Landry asked about past life regression. Was she also willing to let the psychologist try to take her back before her birth in this life?
She wanted to talk to Dr. Little about how it worked, but she was open to the idea. She had told Jack if she was doing part of it, she might as well do it all.
The next hurdle was permission to use the building. Landry assigned Cate to that task, since she’d gotten the lockbox code from the agent earlier. Cate went to their office on Magazine Street, briefly explained the situation, and asked if the owner would mind. She purposely avoided mentioning Landry’s name, because many property owners didn’t want ghost hunters in their buildings. For the moment this was simply a medical request from the daughter of a prominent psychiatrist.
The agent said she’d contact the trustee.
“The successor to Empyrion Richard, correct?” Cate asked, and the agent said yes, it was a local attorney, the same person who’d signed the property listing agreement.
It excited the agent that not only had Cate gotten the lockbox code, she’d done her homework on the deed and the trust. She hoped a purchase offer might be coming soon.
“What can you tell me about Empyrion Richard?”
“All I know is he was the first trustee a long time ago. When he died, a lawyer with Godchaux and Hart became trustee, and one of their people has done it ever since.”
She recalled Jack having mentioned the firm’s name yesterday.
“Who would have chosen that firm?”
“I’d guess Empyrion Richard. They’ve been around since before the Civil War. One of the oldest in the state, I believe. They office in an old mansion out on St. Charles.”
The Realtor called later that afternoon, telling Cate that Shawn Leary, who was the trustee, wanted to speak with her. She called and he began a barrage of questions she should have anticipated.
“The agent tells me your father is a psychiatrist who also invests in real estate. Is he interested in buying the building?”
She drummed up a semi-honest answer, saying it was too early to tell.
“In recent days there have been two disturbing situations that involved the police, one much more serious than the other. A boy died there, and a woman was injured. Both were trespassing, and police detained the TV personality Landry Drake in the incident with the woman. Does your interest in our building have anything to do with either of those situations?”
Another fingers-crossed-behind-your-back answer. “No, I’m calling to ask if a psychologist and my father can hypnotize a person in the courtyard of your building.” She avoided mentioning Landry or that the subject was the person injured earlier. She couldn’t keep Landry’s involvement secret forever, but now wasn’t the time to bring it up.
“Tell me what this hypnosis is about and how the building plays a part in it.”
Cate blamed patient privacy laws for giving little information. A lady from California experienced unexplainable flashbacks about the Toulouse building, and a trained professional would use hypnotherapy to treat her. The patient was in mental distress over recurring nightmares about the building. Her doctors thought it important that the session happen there.
“How odd. And just what is the patient’s connection to the building?”
“None, it seems. She’s had dreams for years, but until a few weeks ago, she’d never been to New Orleans. It’s a mystery the doctors hope they can solve.”
“Would your father be the one who hypnotizes the patient?”
She explained that although he would be present, the hypnotist was a psychologist who specialized in that aspect of therapy.
The attorney said, “You know, in many places a property owner would do anything to keep people from thinking there was something unusual about his building. In New Orleans, however, it seems to be the other way around. The buildings with unexplainable mysteries are the ones people like. I’m fine with your using the building. I’ll prepare a memorandum of understanding.”
Cate said, “May I ask you something else before we hang up? Who were the Richard men — Charles and Empyrion? What connection did they have with the LaPieres?”
“I can’t say, Miss Adams.”
“You know nothing about them?”
“Our firm serves as the trust’s attorneys, and I’m the trustee. What I meant is that I can’t discuss anything about them.”
Once they set a date, the Realtor was told the building was closed for three days, and Phil Vandegriff began setting up audio and video equipment there. Tiffany’s hypnosis would occur in the courtyard, the locus of paranormal activity.
Landry and Ted talked about how hypnosis might reveal secrets from Tiffany’s past and become a brand-new topic for the Bayou Hauntings series. Ted loved the idea, agreed to cover the psychologist’s expenses, and told Landry he would be there when it happened.
Cate’s father and Dr. Little arrived the afternoon before, and everyone went to dinner at Muriel’s. They found the psychologist to be a warm, easygoing man. Tiffany enjoyed his company and commented on how comfortable she felt knowing he and Doc Adams were in charge.
After the two professionals left for a nightcap at the Ritz-Carlton, Landry ran through tomorrow’s timeline one last time. Jack was excited to be part of things, and Tiffany said she felt good about it too. She had found peace accepting that hypnotherapy was the right thing for her. Perhaps tomorrow would be the day for answers.
The next morning Landry arrived first. He unlocked the gate and his crew began hauling in equipment from Channel Nine’s van. Jack was to arrive by nine; Cate, Tiffany, Henri Duchamp and Ted would come at nine thirty; and the
