AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fair enough and I’ll take what I can get. I know a great Middle Eastern place that has a killer vegan menu that goes hard, even if you aren’t into vegan food.”
“I’m not vegan, but vegan food is fine. And Middle Eastern food is fine,” Nelson said.
“Perfect. I’ll put in an order now.”
The sun was setting when Nelson parked in front of Nox’s house. It might have been the start of a perfect evening as Nox let Nelson in through the front gate. Nelson looked so dashing with his coat neatly draped over his arm and his square jaw twitching, waiting for Nox to punch in the security code. Nox could easily imagine a flirtier, lighter way to pass the evening with Nelson if they had met under different circumstances. And he hoped they might give an evening like that a chance once they were on the other side of this nightmare.
“Today was terrible,” Nox summarized as Nelson hung his coat and followed him down the hall and into the kitchen.
“It was.”
“But we might have found something with the Witches For Literacy and the dating site,” Nox said, dropping his bag on the work table.
“It’s going to take time to check all the missing girls’ schedules and contacts, assuming those dating sites will give us access soon enough to be useful,” Nelson cautioned while Nox selected a jar for his tea from a cabinet by the sink.
“The good news is: the task force will sift through all of that so you can focus on the bigger picture.”
“You could have mentioned that you had the attorney general on speed dial,” Nelson complained, but Nox cringed apologetically.
“I could have, but I would have sounded like a mega twat. Ted was good friends with my grandfather and he remembered me when I was brought into that Heavensong investigation. Ted’s grandson was tangled up in that scary megachurch and the whole family was scared. I made a good impression and Ted took a shine to me. He said that if there was ever anything he could do to return the favor to let him know. He’s invited me over for a few cookouts and his wife, Linda, adopted me,” he added with a sheepish grin.
“How does an anthropologist score those kinds of points with an AG in a megachurch investigation?” Nelson asked dubiously.
“Because anthropology is sexy,” Nox said as he slid into the pantry.
“If you say so.”
“It is to politicians like Ted and the mainstream media. Anthropology is where history, psychology, and science merge. We’re the jacks of all academic trades and the masters of none so most people assume we’re either kooks or super nerds.”
“In your case, the AG decided you were a super nerd and adopted you.”
“Mostly because they found human remains in the basement of the flagship church and I was there to oversee the excavation and cataloging. Some pretty gory things came out of that basement while I was working down there and that put me on Ted’s and the media’s radar.”
“There was a documentary and the church fell apart after that,” Nelson said and Nox chuckled wryly as he filled the jar about a third of the way with his favorite camomile blend.
“And enrollment in the anthro department at Georgetown tripled for two semesters,” Nox added, his fingers dancing over canister labels. “This will be just the thing, Nelson,” he insisted. Nox was happy, making something to help soothe Nelson’s restlessness and exhaustion. Seeing Nelson so tired and out of sorts was draining on Nox as well, he was finding. “The university is always thrilled whenever I’m on TV or involved in an exciting case. It’s great PR for them. So far,” he added and wrinkled his nose at Nelson. “One of these days, I’ll go too far and burn out like a shooting star. At least, that’s what Clance says, and he’s usually right.” He shrugged because Nox had never seen the point in taking it slow or holding back. Not when there was so much to do and so little time.
He’d always understood his potential and that life was both fleeting and infinite. Part of him could burn out fast and young like his father and nearly every other generation of MacIlwraiths, but he could achieve great things and have a profound and lasting impact on humanity for the better before his time ran out.
That was why Nox had always pushed himself in school. He’d been raised in lecture halls and libraries and had visited his first dig site when he was six. Nox knew that he was born to teach from an early age and began absorbing all the information he could. He filled his brain and his heart in hopes that he’d be ready with anything and everything his future pupils would need. And he wasn’t going to let a little thing like high school get in his way. Thanks to a lifetime at his parents’ knees in academia and some extraordinary tutors, Nox had vaulted into Georgetown at fourteen and had his Ph.D. by the time he was nineteen. The notoriety hadn’t appealed to Nox, but he was pragmatic enough to see the value in the doors his “fame” had opened.
Nelson made a thoughtful sound as he removed several items from Nox’s bag on the table. “I don’t know a lot about shooting stars or how long I have before I burn out. I’d just like a chance to do my job,” he said, searching through the files, photos, and notebooks. “There was something in Mila’s journal about that literacy league.”
“I love the idea of that, witches helping people learn to read,” Nox mused as he finished preparing the tea blend. “It’s so authentic to what witchcraft is at its core. Sharing knowledge, healing, restoring balance… The druids were clerics and witches were often midwives and healers because community has always been integral to any practice. A support system of like-minded practitioners and happy, healthy, thriving neighbors are just as vital now as they were in the late prehistoric era. We’ve seen what happens when things go bad and witches get blamed.”
“They get burned,” Nelson said.
“They get burned,” Nox agreed. “And yet, after all these centuries, witches are still out there helping adults learn to read.”
Nelson held up a file on one of the other missing girls. “The good ones are. It looks like there are some bad witches and druids out there, too,” he reminded Nox.
Nox humphed in frustration, setting Nelson’s tea aside. “Let’s see what we can do about that.”
Their dinner arrived and they discussed their plan of attack for Monday and how they’d coordinate on Tuesday when Nox returned to his teaching duties. Once they had their fill of dolmeh, various types of kebabs, and heavenly kashk bademjan, and were tired of discussing witness statements and timelines, Nox bid Nelson adieu for the evening.
“Do your best to turn it all off and rest tonight, Nelson,” Nox had commanded with a gentle wag of his finger. He had pulled Nelson into a loose hug, hoping to comfort him and Nox felt like he was hugging an empty suit. There had been a faint pulse of warmth between them, but it was weak.
“I’ve never had trouble sleeping before. I think I just need to be in my own bed,” Nelson rumbled. But his hand pressed ever so lightly against Nox’s back for just a moment before he stepped back and said goodnight.
