Page 64 of Cheater Slicks

“But there is bone.”

Bone? As in the toe Anunit chomped off as part of our exchange? That bone?

“And whose bright idea was that?” Dis Pater exhaled a growl. “This experiment of yours has gotten out of hand.”

Experiment?Me?I swallowed hard. That couldn’t be good.

“You knew the risks.”

“And I took every precaution,” he seethed at his companion. “I encased their memories in god glass. Any mention of their pasts, of their identities, slides off. Nothing they learn about themselves will stick. I could whisper his name in her ear, and she wouldn’t so much as blink. An hour later, it would be too slippery for her to recall, and the day after she wouldn’t remember ever hearing it.”

“Let us hope your confidence won’t be our undoing.”

“Oh no you don’t.” Dis Pater snarled, stomping closer to the door. “Get back here.”

Silence cut like a knife as we both waited for the smoky voice to reply.

But he was gone.

And two seconds later, as the doorknob turned, so was I.

Mumbled words rushed in as I sucked in a sharp breath and jackknifed off the marble bench.

“Whoa there.” Rollo gripped my shoulders. “You’re safe.” He checked me over. “What happened?”

“Dis Pater almost walked in on me.” I blew out a slow breath. “He was talking to someone outside the house. I don’t know who. Their voices echoed, so I heard them loud and clear, but I couldn’t see anything.”

Seeming satisfied I was in one piece, he asked, “Did you get the address?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I might have a hint, though.” I thought back on my glimpse through the window, one detail sticking out in my mind that hadn’t gelled at the time. “There was a tall ship on the water.”

“A tall ship?” His usual judging look pinched his expression. “Like a pirate ship?”

“Sort of?” I considered the history of the area. “You can book those for harbor cruises, right?”

“How would I know?” His eyebrows shot higher. “I don’t go on the water.”

“You drive over Lake Pontchartrain every time you leave the city.”

At nearly twenty-four miles long, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana was the longest continuous bridge over water in the US.

“Since never you mind,maringouin.” He snorted. “Besides, I saidonit, notoverit.”

“Boston has a lot of them. Cruises. I don’t know about tall ships.” I couldn’t remember why I knew that, which meant I probably learned it after watching a documentary with the other Marys after we used the old game spinner to choose a random show for us. “The view from the house is pure beach.”

“Google is your friend,” he said dryly.

“Yeah, yeah.” I got to my feet. “Thanks for the help.”

A negligent shrug pinched his shoulders. “Will you go back?”

“I’m not sure it will be safe. I don’t know if Dis Pater can sense me inside his wards or not. If I risk it, I’ll find out the hard way.” I broke the circle with the toe of my shoe. “I’ll do some research, see if I can shake anything loose. If I can’t, then I have to choose. I can’t give up on this angle.”

The second I exited the crypt, I bounced off Kierce’s chest and stumbled back a step into Rollo.

Bright, silver eyes bored into mine. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I indicated Rollo. “We were just?—”

---