Conduit Read Free

course, dear.”
    “Francine may be eight years younger than you and she may
have acquired some recent surgical alterations, but you offer so much more to
Randolph than what she could ever give him. You’re a classy lady, and I know that
goes a long way with him. You shouldn’t look at your husband being faithful as
a bad thing, but use this as an opportunity to renew your affection for him. Consider
it a refresher for your marriage.”
    “You are sweet, Emily. Still, you are a bit naïve.”
    Emily rolled her eyes at Cassie, who held a hand over her smiling
mouth. “I’ll be sure to work on that, Mrs. Linder.”
    “Now, my psychic said Randolph is having an affair with Francine,
and she’s a good psychic. She gets just about everything right. Do you think
she’s talking about a future affair?”
    Cassie raised her hand in a good luck wave and disappeared
from the doorway. Emily picked up her pen and flipped to a clean sheet in her
notepad for another round of nonsensical drawings. “I can’t predict the future
for you, but most psychics are not completely honest with their clients.”
    “You mean she’s a sham,” Mrs. Linder said. “It’s okay if you
just say that, Emily dear. A lot of people tell me that. I know Randolph gets a
bit upset with me when I go see her, but if only you could see what she can do.
Why don’t I give her a call for you? I’m sure Madame Zelda can tell you
everything you want to know. Maybe she can tell you if there’s a nice man
somewhere in your near future. A sweet girl like you deserves a nice man.”
    Emily paused in her doodling to consider the trite name of
the psychic, but thought better of any comments. Mrs. Linder believed in her
psychic too much to try to convince her otherwise.
    Her pen moved without thought over the notepad. Emily
fixated her stare on the winding lines of her computer’s screensaver. They
changed colors and shapes on the dusty monitor, hypnotizing Emily with the
random designs. “I appreciate the offer, but I think the future is best left
unknown and untouched. Why don’t I suspend your case for now? If down the road
you find evidence your husband is having an affair, we can pick up the
investigation at that point. Does that sound good to you?”
    Mrs. Linder chuckled. “Oh, Emily, you always know what to
say to make things right. I may believe what my psychic says, but right now I
believe you just a touch more.”
    “Thank you, Mrs. Linder.”
    “I really do think she’s referring to a future affair. I’ll
have to ask her about that when I see her on Thursday.”
    Emily smiled at Mrs. Linder’s polite stubbornness. “Of course.
I’ll put your final bill in the mail today.”
    “And I’ll put your check in the mail as soon as I receive
your bill.”
    Emily pressed the speakerphone button on her phone,
disconnecting the call. Mrs. Linder might be a little off center from the rest
of the world, but at least she paid on time.
    She looked down at her notepad to make a note to have Beverly
Anderson, her receptionist and office manager, send a final bill to Mrs.
Linder, but Emily stopped before her pen touched the paper. Seated in the
middle of the doodles were the words, hear
me .
    Emily dropped her pen and the hair stood up on her arms. She
lifted the pad of paper and studied the words. The chicken scratch letters slanting
to the left did not resemble her typical upright half-cursive, half-print. The distinct
E’s in the words were in small uppercase, while the rest of the letters were in
lowercase. She recognized the handwriting, having seen it one time before. The
same phrase in the same chaotic handwriting had appeared unannounced on another
sheet of doodles just last week.
    Since her tenth birthday, when Aunt Susan told her she had
the ability to utilize her senses in ways normal people could not, Emily’s
talents made her uneasy. Day after day, her mom pounded into her that Aunt
Susan was old and losing her mind. Emily leaned away from