to allow herself to set aside her waking consciousness to allow knowledge—Habasha’s knowledge—that lies beyond conscious awareness to flow into her mind and through her ability to speak.”
“A medium, you mean?”
“Yes, that, but more, Jennifer. You’ll see.”
“I’ll see?”
“Yes, come with me to hear Kathy. She’s about to have an introductory session. It’s for, you know, spouses, friends. C’mon with me, Jenny, and then we can have a cup of coffee and talk, or maybe dinner. Are you busy tonight?”
“Eileen, I can’t—”
“Do you have plans?”
“No, but the foundation meeting opens tomorrow.”
“It’s just a half hour,” she said enthusiastically.
“Okay, why not?” It might be fun, Jennifer thought, and also she’d have time to talk more with Eileen. “Are you sure it will only take thirty minutes?”
“It will take your whole life, once you hear him,” Eileen answered, linking her arm through Jennifer’s. “It’s so good to see you. How long has it been? Graduation, right?”