Page 148 of Power of the Mind

Doyle dumped a few into his hand, shifted them around, then did the same with the fake bottle. Not only were they a different shade of green, but they were also different in size and consistency.

“And you found two garbage bags full?”

“Yes.”

He studied the phony pills for a minute before replacing them in the bottle and setting the paper bag aside. He took a long sip of his coffee. “A few things first.”

Vanessa arrived with our food, so he stopped talking, making friendly chitchat with her instead. Once she was gone, Doyle snagged the saltshaker and covered his fries in a thick, snowy layer. “Do nottell my husband how much salt I use. He restricts me at home. Makes me crave it more. I’m pretty sure this is a direct violation of our marriage contract.”

I grunted. In what century was I chummy with Valor?

I’d also ordered a burger and fries but didn’t bother adding extra salt to mine. I ate a couple while waiting for Doyle to elaborate on hisfew things.

It took several bites of his hamburger before he wiped his fingers on a napkin and cut to the chase. “You dug these out of a garbage bin?”

“Yes.”

“But we don’t have any proof of who put them there.”

“Tallus saw Sally get rid of them.”

“No. Tallus saw Sally get rid ofsomething, but you don’t know that the bags you retrieved are the ones she tossed.”

“No.”

“And other than Tallus being an eyewitness, is there proof she threw garbage from the back of her car into the bin? Parking lot camera?”

“No.”

Doyle ate another bite of his meal, chewed, swallowed, and sipped his coffee. “Okay. Let’s say these pills are straight-up cocaine.”

“They’re not.”

“I know. I mean, let’s say they’re toxic andwhoevergot rid of them had been distributing them. Let’s say you’re right, and they’re responsible for indirectly killing eleven people over the past sixteen or so months.”

I grunted with acknowledgment.

“What proof do you have that these bottles connect with your psychic or the secretary or her kid, for that matter? You found them dumpster diving. Anyone could have gotten rid of them.”

“You know I’m right.”

“I’m playing devil’s advocate, Krause. Connect the dots for me.”

“Fingerprint them. You’ll get a match for Sally or her kid. I’d bet anything.”

“And Sally and her kid are in the system?”

Probably not.

“Because,” Doyle went on. “As it stands, I have no cause to ask them to come in and be printed for comparison.”

“Wait. The kid was arrested last week for dealing in York Cemetery. If he wasn’t already printed, then there’s your viablereason. He worked for Janek, and the allegedly toxic pills were recovered in Janek’s garbage bin. Drug dealer. Drug.”

“Okay. That’s something. But how does the kid connect with your psychic? His mother was the hypnotist’s receptionist. A man who came and threatened you at knifepoint. These eleven people you told me about werehispatients. Any judge would think that’s a better connection than a psychic ex-wife he hasn’t seen in years. Even if Hilty and Rowena used to room with Sally in the eighties while doing a sideshow circus act, it’s all far-fetched. My god, this sounds like a soap opera. How the hell did you get tangled in this?”

“Tallus. I know it wasn’t Hilty. The guy is on my shit list, believe me, but he wasn’t involved. The psychic—”

“Frightened your boyfriend. I get it. You’re angry.”

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