Page 119 of Power of the Mind

“Tallus!”

“Okay. But why do you need Kitty? Why can’t I help? I thought I was your insider now.”

“Jesus Christ. I’m going to call that goddamn number because I have the sudden urge to jump out a window. Why does everything have to be difficult? Why can’t people do as I say?”

“I was only—”

“Ten, nine, eight…”

In the interest of the safety of humankind, I handed Kitty the phone, my face splitting in such a wide grin it hurt.

Kitty glared over the top of her glasses and whispered, “I told you not to antagonize him.”

“But it’s too easy. I don’t even try.”

Kittytsked and spoke to Diem. “Hiya, cuddle bear. Stop counting. He’s gone.”

“I resent that. Diem loves me.”

A growl emanated from the phone.

“It’s a nonlove, sweetie,” I called out. “Relax. It works well in our nonrelationship.”

Kitty looked about ready to pummel me, so I shut up. “How’s Hazel, love?” If anyone could take the bite out of Diem’s bark, it would be her.

The urgency to race out the door abated with Diem’s phone call. I lingered, openly eavesdropping on their conversation, knowing if I didn’t move my ass, I’d be too late to intercept Memphis before his appointment with Rowena.

Kitty kept half an eye on me, and it was a pure stink eye if I ever saw one. They talked about Diem’s grandmother for a time before Diem must have moved on to the purpose of his call. Kitty made all sorts of unhelpful noises of acknowledgment before saying, “Oh, yes… Last Wednesday night. Hang on.”

Kitty shooed me out of the way and logged into the computer. She balanced the phone in the crook of her shoulder and neck and typed with flying fingers over the keyboard. In seconds, she was somewhere in the system I’d never seen. In fact, it wasn’toursystem at all.

“The heck?”

Drawing her glasses up her nose, she squinted as she read. “Here we go.”

“What are you doing?” I hissed. “Is that… We don’t have access to other district’s systems. How did you…”

“Last Wednesday,” Kitty said, ignoring me, “they made four arrests in York Cemetery. Two were minors. The other two were nineteen and twenty-one. All four were charged with possession, and the twenty-one-year-old was charged with possession with the intent to distribute. He was held overnight and released in the morning, court date pending.”

A pause. I heard Diem’s gruff voice on the other end of the line but not what he said.

When I tried to read the screen, Kitty nudged me out of the way, covering the phone’s mouthpiece and admonishing me for being nosy.

To Diem, she said, “Yes. Brodie Newall… Yes, love, that’s what it says. I wouldn’t lie to you, and please don’t curse. What would Hazel say?” A longer pause. She pressed a finger to the screen. “Yes. Twenty-one… No, it doesn’t say. Of course, love. Anytime. You should come for tea and biscuits when you have a day off.”

More mumbling through the line.

Kitty met my eyes. “Yes. He’s still here… All right, sweetheart. We’ll chat again soon.”

Kitty held out the phone, and I snatched it from her hand, jabbing a menacing finger in her face and hissing, “You are not an angel anymore. You’re a witch gone bad, and you will explain yourself.” I pointed at the computer screen as she backed out of whatever she’d researched and immediately went to the History file and deleted her virtual footprint.

I gawped and sputtered. “You… You should not be that efficient with computers when you were born in the Stone Age.”

“Tallus,” Diem barked for what had to be the third time.

“Give me a second. If I don’t keep an eye on this woman, she’ll turn me into a pumpkin.” I gestured to her crossword puzzle book. “That’s enough out of you. Sit down and resume yourduties as a withered old lady with deteriorating brain cells before I report you.”

Kitty cackled and returned to her puzzles.

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