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Howard’s eyes widened. “The Badb…” He slowly rose and turned in the middle of the store, then pointed at the front counter and the register. “There was a man with a tattoo! He came twice and Julian acted so oddly.”
“How so?” Nelson asked as he stood and went around to join Howard.
Nox got up slowly, careful not to disturb their focus. “Tell us, was Julian scared of him or excited?” he whispered.
“Both,” Howard answered distantly. “But he didn’t want me here. Julian shooed me away. He told me I looked tired and to take a break and one time, he sent me next door to see the girls in the salon about my nails.” He raised a hand faintly, frowning at the register.
“Can you remember anything either of them said?” Nox asked softly and waited as Howard searched his memories.
“The last time was after your first visit. He said something about a book on magickal air and they laughed,” he said, catching Nelson’s attention.
“Might it have been magickal heirs? With an h?” he asked and Howard gasped as he turned to Nelson.
“I think it might have been! He asked Julian if he had been impressed.”
Nox’s brow hitched. “And what did Julian say?”
There was a dry chuckle from Nelson. “Dealing with a little imposter syndrome?”
“Don’t we all?” Nox countered with a shrug, turning his attention back to Howard. “Was Julian impressed with this heir?”
“Not really, from the sound of things,” Howard mused, rubbing his chin. “He said something to the effect of being glad there was a stronger replacement.”
“Pfft!” Nox flapped a hand. “What about this tattoo?”
“It might have been a pendant or something on his coat…” Howard frowned as he struggled. That would only pull him further away from the memory so Nox hummed like he was soothing an infant to sleep.
“Can you remember anything else they discussed?”
Howard shook his head slowly. “Nothing except that he mentioned a housewarming gift for Julian’s place over at the cemetery. He said Julian could do with more bells for his doors and they laughed.”
“He was at Julian’s,” Nox noted, raising his brows at Nelson. They definitely needed to go. He was anxious to find another clue and possibly another one of the Badb’s traps, but Nox’s insides curdled at the thought of going back and being near that basement.
Nelson must have read his thoughts. “At least we won’t find any other snakes there,” he muttered as he suppressed a shudder. Howard wanted nothing to do with Julian’s house or any of his property and had signed everything over to the Hansen family. All of the snakes had been removed by animal control and a biohazard team had been through to clean, but the rest of the house had been left “as-is” for investigators.
“I wasn’t looking for this particular snake last time and I’m hoping his tracks are still there,” Nox said, thinking out loud, then gave his head a shake. “Tell me what he looked like,” he ordered gently, kneading Howard’s arm and willing him to see the man at the register.
“He was dark!” he whispered shakily, earning a confused glance from Nelson as he paused his scribbling.
“Do you mean he was a Black man?” he verified, but Howard shook his head quickly.
“No. I don’t know what race he was but his skin was light. He was…” Howard squinted, straining to see the man in his memory. “He was hooded in a coat or a cloak and his clothes were dark. But I can’t see his face or his hands. His eyes are dark!”
“Not brown, dark,” Nox told Nelson out of the side of his mouth. “They’re shadowed?” he asked Howard.
He nodded, looking disturbed as he went to the counter and checked the overhead lights. “It was very much like this but I see him in shadows in my mind”
Nox made a knowing sound as he trailed behind Howard. “I sall gae intill smoake,” he chanted in a crude English accent, causing Howard to let out a horrified hiss as he spun around.
“That is a demon’s charm!” He reached into his pocket and yanked out a beautiful black tourmaline and amethyst pendant.
“They say it’s most effective at hiding one from angels,” Nox said soothingly as he took Howard’s hands and the pendant in his. “This is all he wanted you to remember. I won’t let him hurt you. Not any more than he already has,” he vowed.
Howard’s lip wobbled but he tipped his chin back and humphed. “I’m not afraid of him.”
“No, you’re not,” Nox said with a warm smile. He reached into his jeans and withdrew his father’s pocket knife. The blade slid out easily and it took one quick flick for Nox to slice his thumb. He raised it to Howard’s ear and the old man closed his eyes and laughed softly as Nox wiped a drop of blood on the lobe. “You will have peace, you dear, dear soul.”
“Thank you, my sun,” Howard whispered reverently.
