Page 95 of Heir of Uncertain Magic

“It’s just—” Walker clutched his heart, and his eyes misted. “Why am I ... I don’t understand why ...”

Merritt folded his arms and glared at Baillie, whose attention shifted from Walker to Nettie, then to him. He had one hand in his hair. Merritt smirked. “Can’t keep your story straight anymore, can you, Baillie?”

The lawyer’s narrow shoulders lifted and sagged with his deep breaths. He wiped sweat from his lip.

Merritt held up a hand. “Silence!”

Everyone quieted, except for Nettie, who continued to sob quietly. Hulda grabbed Merritt’s arm tightly. She looked ill. Whatever Baillie had tried on her hadn’t been good.

Merritt nodded to Beth and pocketed the watch.

Steadying herself, Beth approached the desk, eyeing Baillie warily as she did. She handed the piece of paper to Walker. “You might remember I’m a clairvoyant, Mr.Walker. I apologize for this demonstration, but on that paper you’ll see the name of every person Baillie manipulated in the last few minutes, along with a time stamp of when it happened.”

Baillie lost all color in his face.

Mr.Walker took the paper with an unsteady hand. Read over it. Pointed. “I’m on here several times.”

Beth nodded. “Did you feel any surges of emotion? Especially irrational ones?”

Baillie’s head whipped toward Merritt and Hulda. “You—”

“Good gracious,” Mr.Walker muttered, touching his head like it hurt. “I ... Ifeltit.” He crumpled the paper in his hand, sending alarm through Merritt, but then wheeled on his colleague. “All this time?” he asked, perplexed, but his voice grew in strength. “For how long?How long, Baillie?”

Baillie shook his head. Backed into the window. Apathy or not, real fear shined in his eyes. “They’re lying, sir—”

“I-I felt it,” Nettie said. “I felt it ... Do it again. I felt ... better.”

“He’ll manipulate you again, Mr.Walker,” Hulda pressed, voice firm, recovered from whatever swell of emotion had last been thrown at her.

Merritt nodded. “Listen to the clairvoyant if you won’t listen to us—”

His words cut short at the sight of the gun suddenly in Baillie’s hands, pointed at Hulda, then at him. “Back up. All of you.”

Baptiste’s hands went into the air. “No need for violence.”

“No need?” Baillie’s voice was deadpan, but then again, apathy was a side effect of hysteria, and he’d used a lot of it. Was it strong enough to affect his judgment? Yet often a man didn’t carry a gun unless he intended to—or feared he might have to—use it. “You’re cornering me like wolves and telling me there’sno need.” He pointed the muzzle at Baptiste, then Beth, who quickly dropped the pencil in her hands and backed away.

Nettie started sobbing.

He’s going to hurt us,Owein said.

Wait. Stay low,Merritt warned, keeping his focus on the lawyer. The gun pointed his way again. He stepped back, pushing Hulda behind him.

“Put it down,” he pressed.

“No. Get out. All of you!” A spark of his own emotion broke through his words. He pointed the gun at Walker, who tripped over his chair, trying to retreat.

“This is insanity,” Walker said. “Put it away, Alastair!”

“This isn’t worth eight dollars,” Matthew whispered.

“Merritt,” Hulda murmured, but Merritt shook his head, watching Baillie.

“Let’s talk,” Merritt said. “I’m reasonable.”

“Shut up,” Baillie snapped. His gaze darted from face to face, his mind likely trying to work out what to do. He was outnumbered. Too many witnesses. Too many people to control. “MissRichards, you will—”

“Leave the women out of—” Merritt started, but his words were interrupted with a shrill,“Look out!”from Beth.

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