“So how did the appointment go today? What did you and Volkstaff conclude?”
He didn’t have to ask where Daniel was now—Daniel’s normal shower-serenade volume would have gotten him in trouble if the other tenants were any closer. The Bon Jovi phase hadn’t passed yet; he was particularly fond of “Shot Through the Heart” at the moment. Alex didn’t find it so funny, but she tried not to let it irritate her.
“The vet thinks Daniel’s good to go. I concur. You Beaches are a charmed breed.” She shook her head, still a little incredulous at how quickly and thoroughly Daniel had healed. “Also, he wants to look at your feet.”
Kevin scowled. “My feet are fine.”
“Don’t shoot the messenger. I mean that literally.”
His frown faded into his normal expression, but he continued to stand there in the doorway, staring at her.
“Sooo… ?” she echoed.
“So… do you have any ideas about where you’re heading now?”
Alex twitched her shoulders noncommittally. “Nothing too specific yet.” Like a coward, she turned back to her worn duffel and looked over her stowed chemicals again, checking that they were all appropriately protected from jostling. She might have been going overboard with the organization, she admitted to herself. They probably didn’t need to be alphabetized. But she’d had a lot of time on her hands, and other than surfing the web for possible new digs, she was at loose ends. Daniel had objected to being examined more than four times a day.
“Have you talked to Danny about it?”
She nodded with her back still turned to him. “He says wherever I want to go is fine by him.”
“He’s planning to tag along with you, I guess.”
Kevin’s voice was casual, but Alex knew it must be a strain to keep it that way.
“I haven’t discussed that part specifically with him, but, yes, it does seem to be the assumption.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, and she really had nothing left to do with the bag. She turned slowly to face him.
“Yeah,” he said, “I could tell it was going to go that way.” His expression was indifferent. Only his eyes revealed the depths of his hurt.
She didn’t want to tell the full story, but she felt guilty holding it back. “If it makes you feel any better, he seems to be assuming you’ll be there, too.”
Kevin’s eyebrows eased back from their normal compressed position.
“Really?”
“Yes. I don’t think he’s envisioned any more splitting up at this point.”
Kevin inclined his chin. “I can understand that. Kid’s been through a lot.”
“He’s bouncing back pretty well.”
“True, but we wouldn’t want to traumatize him again. Don’t want him to have a setback.”
Alex knew where Kevin was going with this. She suppressed both a sigh and a smile, keeping her face neutral.
“True,” she said in her serious-doctor tone. “It might be best to keep his environment as stable as possible, aside from all the unavoidable changes.”
Kevin didn’t suppress his sigh. He blew out a huge breath and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’ll probably be an enormous pain, but I guess I can stick close until he’s adapted.”
Alex couldn’t resist pushing back just a tiny bit. “I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to put yourself out. He’ll survive.”
“No, no, I owe the kid. I’ll do what I have to.”
“He’ll appreciate that.”
Kevin met her gaze for one long second, his expression candid, and then suddenly sheepish. The moment passed, and he grinned.
“What’s the general area you’re looking at?” he asked.
“I was thinking maybe the Southwest or the Rocky Mountains. Medium-size city, settle in the suburbs. The usual.”
No one was looking for them, as far as they knew, but Alex was always a fan of playing it safe, just in case. She’d have to use a fake name regardless—Juliana Fortis was legally dead.
Daniel’s singing cut off, then picked up again, muffled by a towel.
“I know a town that might work.”
Alex shook her head slowly. He’d probably already rented a house and set up the new identities. She’d choose her own name no matter what he’d done. “Of course you do.”
“How do you feel about Colorado?”
EPILOGUE
Adam Kopecky sat today’s files on his desk and reached for the phone with a smile already in place. He had the best job in the world.