Page 86 of Forever and Other Lies

Chapter 42

Psychics weren’t real. Derek didn’t believe in that nonsense any more than Burke Winston did. How he prayed they were both wrong. They needed Jamie’s rumored abilities to be real. There was no other way to find Jayna in time.

Jamie’s store was locked up tight, but her battered truck was parked at the curb on the side street. Derek pounded on the metal door of her workshop.

“This is a complete waste of time,” Burke grumbled beside him.

“Got any better ideas? Any other leads?” Derek shot back.

Burke clamped his lips shut.

“Didn’t think so,” Derek muttered.

Jamie opened the door on the third knock. “Derek. Burke. Did you find Jayna?”

“You tell us. You’re the psychic,” Burke said testily.

Jamie shot him an annoyed glance.

“We need your help, Jamie,” Derek said, shaking his head at Burke. The cop was being a jerk. “Have you felt anything, or whatever it is you experience?”

“Derek, I’m trying. I really am. It’s like there’s a wall blocking me. I can’t see or feel anything.” Jamie let out a heavy sigh. “I wish I could. Jayna is harder to read than most.”

“That’s because she’s hardheaded,” Derek said, his voice cracking. Jayna should have listened to him. He knew something was off. He knew that she was in danger.

“You’re both wasting my time.” Burke folded his arms across his chest. “Big surprise, she can’t tell us where Jayna is. She’s a fraud.”

“Enough, Burke,” Derek snapped. “If Jamie can help, we need to give her a chance.”

“I’ll stick to old-fashioned police work.” Burke grabbed the doorknob. His back stiffened and he turned back, glaring at Jamie. “How do you give people false hope like this? Toy with their emotions? Take their hard-earned money?”

Jamie huffed. “I don’t give people false hope or toy with their emotions. Nor do I take their hard-earned money. I only charge for the furniture I restore, and I make a damn good living. I don’t need to scam people.”

Jamie’s nostrils flared as she stared at Burke. “What I do is give people validation. And hopefully, peace and closure.”

“Look, Burke, you have no leads. Maybe Jamie can help us, maybe she can’t. But I’m going to exhaust every possibility to find Jayna.”

Jamie and Burke continued to glare at each other. Shaking her head, Jamie turned away. “You’re right, Derek. We need to try every means possible. There’s one thing I’ve never done before, but I’ll need your help.”

“Name it,” Derek agreed.

“Have you heard of a psychomanteum chamber?”

“Psycho what now?” Derek’s brow furrowed.

“It’s Greek for ‘theatre of the mind,’” Jamie explained. “It’s a small room used for psychic meditation and introspection. It’s believed to amplify psychic abilities and communication with the spirit world.”

“Sounds like it should be Greek for ‘theatre of the delusional,’” Burke quipped.

Both Derek and Jamie shot him wary looks.

“What do you need us to do?” Derek asked.

“Don’t go volunteering my services,” Burke continued to be obtuse.

“Too late!” Derek shot back.

“I need a small room built. We can build it in the corner to save time using the existing walls. We’ll only need to erect two walls. I have some big sheets of plywood.”

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