Read Online Dream Eyes by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
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crime scenes is what I do, Gwen.”
“Yes, I know. Sorry, it’s just that—never mind. I think I see where you’re going with this.”
“In my experience, it takes a very strong talent to overwhelm another person’s aura and stop the heart,” Judson said. “I’ve met very, very few psychics who can generate that much firepower and even fewer who can focus their talent so that it can be used as a lethal weapon. In those rare situations, the killer almost always needs to have physical contact with the victim. But there are exceptions.”
A chill feathered her senses. “Yes, I know. You think that whoever murdered Evelyn used a paranormal weapon of some kind, don’t you?”
“That’s the only explanation that works for this scenario. According to what Sam and his lab techs have discovered, psi-based weapons have to be used at fairly close range. They aren’t very powerful or accurate beyond a range of about twenty feet.”
Gwen took a long breath and let it out slowly, with control. “I’ve heard the Coppersmith R-and-D lab does research in that field.”
“Paranormal weapons have other limitations, as well. They can only be activated by someone who possesses some talent. And if they are crystal-based technology, they have to be tuned to the wavelengths of the individual who intends to use it. There are other issues, as well. Naturally occurring crystals that can be weaponized are extremely rare. Sam has tried growing them under lab conditions, but he’s had only limited success.”
Gwen wrapped her arms around herself. “Still, such weapons do exist.”
Judson met her eyes across the room. “You sound like you’ve had some personal experience.”
“Two years ago Zander Taylor used a paranormal weapon to murder Mary and Ben.”
Judson frowned. “Are you certain of that?”
“Yes,” she said. “Because he tried to use it on me, too. Now it looks like Evelyn has been killed in the same way. It’s as if Zander Taylor has come back from the grave and brought his damned camera with him.”
“What camera?”
“That’s what his dreadful device looked like, a small camera. Just point and shoot.”
Judson watched her for a long moment.
“How did you escape?”
“We were in the lab. There’s a great deal of energy in that place. Something went very wrong when Zander tried to use his camera. The device sort of exploded, I think.”
Judson gave her a politely skeptical look. “Sort of exploded?”
“It’s hard to explain. All I know is that he suddenly started screaming. He ran for the falls and jumped.”
“That’s all there was to it?”
“Pretty much.”
“You’re a damn good liar,” he said. He smiled. “I like that in a woman.”
Eight
W hen did you start talking to yourself?” Judson asked.
He’d held the question back until after the waiter had brought two glasses of wine to the table. The name of the restaurant was the Wilby Café. It featured a typical Pacific Northwest menu that ran the usual gamut from salmon and Dungeness crab cakes to steak. The establishment’s most outstanding virtue in his opinion was its convenient location. The café was located within walking distance of the Riverview Inn.
He could tell his question caught Gwen off guard. That had been his intention. She was expecting to be interrogated on the subject of Zander Taylor and the camera weapon. He’d get around to that eventually but he preferred the indirect route. It was usually easier to get straight answers out of people if they didn’t see the questions coming. He’d spent enough time in Gwen’s company now to know that she had long ago learned to keep secrets.
When it came to keeping secrets, he thought, they had a lot in common.
Gwen paused, her wineglass halfway to her lips, and looked at him for a long, considering moment. He didn’t care about the delay. He could sit here and look into her eyes forever. He realized that he was still a little jacked. Not like he could shut
“Yes, I know. Sorry, it’s just that—never mind. I think I see where you’re going with this.”
“In my experience, it takes a very strong talent to overwhelm another person’s aura and stop the heart,” Judson said. “I’ve met very, very few psychics who can generate that much firepower and even fewer who can focus their talent so that it can be used as a lethal weapon. In those rare situations, the killer almost always needs to have physical contact with the victim. But there are exceptions.”
A chill feathered her senses. “Yes, I know. You think that whoever murdered Evelyn used a paranormal weapon of some kind, don’t you?”
“That’s the only explanation that works for this scenario. According to what Sam and his lab techs have discovered, psi-based weapons have to be used at fairly close range. They aren’t very powerful or accurate beyond a range of about twenty feet.”
Gwen took a long breath and let it out slowly, with control. “I’ve heard the Coppersmith R-and-D lab does research in that field.”
“Paranormal weapons have other limitations, as well. They can only be activated by someone who possesses some talent. And if they are crystal-based technology, they have to be tuned to the wavelengths of the individual who intends to use it. There are other issues, as well. Naturally occurring crystals that can be weaponized are extremely rare. Sam has tried growing them under lab conditions, but he’s had only limited success.”
Gwen wrapped her arms around herself. “Still, such weapons do exist.”
Judson met her eyes across the room. “You sound like you’ve had some personal experience.”
“Two years ago Zander Taylor used a paranormal weapon to murder Mary and Ben.”
Judson frowned. “Are you certain of that?”
“Yes,” she said. “Because he tried to use it on me, too. Now it looks like Evelyn has been killed in the same way. It’s as if Zander Taylor has come back from the grave and brought his damned camera with him.”
“What camera?”
“That’s what his dreadful device looked like, a small camera. Just point and shoot.”
Judson watched her for a long moment.
“How did you escape?”
“We were in the lab. There’s a great deal of energy in that place. Something went very wrong when Zander tried to use his camera. The device sort of exploded, I think.”
Judson gave her a politely skeptical look. “Sort of exploded?”
“It’s hard to explain. All I know is that he suddenly started screaming. He ran for the falls and jumped.”
“That’s all there was to it?”
“Pretty much.”
“You’re a damn good liar,” he said. He smiled. “I like that in a woman.”
Eight
W hen did you start talking to yourself?” Judson asked.
He’d held the question back until after the waiter had brought two glasses of wine to the table. The name of the restaurant was the Wilby Café. It featured a typical Pacific Northwest menu that ran the usual gamut from salmon and Dungeness crab cakes to steak. The establishment’s most outstanding virtue in his opinion was its convenient location. The café was located within walking distance of the Riverview Inn.
He could tell his question caught Gwen off guard. That had been his intention. She was expecting to be interrogated on the subject of Zander Taylor and the camera weapon. He’d get around to that eventually but he preferred the indirect route. It was usually easier to get straight answers out of people if they didn’t see the questions coming. He’d spent enough time in Gwen’s company now to know that she had long ago learned to keep secrets.
When it came to keeping secrets, he thought, they had a lot in common.
Gwen paused, her wineglass halfway to her lips, and looked at him for a long, considering moment. He didn’t care about the delay. He could sit here and look into her eyes forever. He realized that he was still a little jacked. Not like he could shut
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