Page 61 of Power of the Mind

Diem’s anxiety was reaching its peak. I saw it in the way his eyes darted around, looking for an escape. Winifred had trapped him in the corner, and he wasn’t the type to put his hands on someone to physically remove them from his space. Nor was he one to admit weaknesses. I was about to speak up and save him when he grumbled something under his breath, squeezed around her—doing all he could to avoid touching her—and left the room.

Only then did Winifred notice. “Is your partner okay?” she glanced at the doorway where Diem had disappeared. “He’s awfully scowly. Is he in a bad mood?”

“Who? Diem? Nah, he’s in a great mood. Verging on giddy, if you ask me. His face always looks like that. If he was in a bad mood, you’d know. There would be at least twenty-seven more degrees of growl to his tone, and you would be able to hear him grinding his teeth from the next block over.”

Winifred seemed confused but turned back to the pill bottles. “Guess you never know a person, do ya?”

“Ain’t that the truth. To be fair, he’s hard to read. I’m just figuring him out, and we’ve known each other for ten months.”

“Huh.” I didn’t think she was paying attention anymore, too concerned with what she’d found.

I moved in beside Winifred and inspected the bottles she’d removed before she put them back on the shelf. Most had names I couldn’t pronounce, but the fine print claimed they were for joint pain relief and contained ingredients like glucosamine,blends of turmeric, fish oils, or ginger. Gross. A jumbo bottle of echinacea was the only one missing its seal. When I shook it, the scant number of pills inside told me he was almost out. So Allan had clearly taken his echinacea regularly but nothing else. I didn’t blame him. Ever since the world had been pummeled by Covid, people have been fanatical about anything that might prevent colds and flu.

“Did Allan keep a day planner or a calendar?”

“On his phone, maybe. I don’t have access. The police confiscated the device. Probably gave it to his family when they were done going through it.”

“Why would the police go through his phone?”

Winifred shrugged. “Standard procedure? I don’t know. All I know is it’s gone. I looked.”

Not finding anything noteworthy in the kitchen, I wandered around the rest of the first floor of the house that Allan Cornell had called home. Winifred followed a few steps behind. We found Diem in the bedroom going through Allan’s dirty clothes hamper.

Winifred watched with questions in her eyes, but she didn’t interrupt. I waited, equally curious, and when Diem finished, he shook his head. I had no clue what he was looking for.

“Winnie, did Allan ever mention a woman named Madame Rowena?” I asked.

Winifredhmmed and tapped her chin. “No, that doesn’t sound familiar.”

“She’s a psychic healer. I’m curious if she might have been the one Allan went to see.”

“Maybe a Dr. Hilty?” Diem asked.

Winifred sighed. “I wish I could help more. His cousin might know.”

“Can you call her? Ask for us?”

“Oh, I don’t think so. She never much liked me. I wouldn’t want to stir the pot. I’ve been calling Allan’s sister endlessly to see when they’re coming to clean this place. I offered to do it, but they refused. His rent is paid until the end of the month, but if they don’t get on it soon, they’ll be fighting with the landlord, not me.”

“What’s her name?” Diem grumbled.

“His sister? Cassandra.”

“The cousin.”

“Oh. Ursula the Sea Witch.” Winifred cackled.

Scowling, Diem blinked several times.

My lips twitched, and I jumped in before my nonpartner lost his cool. His fuse was clearly shortening. “I’m sorry, but Ursula?”

“Yeppers. Just like the nasty octopus woman in that kids’ movie. Fitting. Believe you me. If you knew her… She’s a manipulative woman. I think it has to do with her home life. Husband’s a good-for-nothing sleazebag who drinks too much and puts his job before his family, and her kids are demanding. The younger one rules the roost and gets whatever her heart desires, and her older boy has been nothing but trouble since graduating high school. I told Allan that—”

“Ursula what?” Diem said from behind clenched teeth.

Winifred thought for a moment and shook her head. “I honestly don’t know, love. Not sure I ever did. It’s just as well. I might look her up and give her a piece of my mind.”

I thanked Winifred for her help and followed Diem to the front door.

---