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Merlin pulled a face. “Do you have some handbook or know something I don’t know?” He stared Nox down, wearing on his patience. There was nothing Nox could do about that, but he could love and care for Nelson and possibly catch a twisted killer before the family curse caught up with him.
“Tell me if this glowing thing with Nelson is a bad thing,” he begged, pressing his hands together and batting his eyes at Merlin. “That’s all I care about right now because he is the one good thing I have to hold onto at the moment.”
“Oh, my sweet lad,” Merlin said, his voice shaking as he reached for Nox.
“Enough!” Nox hissed in irritation, turning and pacing to the pantry. “I’m weary with your meddling and hand-wringing about things you can do nothing to fix.” He covered his mouth as soon as he heard the words. They had come from his lips but Nox didn’t understand why or the flashes of annoyance he’d felt. He had never minded Merlin’s meddling or could run out of patience with him.
“Who are you?” Merlin shouted as he came around the work table, furious and crying. “To talk to me like that?” he said in disbelief and searched Nox’s face.
“I’m sorry!” Nox reached for Merlin, sick with regret, and pulled him into a hug. “I’m so sorry,” he said as he kissed Merlin’s head. “I know you just want what’s best for me and you’re trying to help. But I don’t want this and I only know of one way to stop it,” he whispered.
“Don’t you see that you can’t? It’s going to catch you.”
A plume of dread curled in Nox’s chest. “Then, I’d better run as fast and as far as I can with Nelson until it does.”
“And what about this wannabe? This puppet master you’ve been searching for? What if he catches you?”
That brought a smile to Nox's face and his existential dread was forgotten. “Now, him I can do something about.”
“I do not doubt you because this I can help you with. But only if you don’t go charging into another one of his traps.” Merlin wagged a finger at Nox, then glanced at the door when Nelson leaned into the kitchen.
“Well?” Nox asked him and Nelson bowed his head.
“They had to rearrange a few things at the health center so we can have a visiting room to ourselves and they rescheduled an appointment with his therapist. But Julian’s ready to see us, so we should leave now.” He turned to go, then paused and winced at Nox and Merlin. “Some techs are coming by to dust upstairs and Agent Benson will take a statement from you later, Nox, just to make sure we’re covering all the bases.”
“Sounds good.” Nox gave him a thumbs up, dismissing Nelson so he could get his coat and start the car. He winked at Merlin as he backed out of the kitchen. “Keep an eye on things and beware of any suspicious crows.”
“Fate and war!” Merlin called after him.
Nox laughed. “Or, maybe it’s because I’m intelligent and loyal,” he shot back on the way out.
“What was that about?” Nelson asked when Nox slid into the passenger seat.
“Merlin wants us to keep an eye out for a crow. It might want to go to war with me.”
That made Nelson grin as he started the engine, the loud rumble matching Nox’s anticipation. Nelson craned his neck, checking the windows. “Never thought I’d relate so hard to a crow, but here we are. I heard yelling. Is everything alright?”
“Merlin wants me to rest more,” Nox said, shrugging. “It’s his job to make too much out of nothing and you know how dramatic he can be.”
“Sometimes…” Nelson said as he steered the car away from the curb. “But in this case—and I hate to say it—I have to agree with Merlin.” He swore as he produced a roll of antacids from inside his coat and thumbed one into his mouth. “Are you sure you’re ready?”
“I swear to all the gods, if one more person asks me if I’m sure I’m ready…” Nox sighed at the heavens, then took out his phone to see if he had been forwarded a copy of Bixby’s preliminary report. “I’m ready to get on with my life and see what Julian can tell us. Would you like to help me with that or give yourself an ulcer over something that might amount to nothing?”
“Nothing?” Nelson asked the road, shaking his head slowly. “Why do I get the feeling you’re thumbing your nose at fate now and asking for trouble—or war?”
“I’m not,” Nox replied with a belligerent snort. “Just trust me and drive.”
Seven
The visitors’ parking lot and the administrative offices at the entrance reminded Nelson of his high school. But there was no mistaking that they were in a high-security facility once they had passed the front desk at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital and were escorted to one of the small common areas on the first floor.
Eight square metal tables and benches were bolted down; all with wide, rounded edges and corners. Both Nox and Nelson had surrendered any weapons and sharp objects at the front and an orderly was leaning against the wall, waiting with restraints and a Taser.
“I doubt we’ll need that,” Nox whispered out of the side of his mouth to the larger man. He was seated at one of the tables and appeared to be taking the moment in his usual stride. Nelson was hovering, too nervous to sit.
The orderly snorted, his attention fixed on the door at the far corner of the cafeteria. “You never know around here,” he murmured distantly. “Saw a guy try to eat his own mother’s face once. They were holding hands and laughing and then he just opened wide and chomp!”
“Chomp?” Nox widened his eyes at Nelson. “I can’t see Julian going cannibal on us.”
