Page 74 of What Happens at Nightfall

“We know Bel—you know—has been to Adam’s house. As far as we know, he hasn’t found mine. So it’s settled. You stay with me. You get your kid.” Jess put her arm through Adam’s and towed him in the direction of the door. “Come on. I’ll see you out.”

She yanked the door open, shoved him through, and followed him out into the beige blandness of the hallway.

Adam paused, looking down at her. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”

Jess stuck a foot in the door, keeping it open a fraction so it wouldn’t lock her out. She didn’t trust Ingrid to open it for her. She didn’t trust Ingrid period. “It makes a lot more sense for her to stay here. It’s closer to her apartment. It’s a modern building. I don’t think the doormen would let demons up. We have no chimneys and all the windows are double-glazed.”

Adam’s lips creased in a smile. “I think you’re thinking of Santa. With the chimney.”

It wasn’t fair for him to be that effortlessly good-looking. “That was an image I really didn’t need. Please don’t ruin Santa for me.”

“I feel like I’ve ruined enough already.” Haltingly, Adam said, “I’m sorry. About the things I said back there. Earlier. Can I call you later?”

“I don’t know, can you?” Jess grimaced, thoroughly ashamed of herself. “Sorry, that was childish. Of course. You’re going to be late. Move it.”

Adam moved it. But he paused, halfway to the elevator. “Jess?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

“Right,” said Jess.

He sounded like he meant it. But he’d also sounded like he meant it last time.

Jess pushed the door back open to find Ingrid glaring at her. “I know where he lives, you know. I can just go.”

Jess clicked the lock shut behind her. “I think that’s called stalking.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t even know about that orb. There’s so much I don’t know. I need those papers.”

“I thought you needed a place to stay for the night. This is a place. I’ve invited you to stay.” Sheets. She was going to need sheets. Jess turned her back on her unwanted guest and went to go rummage in the tiny linen closet between the living room and the bathroom.

“Do you think I don’t know what you’re doing?” Ingrid’s voice called shrilly after her.

“What am I doing?” Jess asked wearily, emerging from the linen closet with a pile of clean sheets in her arms.

“You’re trying to keep me away from those papers. What do you think I’m going to do, burn them?”

The historian’s worst crime, destroying evidence. Jess let out a little snort that turned into a wheezing laugh. Jess dumped the sheets on the coffee table and doubled over, laughing until the tears leaked out of her eyes, laughing until her stomach hurt.

Burning papers? She’d just seen burning frogs.

Ingrid stood up, letting her backpack thump to the carpet. “Fine! Laugh at me! You didn’t think it was so funny a few hours ago!”

A few hours ago, she’d been flat on her stomach in a shrub because a ghost had flung an urn at her. Jess swiped at the tears streaming from her eyes. She wasn’t entirely sure if she was laughing or crying at this point, but whatever it was involved uncontrollable hiccups.

Ingrid glared at her. “I’ve been fighting this alone for months! I know you think I’m nuts—but I’ve been right so far! About everything!”

Look at the numbers! You’ll see I’m right. That’s what Jess had told them. She’d been right and no one had believed her. They’d made it her fault.

Somehow, none of it felt quite so funny anymore.

“Okay.” Jess dropped to the arm of the couch, wrapping her arms around her diaphragm to try to stop the hiccups. “Tell me. What are you looking for in those papers? And what would you do when you found it?”

“Trap the demon! What do you think I want to do—keep it for myself?” Ingrid’s mouth dropped. “That’s it. You think I want to keep it for myself.”

“You keep summoning it,” said Jess helplessly.