“Not yet,” she said. “Now you’re going to sleep for a few hours. And I’ll sit at your desk and watch that phone like a hawk, ready to snap it up on the first ring. If anyone tries to call that has anything to do with the investigation, I’ll wake you. You have my word.”

“Molly—”

“Don’t Molly me,” she said, reacting to the no in his voice. “I’ve been taking care of that stubborn brother of mine long enough to know how to handle a muleheaded man. You trust me to stay vigilant and get you right away, don’t you?”

“Of course, but—”

“Uh uh uh! Then don’t argue.” She motioned to the couch. “Just lie down right there.”

“Molly, really. I appreciate what you’re trying to do. But there’s no way I can rest right now. I’ll grab a nap once I go through Evelyn’s old files, okay? That can’t take too long.”

“It’ll take a lot longer than it should if you’re in this condition.”

“I’m not as bad off as I look.”

“Well, that’s good to hear, because you look like death warmed over.”

“I’ll take a nap later this afternoon.” He tried to circumvent her, but she grabbed hold of him.

“No,” she insisted. “I’m not buying that. Either you lie down right here and rest, or I’ll call Shorty and he’ll bring some of the men to hog-tie you.”

Amarok gaped at her. “You can’t be serious.”

Her eyebrows, which looked like they’d been drawn in with a dark pencil, slid up menacingly. “I am absolutely serious. You wouldn’t want to take valuable time away from those who are searching so hard to find Evelyn, now, would you?”

No. He didn’t want to do that, especially when even Makita seemed to agree with her. The dog merely lifted his head at the exchange and then put it down again.

Amarok realized he could continue to fight, waste time and resources he needed being stubborn and stupid, or he could get some rest while his friends and loved ones were doing all they could to help him.

He glanced over at the couch. He hated to succumb to his exhaustion, preferred to keep fighting. But he was afraid he’d miss something important if he didn’t rest at least enough to bring his brain out of this fog. “Okay,” he said, relenting.

“That’s what I want to hear. There you go,” she said, and gave him a little push in the right direction, like a mother might give to her sleepy boy.

Amarok would’ve smiled at that. He was six foot two, hardly little. But he was too upset to enjoy the humor of it.

Giving himself permission to sleep for an hour, just enough to provide his mind and body with a quick break, he lay down on the couch and drifted off so quickly he didn’t even know when Molly draped a blanket over him until the phone rang and he felt her jiggling his shoulder.