Free The Final Rule by Adrienne Wilder Page A

with almost freezing to death. “You told me to go there and see for myself.”
    “See what?”
    “You didn’t say.”
    “I can’t believe I don’t remember any of this. Usually I remember something about a dream when I sleep walk. This time it’s all blank.”
    Because it hadn’t been him speaking. Ellis pulled Jon’s leg higher so he could rub his thigh.
    Jon caught Ellis’s wrist. “What are you not telling me?”
    “I’ve told you everything.” Ellis tried to tuck Jon’s hands back down. “You really need to keep your hands between us. Your fingers are cold. I’m worried that—”
    Jon forced Ellis to look at him. “Now tell me there’s nothing else.”
    “It’s not important.”
    Jon stopped him again. “Really?”
    “No, it’s not.”
    Jon’s grip was ice cold and unshakable. “Talk to me, Ellis.”
    He couldn’t twist free, so he gave up. “It wasn’t you.”
    “What do you mean it wasn’t me?” Jon let go.
    “It was some—I don’t know. It just wasn’t you.” Ellis wrapped the blankets tighter around them. “I can’t explain it. When I looked at your eyes, it wasn’t you looking back at me.” Jon put his head back on Ellis’s shoulder. “It was like whatever makes you you had been replaced.”
    “Jesus.”
    “It wasn’t bad.”
    “Wasn’t bad? How can you say something like that wasn’t…Christ.” Jon held Ellis tighter.
    “No, I mean, it wasn’t…” He kissed Jon on the top of the head. “It wasn’t evil.”
    Jon flinched.
    “I probably imagined it.”
    “Do you really believe that?”
    Ellis dropped his gaze.
    Jon cursed. “I could have hurt you.”
    “No, you wouldn’t.” Ellis cradled Jon’s head. It wasn’t just because he was finally warming up, it was because Ellis wanted to protect him. The thought should have felt ridiculous, but it didn’t.
    “How do you know?”
    “What?”
    “How do you know it wasn’t…dangerous?”
    “I felt it. It wasn’t there to hurt you or me.”
    “I’m not sure if that makes me feel better or worse.”
    Ellis kept rubbing Jon’s back. “You’re not shaking anymore.”
    “Still cold.”
    But not like he had been. The warmth, the health, the… life was returning to him. “So what now?” Ellis said.
    “Sleep. I’m exhausted. Then after that, I guess we make plans to do what it said.”

Chapter Five
    The heavy scent of homemade biscuits flavored the air in the dining room.
    Mrs. Marsh stood by the table with a plate of bacon in her hand. “Did you boys find your clothes?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Jon echoed Ellis.
    “I was worried you might not see—” She looked up. “Good Lord, what on earth happened to you two? Did you get into a fight?”
    Ellis touched the knot on the side of his head. “Slipped.”
    She swung her gaze over to Jon. “And you?”
    “He kicked me in the face on the way down.”
    She smirked.
    Ellis couldn’t shake the feeling that Mrs. Marsh knew exactly what he’d been doing when he took the fall. She went into the kitchen.
    “Where’s George?” Ellis said.
    “He’s on the phone. The coroner called with a preliminary report.”
    The smile on Jon’s face fell. “After last night I’m not sure I want to know what killed Russell anymore.”
    Neither did Ellis. But it was no longer a matter of want. It had become a matter of absolute importance.
    Jon pulled out a chair. “Here, sit. I’ll go help Mrs. Marsh.”
    From the kitchen, she said, “You will do no such thing. Put your tush in that chair and keep it there.”
    Ellis covered his laugh with the back of his hand. Jon sat beside him while Mrs. Marsh finished setting out the food.
    George came into the dining room cursing. He stopped to glare at Jon before taking a seat next to Eleanor.
    “What did they say?” Jon spooned some eggs onto Ellis’s plate, then his.
    George looked at Eleanor. She handed him the plate of bacon. “Yes, I told them who you were talking to. Quit acting like it’s top