Liars and Tyrants and People Who Turn Blue by Barbara Paul

away from all that nonsense and live a normal life.”
    Doubledoubletoilandtrouble . “I doubt that Shelby will ever live a ‘normal’ life,” Max said slowly. “She’s unique, you know—nobody else is like her. It’d be a mistake to try to force her into a normal mode of living.”
    â€œThanks for the advice,” Eric snapped. “But I have to be the judge of what’s best. Shelby’s not known on the west coast. We’d have a chance out there. Max, you’ve got to take my word for it—it would be best if Shelby dropped her police work altogether.”
    Best for which one of you? Max wondered, but said nothing.
    â€œI need your help,” Eric went on. “I want you to ask Tee to talk to Shelby. Persuade her to try it my way.”
    â€œWait a minute. You want me to ask Tee to ask Shelby to give up her police work? Why not just ask her yourself?” Either “her. ” “Why this roundabout approach?”
    â€œTee will listen to you, and Shelby will listen to Tee. Shelby doesn’t always hear me ,” Eric said bitterly. “Look, Max, I’m trying to save my marriage. It’s Shelby’s aura reading that’s driving us apart.”
    â€œYou knew about it when you married her.”
    â€œI didn’t know it would make me a laughingstock with the men I work with.”
    Uh-huh, that was it . “I can see how it’d be rough,” Max conceded. “But surely Shelby’s more important to you than they are? Couldn’t you just, well, be proud of her?”
    Eric’s eyes were slits. “Try putting yourself in my place. How would the men you work with treat you if they knew you could never lie to your wife? Or are they all like Vincent?”
    Max laughed, refusing to take offense. “Vincent would be fascinated. But I know what you mean. I’d be in for some ribbing.”
    â€œIt’s more than just ribbing. There’s nothing good-natured about it.” Eric paused to collect his thoughts. “You’re married to a gifted woman too, but there’s nothing special about her gift. No, that didn’t come out right. What I mean is that as talented as Tee is, her talent is one that’s shared by other people. There’s no oddity connected with it. Even if she does go back to the concert stage and become the most famous pianist in the world—well, you’d be the husband of a celebrity, that’s all. You wouldn’t be laughed at because of it.”
    So Eric looked upon his wife as something of a freak. Max tried to turn the conversation. “That may happen yet. I thought I had Tee talked into accepting an engagement with the New Orleans Symphony, but she balked at the last minute. But I think she’s coming round—”
    â€œWill you ask her? To talk to Shelby?”
    Max shook his head. “I can’t do that, Eric. That’s asking her to conspire against her own sister. You know how close they are.”
    â€œThen just tell her that I asked for her help. Let her make up her own mind.”
    Max thought it over. “All right, I guess I can do that. I’ll tell Tee what you want her to do.”
    â€œThat’s all I ask,” said Eric.
    Once that was settled, the two men found they didn’t have anything more to talk about. They left the bar separately, each slightly disappointed in the other.

CHAPTER 14
    ECCE FEMINA
    â€œWe’d put her on retainer if we could get funding,” Sergeant Luis Delgado was explaining. “As it is, we just call her in as often as the budget lets us. On a consultant basis, you understand? It’s not good—too hit-and-miss. One of these days we’re gonna need her real bad and she’ll be out in the boonies working with some other police department.”
    â€œHow come she’s never mentioned in the papers?” Kevin Gilbert wanted to know.
    â€œHer choice. It’s