Witches Under Way by Debora Geary Page B

granted one of Melvin’s wise nuggets—and not at all sure what to do with it.  “Any ideas on how I do that?”
    Melvin looked off into the distance.  “Why don’t you use a tripod when you take portraits?”
    Twenty-five years together and he could still confuse the hell out of her.  “Too rigid.  I need the freedom to move the camera to where it needs to be.  If I lock it into place, I always miss the best shots.”
    “Indeed.”  He smiled softly.  “Teach your students not to be tripods, then.  Show them the difference between truly supporting someone and merely propping them up.”
    Jennie paused, the truth of what he’d said sinking into her soul.  When love was rigidly offered, the people you loved could miss their best moments.  She reached out a hand in gratitude—he’d always been able to speak her language.  “Elsie’s quite talented at propping up her own life.  She would find it quite easy to extend that to others, I suspect.”
    “Yes.”  Melvin nodded.  “Just like any of us, she’s going to need to experience truly flexible love before she can give it.  The net is in place, but as long as she can find new things to keep her busy, she won’t ever make the leap.  The time is coming, I think, when you’ll need to take away that which only props her up and encourage her to fall into those waiting arms.”
    That sounded like the tough-love version of mentoring—and she had plenty of experience with Melvin’s version of it.  “You think we’re being too gentle?”
    “Not yet.”  He stared off into the distance.  “She needs to feel the love before it’s tested.  That’s well underway, however, and soon enough, I think she’ll be ready to weather a tumble or two.”  He grinned.  “My wife won’t permit anything less.  And neither will Helga.”
    Truth.  Elsie had acquired much more than she yet understood at Caro’s yarn shop.  Women with knitting needles should never be underestimated.
    Melvin sniffed the light touch of mint tea floating in from the kitchen.  “Elsie’s not your only student who feels more comfortable being propped up.”
    Jennie frowned, brain feeling a bit waterlogged. 
    He patted her knee.  “Young women don’t work themselves to exhaustion in three days for no good reason.”
    He was several steps ahead of her again.  “And what do you think the reason is?”
    “That’s the right question.”  Melvin shrugged.  “There are a number of possible answers, and I suspect figuring out which one fits best will bring you a good deal closer to solving Lizard.”
    Jennie sighed.  He always managed to leave her with a mystery.
    ~ ~ ~
    Lauren frowned as Lizard angled toward the street heading to the office.  “No chance, girl.  I’m under strict instructions to take you home.”  And no one in their right mind would cross Ginia today—not while she still had more of that green goo in her bag. 
    “I’ll go home right after I take care of a couple of things.”  Lizard patted her belly.  “I have lots of cookies in me, and I have stuff to do.”
    “Nothing that can’t wait until you sleep twelve hours.” 
    She felt Lizard’s mind rallying for a fight.  “I can’t.  I promised a client I’d write up an offer for him.”
    Lauren felt her eyebrows winging up.  “Why is this the first time I’ve heard of it?  Which client?”
    “He just came in this morning.”  Lizard scowled.  “I didn’t have a chance to talk with you about it yet.  He wants to do a cash offer, and I have to look up how to do that.  I was going to send you the paperwork after I finished so you could check it for me.”
    Time to back up three steps.  “Wait.  You have a client who walked in the door this morning, cash in hand, and you’ve already found him a place?”
    “Yeah.”  Lizard had neatly steered them toward the office.  “Good thing, too—I have an essay to write toni—“  She backpedaled when Lauren glared.  “I