David Baldacci - Simple Genius

She said, “Can you be afraid of something and you don’t even know what it is?”

“Yes. It can be buried so deeply within your mind that all you can register is the fear without realizing what the source of that fear is. Repression into the subconscious of past events that were beyond someone’s ability to deal with at the time is the brain’s fail-safe mechanism to protect us. We simply block it out.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that. But it’s akin to water in the basement that you try to fix by patching here and there. Eventually the damage becomes so severe that the entire foundation of the house is threatened as the water starts to seep into unexpected places, places you can’t even see until the damage is done.”

“So I’m a rotting house?”

“And I’m the best house fixer you’re ever going to run across.”

“But if I can’t even remember why I’m so scared, how can you help me?”

“There’s a tried-and-true method: hypnosis.”

Michelle shook her head. “I don’t believe in that crap. No one can hypnotize me.”

“Usually the people who are certain they can’t be are the easiest to do it to.”

“But you have to want to be hypnotized, right?”

“That certainly helps. But you want to get better, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you about this stuff if I didn’t. I haven’t spoken to anyone about this, ever!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Will you let me hypnotize you?”

“I don’t like losing control, Horatio. And what if I tell you something that I can’t handle? What if it’s that bad?”

“That’s why I went to all those schools and have all the certificates on my wall. I’m the professional. Just let me do my job. That’s all I’m asking.”

“That’s asking a lot. Maybe too much,” she added bluntly.

“Will you at least think about it?”

She rose, nimbly walked down the trunk and hopped to the ground next to him. As Michelle passed him she called over her shoulder, “I’ll think about it.”

Horatio looked after her in exasperation. “Where are you going now?”

“I’ve got Viggie duty.”

SEAN LUCKED OUT BECAUSE VALERIE was sitting at the same table as the night before. And like that time she was sending another would-be pickup artist on his way.

Valerie was dressed less provocatively this time, in slacks and a cashmere sweater. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid and her lipstick was muted.

When she saw Sean headed toward her Valerie quickly glanced the other way. When he sat down across from her, she still didn’t look at him.

“I see you’re still very popular here,” he said. “And I can see you don’t get the concept of a brush-off very well.”

“Tonight’s a new venture.”

“Not from where I’m sitting.”

“Would you like to grab some dinner?”

“Do I have to call the bouncer to get rid of you?”

“Let me think about that one while you decide where you’d like to eat.”

She almost smiled. He was quick to pick up on it. “Okay, that’s a tiny little crack, but I’ll take what I can get.”

“And why would you think I would want to have dinner with you?”

“Okay, now that I have your full attention, I’ll tell you.” He paused and said, “I just want someone to talk to. Traveling around by yourself gets really old really fast. I’m not looking for anything other than good conversation over a nice bottle of wine. And we can split the check, no favors owed on either side.”

“And you’re assuming I can provide this good conversation? And that I like wine?”

“The conversation I think is a given. My stupid and shallow radar is pretty damn good. It hasn’t made a peep since I met you. As for the wine, I’m flexible, but I passed a place down the street from here that has a Cabernet on the list I’ve been dying to try.”

“You know your way around grapes?”

“I used to collect wine.”

“Used to?”

“Yeah, until somebody blew up my house and my wine cellar.” Sean rose from the table. “Shall we?”

Sitting at a corner overlooking the street and sharing the bottle of

Cabernet, Sean once more glanced at Valerie’s wedding ring. He did so in such a way that she could hardly miss it.

“You’re wondering why I’m having dinner with you while I happen to be a married woman?” she said.

“I was thinking if I was your husband I wouldn’t let you go to bars by yourself.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“My worry would be that you might just take a fancy to one of those gentlemen.”

“And you think I’ve taken a fancy to you?”

“I think you’re wondering if I’m really sincere, or just another creep waiting to make his move.”

“And which one are you?”

“Well, if I am a creep I’d tell you that I’m quite sincere.”

“So where does that leave us?”

“At you making up your own mind based on observation. Sound reasonable?”

“What do we talk about so I can start observing?”

“Personal histories are an accepted protocol. I’ll go first. Like I said, I’m divorced, no kids. I told you I was a problem solver and I am. I’m a lawyer, but don’t hold that against me. I’m down here doing some due diligence for a client embroiled in some nasty litigation. You?”

“Married and never a mom like I told you before. I used to have a career.

Now I sit at home or I sometimes go out. That’s about it.”

“Without your husband? I mean what part of beautiful and intelligent doesn’t he get?”

She held up a warning finger. “You’re treading the creepy line.”

“Sorry. I’ll retreat to a respectful position. What do you do for fun?”

“I don’t do anything for fun. I think I’ve had my share of fun in life. Now it’s all downhill.”

“Come on, it’s not like you have one foot in the grave.”

“Don’t I?”

“You’re not ill or anything?”

“Not in the sense you’re thinking, no.”

He sat back and swirled the wine around in his glass. “Okay, you qualify at least in the top three of the most interesting women I’ve ever met. Just so you can put that in context, my ex never even made the top ten.”

“Which tells me you’re a poor judge of character.”

“I’ve gotten better.”

“My husband would make anyone’s top five list. He’s actually very interesting. At least what he does is very interesting.”

“And what’s that?”

She shook her head. “Loose lips sink ships, you know.”

Sean appeared to be puzzled for a moment. “Sink ships? Is he in the military? I know they have a big presence down here.”

“He’s with the government, but not that branch; although he used to be. Vietnam.”

“Vietnam! But you’re not that old.”

“He waited a long time to marry. Why he decided to go for it after all those years on his own, I can’t tell you.”

“What then? FBI? I’ve got some ex-Army buddies who joined up with the Bureau.”

“Have you ever heard of Camp Peary?”

Sean slowly shook his head. “But it sounds familiar. Is it a camp like for kids?”

She smiled. “In a way, but the kids are really big with toys to match.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Camp Peary is a training center for a government agency whose initials start with C and end with A. Does that spell it out for you, no pun intended?”

“CIA! Your husband works for the CIA?” he said in a furious whisper.

She looked at him with suspicion. “You’re sure you never heard of Camp Peary?”

“I’m from Ohio. Maybe it’s famous around here, but the news hasn’t reached Dayton. Sorry.”