in the meantime , i was given an unlimited budget to amplify the research in any and all directions so i also commenced a 'long distance ' investigation into the present state of things with twelve-year-old deirdre mayfair , antha 's only child i should like to add in conclusion that two factors apparently play a large role in any investigation which i undertake the first of these seems to be that my personal manner and appearance put people at ease , almost unaccountably they talk to me more freely perhaps than they might talk to someone else how much i control this by any sort of 'telepathic persuasion ' is quite difficult or impossible to determine .