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Chapters (86)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. Booklist
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“I believed you, Adam.” Rune was just as irritated. “I just didn’t think we’d go there so soon.”

“I didn’t mean to go there. It’s that...as soon as I let loose of my consciousness, there I am, helpless, fighting him.” Elle lifted her hands and let them drop. “He’s choking me, and I’m dying... I know I’m dying... Slowly...”

“We’ll forget the hypnotism thing.” Adam was relieved. And determined.

As thoroughly as Rune and Elle ignored him, he might have saved his breath.

Rune said, “The way I led you into the trance was ill-advised. I should have thought it through. It was a man’s hands that hurt you, led you to death, revival and a loss of memory.”

Elle caught on before Adam did. “You won’t have me concentrate on your hands again?”

“We’re going to try again?” Adam couldn’t believe it. “After that?” He flung out a hand toward the past...wherever that was. “Now?”

“Why not now?” Rune asked.

“At the least, she needs time to let her fear retreat,” Adam insisted.

“No. Not now.” Elle hugged the lamb tighter and looked into the candle flames. “Something else now. Rune!”

“Yes?” Rune stroked the length of gray hair that hung over her shoulder.

“Tell me how you came to the City of Lost Souls. Tell us how you became Madame Rune and opened your shop here.”

Adam enjoyed seeing Rune try to collect herself. He was willing to bet that not even in Hollywood had Rune seen such drama as Elle presented.

Rune saw Adam’s amusement and glared, then in a soothing tone said to Elle, “After my divorce, the failure of my business, the loss of my health and friends, and my personal fall from grace... I had to find property I could afford, and in California that’s not easy. My darling grandmother died—that was an awful year—and left me an inheritance. I drove around the state and ended up here, the City of Lost Souls.” Rune wandered toward the candles on the sideboard, hovered her hand over the heat of the flames and watched intently. “I bought the shop from the psychic who wanted to retire, because what did I do as a psychiatrist but help people realize what was bothering them so they could work it out for themselves?”

“But why such a distinctive change?” Elle asked.

“The new voice gave me a head start on that. I wanted to try life from a different perspective.”

“The height and shape and five-o’clock shadow don’t tip off your clients?” Adam was sarcastic.