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"I have no way of knowing I know they ht come true" Xylda looked at me now, and her blue eyes really saw me "In the time of ice, you’ll be so happy," she said

"Good," I said, having no idea what she was talking about But that was the way of conversations with Xylda, if you could call this a conversation

"You can’t keep lying," Xylda said gently "You have to stop doing that It won’t hurt anyone"

"I think I’s I could be accused of, and ht But not this

"Oh, you’re truthful about the things that don’t matter"

"Did someone come to Memphis with you, Xylda?"

"Yes, Manfred did"

"Where is Manfred?" I wasn’t coe of Xylda was a relief

"He’s parking the car There wasn’t a space"

"Oh, good," I said, relieved to hear such a prosaic explanation Tolliver arrived at the table with our drinks Xylda seeet the coffee, which was redolent of vanilla and sugar, and she swirled in even ular coffee, and Tolliver had gotten hot chocolate "Tolliver, Xylda says Manfred is with her"

He raised his eyebrows in query, so he didn’t knoho that was, either I shrugged "She says he’s out parking the car"

Tolliver stood and stared out the glass s, then began waving vigorously to so back into his chair "He’s coood boy," Xylda said She sirl" Suddenly, she sounded completely practical and all present and accounted for, mentally

"Yes," I said

"You know, they called me in"

"Yeah?"

"It wasn’t the boy," Xylda said "There was passion involved But there was no sex with the little girl"

"Okay," I said "Then as she killed?"

"I don’t know," Xylda said She looked down into her coffee cup

See what Ivery little help?

"But I know you’ll find out," Xylda said, and she looked up at me very sharply "I won’t be there to see it, but you’ll find out"

"Are you going to a different city? Have you got another booking?"

"Yes," she said quite definitely "I have another booking You know, I’, and people know that when they reed, and then a thin young man came up to us, dressed all in black This was Manfred, I assumed

"I saw her surprise you," Manfred said cheerfully "Sorry about that Are you her friends? She said she had toXylda’s psychic ability had led her to meet with us outside a Cineplex Manfred was a narrow-shouldered young man in his late teens or early twenties He had a narrow face and slicked-back peroxided hair, a oatee, and at least one tattoo visible on the side of his neck He had a face decorated with s

Heand this is Harper Connelly," Tolliver said "Are you related to Xylda?"

"This isto bet that few grandmothers would be able to look at Manfred’s extre, much less with Xylda’s simple pride There was much to Manfred that randh to sense that

We told the young man ere pleased to meet him, and we explained that we crossed paths with Xylda professionally froht at the breakfast table," Manfred said "She said we had to go to Meot in the car, and here we are" He seerandotten her here on time to keep her self-appointed rendezvous

"You know the body was found," I said to Xylda, who’d finished her coffee before the rest of us had begun to sip at ours

"Yes, and I kneas going to be found in a graveyard," Xylda said "I just didn’t knohich one I’ time"

"Since the day she vanished?" I asked

"No, not quite," Xylda said "She lived a few hours Not more than that"

I was actually relieved to hear this "That’s what I thought Thanks for telling me," I said I wondered if I should relay this bit of information to the police or to Tabitha’s family After a moment’s consideration, I realized that was a very bad idea If it had been hard for the police to believe ive Xylda any credence If you could say anyone looked like an ex-hooker turned professional psychic, Xylda would be the picture you’d come up with Police aren’t inclined to trust either one, and Xylda reinforced that distrust with every sentence she uttered

"I Saw it," Xylda said I could hear the capital letter in her voice Her grandson Manfred srandmother, the epitome of pride It was obvious Manfred simply didn’t care that almost everyone in the shop had taken a ht that was extraordinary, especially for a young man hardly out of his teens, if indeed he was I realized that Manfred and Victor Morgenstern were very close in age I wondered what the tould make of each other, and found the idea of their conversation allimpse of who took her?" Tolliver asked He spoke very quietly, almost inaudibly, because there was no doubt people were listening

"It was for love," Xylda said "For love!" Xylda spoke right out

She smiled at each of us, a distinct and separate look, and then she told Manfred it was time for her nap

"Sure, Granny," he said He stood and pulled her chair back for her I hadn’t seen a an to shuffle toward the door, the fascinated gaze of the other patrons following the progress of the enormous plaid coat, Manfred bent to take my hand "A pleasure to see you," he said, and he suddenly sounded older than his years "If you ever need a buddy to hang with, Harper, I’ to jump in there"

The look in his eyes told ically he was a fully developed male Suddenly I felt very self-conscious and ridiculously flattered

"I hear you," I said, and Manfred kissed e I felt a little tongue, a little brush of soft hair frooatee, and surely a cold metallic touch froh, or shriek, or pant

"Just think of the kids ould have," Manfred said, and I opted for s

"That’s a step too far, there," I said "You were doing great, up until the kids"

"I’ll re back "Next time I won’t make the same mistake"

When they left, I turned to Tolliver to ask hiled contribution Tolliver was staring after Manfred with no friendly face

"Oh, get real," I said "Tolliver! He’s years younger than ht, maybe three," Tolliver said, and I reot balls, I’ll give hiave h