Allison and I were sitting together at breakfast.
I'd managed about three hours of sleep before Allison literally woke me from the dead. Now, we sat with the other Thurmans - or a few of them at least - on a wide balcony that overlooked the grounds. As Allison ate and I drank water, I caught her up to speed on the night's events. When I was finished, I said, "Your mouth's hanging open."
"It tends to do that when I'm shocked shitless."
I shushed her. Although we were alone at our little patio table, there were still other Thurmans eating nearby. The morning had been shockingly clear and warm, so much so that breakfast had been served outside. There was a nearby table filled with heaps of eggs and breakfast meats and pancakes. Someone had cooked up a storm. Many nodded at us as we sat and talked. Noticeably absent was Edwin Thurman and our hostess, Tara.
"And where is the man of the hour?"
asked Allison. She was, of course, talking about Edwin.
"In his room," I said.
"You mean, the basement?"
"Right," I said.
"And you know this how?"
"I've got mad skills," I said. Although Allison was a close friend, she was still a new friend. She didn't know the extent of what I could do. Truth was, I didn't know the extent of what I could do either. So, for an explanation, I gave her a glimpse now into my memory, showing her what I'd done - and what I had seen.
She blinked after a moment. "You can remote sense?"
"I guess so, yes."
"Geez, the government's been training psychics for decades trying to get them to do what you can do."
"Well, I can't see very far, maybe only a few hundred feet or so."
"Far enough. I saw the image of him lying there on his little cot, sleeping. Very clear image. Very precise."
"Very weird," I said.
"Well, weird or not, it's helpful...and why the hell is he lying on a cot, in the basement, in this beautiful home?"
"Maybe they ran out of beds," I said.
"Or maybe it's because he's a vampire."
I shook my head and lowered my voice. "No. Not a vampire. He's something else. He's different."