Live to Tell (Detective D.D. Warren, #4)(49)

“Are you talking exorcisms?” D.D. asked incredulously.

“Sergeant, I don’t believe in God. Therefore, I can’t believe in the Devil.”

“But you believe in light and dark.”

“Absolutely. That’s where I begin with parents. I start each family with basic rituals and skills. We work on meditation, spiritual cleansing, and protection exercises.”

“Exercises?”

“Would you like a handout?”

“Nothing would make me happier.”

“I will get you one before you leave. Or again, you can find the information at AndrewLightfoot.com….”

“You post the exercises? You give them away for free?”

“Remember, gifts are meant to be shared.”

“Right. But not negative energy.”

“Now you’re getting it. These exercises are basic chants. I’ve written sample words for each exercise, as I find most traditional-minded people need help to get started. So I meet with the family in person, preferably in their home so I can get a sense of the energies present—”

“In the whole house?”

“Yes. These homes feel like an icebox. The negativity is everywhere. No wonder an old soul feels as if it’s going insane.”

“So you’re in the house …”

“I’ll conduct a guided meditation, getting each family member to focus his or her light as much as possible. Once I have focused the group’s love, I might attempt a protection exercise. I might also attempt a cleansing of select individuals, starting with the mother. A child’s bonds with his or her mother are extremely powerful, so any negativity in the mother is being communicated to the child. As many physicians will tell you, mother the mother, mother the child.”

D.D. had heard that one before. “So, you’re doing chants, burning a feather, arranging crystals, what?”

He grinned. “No burning feathers. I like crystals, but mostly because other people like crystals. Having a talisman gets them started. Me, I talk. I try to educate the families about energies and help them understand how their child is experiencing the world. I teach them to let go of their rage toward their child, to find tolerance and love once more. I try to help them feel the positive and resist the negative inside of themselves. If they can find their inner truth, then they can be effective parents again.

“These families are fractured. Marriages are strained. Parenting bonds are twisted. Sibling bonds are corrupted. The whole family requires healing, not just the ‘problem child.’ Another weakness, of course, of the modern medical system that studies only the weak link, but never the entire chain.”

“What about their doctors?” Alex interjected. “Surely they have opinions about your work with their patients?”

Lightfoot shook his head. “Very few. In my mind, the spiritual, physical, and mental are not mutually exclusive. All should be tended. My expertise is spiritual. I leave the doctors and therapists to the rest.”

“You just told us you help people choose not to be sick,” D.D. countered. “That sounds like doctoring to me.”

“But these kiddos do not have a disease,” Lightfoot retorted. “They suffer from an onslaught of negativity that requires spiritual bolstering.”

“Or pharmaceuticals.”

“Most of the children I see have been prescribed plenty of those already.”

“Meaning you don’t think they work.”

“I don’t.”

“Do you tell the families that?”

“If they ask.”

“I’m gonna guess doctors don’t take that well.”

“I’m gonna guess you’re right.”

D.D. studied him. “What else do you recommend? Beyond ‘spiritual exercises’?”

“Detox. You’re a detective; it might interest you to know that a study of prison inmates found they had significantly higher levels of heavy metals in their blood than the national average. High levels of mercury, in particular, have been known to exacerbate moodiness and increase rage. So I recommend a seven-day healthy-eating program to lower heavy metals and reduce inflammation. Feed the body, feed the soul.”

“Feed the body, feed the soul,” D.D. repeated. “You’re good with the one-liners.”

“I teach workshops, as well,” he replied without blinking. “Again, AndrewLightfoot.com…”

D.D. glanced over at Alex. The dog was still asleep in his arms, but Alex had adopted the blank expression of a detective thinking many things at once.

“And the Harringtons,” D.D. asked finally, looking for a reaction on Lightfoot’s face. “What did you prescribe for them?”

“No,” Lightfoot said firmly. He didn’t appear distressed or anxious. Just firm.

“No what?” D.D. asked carefully.

“I may not be a traditional medical practitioner, but I still respect the privacy of my clients. Anything you want to know about a specific patient, you must ask them.”

D.D. decided to go fishing. “If I dialed Denise and Patrick Harrington right now, told them we were with you, and asked them to grant you permission, would you honor that?”

“I would need to call them myself,” Lightfoot said after a moment. “To ensure it was the same Harringtons. But yes, if they say it’s okay to speak with you, I’ll honor that.”