If you're reading this letter, it means that something has happened to me. Weird thought. At any rate, I'll keep this brief because I don't have much time. I'm on my way out of town. Better if you don't know where I'm going.
I've got to disappear for a while. I got involved in a really big mess. I can't explain it all but I know that I took one of the alien artifacts from the lab where I work. I don't remember much about the theft. It's kind of a fog. I only know that I took the thing with me one night. I remember giving it to my therapist, Quentin Austen. Now someone is trying to kill me.
I think Dr. Austen is somehow responsible for what happened to me. I can't go to the police. I have no proof. I can't even remember anything about this whole mess very clearly. I'm sure the bastard deliberately clouded my memory with his hypno-talent. He's strong enough to work for several seconds at a time without a prism. He gave me some medication, too. I think the stuff enhanced the effect of his hypnosis.
The artifact I stole for Austen is different from the others. I don't have time to go into details, but believe me, it's potentially dangerous.
Here's the zinger. Austen can't control the relic by himself. He needs a very powerful ice-prism. We both know there aren't many of us around. Now that I've broken free of his control, he may look for another strong ice- prism.
Be careful. Maybe you better warn Orchid. I didn't give him your names, at least I don't think I did. But you can't be too cautious. I have a feeling Dr. Austen's crazier than people say I am.
I'll call you as soon as I think it's safe.
Theo
Rafe slowly re-rolled the letter. He looked at the body on the floor and idly tapped the little scroll against the dressing table. 'Mr. Amazing probably tried a bit of blackmail with this photocopy and got himself shot for his efforts.'
'It looks that way, doesn't it?' Orchid rubbed her hands over her arms. The small room was warm, but she felt chilled. 'Poor Theo. I knew he was innocent. If only he'd told someone what was happening.'
'He was right about one thing. It would have been extremely difficult to prove anything. If he'd gone to the cops they would have taken one look at the situation and slapped him in jail for stealing a valuable artifact from a research lab.' Rafe shrugged. 'And dismissed the rest of his story out of hand.'
'Especially if they talked to his helpful syn-psych therapist, Dr. Quentin Austen, who would have fed them a pack of lies about the state of his mental health.' Orchid set her teeth. 'That bastard, Austen. He's the one behind this whole thing.'
'If he's looking for another ice-prism to help him control his stolen artifact, we'll have to conclude that he really does believe that crazy stuff about it being a thing of power. Which makes him a syn-psych head case.'
'I can see how it happened. Theo innocently went to Austen for therapy. Probably mentioned his work at the lab in the course of his sessions. He must have mentioned that he thought one of the relics had some power and that an ice-prism could somehow control it. Austen evidently believed him.'
'And then Austen hypnotized Willis so that he would steal the relic,' Rafe concluded thoughtfully. 'After that, things began to come apart. Willis somehow escaped Austen's mind control and fled in panic.'
'I'll bet Austen probably arranged for Theo's death in that car crash.'
'And then got worried that someone would connect him to Willis. He hired Mr. Amazing and Crowder to keep watch on Willis's house. Then he somehow learned that Willis had sent a letter to Lambert and sent the team to find it.'
'And then Mr. Amazing tried to blackmail him with a photocopy of the letter.' Orchid shivered. 'So he set out to kill both Jink and Crowder.'
Rafe tapped the little rolled up cylinder again. 'Most of it fits.'
She slanted him an uneasy glance. 'Theo really did have some mental problems, you know. That stuff about being able to control one of the alien relics has got to be a fantasy.'
Rafe looked thoughtful. 'He obviously convinced Quentin Austen that it was true.'
'I don't doubt for a moment that Theo really believed it. And I agree that he somehow made Dr. Austen believe it. Which proves that Austen is as unstable as jelly-ice. He's already killed at least two people, Theo and Mr. Amazing.'
'And tried to do in a couple more, Morgan Lambert and Crowder.' Rafe reached for the phone with a gloved hand. 'All because he believes some wild tale about a still-functioning alien relic. You're right. The man is not normal.'
'Who are you calling?'
'We finally have some hard facts and a body. Time to call the police. I've got a friend who works homicide. I'm going to give him what we have. And then I'll call Brizo at the lab and warn him that we can't keep the lid on this any longer.'
'Quentin Austen must be found before he kills anyone else,' Orchid said when they finally walked into Rafe's house two hours later. 'But what about the missing relic?'
'The cops may find it when they find Austen. But there's a chance it's already disappeared into the underground collector's market.' Rafe locked the front door and turned to face her. 'Which means, we've still got a case.'
She studied the hard lines of his face, saw the intensity in his gaze. The hunter in him would not quit until he had found what he had set out to find, she thought.
She gave him a wan smile. 'You know something? I'm glad you're not after me.'
'Who said I'm not after you?'
She did not move. Desire, power, and need thickened the atmosphere. She could not tell what portion of the heady, dangerous brew came from her and what emanated from Rafe.
'This is probably not a good time to talk about it,' she said. 'We've both been under a lot of stress lately. A bit too much excitement—'
There was perfect, if darkly brooding comprehension in his gaze. 'Are you afraid of me?'
'Not exactly.'
'That's not quite the answer I was looking for.'
'What do you want me to say?'
'Just tell me the truth.' He rose with fluid ease and crossed the short distance between them. He came to a halt in front of her, reached down, closed his hands over her shoulders, and hauled her lightly out of the chair. 'Are you afraid of me? Does the fact that I'm a strat-talent scare you?'
She gazed into the dark, shadowy places in his eyes and saw the secrets in him. 'No.'
'Am I a little too primitive for the daughter of a couple of Northvillers?'
'No.'
'Then what did you mean when you said that you aren't exactly afraid of me?'
She framed his face between her hands, and smiled wistfully. 'I meant that I'm afraid that I might be falling in love with you.'
The stunned expression that flashed in his eyes would have amused her under other circumstances. But tonight she was trapped in the swirling waters of her own emotions. She could not take refuge in laughter. She had an uneasy suspicion that her entire future was at stake.
Rafe said nothing. He groaned, caught her close, and kissed her with a raging passion that left no room for words. Then he picked her up in his arms, carried her into the library, and pulled her down onto the carpet in front of the fire.
A long time later Orchid stirred, stretched, and opened her eyes. She smiled wryly when she saw Rafe crouched in front of the hearth. He was gazing into the flames as though he could see visions of Old Earth. He had refastened his trousers, but he had not put on his shirt. The firelight warmed his bare shoulders to a rich gold and etched the strong contours of his back. For a moment she simply savored the sleek, masculine strength in him.
'You know, this business of making love in front of a roaring fire works nicely in my novels,' she said finally. 'But in real life it causes rug burns. Next time let's put you on the bottom.'
'Orchid, I want you to think about marrying me.'
Orchid stared at him. He did not turn his head to look at her. Everything in him was focused intently on the images only he could see in the flames.
