“How could I know?” Malone said. “After all, I was just tossing it out and hoping that somebody was on the listening end.”
“But of course somebody was,” Lou said. “I was.”
“Good,” Malone said. “But I still don’t see how I was supposed to know that you—”
“I answered you, silly,” Lou said. “I kept on answering you. Remember?”
Malone blinked, focused and then said, very slowly, “That was my imagination. Please tell me it was my imagination before I go nuts.”
“Sorry,” Lou said. “It wasn’t.”
“But that kind of thing,” Malone said, “it takes a tremendous amount of power, doesn’t it?”
“Not when the receiver is a telepath,” Lou said sweetly.
Malone nodded slowly. “That,” he said, “is exactly what I’m afraid of. Don’t tell me—”
There was silence.