Glass Eye: Confessions of a Fake Psychic Detective

Chapter 7

"How did you find this?" Charlie says back at her office. The unfolded Point Beer box rests on her desk next to a heap of paperwork.

"I received a psychic impression," Zandra says, giving a loud exhale as she collapses into the chair across from Charlie.

"You might even have me convinced this time," Charlie says. "Where did you find this?"

Zandra decides not to mention Herman. They'd be tearing his place apart in minutes. Or, more likely, knocking it over. She might need him yet in the future.

"A bum found it in the Target parking lot shortly after Elle went missing," Zandra says.

Charlie waits for more, but Zandra doesn't offer anything.

"And you knew all this how? Psychic powers? Or do you know this bum?" Charlie says.

"I just knew," Zandra says. She borrows a phrase from Herman. "I went upstream and looked downstream."

Charlie folds her arms. Leans back in her chair. "You went up the Wisconsin River? What?" she says.

The Wisconsin River runs through the middle of downtown Stevens Point. Its main purpose, besides buoying agriculture and commerce, is to outline the walking path for college kids to hike and smoke pot.

"No, nothing to do with the river. It's just a term. You wouldn't understand," Zandra says. "The shoe came from the Target parking lot. I'm positive."

Charlie takes out the photo of Elle on the bike and compares it to the shoe in the beer box. After a few seconds, she says, "This is the same type of shoe Elle wore, but we've got a problem."

Zandra leans forward. "What?" she says.

"The shoe in the photo without the laces is on the left foot. This is a right-foot shoe," Charlie says. She inches the box toward Zandra. "Look for yourself."

Zandra doesn't believe it until she spots the inconsistency, but Charlie's correct. It's a right-foot shoe. She tries to save face.

"Elle's left shoe fell off somewhere else. Her abductors bought a new set to replace it, abandoning the right shoe," Zandra says. She closes her eyes and feigns concentration. "That's what happened."

"But why wouldn't they just give her the new set?" Charlie says.

Zandra keeps her eyes closed. "Because then they'd have a stray right shoe with Elle's aura all over it," she says.

"So if this shoe gets tested and doesn't show any signs of having been on Elle's foot, then you'd say your theory is correct, right? And if it does show signs of being on Elle's foot, you're also correct? Not exactly scientific," Charlie says.

"Either way, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence," Zandra says, quoting from a phrase in one of the occult books she sells at Sneak Peek.

It's a routine maneuver in supernatural and conspiratorial circles, framing an argument so the less something is there the more likely it actually is. Zandra's worked this on the more gullible Sneak Peek clients with great success, usually on money matters. That every financial issue ended with Zandra getting richer and the client poorer is beside the point.

Charlie's too smart for the trick, but she doesn't turn down Zandra's theory.

"I'll get this shoe tested. Maybe you're right after all," Charlie says. She picks up her desk phone and calls for assistance with the new evidence. "In the meantime, you and I should take a trip to Target."