The secret to the ghost box, just as it is for most of Zandra's props, is in the ambiguity of its "revelations." It's on the risky side, though, which is why she doesn't use it often. Unlike crystal balls and Ouija boards, Zandra lacks suggestive controls to guide her clients into an answer. The words the ghost box sporadically spits out are completely beyond her influence.

The tradeoff is a more meaningful effect, because the client can hear words in response to questions. Clients offer better information to Zandra in response, because they feel like the conversation is really happening. Who would want to blow a chance to talk to a dead loved one by lying? 

In reality, the ghost box's words are the product of two things. The first is the it scans radio frequencies. It only scans what's available over public airwaves made available by the same stations anyone with a radio off the shelf can pick up. This gives the ghost box plenty of random chatter to work with, from pop music to talk radio.

The second is the way it isolates those words. By rapidly running through frequencies, the audio the ghost box picks up becomes garbled. However, not all audio is the same. One or two words will inevitably stick out against everything else. There's nothing paranormal about this at all. An old analog radio can accomplish the same thing. Quickly twist the tuning dial back and forth. Behold the entirely mundane words that suddenly pop up out of the noise.

This is why Zandra never uses the ghost box "cold," as she might with other props. The client must be primed first. Without her psychic window dressing, the words are revealed for what they are: sound bites from radio stations. But with the right preparation and a skilled approach, they become sound bites from beyond the grave.

It helps that the words rarely come out whole. They're more like glorified syllables. "Eh," "ah," "fer," "be," "nah," "sss" and others allow the client or Zandra to fill in the blanks. "An-fer" could be interpreted as "never," "Jennifer" or "answer" to suit the situation. It allows clients to hear what they want to hear. Or, with a little help, they'll hear what Zandra wants them to hear.

The first stage is to allow the client to lead the conversation. This establishes another layer of trust. But first, some ground rules.

"Remember, child, that James can only talk in snippets and pieces of words," Zandra says to Diana as the ghost box gets to work. Herman leans over from behind the couch to watch and, hopefully, keep quiet. "If you have a question, ask so that he may reply simply. Feel free to get specific if you need to, but remember that yes and no questions are best."

Zandra's trapdoor – and she never initiates a reading without one – is in the interpretation. Cat got the ghost's tongue? You're asking the wrong questions. Answers don't make sense? No, your questions don't make any sense. Conversation is irrelevant? Either a different spirit is now coming through or the channel between this world and the next is starting to close.

Don't ever blame the ghosts for being too stupid to answer questions correctly. It's always the client's fault. And sure as hell don't let them blame the psychic. The psychic is the only one who can do this right, you moron, so step aside and let the pro do her job.

"James, is that really you?" Diana says in the direction of the ghost box on Zandra's lap.

How cliché.

This yes-or-no question is the perfect way to break in a ghost box session. It focuses the questioner to listen for the words "yes" or "no." Even if they never actually pop up, the brain will find a way to make it happen. That's just how it works, as Zandra discovered over and over in these ghost box sessions.

If only people knew how often their brains deceived them, they'd rip the gray matter right out of their skulls. For all of its magnificence and complexity, the brain is lazy. It takes all sorts of shortcuts to build a shoddy picture of reality. If it showed what's actually happening, people's worlds would turn upside down. Literally. They'd see the world upside down, because that's how the eyes deliver sight into the brain. The brain then flips the image so that it's correct. Everyone lives upside down. They just don't know it.

The simpletons of the world never question what they assume about the things they touch, see, taste, feel and hear. They leave themselves open for others to control their minds and take over their sense. Politicians know it. Celebrities know it. Advertisers know it. Spiritual leaders know it. I know it. The only ones who don't are the ones getting played.

The ghost box spits out an "ess" sound that disappears as soon as a woman's voice utters it.

Diana looks up at Zandra and says, "You heard that, right? James said yes."

"I did, child. He is indeed here," Zandra says.

"I heard it, too," Herman says from behind her. "It was clear as a bell."

No, it wasn't, but thank you for backing me up, Herman.

"Go on, child," Zandra says. "Keep asking questions."

"Are you safe where you are? Mommy loves you. I can't wait to see you again," Diana says.

They wait a moment before the ghost box blurts out "love," followed a moment later by a "you" sound. They're hard to place without context, but the clarity and relevancy startles even Zandra.

I usually have to try a little harder than that.

"Are you OK? What is it like there?" Diana says.

Without a second of hesitation, the ghost box replies with, "I'm OK."

Holy shit.

The three wait in stunned silence for the ghost box to continue, but only the static of changing frequencies comes out of the speaker. Diana looks like she could collapse.

Zandra clears her throat. "Go on, child."

"Why did you contact Zandra to meet with me today?" Diana says.

They wait a minute before something comes through. It's the word, "fraud."

Hold on. Did I just hear what I think I did? Or is that my own brain filling in the blanks with a Freudian slip?

"I heard it say fraud," Herman says.

"Fraud?" Diana says. "What does that mean?"

Zandra runs interference to deflect any suspicions, as well as to keep the session on track regarding Dvorak. She says, "Spirits often reach out to correct a misconception about themselves. It's not uncommon for them to set the record straight about their demise. Maybe James is saying the accepted story about his untimely motorcycle death isn't true?"

Diana looks confused. She says, "It was a motorcycle accident. He lost control on a curve, went off the road and hit a tree. He fell into a coma and died three days later. The police, the doctors, they'll all tell you the same thing."

The sound of "end" comes out of the ghost box's speaker. Zandra uses it to take the reins.

Paging Dvorak.

"James just mentioned the word, 'friend.' Does this mean anything to you?" Zandra says.

"I don't know. James had lots of friends," Diana says.

"Were any of his friends not so friendly, if you get what I mean?"

Diana pauses to think. "Actually, now that you mention it, yes. There was one young man in particular. He got James into – I'm sorry to even say this – drugs for a short period of time. I think it was pot. Marijuana. He was a bad influence. We told James as much, and we were relieved when the two stopped spending time together."

Getting warmer.

"Do you remember this friend's name?" Zandra says.

"If I heard it again, I could probably remember it. It's right on the tip of my tongue," Diana says.

Time to make my move.

Zandra looks down at the ghost box and says, "Did you just hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"I heard a name. Didn't you?"

"No," Diana says and over to Herman. "Did you hear it?"

"Can't say I did," Herman says. He raises an eyebrow toward Zandra.

Not the first time I've handled doubters.

"I heard it as clear as I'm speaking to you," Zandra says. "I'm more attuned to the spirits, so that may be why I heard it and you two didn't."

Herman nods as if he was an idiot to ever question her. Diana seems satisfied enough, so Zandra says, "William. I heard the name William."

"That's the one," Diana says. "It was William. I knew he would be trouble for our James the minute I met him."

"A real bad guy?"

"Oh, yeah. Gave off a creepy feeling. Wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him," Diana says.

"Tell me, child. Do you know who received the organs your son donated upon his death?" Zandra says, looking Diana straight in the eyes.

"No, it was all anonymous. We wanted it that way," Diana says.

"Would it surprise you to know that the recipient of one of his kidneys is also named William?" Zandra says.

"The same William?"

"Yes, and he still lives in Stevens Point," Zandra says.

"But how do you know? I didn't hear the ghost box say that."

"I'm a psychic, child. James didn't need the ghost box to tell me," Zandra says. She continues to lead Diana despite the dubious ground she treads upon. None of this would hold up in court, but she doesn't need the justice system to take down Dvorak. Hell, she doesn't even need logic. She needs a human prop.

It takes a minute for Diana to connect the dots Zandra planted in her head from the moment they met. When she finally does, she shrieks and bawls. Herman comes around the sofa to offer a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"He killed James for his kidney," Diana says once she regains the ability to talk.

Zandra flicks off the ghost box to preserve her narrative. She says, "That is the message, child, straight from your son's mouth. Unlike what you've been told, James died as a result of foul play."

"Did he say how?"

"It's not clear to me. William may have run James off the road. He might've also tampered with the motorcycle. Either way, the spirit of James told me William played a hand in order to obtain that kidney. How William arranged for the kidney transplant to come from James specifically, since that procedure involves many teams of doctors and medical staff, is beyond me. But it was more than luck," Zandra says.

Diana holds her head in her hands. "I don't know if this makes things better or worse."

Zandra stands up from the couch and touches Diana lightly on the head. She says, "What if I told you there was a way you could get some of that closure you've been looking for?"