"let me explain" I began. "I'll need you to pretend to be..."
"Won't Hope recognize me?" Charlie interrupted, while stopping for a red light.
"Not if we play this right. Let me explain" I countered, and then challenged him. ". You wanna help me right, Buddy?"
"Of course, man!" my brother answered quickly.
"Using the office..."
"Which you're gonna keep?" he asked eagerly and hopefully.
"When Elizabeth's back home, we'll talk about the office." I told him, intending to find a way out of a lease.For now, we had work to do.
"That means no doesn't it?" he pouted.
"Let's focus on the work!" I told him firmly and with a frown, he made a left turn.
"What's the plan?" he sighed.
"You're gonna pretend to be a psychic"
"how the hell am I gonna do that?"
"Charlie I'll find out all I can and tell you everything before hand. You've got an excellent memory. You'll wear a disguise and change your voice a bit." This made sense. I knew a lot about my cousin of course, and I could learn alot by talking to the others, as well as using various databases. "Besides, they'll think I've used your pyshic abilities on cases."
"Could I channel a dead mathematician?" he asked, almost in a whine.
"No" I rolled my eyes and took out my favorite pair of sunglasses, and gave them to him.. I had another idea "You're gonna pretend to be blind."
"But I don't know how to use a cane!" he complained.
"I'll show you." I promised.
"How do you know how to use a cane?" he asked with surprise.
"I once went undercover as a blind person" I explained. "Took lessons even. Anyway, I'll arrange for them to see you tomorrow"
"How is this going to get Elizabeth out of the cult?"
"You'll see" I promised.
Soon, we arrived at the office. It was in one of the more impressive buildings in the downtown area. A security guard asked for our IDs. The lobby was impressive, with expensive looking flooring, revolving doors, and a large painting near a clock that had gold numbers.
"Your office is on the fourteenth floor" he said as we went into the elevator, which was roomy, had tiles that looked like marbles, and large mirrors on three of its sides. "So….uh...how do psychics decorate their offices?"
"I dunno" I shrugged. We walked through a long hallway, and finally, we arrived. Charlie took the key out from his pocket, and opened the door. The carpeting looked new, as did the desk and chair.
"Actually that's for the receptionist. Your area is over here." he lead me to another door. I couldn't believe it! The chair was large and made from leather! Too boot, the desk seemed to be made from cherrywood.
"You didn't need to get me fancy furniture, buddy" I said.
"It uh...came with the space" He quickly claimed. Somehow I doubted it. My brother, in a flash changed the subject "You could hire a student part time for a reasonable wage"
Then, I noticed the view! It was great, and allowed us to see a nice cityscape.
"I don't know how to thank you, Charlie" I said lamely, while we looked out the window.
"Say you'll accept the deal?" he suggested.
"We don't have much time."
"I also got you a laptop" he said. "but I left it at the office."
" Keep this area closed to them. Say its a closet or something" I brainstormed, thinking they might be suspicious of a psychic with expensive furniture. "Let's take another look at the receptionist area." We went back there. "We'll need to put folders on this desk, to make it look worked in."
"And an ouiji board"
"Charlie! Come on!" I sighed, and called Hope on my cell, telling her about my psychic friend and what fun it would be if the gang were to meet him?
"Has he helped you with cases?" she asked at one point, enthusiastic about the idea.
"More times than even Charlie could count. By the way, uh...why don't we all get together for drinks and I can talk about my plan then?" This way, I could get the info I needed.
"Antha and I will call the others" She volunteered.
"Thanks!" I suggested a time and place, and she agreed. With that I hung up.
"Let's go home." I said. "I'm meeting them for drinks. While I get the information, you'll read my stuff on Brian and Elizabeth.
"Okay..."
"Here's my info, so you can access the databases" I wrote it on a piece of paper on the desk As an PI , I could access certain kinds of information" so you can access the databases. "I'll give you their license plate numbers as soon as I can."
"I'll also see what the FBI's got"
"Sure" I replied. Charlie had top clearance and could access anything he wanted
--------------------------------------------
I made a point to choose a bar with a small parking lot, and to arrive first, to see who's car was whose, and write down the number when the got into the restaurant. When I had gotten all of them, I told them to Charlie and went in.
"You're late!" Antha teased, while sipping a Sangria.
"I had to help my dad with something" I said.
As the evening progressed, I deftly learned little tidbits here and there, asked some discreet questions, and talked about my 'psychic friend'. Eventually, I went home, when I had enough information. Charlie sat on the couch, with the sunglasses on.
"What's this about you having Charlie pretend to be a psychic?" Dad asked when I got in.
"I sense lots of alcohol" my brother said drolly when he saw me. The couch was filled with stuff.
"He's been practicing since you left." Dad explained.
Charlie took off the sunglasses "I got lots of information"
"Great!"
At my insistence, Charlie and I practiced, with me pretending to be the various people. We worked out signals that I would use if he started to go off base, and when he was on the right track. We then slept for a few hours, and got up early to go decorate the office.
"I've got extra supplies at my office." Charlie said as we both ate cereal. After breakfast, we went to go get them at Cal Sci "We need a phone" He just grabbed the one from at his office desk.
"Charlie!" I scolded him.
"All the agencies and organizations I consult for call me at my cell" Charlie said. "And most of my students ask for help via email or in person."
"Okay..."
Soon, we returned to my temporary office, after getting a red tipped cane and set to make it looked used. It was great working with Charlie again. I hadn't realized how much I missed it, until now. After we finished, I gave Charlie some lessons.
"You mostly need to worry about getting from the door to 'your desk' " I pointed out after a while.
"I need a wig!" he remembered. "Let me go buy it"
"Fine. Just Hurry!" I said. They were coming in a few hours. When he returned, we practiced everything again, and role played some worse case scenarios. Afterwards, we got Chinese delivery.
Eventually, Antha and two others came in. It was show time!
TBC