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"You get scruffier all the tilass When did you last coh the reader at the door It wassecurity seriously

"Yesterday" Gallowglass patted the back and sides of his head "Why? Is a bird nesting in it?"

"One ht well be" Miriam nodded in my direction "Hi, Diana Mattheill be with you soon"

"What’s he doing?" I asked

"Trying to teach a postgraduate student with no knowledge of biology or proper laboratory procedures how to reroup surrounding Mattheith disapproval "I don’t knohy Roberts funds graduate students who don’t even kno to run agarose gels, but I’er"

Across the room Game Boy let out a frustrated expletive

"Pull up a stool This could be a while" Miriam rolled her eyes

"Don’t worry It takes practice," Matthew told Ga but thuain? My e froe the palimpsest I started toward my husband, and Chris spottedHe looked at Gallowglass "I’lass Matthew’s nephew" Gallowglass surveyed the roorad students played a little joke on Matthew" Chris pointed to the coarlic bulbs A crucifix designed for a car dashboard was attached to the mouse pad with a suction cup Chris turned his attention to Gallowglass’s neck with an intensity that was practically vampiric "Do you wrestle?"

"Weeell, I have been known to do so for sport" Gallowglass looked down shyly, his cheeks dimpled

"Not Greco-Roman by any chance?" Chris asked "My partner injured his knee and will be in rehab forfor a temporary replacement"

"It must be Greek I’m not sure about the Rorandfather taught lass scrunched up his face as his concentration deepened "I think he wrestled a giant once He was a fierce fighter"

"Is this a valass nodded

"Varinned "Like alligator wrestling, but without the tail"

"No wrestling I’m serious, Chris" I wanted no responsibility, no enius

"Spoilsport" Chris let out a piercing whistle "Wolfman! Your wife is here"

Wolfman?

"I are of that, Christopher" Matthew’s tone was frosty, but he gave me a warm smile that made my toes curl "Hello, Diana I’ll be with you as soon as I’m finished with Janette"

"Game Boy’s name is Janette?" Chris murmured "Who knew?"

"I did So did Matthew Perhaps you could tell me why she’s in my lab?" Miriam asked "Janette’s PhD will be in cos in a room full of terminals, not test tubes"

"I like the way her brain works," Chris said with a shrug "She’s a gamer and sees patterns in lab results that the rest of us y Who cares? I’ists already"

Chris looked at Matthew and Ga?" I asked

"Mattheasted in a research laboratory Your husband belongs in a classroolass on the arym Diana has my number"

Chris went back to his work and I turned my attention to Matthew I’d only seen flashes of this side ofwith Annie or Jack in London, but Chris was right Mattheas using all the tools in a teacher’s bag of tricks: ht amount of praise, and a touch of huain?" Game Boy asked "I know it caht be different"

"Maybe," Matthew said, "but there were a lot of mice in ain after you’ve taken this sahed and steadied her hand

"Deep breath, Janette" Matthew gave her an encouraging nod "Take your tireat care Game Boy inserted a needle so fine it was ale of the parcho," Matthew said softly "Slow and steady"

"I did it!" Gaht she’d split the atoh five, and a muttered "About time" from Miriam But it was Matthew’s response that mattered Game Boy turned to him expectantly

"Eureka," Matthew said, his hands spread wide Gaeneticist out of you yet"

"No way I’d rather build a coain" Ga Hoas your day?" Matthew rose and kissed lass, who silently conveyed that all ell

"Let’s seeI worked soic in the Beinecke"

"Should I worry?" Matthew asked, clearly thinking of the havoc that ind and witchfire ht cause

"Nope," I said "And I have a lead on one of the es from Ashmole 782"