Page 59 of Power of the Mind

“I sure can.”

Winifred set aside her glass of green juice and leaned back against the counter. “Now, Allan’s family was a real piece of work. So much drama. He didn’t get along with most of them.In fact, they have yet to come and do anything with his stuff. Can you believe that? The whole downstairs is exactly how it was when he died. Not the blood. Oh heavens, could you imagine? The landlord ensured they got that cleaned up right smart, but the rest is untouched.

“Poor Allan. Anyhoo, he was close to one of his cousins. She told Allan he needed to go to one of those therapeutic healers. The ones that get inside your head. You know the kind I mean?”

“Yes.”

“She said he should have a treatment done and see if it didn’t improve his joints. Now, can you believe that garbage? You ain’t gonna cure arthritis with magic, am I right? It’s not possible. I told Allan, and he said he wouldn’t go, but gosh darn if he didn’t lie to me. Right to my face. That man was a terrible liar. I think he went several times for treatments. You can’t trust those people, and with the way Allan suddenly changed, I know that doctor—if you want to call a mind-manipulator like that a doctor—got inside Allan’s head. He started acting strange. I didn’t like it. Not one bit.”

“Strange how?” I asked.

“Well, you see, Allan was sharp as a whip. He used to teach high school physics. Brilliant man. Then, out of the blue, he starts acting… detached. Like his mind was elsewhere, and I said, ‘Allan, what the hell’s wrong with you?’ Pardon my language.”

“Believe me, I’ve heard worse from this guy.”

Diem glared.

I grinned and offered a wink.

He found something interesting on the table’s surface to stare at instead.

“Go on, Winnie.”

“Allan claimed there was nothing wrong. Bullpucky. Over the following few days, he started acting antsy. Paranoid. Hecomplained about nausea and dizziness. He snapped at me a few times, too, and that wasn’t like him. Allan was always nice as pie. Never raised his voice. We got in a scuffle one afternoon. I told him I didn’t want his company anymore unless he pulled himself together and started behaving like a proper gentleman. He didn’t like that, but I stood my ground, and we didn’t talk for the rest of the week.

“Now mind you, I kept an eye on him. I’m not evil, and I cared about Allan. More than once, I caught him taking off at night. You could tell he was up to no good because he was acting nervous and, I don’t know, guilty-like. Didn’t have a clue what he was up to. He’d be gone for about an hour and come back. Then I didn’t see him at all for a few days. I worried, but I was also still angry, so I didn’t go see him.

“Then, about a week or so after the last time we talked, there was this awful smell. I thought an animal died near the house, and in all this August heat, it was out there rotting away. Had my windows open but couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from, and no matter how many times I went outside, I couldn’t find it. The smell got worse and worse.”

Winifred frowned. “Then I knew. I think I knew long before I called the landlord.” She clutched her chest. “Oh god. I didn’t want to be right. I knocked on Allan’s door, but there was no answer. I have a key, but I’d be damned if I was walking in knowing what I knew. When they found him… I felt awful. Like it was my fault.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Winnie.”

“Well, you know, can’t turn back time. Can only move forward.”

“Do you know who his cousin referred him to?”

Winifredtsked and shook her head. “Oh, I don’t think she referred him to anyone in particular. I think she made a suggestion, and Allan did his own research. Once he knew myposition on it, he wouldn’t tell me a darn thing. The police didn’t want to hear what I had to say either. I just hope his poor soul isn’t suffering.”

Diem spoke for the first time, his tone drenched in contempt. “So you don’t believe in magic, but you think someone brainwashed your fuck buddy?”

Winifred wasn’t offended by Diem’s bite or language and aimed her response in his direction. “I don’t think you were listening, young man. What I said was I don’t believe magic can cure physical ailments like arthritis. Manipulating the mind is a different matter, and I absolutely believe someone with those skills can warp a person’s thinking and compel them to act in ways that aren’t typical.”

“Told you so,” I muttered under my breath.

The heat of Diem’s glare hit the side of my face. I smirked but wouldn’t look at him.

“Okay, smartass. This is your fucked up rodeo. Where do we go from here?”

Unless we knew for sure that Allan was seeing Madame Rowena, we had no connection. The way his neighbor talked, it could have just as well been Dr. Hilty. He and his ex-wife both claimed they could heal chronic illnesses with unconventional methods.

“Winnie, do you still have the key to Allan’s apartment?” I asked.

“I do.” She eyed Diem.

“And you said his family hasn’t cleaned yet?”

“They haven’t.”

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