Life to Life: Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective Read Online Free

private conference.
    This guy is about sixty I think—who would
know? Still dynamic and handsome—very youthful, actually—dancing
eyes and bubbling enthusiasm, but not overdone. I mean, you know,
not tiresome. He could get mean as hell, too. He could also switch
from a twinkle in the eye to a shrewd business gleam in a single
blink so you never knew precisely where you stood from moment to
moment.
    He threw one of those at
me the moment we were alone, nailing me with a no-nonsense glare as
he inquired, "What is happen?"
    I shrugged and reminded him, "You just told
the folks what is happen, Francois."
    "I told what?"
    "Never mind," I said. "You already have it.
It happened like you said. That's all I know about it."
    "Speak straight to me, Ashton."
    I lit a cigarette, went to the desk and sat
on it, told him while gazing at the floor, "Straight as I can find
it, pal. I'd heard of Annie. Who hasn't in this town by now? Never
met her, though. Went to check her out tonight. Purely an impulse.
I was in the neighborhood. The time was right. I had nothing better
to do. So I checked her out. As I was leaving, this guy made a
lunge at her. I intervened. He died. She didn't. Some hero. A
twenty-year-old disturbed human being died tonight, Francois."
    I wasn't sure how much of that he was
getting but he commented at that point, "Better he than she."
    I shrugged and said, "Maybe. Point is, I
don't feel like a hero. So let's leave off with the applause,
eh?"
    "They love her!" he cried,
coming at me with one hand held high overhead and the other leading
the way toward me, almost in a fencing posture. "All love her! Soon
the whole world will love her! And I, Ashton, have a piece of
that!"
    I said, quietly, "Congratulations."
    "Sure, congratulations!" He sat down beside
me atop the desk and swung his feet in idle circles.
    I asked, "Going to make her a movie
star?"
    "Nah. Small stuff. Have you regarded the
religion business lately, Ashton?"
    I said, "That what it is?"
    "What else? It is commerce. Commerce is
money. Ipso-ipso, religion is money."
    I said, "That's pretty cynical, isn't
it?"
    "Ask the Pope. Ask the Vatican Bank."
    "Come on."
    He grinned. "Ask your television
evangelists."
    "That what you have in mind for her?'
    "It is her mind, Ashton," he said with a
hurt tone. "You know I do not create. I underwrite."
    I suggested, "You'd better look into U.S.
law and the internal revenue code before you underwrite this one,
pal. Could get your tit in a real wringer on something like
this."
    "What does this mean? Tits do not ring."
    I said, "Yours will if you start playing
producer to the reverends. Anyway..."
    ''Anyway," he said after a moment, "you must
continue in this."
    "This what?"
    "These attempts on her life. You must
prevent."
    I said, "Francois,
I—"
    He headed me off with: "Name your
price."
    I said, "That is not the issue. I had
already decided, even before you called, that I—"
    "It is by her request, Ashton."
    "What do you mean?"
    "She has request your protection."
    “ Annie
asked...?”
    "Yes."
    I said, "Well, I'd already decided...okay.
You're going to underwrite the thing?"
    "But of course. She is hot property. Do not
allow her to grow cold."
    "Level with me, Francois," I requested.
"Annie is more than another hot property to you. Right?"
    He twinkled at me. "Right. So take very good
care in my behalf."
    I said okay and we
returned to the party.
    Annie was entertaining a
small group gathered at the sofa. As we walked up she was telling
an aging female star who shall remain nameless: "Yes, this is very
positive, you will be working again before the end of this year. I
don't get his name but a really big writer is at this moment doing
the final polish on a beautiful screenplay designed specifically
with you in mind as the female lead. I should think that you will
be seeing this script within just a few days. Go with it. It's
right for you."
    The actress was beaming at this news. She
asked, "Can I hold you to