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“Definitely.”
“Are we going to wait?”
“No.”
Eighteen
It was a short drive to Adelphi from Nox’s place and he used the time to make sure Julian was still at the bookstore.
“How’s it going, professor?” Julian asked, sounding completely normal.
Nox glared at his phone and silently wished him to hell before putting it back to his ear. “Don’t get me started,” he said with a sigh. “How are you and your dad doing?”
“We’re taking it day by day. I’m doing my best to keep Dad’s spirits up.”
“Good.” Nox’s middle finger shot up and he imagined jamming it in Julian’s eye. Nelson’s hand covered his and he shook his head, silently reminding Nox to keep his aura light. “We’ll get through this together. I was wondering if you could help me out.”
“Sure, Professor,” Julian said quickly.
Nox smirked at Nelson with wicked glee. “A book caught my eye and it’s been calling to me since the last time we were in there. I was going to stop by tonight before you closed and was hoping you’d be able to set it aside for me.”
“No problem. What was it called?”
“Right… You’re gonna kill me, but I don’t remember the title.”
“Alright. What do you remember?”
“Let me see,” Nox bit down on his lips to hold in a giggle. “It was purple and it was about the occult.”
There was a long pause. “It was purple?”
“Yup! And it was about the occult,” Nox added in case Julian had missed that part.
“Okay… But we carry a lot of purple books and most of them…”
Nox hissed sheepishly. “Most of them are about the occult. My bad. I’m pretty sure there were stars on the cover. Or spiders. Does that help?”
“No.” Julian sounded irritated and Nox began to feel guilty about how much he was enjoying himself. He checked the window and gulped as they passed under the cemetery’s arched sign and through its gates. His nerve buckled as the car’s headlights swung across several headstones, illuminating praying marble angels and weathered crosses. He loved cemeteries but Edgewood felt colder and the atmosphere heavier as he surveyed the rows of memorials with their tiny flags and artificially bright bouquets and wreaths.
“It was on one of the displays, I’m pretty sure… Could you grab whatever you have out that’s purple and has stars or spiders and is—”
“About the occult?” Julian guessed.
“Ha! Bet you could recommend some good books on mind reading, too.”
“Was there anything else you were looking for?”
“That was it. You know how it is when you see something you want and can’t stop thinking about it,” Nox said, his voice hardening as the Continental rolled around a bend and the old caretaker’s cottage came into view.
“I guess,” Julian murmured. “Have any good leads in the case yet?”
Nox’s eyes narrowed. “We thought we had a promising suspect but that fell through this evening so we’re back to square one.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
The hairs on Nox’s arms and the back of his neck stood as Nelson followed the single-lane road around the cottage, circling the lot. Nelson’s neck craned while he searched the property. The small lawn and knee-high picket fence were well-maintained and the cottage looked rather charming from the outside, but something about it made Nox anxious. He scanned with Nelson, but Nox didn’t see any other vehicles and all the lights were off.
“I was too. I have to go, but I’ll see you in a bit.” Nox ended the call and gagged at his phone. “I hope you choke, Julian.”
