Page 93 of Psychic Obsession
Elmore tutted, but got up, grabbed a notepad and a pen, then dragged a chair over.Nikolai sighed but snagged a chair for himself too.Frode sat up straighter.His head swam a little, and when he noted a water bottle next to where Nikolai had placed the bag of raisins, he realized how thirsty he was."For me?"He gestured at the bottle, and Nikolai nodded.
He took several deep gulps of water, then focused on Nikolai and Elmore."What do you want to know?"
"You wanted to touch it because something about the order of the touches of the first rug was bothering you."Nikolai waited, and Frode wasn't sure if he'd meant it as a question or not.
"Yeah."
"So...Does the order feel right?"
Frode considered it with a frown.How was he feeling about it?He wasn't alert enough to analyze it."Maybe we should do this tomorrow.My mind is a bit sluggish."
"We can talk about it tomorrow, but what can you tell us about the order?"
"Dubose was first, which makes sense since I asked her to move the rug before I touched it.Then there was Saylor, which also makes sense, since he was the one working on it.Then the dark-haired guy who also works there, then Saylor, Dubose, Saylor--" He closed his eyes as the faces swam before him."Then the ME, the guy, Saylor, then Altman, the victim, Altman, a woman with gray streaks in her hair, a toddler, a young girl, then the woman again, then someone I'd guess is her daughter.They look alike, but she's maybe twenty years younger, then the toddler again--"
"Okay."Nikolai touched his arm."You think Altman got the rug from the gray-haired woman?"
Frode shrugged."She's the last one to touch it before him."
"Right.And you didn't see Sam Neace, the mechanic?"
"No, he didn't touch this one."
"So he's not an accomplice."
Frode shook his head."No."
"But you still think there might be an accomplice?"Elmore frowned at him.
Pursing his lips, Frode considered it."Something doesn't add up."He waited for Nikolai to sigh, but he didn't.He watched Frode with narrowed eyes.
"Maybe sleep on it, and tomorrow you can--"
"I need to touch rug three."
"What?No!"
Frode held up a hand."Not today.I can't do it today, but I have to do it.Dubose said she believed it was the least worn one, but it wasn't what Saylor told us."
"When did she say that?"Nikolai didn't sound happy.
"I asked her before I touched the rug.She said Saylor is the one who's checked the rugs, so he knows more about fibers and shit, but at a glance, she said rug number three looked to be in the best shape."
"Can she tell without having studied it underneath a microscope?"Elmore looked confused.
Frode shrugged."She didn't want to say at first, but I pushed."
"Why?"Nikolai's eyes scanned his face.
"I don't know.I wanted her opinion."
"Because?"
He kept quiet.
"A feeling?"Nikolai raised his eyebrows.
Had it been?"Yes, a feeling."
