“I hope so too.” But I didn’t have a good feeling about it. I vaguely remembered Nevin – I’d had to deal with him once or twice – and I suspected that whatever had happened to the others had befallen him as well. “I’ll let you know when I find out what happened.”
“Thank you.” Faron paused, his eyes shifting away for a moment before he met my gaze. “I know that we posted some uncomplimentary things in the paper about you when your…heritage…became public. I want to apologize for that.”
I shrugged. “You were just doing your job. I’m the Jaguar Clan’s outcast, and the Chieftain’s niece on top of it. Can’t imagine you’ve had a juicier story in a long time.” Old resentment bubbled up inside me at the reminder of those stories, but I pushed them down – there was no point in bringing it up.
“That’s true. Our sales skyrocketed during your hearing and imprisonment, I must admit.” Faron smiled briefly. “A lot of the shifters in the community don’t know how to feel about you, Sunaya. They want to hate you because you’re half-mage, and there’s a part of me that understands that. But I know how hard you fought to solve the silver murders. You’re one of the good ones.”
“Thanks.” I smiled, any resentment I felt toward the Courier evaporating. My nose told me his words were sincere, and they warmed me. “I’ll be in touch.”
I went to Lakin’s house next, and banged on the door for several minutes until he answered. His steambike was parked right out front, so I knew he was home, and damned if I was going to come back later. I didn't have a whole lot of time left until I had to report to the Mages Guild, so if I didn’t see him now I wouldn’t see him until tonight, if that.
“Oh for Magorah's sake!” Lakin finally shouted from the back of the house. “Just give me a moment, would you?”
I grinned at the sound of footsteps stomping across the floorboards, and a few seconds later, Lakin flung open the door. My eyebrows jumped as I took a good look at him – his short blond hair was sticking out in all directions, his lower jaw was covered in stubble, and he wore only a pair of loose drawstring pants that hung low on his hips, revealing his lean, muscular torso. His chest was lightly dusted with blond hair that trailed over his abdomen and disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants, drawing attention to the v-cut of his abdomen.
“Well good morning.” I waggled my eyebrows at him. “Do you normally answer the door like this, or is it just when the ladies come calling?”
“Sunaya?” A bewildered look crossed Lakin’s sleep-creased face, and to my surprise, he blushed. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you. Come in, come in.”
Bemused, I followed him inside, watching the self-conscious way he ran a hand through his hair. Shifters as a general rule weren’t modest, so I doubted Lakin was concerned that I’d just seen him half-naked. Maybe it was just that he looked so disheveled. I guess if my hair looked like that I’d be self-conscious too.
“Do you want coffee or anything?” Lakin asked, leading me into his kitchen. It was small but cozy, with the sink, counter and cabinets taking up the far side of the space, and the refrigerator and a small, wooden table and chair set on the other. “I just bought a new roast yesterday.”
“No, I’m good.” I wasn’t a huge coffee fan to begin with.
“Great. Let me just… can I just grab a shirt? I’m a little cold.”
“Uh, sure.” I arched a brow as he darted out of the kitchen. Shifters didn’t easily get cold, and it was the middle of summer. But I wasn’t about to call him on it – if wearing a shirt around me made him more comfortable then I wasn’t going to object. I wanted his full attention, after all. Bored, I fiddled with the cord of the red telephone that sat atop the table, twisting it around my finger as I waited for Lakin to return.
When Lakin finally came back, I could see he’d done more than throw a shirt on. I arched a brow at the sight of his wet, neatly combed hair and the pair of jeans he’d traded his sweatpants for, but again, I said nothing.
“So,” he said, clasping his hands together as he rested his forearms atop the table. “What’s going on?’
“I came to give you an update on the case.”
Lakin’s brows arched. “Have you?” His lips twitched a little. “I didn’t realize you’d been working on it without me.”
“Yeah, well I couldn’t stop thinking about it after I left so I decided to do a little more digging.” I told him about my visit to the Shifter Courier this morning, then pulled out the scrap of paper with the advertiser’s name and number on it. “I was thinking you might want to call The Butcher’s Block and question the contact. They don’t have a local office so a phone call might save some time.”
“How nice of you.” Lakin took the paper from me, still frowning. “It’s good to know I’m allowed to participate in my own investigation.”
My spine stiffened. “Are you saying that you would rather not have my help?” I asked, offended at his tone.