Alistair hated that he even had to think about the possibility. He also hated that he was going to spend the day playing guard. But what else could he do?
Paladino and Sam chatted the whole drive to the hexworks, though Sam mainly asked a couple of questions about Paladino’s family and let him carry the bulk of the conversation. When they climbed out at the hexworks, it was to find Doris already there, just inside the door along with a smattering of guards. She didn’t seem happy, but gave Sam a curt nod.
“I have to make a phone call,” Sam said to Paladino. “I might need a ride in a little while.”
Alistair’s ears perked up at that. “Where are you going?”
“I need to talk about a hex,” Sam replied. “Just something I’ve been working on.”
“Can’t you just talk over the phone?”
Paladino cleared his throat. “Mr. Gatti, I’d like you on the loading dock, along with your other sister.”
In other words, stop asking questions. Alistair glared at Paladino, about to tell him he could talk to his boyfriend any damn time he wanted. But Sam was already hurrying away up the stairs.
Something was wrong. Well, a lot of things were wrong. He would have assumed the problem was the unexpected arrival of Sam’s sister, if he hadn’t asked to be driven somewhere later.
Paladino was still waiting for him to respond. Vowing to get to the bottom of things tonight after they went home, Alistair nodded. “Show me the way, Mr. Paladino, and I’ll get right to work.”
Sam hurried straight to his office, locked the door behind him, and picked up the telephone. “Sullivan residence,” answered a woman whose voice Sam didn’t recognize. One of the soldiers on security detail, he guessed.
“This is Sam Cunningham. I need to arrange a meeting with Mr. Sullivan as soon as possible. It’s important.”
“Hold on.”
He waited for what seemed like forever, but was probably less than three minutes. Then Turner came on the line. “Hey, Choirboy, what can I do for you?”
Of course they weren’t just going to hand him off to Sullivan, given everything that was happening now. But he’d expected that. “Hi, Lenny. I need to talk to Mr. Sullivan in private. Urgently.”
“He’s a busy man, as you know. Why don’t you tell me, and I’ll pass it on.”
Sam drew a deep breath. He needed to be firm for once in his life. “I appreciate the offer, and usually I’d do just that. But this…it’s about the Egyptian hex, and it’s the sort of thing he needs to hear first.” He paused, then added, “Even before you, and I’m not saying that lightly, I swear.”
There was a long moment of silence while Turner considered. “I know you don’t mean me any disrespect,” he said at last. “That’s not your style. And you’ve never made demands of Mr. Sullivan before. So I’m going to pass the request along and let you know what he says.”
“I’ll hold.”
“That important, huh?”
“Yeah.” Sam stared in the direction of the safe, though of course he couldn’t see it since it was still hexed. “It really is.”
“I don’t want to tie up the line, so I’ll call you back within the hour, all right?”
It was the best he was going to get. “Okay.”
He sat by the phone, drumming his fingers. He ought to open the door, go out and say good morning to Glenda. Work on copying the counter hex, so he could at least get some work done while he waited.
But he was too on edge, his nerves tight as harp strings. He could only gaze at the phone and wait for it to ring.
When it did, he scooped it up immediately. “Sam here.”
“You’ve got your meeting,” Turner said. “Have Paladino drive you over. You might have to wait a bit, but Mr. Sullivan will see you when he has a moment.”
Sam swallowed against the sudden dryness in his throat. “Thanks, Lenny.”
“Just don’t be wasting his time, kid.”
“I’m not.” He turned again toward the hidden safe. “This hex is going to change everything.”
