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Sign of the Unicorn

«Well, an order got signed on that basis,» he said. «You were duly certified, taken into custody, and transported. Then, concerning your memory…»

«Yes?»

«I don't know that much about the practice and its effects on the memory, but you were subjected to electroshock therapy while you were at Porter. Then, as I said, the record indicates that you escaped after the second day. You apparently recovered your car from some unspecified locale and were heading back this way when you had the accident.»

«That seems right,» I said. «It does.» For a moment, when he had begun talking, I had had a wild vision of having been returned to the wrong shadow - one where everything was similar, but not congruent. Now, though, I did not believe this to be the case. I was responding to this story on some level.

«Now, about that order,» he said. «It was based on false evidence, but there was no way of the court's knowing it at the time. The real Dr. Rand was in England when everything happened, and when I contacted him later he had never heard of you. His office had been broken into while he was away, though. Also, peculiarly, his middle initial is not B. He had never heard of Brandon Corey either.»

«What did become of Brandon?»

«He simply vanished. Several attempts were made to contact him at the time of your escape from Porter, but he could not be found. Then you had the accident, were brought here and treated. At that time, a woman named Evelyn Flaumel, who represented herself as your sister, contacted this place, told them you had been probated and that the family wanted you transferred to Greenwood. In the absence of Brandon, who had been appointed your guardian, her instructions were followed, as the only available next of kin. That was how it came about that you were sent to the other place. You escaped again, a couple of weeks later, and that is where my chronology ends.»

«Then what is my legal status right now?» I asked.

«Oh, you've been made whole,» he said. «Dr. Rand went down after I talked with him and gave the court an affidavit reciting these facts. The order was vacated.»

«Then why is the doctor here acting as if I might be a psycho case?»

«Oh my! That is a thought. It hadn't occurred to me. All their records here would show is that one time you apparently were. I had better see him on the way out. I have a copy of the journal entry in here, too. I can show it to him.»

«How long was it after I left Greenwood that things were set right with the court?»

«The following month,» he said. «It was several weeks before I could bring myself to get nosy.»

«You couldn't know how happy I am that you did,» I said. «And you have given me several pieces of information I think are going to prove extremely important.»

«It is nice to be able to help a friend sometime,» he said, closing the folder and replacing it in his briefcase. «One thing… When this is all over - whatever you are doing - if you are permitted to talk about it, I would like to hear the story.»

«I can't promise,» I said.

«I know. Just thought I'd mention it. By the way, what do you want to do about the house?»

«Mine? Do I still hold title to it?»

«Yes, but it will probably be sold this year for back taxes if you don't do anything about it.»

«I'm surprised that hasn't already happened.»

«You gave the bank power of attorney for paying your bills.»

«I never thought of that. I'd just set it up for utilities and my charge accounts. Stuff like that.»

«Well, the account is nearly empty now,» he said. «I was talking to McNally over there the other day. That means the house will go next year if you don't do anything.»

«I've got no use for it now,» I said. «They can do whatever they want with it.»

«Then you might as well sell it and realize what you can.»

«I won't be around that long.»

«I could handle it for you. Send the money wherever you want.»

«All right,» I said. «I'll sign anything necessary. Pay my hospital bill out of it and keep the rest.»

«I couldn't do that.»

I shrugged.

«Do whatever you think best, but be sure and take a good fee.»

«I'll put the balance in your account.»

«All right. Thanks. By the way, before I forget, would you look in the drawer of that table and see if there is a deck of cards there? I can't reach it yet, and I'll be wanting them later.»

«Surely.»

He reached over, opened it.

«A big brown envelope,» he said. «Kind of bulgy. They probably put whatever was in your pockets in it.»

«Open it.»

«Yes, here's a pack of cards,» he said, reaching inside. «Say! That's a beautiful case! May I?»

«I-» What could I say?

He slipped the case.

«Lovely…» he murmured. «Some kind of tarots… Are they antique?»

«Yes.»

«Cold as ice… I never saw anything like these. Say, that's you! Dressed up like some kind of knight! What's their purpose?»

«A very complicated game,» I said.

«How could that be you if they are antique?»