Page 16 of When Sinners Fear
“You’d be surprised. Most people know more than they realise.”
“Maybe. Do you want another drink?”
“I’m not sure. I think this one has gone to my head.” The glass is more water than alcohol now, weakening the liquor, but I can recognise its effects on me. My head feels loose and not as clear and focused as normal.
“How about a little wager, then.”
“Betting? I’m –”
“We can stack it in your favour. We can do the question-and-answer section over there.” He points to one of the areas past the history of the computer section. “If I can get at least two answers, we go for another drink.”
“Am I answering, too?” I’m confident in my knowledge, so beating him should be easy, given he’s a mathematician. “How many do I need to get? Or is this all on you? Plus, the questions aren’t going to be hard if the museum designed them, most likely relevant to the information on display.” I rush the words together nervously.
He gives me a pointed stare that has my cheeks burning up, a flash of heat emanating from my chest and rising up my neck and throat. It’s a reaction that I’d like to put down to the drink, but one drink can’t influence that much of a reaction, can it?
Knox walks along the display wall, and he looks like he’s taking in the information. There’s a loosely hung-together thread of linked topics, and then at the end, there’s a Q&A sign. We walk over, and he nods to me. A clear Perspex box holds a series of cards, and I pull them out and scan over the first one.
“Oh, this is rigged. You rigged this.” I smile and shake my head. “How many known elements are on the periodic table,” I scoff. “That’s such an easy question, you’ll –”
“One hundred and eighteen. That’s one.”
“See. Too easy.”
He looks at me, the serious glint in his eye making me a little nervous, so I look back to the questions at the exhibit, scanning them over and looking for one that might cause him some difficulty. My heart rate starts to increase, and the thrum of it rings in my head. There are no questions here that he’d struggle with.
“What if I make up the next question?” My eyes dart back and forth between him and the questions in my hand.
He smirks. “You really don’t want a drink, do you? Nervous?”
The whiskey isn’t bad, but he’s right in some ways. I’m uncertain around him and worry that having another might only add to this feeling. So, I don’t answer. I shift my weight and clasp my hands together, still holding the question cards. “Peyton, you’re blushing.” I am? No. That’s the drink. “Right, well, ask away. I’m already one up.”
I nod and run through all the topics I could quiz him on. “Here you go. What is the lightest element on earth—”
He interrupts. “Hydro—”
“I haven’t finished the question, Knox. What is the lightest element on earth with no stable isotope?” My eyes widen, and I can’t help smiling. It’s an obscure question and certainly above the level of knowledge for here.
“Technetium.” His voice is so smooth and so confident I can’t even answer. How did he know that? “Do you need me to repeat that for you? Technetium. And I don’t need you to confirm it; I know it’s right.”
“How did you—” I’m a little stunned but also impressed. That’s not something everybody knows.
“Drink. A suitable reward, don’t you agree?”
“Can we at least look at the rest of the exhibits before we get another drink?” I sound like I did when Mother used to say it was time to go.
“I’m in no rush to be home.”
“Ok. We can take the route we’ve not been on back to the bar.”
“A fair compromise. Lead the way.”
We take our time looking over some of the exhibits, such as the history of Edison, all the while heading back towards the bar area.
“Would you like something to eat with your drink? You might prefer it that way?” Knox asks.
“Do they serve food?” I ask, looking around for a menu.
“I doubt it actually classifies as food, but I don’t think a bowl of nachos or hot dogs would kill us.” Knox is wearing a sharp suit, at least sharp to my eyes. He doesn’t look like the kind of man to sit and share a bowl of nachos, but I kind of like that idea.