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my inspection is to be believed. Take a small walk to compose yourself, then come back. I’ll

look after him until then.”

“Oh, cool. That’ll be just enough time for you to smoke up. Have fun, Mr. Drake.” Gabriel

shoved something into Hugh’s hand, winked, and booked it out of the hallway before Hugh

could make heads or tails of what was going on.

“Smoke up?” Everard asked. “What the devil is he going on about?”

“I’m not sure. Everything today has been a blur, and not very much has made sense. What do

you think of this, Everard?” He showed Everard what Gabriel had given him. It was a hand-

rolled cigarette. “The aroma is reminiscent of something familiar, but I’ll be damned if I can

remember what. It feels like my head’s on upside down and backwards. I don’t think I’d

remember my name if it weren’t for Finch scolding me with it.”

Everard’s eyebrows nearly took flight.

“What?” Hugh asked. He clutched the cigarette to his chest to protect it from Everard’s thieving

ways. “I don’t like that look in your eyes, Everard. You’re up to something.”

“I am up to nothing, brother. I’ll remind you that I’m on the job. You, however, are bound by no

such obligation and should be up to all kinds of things, especially smoking that doobie.”

“That what?”

Everard clapped him on the shoulder and squeezed. “Doctor’s orders. Your Rolodex was right

in having it delivered. Go sit out on the stoop and enjoy it. If anything changes, I’ll see to it that

you’re informed immediately.”

Hugh didn’t know what to think of Everard or his support of the pungent cigarette currently in

Hugh’s possession, but he did know that Finch would never do anything to harm him. Perhaps

it would be for the best if he took a second to breathe and compose himself before returning

to Finch’s side. If the baby was still hours away, there was no harm in it.

“Make sure he knows that I love him, and that I’ll be back soon,” Hugh told Everard before

backing down the hall. “If anything happens, anything, retrieve me immediately. I won’t be

long.”

“I will,” Everard promised.

And maybe it was foolish, but Hugh believed him.

Hugh

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