When She Dreams（Burning Cove #6）(41)
A murmur of alarm swept through the crowd. Sam took the opportunity to lean close to Maggie. He put his mouth to her ear.
“Looks like the Guilfoyles decided to take your advice.”
“Once in a while people do,” she whispered.
“Last night I was inspired to journey into a lucid dream of the highest order,” Arthur intoned. “I employed the Guilfoyle Method to open my other senses and discovered there was a fraud among us, a person who was engaged in a grand deception.”
This time the auditorium buzzed with curiosity.
“In the course of my dream the truth was revealed to me,” Arthur continued. “I am saddened to report that the woman who claimed to be the celebrated columnist who writes the Dear Aunt Cornelia advice column was an imposter. She was intent on deceiving not only the Institute and those of you in the audience but the entire town of Burning Cove and the press.”
Shock and amazement rippled across the audience.
“When the imposter was confronted with the truth, she immediately packed up and left town,” Arthur continued. “We will never know why the imposter chose to carry out such a scheme. It’s possible she is a practiced con artist. Perhaps she is mentally unstable. There are those who impersonate famous people simply because it gives them a thrill. Whatever the answer, rest assured she is no longer among us and can no longer deceive us.”
A round of enthusiastic applause greeted that news.
“I would remind you that it was the Guilfoyle Method that uncovered this astonishing deception,” Arthur said. “You, too, can gain this extraordinary ability to discover the truth by studying the techniques we teach here at the Guilfoyle Institute.”
* * *
An hour later Maggie and Sam filed out of the lecture hall and headed for the coffee and tea bar that had been set up in the lobby. They collected cups and saucers and sat down at a small round table that overlooked the lush gardens.
“I did have one psychic revelation during Guilfoyle’s lecture,” Sam said. “He’s a con, just as I thought.”
Maggie stirred her coffee with a small silver spoon. “What makes you so sure of that?”
“There’s no big mystery to it. Guilfoyle made it clear how the Institute will rake in the cash. It’s not about selling inexpensive tickets to introductory seminars and conferences like this one. Those are designed to get people hooked. Once they are in the program, they will find themselves buying their way up to higher and higher levels in order to learn the secrets that are only available to those who pay for the privilege of enlightenment.”
“There is definitely a financial angle, but that is only to be expected,” Maggie said. “We know it must have cost a fortune to purchase this old estate and convert it into the Institute. It will be very expensive to keep it operating. The Guilfoyles obviously have to turn a profit, but it doesn’t mean the program is a complete con.”
“The Guilfoyle Method is a con. Trust me.”
Maggie waved that aside. “All right, I agree Guilfoyle’s claims for his Method are rather extravagant, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t sincerely believe he’s having a psychic vision when he’s engaged in a lucid dream. The experience can feel very unsettling.” She broke off. “Damn.”
Sam raised his brows. “Something wrong?”
“I’m getting that feeling you get when you think someone is watching you.”
Sam’s gaze shifted to a point behind her left shoulder. “Probably because someone is watching you.”
“Emerson Oxlade?”
“Good guess. He was on the other side of the room, staring at you. He left when he saw me looking at him.”
She shivered. “Such a creepy man. Straight out of a horror film.”
“But you said he takes a genuine scientific approach to the study of dreams.”
“Yes, I’m sure of it.”
“Yet he’s hooked up with a couple of cons like the Guilfoyles.”
“Serious researchers need money like everyone else,” she pointed out. “And publicity. The Guilfoyles can provide both.”
“Which brings us back to Phyllis Gaines’s observation last night. She was right. Where there’s a great deal of money, there is always someone who will do whatever it takes to get it.”
Maggie shivered and quickly lowered her cup. “I’m getting that feeling again. Who is watching me this time?”
“Dolores Guilfoyle,” Sam said.
He got to his feet just as Dolores materialized at the table.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt your conversation,” Dolores said. “Please sit down, Mr. Sage. I won’t be long. Very busy day.”
Sam took his seat. Dolores turned to Maggie.
“Arthur and I are very grateful for your advice on dealing with the unpleasant situation this morning, Miss Lodge,” she said. “As a way of expressing our appreciation, Arthur would like to invite you to observe an exclusive dream-reading demonstration tomorrow evening.”
“Exclusive?” Maggie said. “You mean it’s not part of the regular program?”
“No, this event will be presented to only a few very special guests. It will take place in the old séance room here at the Institute.”