Page 111 of The Lady Has a Past

Simon saw that exact same knot in the mirror whenever he put on a tie. A memory flashed through him—Otto standing behind him, patiently guiding him through the process of tying a sophisticated knot. Giving him fatherly advice.The knot says everything about you. It signals your background, your financial worth, and your education. It conveys power and control.If you want to command an audience, you must first control the knot of your tie.

“Thank you for showing my guests to my room, Mrs. Jones,” Otto said in his deep, resonant voice.

“Of course.” Amalie stepped back. “Shall I have tea sent up?”

Otto looked uncertain. He glanced uneasily at Simon. “I—”

“A tea tray would be lovely,” Lyra said.

“Right away,” Amalie said.

She half glided, half levitated back down the hall, heading toward the stairs.

Otto closed the door behind her and turned to smile at Simon. “Good to see you again, son.”

“I’m not your son,” Simon said.

But he said it the way he always said it—without any expectation of making Otto acknowledge the reality of their relationship. It was part of the pointless ritual they went through every time they met. Otto deliberately reminded him of their connection, and Simon tried to deny it. Neither could win the battle of wills yet both of them engaged in it every time they encountered each other.

True to form, Otto acted as if he had not heard the denial. He switched his attention to Lyra. “You must introduce me to this lovely lady, Simon.”

Lyra smiled her golden smile and held out a gloved hand. She spoke before Simon could make the introductions.

“Lyra Brazier of Kirk Investigations,” she said.

“A lady private investigator,” Otto marveled. “Fascinating. Are you here in a professional capacity?”

Lyra laughed. “No. This is a personal matter. I’m very keen to see this paranormal energy–sensing machine of yours. I have always been intrigued by the possibilities of extrasensory perception. I’ve attended a few demonstrations purporting to prove the existence of ESP, but they were not particularly convincing.”

Otto narrowed his eyes. “Who staged the demonstrations?”

“One was provided by Dr. Roland Hodges,” Lyra said. “The other was given by Dr. Charles Montgomery.”

“Bah. Charlatans, both of them. You are welcome to examine my machine, Miss Brazier. It’s over there on the table. I admit it is a workin progress. I have been perfecting it for years. But it is the real thing, I assure you.”

Lyra gave him another charming smile and enthusiastically crossed the room to take a close look at the strange machine sitting on the table.

Otto looked at Simon.

“Thank you for coming here this morning,” he said.

“The last time we saw each other you borrowed five hundred bucks that you swore you would pay back within six months,” Simon said. He walked through the doorway and into the room. “I’m still waiting for my money.”

Otto chuckled. “You will have it soon. That is precisely why I am here today.”

“To repay me?” Simon did not bother to conceal his disbelief.

“In due time,” Otto said. “Today I want to tell you more about the amazing opportunity that has come my way.” He gestured toward the table. “Behold, the new and improved Tinsley Paranormal Energy Detector.”

Simon was forced to admit he was reluctantly intrigued. There had been a time when he had believed in Tinsley’s device; a time when he was convinced Otto really was on the way to making a serious contribution to research that would prove that the Simon Cages of the world did not belong in asylums.

Against his better judgment, he crossed the room to join Lyra. Together they contemplated the impressive-looking machine.

The detector looked as if it had been designed for the set of a Frankenstein movie or perhaps copied from the cover ofPopular Mechanics. It was a bit larger than a typewriter, made of metal, and covered with dials, gauges, and a couple of small light bulbs, both of which were dark. A couple of long cables dangled from one end.

“Looks like the old Tinsley Paranormal Energy Detector,” Simon said.

“Just the exterior,” Otto said. “I assure you the mechanism inside has been greatly improved. It is far more sensitive now.”

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