Page 45 of Red Boar's Baby

“No, just taking some things up to our place.” Jenny and Jay lived on the back of the ranch, apart from the main grouping of farm houses where the aunts were. “Someone’s been absolutely wild to have you watch him put his trick pony through his paces, though.”

“Let’s get the horses taken care of, and then he can show me as much as he wants.”

After they had the horses unsaddled, rubbed down, and turned out into the pasture, Costa and Diana leaned on the fence and watched Jay ride around the corral bareback and do tricks. He got the horse to dance lightly around some pole obstacles, stood up on the animal’s back and then, for the finale, leaped to the top of a fence rail.

After Diana stopped having a heart attack about the kid falling off—which didn’t seem likely; it was clear Jay had been riding since he was big enough to sit on a horse—she found herself mostly watching Costa. His face was soft and fascinated, and he called out encouragement or praise as the boy put the pony through its paces, and occasionally advice as well. Not like an adult humoring a child’s fancies. He was really interested.

It made her think of Costa holding Emmeline, the way his face went so soft and his entire body language radiated protectiveness.

He would have made a good dad,she thought. Then she wanted to metaphorically smack herself for thinking in the past tense. It wasn’t too late. Lots of people had kids later in life.

But—with whom? The very thought of Costa having kids with someone else made her bristle with what she knew was completely irrational jealousy. Still, the whole reason why they had the fake relationship arrangement was because neither of their careers really allowed for family and kids.

.... you settled down less than a two-hour drive from where you grew up.

Costa’s hand brushed her shoulder briefly, and she turned as if drawn by a wire. “Looks like visitors,” he said, nodding down the hill. On the far side of the ranch houses, there was a dust cloud and an approaching vehicle. “It’s probably Delgado. Hey, Jay, nice job! We gotta go, but I’ll come up and visit with you and your mom when I get a chance.”

The kid waved and slid off the fence rail onto the pony’s back again.

Diana and Costa had just arrived in the main ranch yard when a silver SUV, covered in dust, pulled in. The car door opened and Cat Delgado stepped out.

“Heya, boss,” she called. “You said the road was bad, but hoo-ee. I don’t think my suspension will ever be the same. Those are some washboards that my grandma could’ve used to scrub the entire family laundry.” She turned back as her passengers got out.

The first person out of the car was a cheerful woman with a pretty round face framed in waves of chestnut hair. Costa shook hands with her and introduced her to Diana as Nicole Yates, the SCB’s social worker from Seattle.

The tall, dark-haired man who had just followed her was presumably the other field agent, a handsome man in his thirties with short dark hair, tattoos visible on his biceps beneath the sleeves of a tight black T, and a stud earring in his left ear. He was helping unbuckle the seat belt of an adorable little girl with large dark eyes and brown braids.

Straightening, he held out a hand. “Chief Costa.”

“Agent Mendoza. Vic, this is Diana Reid, a search and rescue pilot helping out with this operation. Diana, Agent Vic Mendoza.”

Diana nodded, feeling both pleased and embarrassed to be introduced as part of the operation. Mendoza had a ready smile and a firm grip, and she liked him immediately.

“Agent Mendoza. It’s a pleasure.”

“Likewise. Call me Vic.”

When Mendoza released Diana’s hand, he put it down and the little girl promptly slipped her hand into it, standing close to his side.

Costa said, “And this is?”

“My daughter Molly,” said Mendoza. “This is Miss Reid and Mr. Costa. Say hi, Molly.”

“Hi,” said the girl, with a shy grin displaying a missing tooth.

“You can call me Diana,” Diana said. “How old is she?”

“Eight,” Molly said promptly. “And a half.”

“Half birthdays are important,” Costa said solemnly, and Molly gave him a look that suggested she was well aware the adults were putting her on. “Well, I’m forty and a half, and I was out for a horseback ride with my friend Diana just now.” He mimed fanning his face, and the little girl giggled. “Let’s go up to the ranch house and hydrate.”

As they started walking up to the ranch house, Molly detached from her dad’s hand and ran to look at various things, the cactus flowers having particular fascination for her.

“She seems sweet, but are you entirely aware that I didn’t requisition a child?” Costa asked.

“I know. I had to bring her; I don’t have anyone to leave her with at home, at least for longer than overnight. And,” Vic said quietly, stepping closer, “right now she’s just started shifting, so it’s a bit hard for her to control. Agent Delgado said everyone here is a shifter or knows about them; is that right?”

“Yeah,” Costa said. “It’ll be fine. My clan has seen plenty of kids through their early shifting. Just so that I know whether we should be looking in the treetops or in holes in the backyard, what does she?—”

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