Read Online Terminus by Joshua Graham - Free Book Online Page A

need any hand-holding, Lena.”
    Shushing him, she looked over at Hartwell, who was still on his cell phone.  Tension furrowed his brow.
    Nick turned to Lena.  “What are you doing here?”
    “Saving you and your cute little angel butt from blowing it.”
    “I just got started!”
    “If he even begins to read his Bible tonight, it’s going to make both our jobs much more difficult down the line.  I’m not about to let my director chew me out for your mistakes.”
    “I’m not making any. In fact, I already—hold on...Listen.””
    Hartwell walked over to his shoes and slipped them on while he talked.
    “You sure?...I suppose so…. Well, it can’t wait if she’s that desperate.”
    Nick and Lena looked at each other.
    “Again, what are you doing here?”  Nick said.
    “I’ve already done it.  Just watch.”
    Elaine came to the door, her arms folded.
    “Who’re you talking to?  And why in the world are you whispering?”
    “It’s all right,” Hartwell said into his phone, “I’ll be there right away.”
    “Jon?”
    “Ten minutes, see you there.”
    “Jon, who are you talking to?”
    He hung up, put on his jacket, and walked to the door.
    “That was Carla. There’s an emergency at church.”
    Elaine blocked the doorway.
    “You’re going out now ?”
    “It’s an emergency.”
    “Jon, if you don’t start valuing your own time, your family time, your followers will never respect it.  Trust your wife on this.  Set some boundaries.”
    “Excuse me.” 
    He took her wrist and gently began to pull it away from the door frame.  Elaine jerked it out of his grip and slapped it back down, again blocking the way. 
    “No.  I’m insisting you stay.  You’re going to thank me one day for this tough love, baby.”
    “What do you want from me!”  Now, for the first time, Nick saw healthy indignation in Jon’s eyes.  Elaine’s, on the other hand, were shimmering.  Crocodile tears, no doubt.
    Jon stood there, waiting.
    “I...I just want...”
    “What!”
    “I just want you to set some boundaries!”
    He took hold of her wrist again.  This time he lifted it off the door frame and put her hand down at her side. 
    “I’m setting some now:  You don’t control me or my schedule.”
    And without looking back, he left.

17
     
    TRANSPORTED OUT OF THE HARTWELL’S HOUSE, he stood on the front lawn with Lena, who was massaging the back of his neck.  Her fingers caused a prickling sensation he’d not experienced for a while.  The rain had stopped.
    “Nice work, Nikolai.”
    “I’d still prefer it if you call me Nick.” 
    “Hope you don’t mind my help on your first assignment.”
    He shrugged.  “I didn’t need it.”
    “You’re welcome, anyway.”
    Hartwell’s Audi backed out of the garage and sped down the street, engine roaring as though fueled by the anger Elaine had ignited in him.
    “Remember,” Lena said, “all you have to do is keep him distracted.  As you can see, the land mines of his life will take care of themselves.”
    “Well, that’s...grim.”
    “This from a reaper?”
    “Ex-reaper.”
    “Whatever.  Now, your next assignment—”
    “About that,” he said.
    Lena’s penetrating gaze made him uneasy. 
    “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”
    “Of course not.”
    “Good.  Because this one is the most important of the three.” 
    She snapped her fingers and a three-dimensional image that looked like a holographic projection appeared before them: that same disheveled woman, oily hair snaking around her grimy face, eyes shut tight, lips moving like a crazy person’s—and he had enough experience to know what those were like.   
    “Something about this subject make you uncomfortable?”
    “Not at all,” Nick said.  “I just...”
    “Her name is—”
    “Don’t tell me.”
    Lena’s eyes opened wider for a moment and a curious smile pulled at the corners of her mouth.  She snapped her fingers and the image of the subject winked