Deadly Visions by Roy Johansen Read Free Book Online Page A

Carla. “I'm planning to propose to Regina this weekend. I haven't told anybody.”He faced Monica. “You're freakin'me out, lady.”
    She smiled.”That's what I do best.”
    Howe motioned toward Joe. “What about the Spirit Basher here? What kind of vibes do you get from him?”
    “Well, I know that his daughter is angry with him.”
    Joe put on a poker face, trying not to give her the nonverbal cues that encouraged phony psychics to pursue a particular line of guesswork. “What makes you think that?”
    “She wanted to go somewhere with her friends, and you wouldn't let her. A concert, I think.”
    “Go on.”
    “She thinks that if her mother were still alive, she would have let her go.”
    Carla nudged him.”Come on, Bailey, is she right or not?”
    “I'll tell you when she's finished.”He glanced at Monica.”Anything else?”
    “Only that a disaster has been averted for you in the last couple of weeks. You could have had a serious traffic accident, but you changed your course somehow. Did you get a new car, or change something about the vehicle you drive?”
    Joe stared at her, expressionless.
    She smiled. “Fine, don't tell me. You …you
repaired
your car. That's what you did, and I think you may have saved your life.”
    “Is that all?”
    “For now.”
    Joe nodded. “Well, I did have words with my daughter. She wants to see some band with her friends in Midtown this weekend, and I told her no way. I know she's still upset about it. And I did have new brake shoes put on my 4-Runner a couple weeks ago.”
    Monica used her napkin to wipe the corners of her mouth. “Of course, you still don't believe I haveany special abilities. You think I'm spying on you, or maybe bugging your house?”
    Joe shrugged.”Maybe.”
    “Do you have any proof of that?”
    “No, and I probably won't, since I'm not doing a full-fledged investigation of you. Our focus is on the murders.”
    Howe was still dazed.”Jesus, I didn't tell
anybody
I was going to propose to Regina.”He cocked an eye at Monica. “I don't suppose you can tell me if she's gonna accept, can you?”
    “I hope you impressed them, Monica.”
    Monica turned from the sidewalk newsstand and glared at Derek Haddenfield. The bastard. She'd left her hotel room to avoid another visit from him, but he'd found her anyway. There was no getting away from this guy; it was now a quarter past nine and, for all she knew, he'd been watching her all day.
    “They were plenty impressed, Haddenfield. Are you doubting me now?”
    “Of course not. I have the utmost faith in you and your abilities.”
    “Then why are you here?”
    “Just checking in on you, making sure that you haven't lost sight of the objective.”
    “I haven't lost sight of anything. You don't need to worry about me.”
    “I
am
worried. I thought you'd be on a plane back to Vancouver by now.”
    “I'm not ready yet. You can't rush psychic abilities, you know.”
    He sighed.”Oh Lord.”
    “If you don't like it, just leave. I'll take care of things here.”
    “No, I understand. You must follow your instincts. As long as you remember why we're here.”He cocked his head toward the hotel behind her. “You can invite me up, you know.”
    “I'll pass on that.”She turned and walked toward the hotel's main entrance. “Lay off on the unannounced visits to my room. If you want to talk to me, my telephone works just fine.”
    “It's not as secure.”
    “Good night, Haddenfield.”
    Monica felt his eyes on her as she entered her hotel and walked across the spacious lobby. Damn him. And damn her for agreeing to this crazy scheme.
    He'd practically begged her to come to Atlanta and let his team study her in the field. It would be good for everyone, he promised—him, her, and their entire cause.
    Their cause. He'd said it like it was some kind of goddamned crusade, like it was her duty to convert the world to their way of thinking.
    What the hell was she doing here?
    She took the elevator up, entered