Amaryllis

'Yes, but he never left the office before five o'clock, even on Fridays. Professor Landreth had a very sound work ethic.'

'Figures.'

'We may very well find some useful clues in his calendar.'

He was getting irritated again. Happened every damn time. 'You're doing all this just because you happened to discover that a prism who may or may not have been trained by Landreth got a job focusing for Madison Sheffield?'

She stiffened. 'That's what aroused my interest, yes. But the deeper I get into this case, the more questions I have. Doesn't the fact that Sheffield's campaign began to take off in a big way only a couple of months ago bother you?'

'Not particularly.'

She let that pass. 'I'll bet that it started building fast after he began using a university-trained prism to focus his charm or charisma or whatever he's doing.'

'So?'

'So what if Professor Landreth found out what was happening? What if he tried to interfere?'

'Amaryllis, what the hell are you implying?'

'I don't know,' she admitted. 'But the deeper I get into this thing, the more questions I have. I'm going to ask Irene Dunley if I can go through the boxes stored in her office. With any luck, I'll find the professor's calendar. I'll want to see if anything unusual jumps out at me. Tonight I can assess the situation and maybe make some plans.'

Lucas brooded over his coff-tea. 'Are you telling me that you intend to spend the evening pursuing this damn investigation?'

She looked hurt. 'I thought you'd want to be involved in this, Lucas. You seemed interested in helping me last night. But if you've got other plans for the evening, I'll under- stand.'

'What makes you think I had other plans for the evening? I can't conceive of anything I'd rather do than go through Landreth's desk calendar with you. Hell, I don't know why I didn't think of it myself.'

Amaryllis stood quietly in the center of O'Rourke's Antiques and held the focus while her client, Marilyn O'Rourke, turned a cracked earthenware plate in her hands.

'Definitely Second Generation,' Marilyn murmured. 'A fine example of the early pottery techniques used by the founders. What a lovely discovery. Picked it up at an estate sale last week.'

Amaryllis smiled. 'Your intuition was sound, as usual, Marilyn. I don't think you really need me.'

The antique dealer beamed happily. She was a short, fashionably dressed woman with a keen eye and an impeccable clientele. She had a standing account with Psynergy, Inc. A class-five talent with an ability to sense the age and genuineness of almost any antique she touched, she was a natural success in her chosen career.

'I always like to be certain.' Marilyn set the old plate down with great care and picked up a crudely painted bowl. 'Besides, it reassures the customers to know that I've authenticated everything in my shop with the assistance of a prism from a reputable firm. So many charlatans around in this business, you know.'

Working with Marilyn required very little effort. Amaryllis barely had to concentrate in order to create a prism and hold the focus. It occurred to her that the difference between handling the dealer's psychic energy and focusing Lucas's raw power was like the difference between moonlight and sunlight. The first gave off only a pale glow. The second created a dazzling glare so hot and intense that it left afterimages on the psychic plane.

Amaryllis examined her link with Marilyn while the dealer went about testing the new items in the shop. It was perfectly normal. There was absolutely no sense of intimacy. Neither she nor Marilyn felt as if their personal spaces had been invaded in any way. They shared psychic energy in a synergistic fashion that allowed them to work together, but neither could sense the other's emotions, nor were their own emotions affected. They simply cooperated in a natural fashion to make use of a tool that required two people to operate.

No big deal.

According to all of the research data Amaryllis had ever seen, it was always like this when talents and prisms worked together.

Except when she worked with Lucas.

'I think that does it for this lot.' Marilyn smiled with professional satisfaction as she dusted off her hands. 'I'll call some of my Second Generation collectors and let them know I've got some very nice pieces in the shop.'

Amaryllis broke the link. The prism vanished. 'Will there be anything else, Marilyn?'

'Not today.'

'Would you mind if I used your phone?' Amaryllis glanced at her watch. 'I've been trying to get hold of someone all morning. She hasn't been at her desk. It's almost lunchtime. I'm afraid that if I wait until I get back to the office, I'll miss her again.'

'Help yourself.' Marilyn waved toward the phone on the counter.

'Thanks.' Amaryllis went behind the counter and picked up the receiver. She dialed Irene Dunley's office number and waited impatiently for a response.

To Amaryllis's enormous relief, the phone was answered on the third ring.

'Department of Focus Studies. Professor Yamamoto's office,' Irene said in firm, authoritative accents.

'Irene, this is Amaryllis Lark. I've been trying to get hold of you all morning.'

'I'm sorry. Miss Lark. I had a dental appointment, and since Professor Yamamoto was out of the office today, I turned the phones over to a student assistant. You know how that goes. What can I do for you?'

'I've got a favor to ask.'

'What is it?'

'I'd like to drop by the office after work today and take a quick look inside those boxes you packed. The ones that contain Professor Landreth's effects. I know it sounds a little weird, but I can explain.'

There was a short pause on the other end of the line. 'You want to examine the contents of the boxes?'

'Yes.'

'Oh, dear.'

An unpleasant chill of apprehension went down Amaryllis's spine. 'Is something wrong? I realize it's an unusual request, but I really do have a very good reason.'

'I'm sure you do, Miss Lark. That's not the problem. The thing is, when I got back to the office a few minutes ago, I found a note from the student who handled the phones while I was out this morning. Apparently he did manage to answer them once or twice.'

'A note?'

'It says that a member of the family finally called about the professor's effects. They'll be picked up first thing in the morning.'

Amaryllis sat down hard on the nearest chair, a large stuffed leather bag affair that dated from the Early Exploration Period. 'I see. But the boxes are still there in your office?'

'Well, yes.' Irene cleared her throat. 'But I'm afraid I can't allow you to go into them this afternoon. Miss Lark. Now that a member of the family has finally come forward to claim them, I don't feel that I have the right to let anyone else touch the contents. You'll have to get the owner's permission.'

'Yes, of course.' Amaryllis tried to think.

'May I ask why you wished to get into the boxes?'

Amaryllis hesitated. There was no point alarming Irene by bringing up suspicions that could not yet be substantiated. 'I was just curious about some of Professor Landreth's old notes regarding lab test procedures. Nothing important. Thanks, Irene.'

'Good-bye, Miss Lark.'

Lucas answered his private line on the second ring. He did not look up from the latest field report that had just arrived. 'Trent here.'

'Lucas? It's Amaryllis. I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel our date tonight.'

His stomach clenched. 'Why?'

'It's a little difficult to explain on the phone. Something's come up. I have to go out this evening.'

'Alone?'

'Yes. Please, Lucas, don't ask me any more questions. It's better if you don't know the details.'

A curious mixture of relief and foreboding washed through him. It didn't sound as though she had plans to