Page 113 of Power of the Mind

Tallus left not long after that, maybe recognizing I was at my limit or simply tired of my bullshit. Who knew? He didn’t kiss me goodbye or make me uncomfortable with overt flirting, touching, or suggestions. He offered a simple, reassuring smile and a wink and told me to get some sleep.

The minute he was gone, I gave in to my craving.

***

The supplement store smelled like a freshly mowed lawn. Tightly packed rows of wooden shelves lined the shop. Colorful bottles, packages, and jars displayed everything from teas to organic food supplements to essential oils and vitamins.

Along the back wall was a line of bins similar to ones I’d seen at the Bulk Barn, but these contained loose leaves from plants or flowers, raw seeds, and clumps of other organic material I couldn’t identify. In another area were hundreds of bottles containing tablets, capsules, powders, and extracts.

They sold beeswax, natural soaps and cleansers, minerals, spices, aloe vera plants, and a bizarre array of wooden bowls and recyclable kitchen aids to replace the toxic one-time-use items typically bought at shopping centers.

I was the only customer, so I wandered a while before a woman, short in stature and with a warm skin tone, emerged from the back. She wore a white lab coat that mimicked a doctor’s, had a chain around her neck where wire-framed glasseshung, and carried a clipboard. A pen, wedged behind her ear, held back midnight black hair, pin straight and square around her face. A few strands shone silver. I guessed her to be in her midfifties.

“Good morning. Can I help you?”

“Janek Piotrowski?”

She smiled. “That’s me.” She indicated a name badge clipped to her lab coat.

“I have questions.”

Her smile grew, and she placed the clipboard on a nearby counter. “And I might have answers.” After a thorough up and down, she crossed her arms. “Let me guess. You work out.”

I frowned. “Yeah. So?”

“Muscle pain?”

“No.”

“Joint aches?”

“What?”

She pursed her lips and tapped a finger against them. “You want to build more muscle?”

I glanced at my bicep, where it strained my T-shirt. “The fuck are you talking about?”

“Never mind. How can I help you?”

“I have fucking questions. Didn’t I say that?”

“You did, with less hostility the first time.”

“You’re pissing me off.”

Janek waved a hand for me to proceed.

How the fuck did I wind up with a job that required polite conversing? Tallus hadn’t definedhowI should get the information he needed, so I was doing it on the fly—and failing in under five minutes.

Grumbling obscenities under my breath, I tore my wallet from a pocket and showed Janek my PI credentials, properly introducing myself.

“Investigator?” She glanced from the ID card to me.

“Yes.”

Her friendly smile faltered. “Is something the matter?”

“Couldn’t say. I jump through hoops for Scooby snacks.”

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