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Show 84. what had happened. "Look, Steph," he reached for a paperback on his work table. "I want you to turn around and read this uijtil I get JD under. Don't stare at the hubcap and don't listen to me. You won't help us if you keep going to sleep." "I didn't go to sleep," she was indignant. "What are you talking about?" He swivelled her around on the stool to face the other direction. "Concentrate on that book. There's a story in there called 'The Pantomime.' You'll like it." Chic returned to his seat on the box. "You still relaxed, JD?" "Yeah. Let's go." "All right, from the beginning." Chic remembered reading that anxious, nervous people made the poorest subjects. Maybe JD's present state of mind put him in that category. But Chic was surprised, after some minutes of soothing persuasion to see JD's face relax and his shoulders settle perceptibly. Seeing Stephanie go in and out of a light trance with no ill effects had made the difference, Chic decided. Now JD trusted him. JD closed his eyes, opening them each time more slowly, with more effort, to stare at the metal. After another few minutes, his eyes failed to open and his head nodded forward. "Now you are in a deep, deep sleep. A very relaxing sleep. You are going to go into a deeper, heavier sleep, Taking long breaths, now, you are very relaxed. You are very tired. You don't want to move. You only want to sleep." Chic picked up JD's hand and let it fall. He turned JD's head to one side where it hung loosely over his shoulder. He was sure JD was now in a hypnotic trance. Chic looked up to see that Stephanie had turned around and was watching, wide-eyed and unbelieving. For her sake, Chic once more raised JD's hand and let it all limply in his lap. He signalled Stephanie to stay where she was and continued in the same low, reassuring voice. "Deep sleep . . . deeper and deeper . . . deeper and deeper sleep. Now you are going to go back, in this deep, relaxing sleep, back to that Saturday night in October, back to the night on Skull Mountain, and you will answer my questions. When I next speak to you, when I next ask you |