Magnificent Folly - Iris Johansen [41]
“And you weren’t afraid?”
“Of Andrew?” Cassie looked at her in astonishment. “Andrew brought me the music. I couldn’t hear it before he came, and it was getting darker and colder and very scary.”
A chill went through Lily. Where would that darkness have led if Andrew hadn’t forced Cassie out of her hiding place? “Quenby says it’s telepathy.”
“Is it?” Cassie was unimpressed. “No wonder you were a little freaked out. Don’t worry, Mom, it’s nothing like those stupid movies you see about telepathy. Like I said, it’s kind of cozy.” She swung her feet to the floor, got off the bed, and looked at the door on the far side of the bed. “I have to go to the bathroom. Is that it?”
Lily nodded as she rose to her feet. “I’ll order you a cheeseburger from room service.”
“With potato chips.” Cassie grinned over her shoulder with impish humor. “And no vegetables.”
Lily chuckled. In this bewildering world of kidnappings, foreign agents, and telepathy there were some things that never changed, thank heavens. “I’ll settle for a dill pickle on the side.”
“Done.”
Cassie disappeared into the bathroom.
Lily’s smile faded as the door closed behind her daughter. Cassie was definitely back to her old self, but that didn’t mean the threat to her was over. Why had Cassie, who had always been blessedly emotionally stable, gone into shock in the first place? And why did those men so desperately want Cassie and Andrew?
Cassie had accepted the idea that Andrew was a telepath, but could Lily? The evidence seemed irrefutable, but it went against the grain for her to believe anything so outlandish. Yet, in some mysterious fashion, Andrew had brought Cassie back to her, and she felt passionately grateful no matter how the act had been accomplished.
There was no doubt she would have to think long and hard about what had transpired in the last twenty-four hours, and some decisions would have to be made. But any soul-searching could wait until Cassie had gone to sleep that night. Just now Lily wanted only to enjoy having Cassie safe and well again. She sat down on the bed, picked up the receiver of the phone, and dialed room service for Cassie’s cheeseburger.
“Where’s Andrew?” Lily asked Quenby as soon as she walked into the living room the next morning.
Quenby looked up from the newspaper she was reading. “He went to the airport with Gunner to check out the condition of Hamid Kalom and Baharas before they’re flown to Sedikhan. He should be back soon.” Quenby’s frown was troubled. “Kalom is still in bad shape.”
“Bad shape?” Lily shivered. “I thought they were both dead. What happened to them?”
“Gunner,” Quenby said simply. “He’s not usually so ruthless, but he likes Cassie. He was mad as hell, and Andrew sanctioned it.”
“Sanctioned what?”
“Pain. They’re locked in pain. They’ll stay that way until the lock is lifted.”
“Gunner can do that?” Lily grimaced. “That’s not telepathy; that’s mind control.”
“Some of the stronger telepaths of the Clanad are capable of mind control, but it’s strictly forbidden.” Quenby paused. “Except for someone like Gunner, who acts as a policeman, or Andrew, who uses it to heal.”
“But you said Andrew sanctioned their pain.”
“He was angry,” Quenby repeated. “I’ve never seen Andrew so angry as when he knew how they’d hurt you. He had second thoughts this morning, and went out to the airport to remove the lock before the plane took off.” She wrinkled her nose. “My Gunner isn’t nearly as tenderhearted. He thought they should suffer at least until they reached Sedikhan.”
“Mind control,” Lily repeated, dismayed. “I thought I’d come to terms with what you told me last night, but this is different.”
“Just another outcropping of the iceberg.”
“The Titanic sank because of one of those outcroppings. I can already feel the water pouring into my boiler decks.”
Quenby chuckled. “I guarantee that you won’t sink. We’ll just have to keep the influx to a minimum until you have time to repair your hull. How’s Cassie?”
“Fine. Still sleeping.” Lily shook her head in