“A lot of people can’t remember anything from their childhood except snapshots. But in your case I think the explanation for your lost memory is relatively straightforward. You were a little kid. You must have been terrified. You didn’t understand what was happening. You and your mother were locked in a vault that was probably infused with a heavy dose of paranormal heat. Sounds like you got another blast of some sort of energy when your mother took you through the mirror.”

“Sensory overload.”

“At the age of five you hadn’t come into your aura-reading talent. Your brain was still developing. So were your senses. You had no way to handle what sounds like a lot of extremely intense energy and trauma. To protect you, your brain shut down for a while.”

“I suppose there is some sense to that logic.”

“You said your grandmother’s house was destroyed in the fire. What happened to the property?”

“Mom sold it years ago. She told me she never wanted to go back. Too many memories. But after she was killed something made me want to take a look at the place.”

Harlan was intrigued. “Find anything interesting?”

“The couple that bought the property built a small weekend getaway cottage, but I don’t think they ever used it, at least not often. When I went to see the place there was a For Sale sign out front. Looked like it had been there for years. I couldn’t get too close because there was a fence and a gate, but I didn’t pick up any traces of serious heat.”

“That’s no surprise. The earth would absorb any energy coming from underground. If we excavate we might be able to find the original vault. No telling what your grandmother might have stashed inside.”

Olivia realized she was deeply curious now. “We would have to buy the property.”

“The Foundation can afford it,” Harlan said. “We’ll look into the matter after we conclude this case. For now, though, we have to focus on the Sefton house.”

“We’re going there now, I assume?”

“Yes.” Harlan got to his feet. “Looks like about an hour-and-a-half drive from Seattle.”

CHAPTER 19

The drive to the Sefton house turned out to be longer than Harlan had estimated, thanks to an accident on the interstate and construction on the narrow two-lane state highway that led to the small rural town of Cedric Valley. Olivia was behind the wheel because they were using her SUV.

His duffel bag was in the back of the vehicle. Olivia had given him an inquiring look when he stowed it. He had explained he never went anywhere without it. She hadn’t asked any questions.