Page 79 of A Wolf After My Own Heart
It sounded impossible, so she sounded it out to be sure she had it right. “Sally’s parents boarded and took off together, they didn’t make any stops to refuel, but somewhere between D.C. and a muddy field in Iowa, Sam Smalls got off that plane.”
“Nailed it.”
“That’s correct, lass.”
“Did—was there a flight plan? Is there a rule about that?”
“You don’t have to file a flight plan,” Berne explained, “but Sue was meticulous. Two on board, no cargo, straight shot to MSP.”
“Well. Shit.”
“Succinctly put, lass.”
Chapter 32
“You know who faked their death?”
“You mean besides Jesus?”
Oz groaned. “Lila, please tell me you’ve never gone to church and sprung that theory on anyone.”
“It’s a perfectly legitimate—wait, how do you know about church? Are Shifters religious?”
“Why wouldn’t I know about churches?” Oz replied, bewildered. “Or religion?”
“Hey, I don’t make the rules. I just want to know what they are.”
It was late afternoon and they’d just gotten back from the airport. Berne had landed, taxied, given them cordial goodbyes, then pulled Oz aside just as he and Lila were about to head for the parking lot.
“Sure you don’t want to come with us, Magnus? Mama Mac’s turkey chili will make you cry and cry and then feel great but sleepy the rest of the day.”
“I need about twenty hours of sleepnow, lad. And I need to think about what we know, and about what we’ve yet to know. I also need a shower. Badly. But that young lady…the Stable. Be careful.”
He wanted to bristle; Berne was acting like an overbearing big brother, which was Annette’s job.
“You’ve only known her a couple of days.”
“I’ve known you foroneday.”
Magnus shrugged that off. “She flew to Iowa in the company of two men she’s just met, men she knew could overpower and kill her—not that we would’ve, butshedidna know that, and she still wasna worried. So she’s stupid, or dangerous. And I dinna think she’s stupid.”
Almost against his will, Oz turned to look at Lila, like a flower following the sun.
(Following thesun? Jesus.)
“No,” he replied slowly, watching her hop on the escalator. “She’s not stupid.”
“Hey! Are we going, or what? If you’re inviting him to move in with me,” Lila called, “I don’t have the room! I am not a Motel 6!”
Berne let out a snort. “Good luck, lad.”
“In general, or with the case, or with her?”
“Which d’ya think? It’s obvious you find her intriguing beyond the boundaries of your case.”
Shit. That obvious?“It—that’s not relevant.”
“Trust me, lad. She likes you. She barely glanced at me, which I can honestly say has never happened to me before.” “Peeved” was a new look for Magnus Berne. Oz decided, quite irrationally, that he liked it.
