Page 59 of Secret Spark

Joan tapped the elevator button with her elbow. Cradled her coffee against her chest. Rubbed the back of Sadie’s hand with her thumb. “I want to be as honest as I can with you,” she murmured.

“I appreciate that, and I know you can’t give me the specifics. I just thought you’d be exhausted after last night’s activities.”

“It ended up being some frustrating meetings.”

“And you’re having another family meeting today?”

Joan took a sip of coffee. “Another meeting.”

Huh. That was somehow more confusing. “You’re really just having meetings? That’s not code for something?”

“It’s really just meetings. This one’s less formal. Just Mark and Perry.”

“I can’t believe you ditched me for a meeting,” Sadie half-joked.

“It sounds weak, I know, but I had to be there.” Joan looked at her with those arresting amber eyes. “I had a good talk with Race. At a different meeting. Some new things came up.”

Hmm. A talk with Race, but not the others. “So Mark and Perry,” Sadie said. “And Uncle Mel. Are they…?”

The elevator doors to their left opened. A twentysomething Black man glanced up from his phone as they stepped in. Sadie raised her eyebrows at Joan, telegraphing she had to answer when they were alone.

She felt bad poking into Superhero affairs, but she had a long history of people not being fully forthcoming with her. Joan had said her “uncle” and “big brother” weren’t who Sadie thought they were, but who else could Uncle Mel and Perry be but Flight and Lunk?

And where did Mark fit into the equation? He had unusually bright blue eyes. Joan always referred to her cousin withheandhimpronouns, so he wasn’t Race. Was he a sidekick? An ally who assisted in the fight against crime? Maybe he was an unknown Super. Or he could really just be Joan’s cousin, sworn to secrecy.

How did all the puzzle pieces fit together?

The elevator reached the lobby. Sadie firmly held Joan’s hand and all but dragged her away from the other residents milling about.

“So.” She leaned close and murmured, “Mark and Perry. How are they both work and family?”

Joan’s chest rose and fell with a deep sigh. “It’s really not what you think,” she said. “Like, it’sreallynot what you think.”

“Can you tell me who they are to you?”

“I can tell you they’re not…” Her voice had dropped to a near whisper. “Heroes.”

Sadie matched her volume. “They’re not Flight and Lunk?”

“Not at all.”

“And Uncle Mel?”

Joan snorted. “Definitely not.”

They exited their building into the brilliant sunshine. Joan released another deep breath. “We’ve had a miscommunication. I need to tell you… That is, I should’ve told you…”

She glanced across the street. Her eyes widened.

“Princess! No!” a woman screamed.

Joan took off running straight into traffic. Sadie’s blood froze as she helplessly watched Joan scoop up a fluffy little white dog. A large SUV squealed to a stop right in front of her.

Joan leapt on top of the hood, then took two big steps and pushed off the windshield with one foot. She landed in a crouch, cradling the dog. Then she jogged to the sidewalk and held the dog out to a middle-aged white woman.

“Here you go,” Joan said.

“Oh, Princess!” The woman hugged her dog tight. The little pup wiggled and licked her face all over.

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