Page 54 of Infernal Hearts

I pull one off the wall. “Is this your mom?”

He takes it in his fingers, a pained expression crossing his eyes. He takes a silent breath and presses his mouth into a firm line. “Yeah. She’s the one who built this place, actually. My dad wasn’t very handy the way she was.”

I rub his shoulder with my free hand. “She sounds like a peach.” His face isn’t giving it away, but the emotion is obvious in his voice when he speaks of her. He clearly misses her very much. If she was anything like he is, I would have loved to meet her.

I keep searching the room. Across from the photos are some bookshelves. I walk over and wipe off the cobwebs. Journals.

“What are these?” I pick one up, flipping through it.

“Medical notes I took working for my dad.” A frown overtakes his bottom lip. “I never thought I’d need them, so I left them here for some light summer reading.”

My gaze travels over the leather binding of each volume, thinking about everything that could be inside. It’s possible that he knows just as much if not more about the supernatural world than I do. “Maybe you’ll want to take them back with us? They could come in handy.”

“Wouldn’t be a bad idea. But I’ve memorized just about everything in there.”

My eyes widen, and my voice jumps up in pitch. “Memorized? Photographic memory?”

“Pretty much.” He goes to thumb through another journal. “Made tests easy in school. I read something once and I never really forget it. Writing it down again just helps even more.”

I’m impressed. “You really know your shit, don’t you?”

He doesn’t look up, just keeps flipping. “I guess I do. Could still learn a lot more.”

I set down the book. “Seriously, have you ever considered going back to helping creatures more often? I’m not offering another deal, but I could get you set up so well out west. You’d make a killing.”

“Nope.” He snaps thePwith a resounding pop. He puts his journal back on the shelf. “I like my life quiet. Not an option. If I have a few supernatural clients out here from time to time? It’s an idea I’m warming up to. But full time? Nope.”

“Not all creatures are bad, you know. Take me, for instance.”

He takes a deep, cleansing breath and looks upward. “Maybe you’re growing on me.”

“Well, I’m glad to see you’re not as against treating supernaturals as you once were.”

“I mean, I’m a little apprehensive about it. Life is easier without magic, and you know what happened to my mom. But healing is what I do, and as long as I’m doing that, I’m happy.”

He really does love his work, and that’s so admirable. “Then I’m glad I helped give you a little push. Aren’t you glad I showed up at your doorstep?”

He looks down at his feet, gently rubbing off the dirt on the soles. “There are worse things that could have happened.”

I turn back to the bookshelf, seeing so many memories and so much knowledge here. “Do you want some help bringing some of this back to your apartment? Might do more good there than here.”

“That would be nice, thanks. I think I’m getting past keeping it hidden here.”

“My pleasure.” I pick up a handful of journals, but one feels heavier than the others. As soon as I examine it closer and open the cover, a heavy key clatters on the ground.

“What the hell is that?” Jay shines his light on the ground. He steps closer toward me and picks it up. He cups it for a moment before holding it out to me—warmed by his hand. His eyes meet mine before quickly cutting back to the key.

It’s silver, with curls at the top and a large letterAengraved on the handle.

“I have no idea.” I twist it in my fingers. “But something tells me I have my next clue.” I quickly tuck it into my pants pocket.

He yawns. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back. It’s getting late, and I have another busy day of appointments tomorrow.”

I smile, my pulse picking up speed. He clearly doesn’t realize how big this is. “Jay, do you know what this means? I can take this back to the psychic and—”

“Jay?”

I scratch the back of my neck. “My new nickname for you. As long as you’re okay with it.”

---