“You’re not Fortunato.”

“Like I said, you didn’t see that reporter’s face. What I do is incredibly insulting to him.” I exhale. “Montresor’s final line is ‘In pace requiescat!’ ”

Lucas asks, “Rest in peace? That’s ironic considering he left Fortunato to suffer asphyxiation. What’s the moral?”

“I guess don’t insult someone and not expect consequences.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Lucas, I’m going to do that interview.”

“What?”

Lucas’s tone is edged with panic. Another earthquake strikes the city. This time the water in my glass doesn’t move.

“I do believe in you,” Lucas quickly explains. “But this guy is a journalist. Come on. He’ll never take a leap of faith. He’ll never understand your process.”

My skin is too tight, like I’ve climbed into someone else’s version of me. But still I don’t ask the obvious question, the one I constantly avoid. You believe in me, but do you believe I’m a psychic? It doesn’t matter. I down another Tums.

“Please explain why you’re willing to take this kind of risk?”

I drill down to the basic question: Can Lucas make this threat disappear? He might get some information from his private investigator, but I’m a good read of human nature and Thomas didn’t strike me as someone who’d cave to threats or blackmail. This story is too important to him. At most, whatever Lucas’s guy digs up can inform but not protect me. And I don’t think a newspaper as big as the Los Angeles Times is going to run from a lawsuit, either. They’ve been around that block way too many times.

“Sylvie?” Lucas asks.

“Hang on, I’m thinking.”

So the next question is: Do I want to do something about Thomas’s exposé? Yes. Can I? Given my history, it’s clear that I have the ability to successfully manipulate. I’m not evil or anything, I just understand how useful it is to get people to think what I want them to, and I’m intuitive enough to figure out their weaknesses and what they really want, or need. When all else fails, I’m also skilled at gaining sympathy and creating empathy, two powerful weapons on the path to changing someone’s perceptions and, ultimately, their mind. Thomas will be tougher than most because he’s motivated to be skeptical for the sake of his article, and because this story is somehow personal. I need to figure out why.

“Sylvie, you’re making me nervous,” Lucas presses.

“The only options I really have are to either convert Thomas to a believer or capture and kill the story. I can do that.” With that, I hang up. Lucas tries me again but I send his call to voicemail and do a quick search on my laptop then pull Thomas’s card out, dial his number.

“Thomas Holmes speaking.”

“It’s Sylvie Young. Is the deal you offered still on the table?”

“Yes. If you’re willing to tell me the truth about your past and do the Oregon show without cheating.”

“And if I prove to you that I’m not a fraud?”