CHAPTER 8: HYPNOSIS
Bo and Jeffrey entered the Holmes residence after Robert had opened the door. Because of his work as a diplomat he usually was a serious guy, but this time there was definitely something wrong. His face was pale and he had to be remembered to greet the boys. They all went into the living room and sat down. Bo looked around nervously. It felt funny to be in Shirley's house without his best friend actually being there with him. There was an odd silence before Shirley's father asked the two boys a question.
"Have you seen Shirley?" Slowly Bo nodded. Robert sighed. "I should have tried to. I just wasn't up to it." He looked directly at Bo now. "How is she?" he asked with hesitation in his voice.
Bo just shrugged. "As good as can be expected, I guess." He paused for a moment before continuing. "But she trusts us to prove her innocence and we don't plan on letting her down."
"Well, I'm afraid I can't help you." Robert Holmes said in his English accent.
"We just want to take a look at Shirley's room and … we want to have a word with you." Bo turned to Peggy, who was kinda surprised by the announcement. Then she gave him a mild smile.
"Of course dear, anything to help Shirley."
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Jeffrey carefully opened the door to Shirley's room before he and Bo entered. Robert and Peggy told them that they hadn't been in there for the past 2 days. The only logical conclusion was that only Shirley, the police and the person that tried to frame here had been in there. The police's former presence was evident since the art that had been placed in Shirley's room had been removed. But there was nothing else to see at first. To be sure Bo and Jeffrey thoroughly searched the room. They found nothing…
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Bo showed Peggy the picture. She examined the facial features of the person in the picture. There was no sign of recognition. Jeffrey nervously paced around the kitchen. He was irritated by the way his mind had abandoned him.
"I just KNOW I've seen that man before. I just can't remember when it was or even where…" Bo shot him a glance to let him know he should sit down. Jeffrey did.
"How can I help. I don't know the man either." Peggy said as she slid the picture back across the table to Bo and Jeffrey.
"You can hypnotize people, right?" Peggy started to understand where Bo was going.
"So you want me to freshen up his memory?" Bo nodded. "Well, it has been a long time ago, but I can still give it a go. Every memory is stored somewhere in there." She pointed at Jeffrey's head. "Let's get it out." For the first time this day, Bo really smiled.
"That's all we ask."
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Again Brown's cellphone rang. It took him a minute to locate it. He was in a dark place.
"Yes?" he said with a curious tone in his voice as soon as he had pushed the on-button and placed the device to his ear. The other side of the line was silent. "Hello?" Finally there was an answer.
"Eeeh…hello boss, it's us…" one of the thugs on the other side of the line said.
"Good news, I hope?" Brown replied. The man became even more hesitant to talk.
"I'm afraid not boss….We kinda lost them." The man uttered. Brown instantly exploded.
"YOU WHAT!" The man removed the phone from his ear until his boss was almost done screaming at him. "YOU KINDA LOST THEM? HOW HARD CAN IT BE TO TAIL SOME KIDS?" The man got his last question and answered.
"Well it was not as easy as you think, boss." the man stated. Brown showed his emotion by growling silently. "Those kids took all kinds of shortcuts after they left the police station. We couldn't possibly follow them with the car." he pleaded. Brown still wasn't satisfied.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" he bellowed. Then he lowered his voice. It was still angry and still sort of loud. "Just make sure you find them! You know the consequences if you don't…"
"Sure, whatever you say boss…" the thug answered quickly. With those final words he pushed the off button on his cellphone and turned to his mate. "You heard the boss, which way?"
"I have a feeling they went that way, Simmons." he stated, while pointing in front of them. Simmons was sure his companion had been thinking. He had always been a man of logic. Without questioning the statement, Simmons started the car and drove off into the direction his fellow criminal had pointed to.
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"Relax…Relax from the top of your head to the tip of your toes." Peggy said. Bo looked at what was happening with interest.
"Focus your senses only on me. Shut out everything else in the room. Focus on me. As you do, you'll go deeper and deeper in your sleep…a deep, deep sleep."
Jeffrey sat on a couch with his eyes closed. He listened to Shirley's grandmother. Gradually his heavy breathing slowed down. Somehow the voice made him totally relaxed. The next thing he knew, he dropped his head and fell into a deep sleep. "…three, two, one."
Peggy Holmes snapped her fingers. Both she and Bo examined the young Australian that was sitting opposite to them. His head was slightly bowed towards them and his breath was slow and regular.
"Jeffrey, are you here?"
"Yes."
"Please go back in time and try to remember where you saw a bald man before. About 5 feet tall, high forehead, grey eyes and pointy ears." Peggy said, trying to describe the man she saw on the picture before her.
It was silent for a long time, but suddenly Jeffrey seemed to change. Pearls of sweat appeared in his face and his breath seemed to quicken again. Something distressed him.
"What's going on?" Peggy asked concerned she might have done something wrong.
"I'm in a car." Jeffrey responded with a soft voice.
"Is there anyone else with you?" Peggy asked him.
"Yes. I went for a ride with dad and Mark." he said weakly. Peggy shot a questioning glance at Bo.
"His little brother." Bo whispered. Jeffrey pressed his eyes together even though they were already closed.
"Tell me Jeffrey, what's happening?" Peggy said, asked of what the answer might be.
Suddenly Jeffrey opened his eyes and started turning and screaming. "MARK!!! NO!!! He's bleeding; someone please help me!" Shocked by the revelation Peggy and Bo looked at each other, not sure what to do next. Jeffrey lowered himself to another part of the couch like he was pressing on his brother to stop him from bleeding. Then, barely understandable, he whispered something. "Don't worry Mark, I saw who did this. He'll never hurt anyone again." Jeffrey's eyes were moist and tears were running over his cheeks. Peggy who heard him say the words quickly asked him if she had understood him.
"Did the man I asked you about do this?"
Jeffrey clenched his teeth together. "Yes."
"Calm down." Jeffrey closed his eyes again. "When I snap my fingers you'll wake up and be perfectly fine again. You won't remember what happened just now." After counting from one to three, Peggy snapped her fingers. Jeffrey seemed to recover and calm down with every number she spoke. When she snapped her fingers Jeffrey, still groggy, opened his eyes and looked around. He sat back up and let his eyes adjust to the light.
"Slow down, man." Bo said. "You should take a bit of rest." Jeffrey immediately put the idea aside and turned to Peggy.
"How did I do?" he asked, hoping they had gotten a lead. Peggy hesitated. Jeffrey stared at her.
"What is it?"
"I don't know how to tell you this…" she started.
"Come on, spill." Jeffrey urged. "Help Shirley."
After taking a deep breath Peggy decided to tell him what she had found out. "Jeffrey, the man from the picture caused the car accident in which your brother got hurt." Jeffrey's eyes widened in horror.
"No, it can't be…" he uttered. A long silence followed. All three of them were unable to say anything else.
TO BE CONTINUED…