Page 107 of Power of the Mind

People seeking outside help because the pain had become unmanageable, and they were desperate for relief.

I glanced at the virtual files lined up on the screen. Eleven patients. Dead.

People who all took medication on a regular basis. One failing heart due to drug complications I could understand, but of the eleven people highlighted, only the suicides and Kennedy died for another reason. Coincidence?

Fuck if I knew.

“Are you two finished?” Doyle asked, cutting into my musing.

Frustrated, I wanted to slam the laptop closed and storm out of the building. We’d hit another brick wall. Maybe I was letting my imagination get away from me. Maybe I’d been spending too much time listening to Tallus spin theories. We weren’t Sherlock and Watson. We were fucking Shaggy and Scooby, and I feared I was the mangy dog, loyally following his brain-dead master all for the chance of a Scooby Snack.

I glanced at the man in question. Tallus was deep in thought, staring at the filled notepad, but I didn’t think he was seeing it. He had a faraway look in his eyes, but it was nowhere close to the stoner cartoon’s airhead expression. Tallus was smarter than Shaggy. Tallus’s gears were spinning.

“Are we done?” I asked. I’d given him the figurative badge and made him lead on this convoluted case, so I waited for instructions.

“No. Hang on.” Tallus took out his phone and made a call. When whoever it was answered, he identified himself and asked, “Did you find anything out?” A pause. A soft chuckle. “I appreciate it.” Another pause. “Really?” Tallus sat straighter. “Uh-huh… Oh wow.” He scribbled a few notes beside Peggy’s name. “Yeah… Yeah, that’s perfect. It’s all I needed.” Another chuckle. “Thanks for checking.”

He hung up and stared at what he had written for a long time. It was too illegible for me to read.

Tallus made a second phone call, similar to the first.

When Doyle cleared his throat, I wanted to tell him to chill the fuck out, but I held my tongue.

“Tallus,” I mumbled, urging him along.

He held up a finger as he finished the second call.

More notes landed on the page, this time beside Amber’s name. He touched several words on the notepad, sliding his finger around, pausing here and there before he swung to face me. “I have a thought.”

I held his gaze, waiting for him to elaborate, but he didn’t. Something sparkled in his hazel eyes. Mischief. Intent. Could the man be any sexier? For a moment, I tumbled back in time.

To the couch.

To his weight on my lap.

To his mouth, tongue, and sweet moans as he rocked his hips, feeding his cock into my hand.

To the way it glided next to mine.

To…

“I know what you’re thinking.”

I shook away the images. “What?”

“It’s written all over your face.” Tallus winked, adjusted his glasses, and faced Doyle. “No golden ticket yet, old man.”

Doyle raised a brow. “Can I ask what you two are chasing?”

“No,” Tallus and I both said at the same time.

“But I’ll call you if I’m right.” Tallus pushed away from the table and brushed a hand over my shoulder. “Come on, Guns.”

“Right about what?” Doyle asked, taking the words out of my mouth.

But Tallus didn’t elaborate. He thanked the detective with a Tallus-esque smirk and hurried me out the door.

25

---