Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune

Nelson grinned. “Fair.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You can’t tell
anyone.”
Wallace leaned forward, surprised at his own eagerness. “I won’t.”
Nelson glanced at the kitchen before looking down at Wallace. “There’s a
health inspector that comes here. Loathsome man. Chip on his shoulder.
Thinks he’s entitled to things he can’t have. I haunt him while he’s here.”
“You what?”
“Little things. I knock his pen out of his hand or move his chair when he
tries to sit down.”
“You can do that?”
“I can do many things,” Nelson said. “Man has it out for my Hugo. I make
sure to reciprocate in kind.”
Before Wallace could ask about it further, Apollo turned over, raising his
head toward the kitchen. A moment later, Hugo appeared through the doors,
Mei trailing after him.
He said, “What are you two talking about, and should I be concerned?”
“Most likely,” Nelson said, winking at Wallace. “We’re definitely up to
no good.”
Hugo smiled. “Wallace, could you come with me? I’d like to show you
something.”
Wallace looked to Nelson who nodded. “Go on. I have Mei and Apollo to
keep me company.”
Wallace sighed as he stood. “Another therapy session?”
Hugo shrugged. “If you want to think of it that way, sure. Or it could just
be two people getting to know each other. Almost like friends, even.”
Wallace grumbled under his breath as he followed Hugo down the hall.
They went outside again to the back deck overlooking the tea garden. Hugo
turned on the strings of lights wrapped around the railings of the deck, white
and twinkling.
Before Hugo closed the door to the house behind them, he reached in and
switched off the deck light. The trees swayed in the darkness.
“Good talk with Grandad?” he asked, coming to stand next to Wallace
near the steps.