Cooper’s reflection was grinning at me. He appeared to be enjoying Prudence’s repeated jabs.
“Let me get this straight,” I said to Prudence. “From here on out, only you will be able to communicate with Doc?” I didn’t like the sound of that one bit.
“Precisely. Now, if you will stop this filibustering, I will show the medium what he needs to see.”
“Yeah, Parker, zip it,” Cooper said, laughing under his breath.
While waiting for Prudence to continue, I pointed my finger at Cooper in our reflection and pretended to shoot him. I glanced over my shoulder at Cornelius and Harvey. Both looked on from their positions bracketing the fireplace. One was stroking his goatee thoughtfully while the other was shaking the crumbs from his beard. Silence settled throughout the room, except for the whirring of air through the heater vents and the crackling fire.
“Violet.” Prudence’s voice was softer than usual, nicer. It made me antsy. “Take the medium’s hand in yours while holding onto the mirror with your other hand.”
“I thought you said not to touch him.”
“I said do not touch him until he is ready. Now he is in a secure place and you can make the connection.”
I reached for Doc, pulling his hand onto my lap. His fingers were warm, but his grip was lax. She wasn’t joking, he really wasn’t with us at the moment. I tried not to let this disconnect make my pulse pound even harder. Doc had said to trust Prudence, so I would try. For now.
“Whatever happens next,” Prudence continued, “do not let the medium touch the mirror or its frame. You must keep it away from him, do you understand?”
Jeez Louise. This was turning into a game of Twister. I put more distance between my hands, and rested the mirror on my left thigh. “Got it.” So long as he didn’t flop completely over and reach for me with his other hand.
Now, if only I could manage to hold the mirror steady for as long as needed. It wasn’t a huge, heavy frame, but it was no feather either. I adjusted the mirror so I could meet Cooper’s steely gaze again in the glass. Furrows ran along his brow like fence posts. He looked as happy about this paranormal experiment as I felt.
“Close your eyes.”
I obeyed Prudence’s command, but my shoulders tensed. If she told me to open my eyes and I saw that bloody face in the mirror again, this show was going to be over lickety-split. It didn’t matter if it was me in the mirror I was seeing or not, that was nightmare fodder right there, and I had enough other hellish candidates to fill my dance card throughout the night.
“Constable,” she said. “I want you to stare at yourself in the mirror now, but do not look at Violet’s reflection.”
“Okay,” Cooper said behind me.
Doc’s arm jerked, making me jump in surprise. His hand almost slipped from my grip. The mirror teetered in my other hand, leaning toward the couch.
“Hold onto him!” Prudence barked. “And keep that mirror away from the medium!”
“I’m trying!” I scowled.
“Do not open your eyes no matter what, Scharfrichter.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
God! So many freaking rules. Squeezing my eyes closed even tighter, I gripped Doc’s hand firmly and rebalanced the mirror on my leg.
“Once again, Constable. Look in the mirror at yourself and conjure the ghost you saw this morning inside of the courthouse.” She paused for a moment, and then asked, “What color were his eyes?”
My mind whirled in the dark. Cooper saw a ghost? What was he doing at the courthouse on a Sunday morning? How did Prudence know about this? She must have found that nugget when she was reading everyone’s minds earlier. How come she didn’t read mine? Or had she already read it by the time Cornelius started sharing her whispered words? Was I supposed to be focusing on something in particular while I sat here with my eyes closed holding onto Doc and the mirror?
Doc jerked again, but this time I was ready for it and his jolt wasn’t as strong.
What was Prudence doing to him? Was he trying to break free of her hold? The last time he was in this house and he’d switched places mentally with her, he’d been lying on the attic floor shuddering like crazy, trying to break free while I tried to wake him. Doc had been worried about getting stuck inside of her mind that last time. Was this couch session any different for him?
“That is enough, Constable.”
I heard the floor creak as Cooper stepped back from me. “Can I open my eyes now?”
“You will not. The procedure is still underway.”
I shifted, my back muscles aching slightly from sitting in one position so long. I really needed to start joining Doc at the gym. I knew he liked my “softness,” but if Harvey kept cooking bacon-filled breakfasts for us, I’d be positively doughy in no time.
“Mr. Harvey, step behind Violet.” I heard footfalls on the carpet, then smelled something sugary—honeybuns. “You will now follow the same instructions as the constable.”
“What do you want me to think about?”
“Something that the medium has not witnessed with his own eyes.”
“Gotcha,” he said, snickering.
Several seconds passed with Harvey breathing behind me. What was he thinking about? Was Prudence reading his mind? Was Doc? How did this mirror work? Could Doc read my mind, too, right now? Would I want him to read my mind? It probably would be okay, unless I was thinking about plucking and pruning and other body maintenance stuff that I really didn’t want him to witness in any shape or form.
Doc’s hand started to tremble. I almost opened my eyes to check on him, but then remembered Prudence’s warning.
I heard his breath fluttering. Was he having trouble breathing? “What’s going on?” I asked, interrupting Harvey’s magic mirror moment.
“I believe the Tall Medium is laughing,” Cornelius answered.
Why would Doc be … “Harvey, what are you thinking about?”
“I’d
