GODDESS OF THE MOON (A Diana Racine Psychic Suspense) (12 page)

Slater stiffened but recovered quickly. “I’m sure he owns many properties in the city. He’s one of the wealthiest men in the country. As far as his politics or religion, I don’t get involved. I’m only interested in helping people who need help.”

“And Deems?”

“I told you, I barely knew him.” Slater stood. “
T
his has gone far enough. I have things to do, as you can see by the work on my desk.”

“Why do you have a camera in the vent, Mr. Slater?”

Slater
shook his head
and released a long
sigh. “After the incident with Jeanine Highsmith, I thought it best to protect myself. All financial transactions take place in this room. The tape activates when
some
one is present. I don’t want a case of he said/she said. If money is donated I have a visual
and audio
record.”

Lucier eyed the camera. He’d love to get his hands on those tapes, but he had no legitimate reason to requisition them. What would he find? Slater was too smart to conduct
illegal business and record it.

As if Slater read Lucier’s mind, he said, “You’d need a court order, Lieutenant, and you have no reason to ask for one. Besides, the tapes only go back to the time after Ms. Highsmith made her accusation. Oh, and Silas Compton makes me shut it off whenever he’s in my office.”

Was that a look of triumph on Slater’s face? “I’d be careful, Mr. Slater. If what went on in that house connects to Mr. Compton, the FBI might be interested in your mission when they find out he’s
the
financial backer.”

“It would be like the government to go after Mr. Compton, since he’s an outspoken critic of the way things are done in this country. I
’m
apolitical
, but
I don’t believe in biting the hand that feeds me.”

“Are you a devotee of Satan, Mr. Slater?”

Slater laughed. “That’s what I like, someone who comes to the point. No beating around the bush this time, huh, Lieutenant?”

“No, not this time.”

“
I’ve made
no secret I’m an atheist. I lost
faith
in God many years ago. My philosophy, however, is personal
―
m
eaning it’s none of your business.”

“You didn’t answer my question, Mr. Slater.”

Slater walked to the door and opened it. “You can
apply
any interpretation you want. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Lucier was halfway
out of the office
when Slater said, “And how is Ms. Racine? When you
came here
, I’d hoped she was with you. I’d like to meet with her again. She’s a fascinating lady, but I’m sure you know that.”

“Yes, I do. I’ll tell her. Thanks for your time. I’ll ask Ms. Racine to drop by and see you.”

“Excellent.”

But not in my lifetime.

* * * * *

A
fter swearing he wouldn’t tell Diana about his visit
to the mission
,
let alone Slater’s disappointment she wasn’t with him,
when he got to her house
he told her anyway
.
He could have written her response beforehand. She never disappointed.

“I want to go.”

“No way.
I didn’t tell you that to encourage a visit. I’m only reporting what happened.”

“I know, but maybe I can get something out of him.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Damn right, that’s what I’m afraid of.

Diana arched one brow.
“You’re not jealous, are you?”

Lucier turned away, unwilling to look her in the eye. He could usually hide his feelings, but not where she was concerned. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Really
.”

It wasn’t a question.

“
I heard the panic in your voice when we were in his office
,” she said
.
“
You couldn’t wait to get me out of there.”

He turned
to
face her. “
Y
ou’re right. The man’s probably a Satanist, a baby kidnapper, and
a
serious sex addict, considering all those beautiful young girls who furnish a constant supply of
infant
nourishment. Who knows? Maybe he keeps them pregnant. You saw the look on Brigid’s face. She worships him. Tell me that didn’t enter your mind.”

Diana
let out a long breath
. “I thought of it. Slater is a handsome, sexy man who
’
d have no trouble enticing young women to be his sex slave.”

Lucier didn’t like Diana’s description, because he couldn’t be objective where Slater was concerned.
He was allowing personal feelings
to
interfere with a case
. It was wrong and unprofessional.

“I remember the way Brigid looked at him,” Diana continued. “And
guess what it says about
Nona
in the mythology book. She’s the goddess of pregnancy.”

Lucier slapped the sofa.
“What did I tell you?
”

“Okay, so you might be right.”

“
Those two women are long
gone
.
I told Ralph Stallings about my meeting with Slater. The feds questioned him too, but they came up as empty as I did.”

“Let me go, Ernie. Slater’s curious about me. I think he’s afraid I might read him, but on the other hand, he’s willing to tempt fate. He can’t help himself.”

“I won’t allow it.” The minute the words came out of his mouth, he knew they were a mistake.

“You can’t stop me.”

“
Could I ever?
Once you’ve made up your mind, you’ll do what you damn well please. I recall you going off to meet a man who was hell
bent on killing you.”

“I knew you’d bring that up.” She sighed heavily. “This is different. This is
…
intellectual.”

Lucier didn’t like that response either.
“
Fine, go. But
I’ll be nearby.
In case.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said.

He hoped she couldn’t decipher what he said under his breath.

* * * * *

D
iana debated whether to drop into the mission or to call first. She decided to play it straight and
phone
.
Slater claimed
he was delighted to hear from her
and a
sked if two that afternoon suited. She said it did.

She arrived at exactly
the appointed hour
, and one of the women cleaning up after lunch ushered her into Slater’s office.

“Thanks for seeing me, Mr. Slater.”

“It was I who asked to see you, Ms. Racine. I’m surprised
the lieutenant
told you.” He still didn’t offer his hand,
nor did
he take hers when she held it out.

Diana stared at her empty hand and grinned. “
Y
ou still
refuse
to touch me.
Why?
”

“I find your gift fascinating but not enough to let you glean anything from my touch. You may be able to anyway, but I’d rather not make it easy.”

“
A
re you afraid I might see what you’re hiding?”

“Of course.
We all hide things, don’t we?”

His honesty always caught her off guard.
“Oh, not me.
My life’s been an open book for twenty-five years. Everyone knows my story.”

“I
researched
you
before you came. I’d give anything to have your talents. Not for entertainment but for the insight to help people.”

Diana made a circle of his office,
stopping in front of the bookcase
. “Is that what you’re all about, Mr. Slater?
Helping people?”

“Not all. I hope there’s more to me
than that
.”

She ran
her finger
across
the
book
bindings
,
scanning the titles.
“I’m sure
there is
.
” Turning, she said, “
You’re interested in the metaphysical, the abstract
,
and
the
unexplainable.
A man searching to find his way in life.”
She flicked a finger at a familiar book, one she’d read long ago. “You have a particular attraction to Jung.”

Slater
stood by his desk
, clearly
watching her
every move
.
“Yes, he’s my favorite.”

“Mine too
,
”
she said.

“Really.
His interests were very eclectic. Besides philosophy, he was into mytholo
gy and religion. Mystical stuff
as well
.
Alchemy and Kabala.”

“
I came across
his interest in mythology
during
my own studies
.”

“
A
fascinating man.”
Slater rubbed his chin. “He dreamt about the dead and interpreted it as representing the unconscious. Not the personal unconscious that defined Freud, but a new ‘collective unconscious
.
’
”

“The kind of knowledge we’re all born with without being directly aware of it. The reservoir of our experiences,” she added.

He pulled out a chair for her, but she remained standing. He
edged around the desk and
sat. “
W
hen you have a vision, how do you feel? Do you think
it’s
part of your collective unconscious?”

“I don’t know. I don’t intellectualize my gift. That part is out of my control.”

“Hmm.”
He trained an almost hypnotic stare on her.
“Intriguing.
I can only imagine what that’s like.”

Diana forced a break from his visual intensity by momentarily focusing on the camera light. “It can be very scary and invasive to both me and my sitter.” She brushed her hand down the spine of
the Jung book, feeling nothing but the heat of
Slater
’s gaze
.
N
othing from
the book
.
Nothing
from
the room.
His voice broke her concentration.

“Sitter
―
that’s the person you’re reading?”

“Yes. Sometimes I see
and
feel things I don’t want to, like in the house on Parkside Avenue.”

A
smile
curled
Slater’s lips.
“Is that the reason you came here? To connect me to whatever went on there?”

Slater read her perfectly, but mentioning the house was a dead giveaway. No point in stopping now.
“Those two women breastfed the babies there.
Stolen babies, Mr. Slater.”

“Both girls came here pregnant: Brigid first. She’s the older.
H
er baby was stillborn. Nona came after. She gave up her baby for adoption. The girls are sisters. Their father was the father of both those babies.”

Diana gasped.

“Frightening, isn’t it,” Slater said.
“That those girls should suffer the sins of their parents.
I say parents because apparently their mother knew and did nothing to stop
her husband’s abuse
.” He drew a deep breath
, hissed
it out. “After they had their babies, they were never pregnant again.” He
kept his gaze riveted on
Diana. “I’m not the most attentive man, but I’m sure I would have noticed that.”

The thought going through Diana’s head was something she’d rather not think, but she brought it up anyway. “Because a woman loses a baby or gives one up for adoption doesn’t preclude her nursing aft
er. That’s what wet nurses do.”

“Are you implying those girls nursed stolen babies from the end of their pregnancies to the present?”

“It’
s a possibility,” she answered.

“That’s preposterous.”

“Unless you’re holding back to protect them.”

Slater
frowned
. “Why would I lie?”