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“Well…” Walt shook his head slowly. “Aubrey’s been on me to pick a date and to look at venues and caterers and we have to pick a bakery. I don’t have time and I wish she’d just do whatever she wants. I said the botanical garden would be fine and she didn’t talk to me for a week so I—”
“That is stressful,” Nox agreed, giving Walt a shake and releasing him as the lights came back up. “Tony should be back on his feet by Monday so we shouldn’t need to tie up too much of your time.”
“It’s not a problem, professor.” Walt blinked dazedly, then snorted as he went around the desk and back to the podium. “I never thought I’d say it, but I’ve missed my old stomping grounds and the simpler days when I was just a TA. I do so many other things than teaching now and they suck the joy out of it.”
Nox whistled in agreement as he pushed his hands in his pockets and strolled to the door. “The meetings are ridiculous. But it gets better, I promise. We’ll get out of your hair. Thanks again and I owe you.”
“No, you don’t. Best of luck, professor, Agent Nelson,” Walt said as they left.
Nelson waited until they were pulling out of the parking lot. “He seems competent, but he doesn’t like you. Although, I can understand why and I don’t detect anything unusual about him.”
“Aside from the fact that he doesn’t like me,” Nox said, then winked and shrugged. “It’s happened before and I don’t expect everyone to.”
“You and Tony are the same age and he sees Tony as a little brother. He’s playing substitute TA for a professor who’s…at least five years younger than him, I’d say.” Walt was still busting his ass to prove himself and bending over backward for Nox’s approval. Meanwhile, Nox’s place at Georgetown had been all but assured from an early age thanks to his parents’ and Clancy’s reputations and support.
“Something like that,” Nox murmured. “I could feel that he was hiding something from me and it may have been resentment. It was bitter, but nothing as loud or large in his aura as Felton’s.
“A reasonable amount of bitterness?” Nelson asked, steering into traffic.
Nox chuckled as he slid across the bench and pulled Nelson’s arm around him. “We were picking up the same vibe. Unless he’s really good at hiding it because I tapped deep into his aura and there was bitterness, but it wasn’t all for me. He’s overworked and overwhelmed with his relationship with Aubrey and he doesn’t think anyone appreciates him.”
“That’s all very understandable and relatable.” Nelson shushed Nox when he opened his mouth to object. “It’s not that long of a drive and I’m already worried about your stress levels.”
“I’m fine” Nox sank against Nelson’s side. “But, thank you. We should keep an eye on Walt’s cold. I could feel that he’s been under the weather, too.”
“I’ll make a note.”
Seventeen
The ride to the Hoover Building was too brief for Nelson. He took Canal Road past Foggy Bottom and drove them around the Lincoln Memorial and The Mall, enjoying Nox’s rambling about spring in the Capitol and changes at the Smithsonian he was looking forward to.
He was in a better mood after visiting the school and Nelson was in a better mood after a short, but relaxing ride with his Nox. But they both had their game faces on as they headed into the Hoover Building and rode the elevators down to see the medical examiner.
“I still don’t understand why we have to see this guy.” Nox was pouting because he couldn’t pull strings outside of the FBI and request the ME he wanted.
“Bixby doesn’t work for the bureau,” Nelson repeated. “He runs Roanoke’s examiner’s office and New Castle is part of his jurisdiction. He was able to send for us with Ma because he already knew that wasn’t New Castle’s or Roanoke’s case. He gets to request agents because he’s the head medical examiner and he decides where the investigation goes once he’s done his job.”
“Well… ol’ Colin was arrested in New Castle and was in custody awaiting his trial,” Nox attempted, but Nelson shook his head and gestured for him to go first when the doors opened.
“Take a right,” Nelson said as he followed. “Colin died in a federal facility under federal custody so we’re going to be nice to the in-house ME. I’ve never had to work with any of the examiners down here and I’d like to get off on the right foot,” he explained as they walked and he nodded for Nox to take a left. They came around the corner and slowed at the sight of the autopsy room on the other side of the long glass window with two corpses on the tall metal exam tables.
“Julian,” Nox whispered raggedly, stepping up to the glass. A tear rolled down his cheek as he pushed out a slow breath. “I honestly believe he lost his way. Someone saw a broken, confused heart and planted a poisonous seed there, then nurtured it with dark magick and gaslighting.”
“What about ol’ Colin?” Nelson asked, regarding the other body.
A snarl lifted the corner of Nox’s lip and his shoulder bounced. “He decorated his barn—inside and out—with his devotion to this darkness. He was raised to be twisted and the Badb had a sandbox full of dirty toys to play with when he found the MacCrorys. They were willing and ready but it was hard work, manipulating and grooming Julian,” Nox said and Nelson nodded as he considered.
“It would have taken a lot to get him to betray Howard like that.”
“Love can make people dangerous.”
Nelson thought that was an understatement and agreed but groaned when a tall, balding, slender man in a lab coat backed through the double doors in the exam room with two clipboards and a cup of coffee. “Not him.”
“That’s what I was saying,” Nox said with a cocked brow. “What happened to being nice to the in-house ME?”
“We are going to be nice to Edwards. But not too nice, alright,” Nelson whispered as he licked his lips nervously.
“Why?” Nox whispered back, his neck stretching as he checked Edwards out through the glass. “He looks kind of…mild. And what’s he going to do to me?” he asked, earning a shudder from Nelson.
