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Victoria moved slowly to the left of the stage, coming their way.
‘I’m being pushed over here. Goodness, there’s a lot of emotion coming at me right now.’ She was getting closer. ‘It’s a name beginning with H. Helen…no, Hattie…no, wait, I’m getting the name Hilda.’
Kim felt Tiff freeze beside her before her hand shot up.
Victoria focussed on her and moved so she was directly in front of them. Someone reached across Kim and put a microphone in Tiff’s hand as she stood up.
‘I’m getting an older woman. I’m going to say grandmother and boy is she a feisty one.’
Tiff nodded as Victoria touched the back of her own head. ‘There was some kind of injury.’
‘She fell,’ Tiff offered in a small voice.
Kim realised it had to have been the guy at the bar. He must have approached Tiff after she had joined the crowd.
‘Ah, that makes sense.’ Victoria frowned. ‘I’m sorry but I’m conflicted. I’m sensing the two of you were very close but there’s a negative feeling too: anger?’
Kim wasn’t surprised that the crowd was enraptured by the reading. Emotional investment was high.
Tiff nodded and swallowed.
‘Did the two of you argue before she passed?’
Again, Tiff nodded and then seemed to remember the microphone in her hand.
‘Y-Yes,’ she croaked.
‘I’m feeling regret over here and guilt over there.’
She paused as though listening to something. Her thumb was rubbing her forefinger in an unconscious gesture as she waited.
‘Your grandmother is saying to let it go. You were both as stubborn as each other and that last week of not talking doesn’t take anything away from all the years of wonderful memories you made together.’
Jesus, even Kim could feel a lump forming in her throat.
‘She said she’s got all the salty crisps she can eat now and that she’s very proud of you.’
Kim heard a small sob as Tiff nodded and handed the microphone back.
A wave of emotion was sweeping the theatre.
Victoria started to move away but then stopped and turned.
‘Sorry, looks like Hilda isn’t done with me yet,’ Victoria said, raising an eyebrow.
The crowd laughed.
‘She’s saying that there’s something you want to do but you’re holding yourself back. She says be brave and do it.’
Victoria finally moved away as Tiff gave another gentle sob.
To better understand her killer, Kim had come here looking to see the effects of the power of suggestion from a person claiming to have divine knowledge. She’d wanted to see the depth of emotional investment and level of trust given by the client to the psychic.
She didn’t have to look far. The answer was sitting right beside her.
FORTY
It was almost 10p.m. by the time Stacey put the key in the door to the flat. Her Uber driver had been pleasant and polite, and she would make sure she gave him a good rating.
