As if on cue, both detectives stood.
“I think that’s enough for now. Thank you for your time,” Verra said. “We’ll be in touch.”
I’m sure they would.
Footsteps echoed as they marched to the door. Clink. A minute later, their car’s engine purred to life. Only then did everyone breathe another sigh of relief.
Cole gave me a bear hug, whispering, “Do me a solid and get the girls out of here. I’m going to have River tell the slayers about Collins and Justin.”
Poor Cole. He’d have to relive the horror all over again.
I’d make up for it later. I kissed him and stood. “Kat, Reeve, why don’t you come with me? I’m starved, and while I’m devouring half the contents of the pantry, you can give me an update about everything that happened while I was gone. Or grill me with questions about what happened on my end.”
Both girls hopped to their feet, eager.
“First,” River said, his attention riveted on Kat, “introduce me. Please.”
Uh-oh. Someone was about to wake Papa Bear.
“All you need to know about this one—” Frosty said, proving Papa Bear had done been woken as he stomped over to Kat to clasp her by the back of the neck and pull her close for a swift, hard kiss “—is that she’s mine, and I don’t share.”
To Kat he said, “Miss me while you’re gone.”
“Never.”
“Harsh. I’ll miss you.”
“That’s because you love me more than I love you.”
He barked out a laugh and spanked her on the bottom. “Everyone knows you love me more than I love you. Now get out of here before I make you prove it.”
She was grinning as she skipped from the office.
“You don’t talk to or even look at the other one,” Bronx said, hitching his thumb in Reeve’s direction. “She happens to be mine.”
Reeve waved.
Mr. Ankh dropped his head into his upraised hands.
“Possessive little buggers, aren’t they?” River said to Camilla. “What happened to friends sharing with friends?”
She was too busy staring at Cole to answer.
I rolled my eyes. After hooking my arm through Reeve’s, I drew her out of the room. Kat was already in the kitchen, making me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Owed her big-time! I claimed a chair at the table.
“Thank you,” I said, beyond grateful as she set the plate in front of me. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” she said.
She looked it.
“So, where are Veronica and Juliana?” I asked.
“Holed up in their room,” Reeve said, taking the chair at my left. “My dad wanted them out of sight. He also told us not to mention them to the police.”
They really were off the grid, then. I wondered why.
“Um, Ali,” Kat began, claiming the chair at my right.
Uh-oh. “What?” I said, the bite I’d just taken settling like a lead ball. “What’s happened?”
They shared a look laden with dread.
“The boys were talking about some new ability you have,” Kat said, twisting her fingers together. “They said it’s, like, as un-cake-like as possible.”
To zombies, sure. “And?” I prompted, relaxing.
“Well,” Reeve said, picking up where Kat had left off, “when my dad heard about it, he paled. He fell into his chair, and I swear I thought he was going to vomit the dinner I’d spent an hour preparing.”
“And?” I asked. Getting answers from these two was worse than pulling teeth.
Kat nibbled on her bottom lip. “He said he knew of only one other person who could do what you did, and her name was Helen Conway.”
Helen Conway.
Helen.
My Helen.
That... Well, it proved what Helen had said that day in the forest. Had it really happened yesterday, even though it felt like forever ago? Her hand had hovered over mine as warmth had flowed through me, passing her ability to me. A gift.
“Ali,” Kat continued, her voice wobbling. “Ten years ago, Helen died doing a job...for Anima.”
Chapter 15
GOT BRAIN?
Helen died doing a job for Anima.
The words tumbled through my mind, making me buzz with equal parts bewilderment and frustration. If she had worked for the enemy, why was she helping me now? To lure me in, just to trick me more easily later?
Smart, yes. But not likely.
First, she was a Witness, and Witnesses worked for Team Good, never Team Evil. Second, a monster wouldn’t have cared about giving up her little girl.
But her remorse...a dream, nothing more.
No. I didn’t think so. Not anymore. The emotions had been real, the scene vivid. It had happened, no doubt about it. My heart accepted what my mind couldn’t yet understand. Somehow, I’d seen into someone else’s past.