'Can you remember what they were wearing?'
'Hair color?'
'Uh uh.'
Downes seemed frustrated for a moment. Then, he thought of something.
'Gary, you think you can't remember anything else, but I'm going to tell you a few things I learned in police work. Have you ever heard of the subconscious mind?'
'I think so,' Gary answered hesitantly, not wanting to admit that he had no idea what Downes was talking about.
'.Right now you're hearing me and seeing me with the conscious mind. That's what you use when you're awake. But you aren't watching those two at the park now, are you?'
'No.
'How could you tell me about them?'
Gary thought for a moment. Then, his face lit up.
'I remembered.'
'Absolutely right. But where was that memory stored all this time?'
Gary thought some more. 'I don't know,' he said, a little dejected that he was not able to answer Sergeant Downes's question.
'Hey, don't feel bad. The answer is tricky. See, you have a subconscious mind that stores stuff when you aren't thinking about it. Not too many people know that. The trick in police work is to help a witness unlock his subconscious mind so he can remember things he thinks he's forgotten.'
'How can I do that?' Gary asked eagerly.
'By getting relaxed and concentrating. The more you relax, the easier it becomes to unlock the subconscious.
I want you to close your eyes and get real loose and we'll see what we can do together to catch Sandy's killer, because, from what I know, I think there's a good chance you saw Sandy and her killer when you walked by Wishing Well Park.'
Gary did as he was told. The two men sat in silence for a few minutes, until Gary opened his eyes.
'It's no use. All I see is them two hugging.'
'Hmm,' Downes said thoughtfully. 'You know, Gary, if those two weren't Sandy and her killer, they probably were hugging, but what if it was Sandy and the murderer?'
'You mean they wouldn't be hugging?'
'I didn't say that. I don't want to put words in your mouth. What I'm saying is that the mind can play tricks.
For instance, you wanted to hug Karen Nix, didn't you?'
Gary squirmed in his seat and blushed.
'Come on, Gary,' Downes said with a hearty laugh.
'Karen Nix is pretty. Any red-blooded American man would want to hug her. Don't tell me it didn't enter your mind.'
Gary hesitated.
'Come on now. We've got to be honest with each other here. You did want to hug her, didn't you?'
Gary hung his head and mumbled, 'Yeah.'
'All right. So, when you saw this boy and girl together, you put them in a romantic situation. But there are other things that look like hugging. What they were really doing could be registered in your subconscious mind.'
'What could they be doing if they weren't hugging?'
'You tell me.'
Gary puzzled out the problem. It took a while, then he brightened.
'They coulda been wrestling.'
'Hey, why didn't I think of that? You're one step ahead of me already, Gary. This is great! Do you see what I mean about the subconscious mind?
Your conscious mind saw two people hugging, but they might also have been doing something else. Your subconscious mind will know the truth. What I want you to do is relax, close your eyes and picture that night.'
'I'll try,' Gary said, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.
'Okay. Now, maybe this will help. Think about what you were wearing. Can you do that?'
Gary nodded.
'What do you see?'
'Uh, I think it was jeans and a short-sleeve shirt.'
'Jeans like you've got on now?'
'Yeah. I got four pairs of jeans and it was another one.'
'Where is that pair now, Gary?'
'In the closet.'
Downes tried not to show his excitement. 'Have you done anything to those jeans since you wore them?'
'Oh, yeah. I have to wash them when they're dirty.
It's on the list my mom made up. Every Saturday is wash day and I washed everything in the hamper right when I got up, because I was going to the wedding.'
Downes's heart sank. Whiley had been murdered Friday night or early Saturday morning. If there was blood on Gary's jeans and shirt, it was gone now. Out loud, Downes said, 'Okay, you're doing great. Keep your eyes closed and feel how warm it is. Picture yourself in your jeans and short-sleeve shirt. You're walking by the park.
Can you see the park?'
'Yeah.'
'Is it warm, Gary?'
.'Yeah.'
'Hey, that's great. You're cookin'. So, go on. What do you see?'
'I see them stone fences.'
'Good. Now slow up a little. What do you see? Reiua and let it come.'
There was silence in the room. Downes leaned forward expectantly. He could see Gary's features contort with effort. Then, Gary's eyes opened.
'It's no good. I didn't see anything new.'
'Not a thing?' Downes said, making no effort to hide his disappointment. Gary felt terrible. Sergeant Downes had so much faith in him and he was letting him down.
'Can I try again?' Gary asked. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. There were the two stone pillars and the path between them. And on the path were the boy and the girl. He was holding her, leaning down, which meant he was taller. And she was.. . what? Leaning into him?
No. Gary slowed time in his mind, trying hard to see, because he wanted to help Sergeant Downes.
'She's leaning back, pushing him away.'
'You saw that?' Downes asked excitedly.
'Real clear.'
'Is it Sandy?'
'I can't say for sure.'
'You've got to try, son. You're doing so well and this is so important.'
'I am trying, but..
'You know what might help? Why don't you picture a movie screen in your head and watch what's happening on it. That way, you can slow down the movie to make it easier to see.'
'That's what I done,' Gary said proudly.
'Pictured a movie screen?'
'No, slowed everything down.'
'You done that yourself?'
