Mind Games

Miss Leona fluffed at her white ball of hair. “What’d I want a lawyer for? You figure I think Lucinda Lannigan’s grandchildren would try pulling one on me? Why, she’d skin your hides for it, then tan ’em into leather for a new coat.”

She named a price, nodded. “That’s what I want for it. You can put that in the contract, that’s fine. But if that’s what you’ll pay, we’ll shake on it here and now.”

Rem held out a hand, and shook hers gently.

“You, too, girl. Men don’t run every blessed thing.”

Thea held out a hand. “Thank you, Miss Leona, for trusting us with your land. I promise we’ll take good care of it.”

“You’re Lucinda’s blood, all right. I trust you will, and I’ll hold you to it.”

Back on the road, Rem wrapped an arm around Thea’s shoulders again. “We just bought ten acres.”

“And I feel right about it. I wasn’t sure I would, but it feels absolutely right. Do you know how all of this works?”

“I’ll find out. That’s what I do. Now, for Christ’s sake, tell me what you’re supposed to tell me.”

When she told him about the game, he stopped. And did a wild dance in the middle of the road.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy hot shit. I told you it rocked. I knew this would happen.”

“That makes one of us.”

“Because you wouldn’t look. Your business,” he added. “Man, if I had what you have, I’d’ve looked. Anyway, I don’t need the sight to know they’re going to want to buy it, but you’re not going to sell it.”

“First, don’t jinx it! And why the hell wouldn’t I sell it?”

“Because that’s just a lump of money and no control. What you’re going to do is lease it to them. Give them the rights for— I need to find out how long it should be, and how much you get on each sale or download.”

“But—”

He waved her off like a fly.

“You’ll let me negotiate this. You’re the talent, but I’m the business. And if they want more of your talent, they’re going to have to hire you.”

He nodded to himself as they walked. “I can work this. I can make this work.”

Since she didn’t believe any of it would happen—just some feedback and the connection—she let him talk his talk until he wound down.

“There’s something else.”

His absolute delight drained away as she told him about the detectives, the young girl.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, she’s safe.”

“Yeah, and I’m really glad she is. But are you okay? She’s safe because they came to you, safe because you put yourself out there to help her. It couldn’t’ve been easy to do what you did. It has to cost you.”

On a sigh, she hooked her arm around his waist, leaned her head to his shoulder. “How am I supposed to pretend my brother’s a jerk when you say that? When you understand that? But I am okay. Whatever it cost in the moment, that’s outweighed knowing I could do something.”

“I know I joke about getting ripped off in the psychic department, but I don’t know how I’d handle what you and Grammie have.”

“It wasn’t always a joke.”

“True.” It made him smile to remember. “Really pissed me off when I was a kid. Plus, you wouldn’t do me any little favors.”

“Right, like looking to see what the questions were going to be on your science test.”