Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

Wallace tried to argue when Hugo asked them to leave, telling them that Alan
needed space. He didn’t like the idea of Hugo being left alone with him. He
knew deep down that Hugo was more than capable, but the wild look in
Alan’s eyes was almost feral. Mei stopped him before he could tell Hugo in
no uncertain terms that they weren’t leaving. She jerked her head toward the
back of the house.
“It’s okay,” Nelson said, though he too sounded worried. “Hugo can
handle him.”
Apollo refused to budge. No matter what Mei did or said, he wouldn’t
move. Hugo shook his head. “It’s all right. He can stay. I’ll let you know if I
need you.” He and Mei exchanged a look that Wallace couldn’t parse. Alan
growled at the floor, flecks of spittle on his lips.
The last thing Wallace saw was Hugo sitting cross-legged in front of Alan,
hands on his knees.
He followed Nelson as he shuffled after Mei. They walked down the hall
toward the back door. The air was colder than it’d been the last few nights,
as if spring had momentarily lost its grasp. Wallace was dismayed when he
realized he didn’t know the date. He thought it was Wednesday, and it had to
be April by now. Time was slipping here. He hadn’t noticed, so wrapped up
in living the life he found himself in. He’d been in Charon’s Crossing for
almost four weeks. Mei had said the longest anyone had stayed at the tea
shop was two weeks. And yet no one had pushed him toward the door. No
one had even mentioned it since the early days.
“You all right?” Nelson asked Mei as she paced back and forth on the
deck. He reached out and took her by the wrist. “That had to be difficult.”
She sighed. “It was. I knew it could be like that. The Manager showed me
as much. He’s not the first person I’ve dealt with who was murdered.”
“But it’s the first time you’ve been on your own,” Nelson said quietly.
“I can handle it.”
“I know you can. I never doubted that for a second. But it’s okay not to be
okay.” She slumped against him, her head on his shoulder. “You did good.
I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks,” she muttered. “I was half-convinced he was going to listen. At
least at first.”
“Where did you find him?” Wallace asked, looking out at the tea garden
below. No one had thought to switch on the lights, and the moon was hidden