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Dan shivered. “The killer doesn’t appear to have a type, does he? They differ in age, size….”
Gary twisted his neck to stare at Lewis. “Don’t you have something to say, seeing as you’re now the lead on this?”
Lewis shrugged. “Why bother? You’re doing fine without me. I’m just waiting for Dan here to announce who the killer is.”
Dan focused on Lewis’s face, his nose wrinkling as he grimaced. “Wow. Andthisis your interpretation of full cooperation?”
“I’m sorry—” Gary started.
Dan cut off Gary’s apology with a raised hand. “It’s okay.” His tone was even, calm. “I’m used to this reaction.” He studied Lewis in silence for a moment, and Gary noted how Lewis stuffed his hands into his pockets, his mouth pressed into a straight line. He didn’t meet Dan’s unbroken stare but glanced away.
Dan put down his cup and took a step toward Lewis, who flinched. “I’ve met plenty of skeptics in the police. Join the line.” Dan folded his arms. “You want a demonstration, is that it? Okay, then. Give me something. I’m not making any promises because it’s not something I can turn on and off like a faucet. And it helps if I’m in a mindful state, where I’ve concentrated on clearing my mind.”
“And there we have it. The get-out clause if you don’t come up with anything.” Lewis gave a triumphant smile. “I knew there’d be one.”
Dan took another step, until there was barely a foot between them, and Lewis seemed to curl up, shrivel.
What is he so scared of?Dan didn’t appear to be the kind of guy who’d react physically, but Lewis looked as if he was ready to bolt from the room.
Dan clearly had the same thought. He backed off, his gaze still locked on Lewis. “Why don’t you give me something personal of yours, Detective, and let’s see what I can come up with about you?”
Lewis’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently. “Why don’t we stick to the case?”
Dan said nothing but took a farther step away from him, and Lewis relaxed visibly.
Gary went over to the box on the desk. “This is the stuff Lieutenant Travers had us bring up from Evidence for you.”
“Okay, about that.” Dan joined him, peering into the box. “I meant what I said a moment ago. I can’t turn it on and off. I’ve been dealing with this my whole life, and I still have no clue how it works.”
“What happens when it does work?” Riley’s eyes were bright. “This is fascinating.”
Dan smiled. “I take it you don’t think psychics are all fakers and charlatans?”
Jesus. It was as if he’d reached into Gary’s mind and plucked the phrase from his memory. He had to suppress a shudder.
Riley chuckled. “Hell no. My grandmother was into spiritualism in a big way, and it was eerie, some of the things she knew. I guess I have an open mind when it comes to this kinda thing.”
“How does the saying go? The mind is like a parachute. It only functions when it’s open.”
Lewis snorted. “Where did you get that? A fortune cookie?”
“My great-grandfather told it to me.” Dan grinned. “Said he got it from a Charlie Chan movie.” He returned his attention to Riley. “Sometimes I get images. Other times, visions. Those can be quite uncomfortable.”
“Do you have to interpret the visions? Or are they pretty straightforward?”
“Both? It’s not an exact science.”
Lewis huffed. “I thinksciencemight be pushing it a little.”
Dan ignored him. “The simplest explanation is….” He gave a shrug. “Sometimes I know stuff.” Riley laughed, and Dan joined in. Then the laughter faded. “But being serious for a moment? Therehavebeen occasions when I desperately wanted to come up with something, and… zilch. Like I said….”
Riley nodded. “You can’t turn it on and off.”
Dan looked at Gary. “You choose something. Don’t tell me anything about it.”
Gary sorted through the evidence bags, scanning the labels. He chose a watch that had belonged to Vic Zerbe. “Do I need to take it out of the bag? The only prints on it were the victim’s.”
Dan nodded. “If that’s okay.”
