‘You were seen firing the murder weapon.’

Collin’s lips trembled as Detective Merryman invaded his personal space.

‘I know. But I don’t understand why I was there. One minute -’

‘You were talking to some performer outside the theatre where you recently became a former employee at the hands of the deceased,’ interrupted Merryman. ‘You then say your movements from there to this bloody table, inside this restaurant, gun in hand, are a mystery.’

Collin nodded. ‘Not a mystery. A dream. The vision was so vivid, the ambiance silent. A voice guided my actions, walking me through this labyrinth of tables to this spot. A smashed plate, dropped by a waiter behind me, snapped me awake.’

Collin combed the room. Food splashed over silk, white table clothes. Wine glasses were sideways on the floor, their contents redecorating the fabric in the carpet. Collin jumped as a crime detective snapped another photo of the victim, Collin’s former boss – The Great Deceiver.

A second detective approached.

‘Tell us about this dream?’

‘It’s not a dream, Ferryweather, its fact,’ barked Merryman, his cheeks flushed. ‘He has a motive – Sacked by the Great Deceiver for that botched up job in his recent stage show. It was in the papers.’

‘And his attire suggests a man who has lost everything. Yet, there is another play at hand.’

‘Another Play?’

‘This is the third murder of a highly decorated performer in recent months, with each suspect referring to this ‘dream’ state.’ 

Ferryweather turned to Collin. ‘Please. Tell us more about this experience.’

‘A sense of euphoria came over me. Then came the voice. It navigated me from the theatre to Tony’s Restaurant. People talked while plates got placed on tables. Wine poured into glasses. Yet I heard nothing but this voice that calmy directed me towards this table. A gun appeared in my hand, pointed at The Great Deceiver. The voice commanded my mood to change into a violent rage. The gun shook in my hand, yet I felt no trigger, no vibration. Then – Bang! Shattered plates, and I awoke.’

‘The other suspects mentioned a silhouette of a man.’

Collin’s eyes widened. ‘Yes. There was a silhouette of a man. Always in front of me. Following my every move.’

Ferryweather ruffled through his pocket, pulled out a picture, and showed it to Collin.

‘You recognise this man? Does his shape match that of the silhouette?’

Collin’s jaw widened as his head nodded. ‘This was the man I spoke to outside the theatre.’

‘Trance Misteria. A hypnotist. Performed his show to sold-out venues, featuring as the main act, but was upstaged by The Great Deceiver and relegated to a smaller stage time.’

‘What are you getting at Ferryweather?’ Merryman’s tone was impatient.  

‘The other murder suspects all once worked for Trance Misteria in tours where he was upstaged and replaced as the main act. The replacements end up dead. Murdered at the hands of disgruntled employees. Under hypnosis.’