Page 89 of Psychic Obsession
She looked surprised, then she nodded.
"Maeve is busy--"
"No, it's fine.It's time for my break anyway."
Saylor opened his mouth to protest, but Nikolai beat him to it."Great."He spoke loudly and clapped his hands together and took a step closer to Frode.He was close enough to feel the heat of him, but never looked away from Saylor, who was seething."Get the show on the road.Saylor, can Elmore and I have a word in your office?"
Frode reached out and squeezed Nikolai's hand.He didn't think anyone saw, but he wouldn't have cared if anyone did.He leaned closer, so his mouth was near Frode's ear."You have everything you need?"
He nodded.
"Nothing I can do?"
"Privacy.I hate having people watch me puke."
Nikolai closed his eyes for a second.He didn't like this.When he opened his eyes, Hjalmar was watching him.
"How likely is it we'll need to rush to the hospital after this?"
Hjalmar's jaw tensed."There is a bigger risk than I'm okay with."
"It's my choice."Frode's voice was low but sharp.
Nikolai squeezed his shoulder and stepped away.He wouldn't win this, and Frode was right.It was his choice.Nikolai didn't approve, but it didn't mean he had any right to tell Frode what he could and could not touch.
He stepped closer to Isaac and spoke in a whisper."Help me keep Saylor away while Frode does his thing.He doesn't want him there, but Saylor wants to be."
Isaac's eyes widened, then he plastered on a smile."Saylor."He walked ahead."Can I talk to you about trace evidence?"
Saylor's face was flushed, and his gaze was bouncing between Frode, the door to the room where Nikolai assumed the rug was, and Isaac."No.I need to--"
"It won't take long."Isaac ushered Saylor toward his office.Nikolai followed to make sure Saylor didn't spin around and approach Frode.
"Get a move on."He spoke to Hjalmar, who looked confused about the entire exchange but nodded and walked toward the designated room together with Frode and Dubose.
"How do you test DNA found in rugs?"Isaac did the whole confused-head-tilted-to-the-side thing as he watched Saylor.
Nikolai stopped in the doorway, making sure no one would leave the room before he allowed it.
Saylor glared at him, but Nikolai pretended not to see.They'd have to work together in the future, so he didn't want to antagonize him more than necessary.
* * * *
Chapter 22
Frode stared at the discolored rug laid out on the table.When he'd done this over at homicide, Elmore had kept the rug rolled up and mostly wrapped in plastic.
"Eh..."He looked at Hjalmar."If I throw up, it'll go all over it."
Hjalmar frowned."Yeah, this won't work."He turned to Dubose."Could you roll it up and remove it as soon as he's touched it?"
She dipped her head once, snatched a pair of nitrile gloves from a shelf along the wall of the room.
"Have you worked on the rugs?"Frode looked at her, nerves churning in his gut.What if he knocked himself out?
"Saylor did the analysis of them."
"But you've looked at them?"
