Page 28 (1/2)

"What would you like for dinner, tonight, Dad? I’ like steak And maybe soht, so I was glad we had decided on steak I’d realized when I was checking over ht’s activity why I was craving iron-rich food But for e appetite, however, there were no outward signs that I was screwing a blood-sucking creature of the night Except for the faintest, and Ion my neck and wrists, I was entirely unmarked by Ryu’s and my affair

I watched, happy to be quiet, as my dad and Ryu talked about poker My dad loved poker and would even watch it on TV, which topaint dry But for some reason, I was not at all surprised that Ryu was equally keen on the gaht, just as he caught rin

I s, at that moment, just how happy I was that he hadn’t had to leave Rockabill so soon It felt like everyon the horizon Maybe, I thought, if he stays long enough, she’ll get so solid you can just jump into her, and leave Old Jane behind I took a second to ponder the likelihood of being able to give New Jane thinner thighs…

When ere done eating, Ryu helped ht topast Nick and Nan’s old bed and breakfast--now a struggling boutique hotel run by Stuart’s parents--and out into the wilds north of Rockabill

We pulled up to a beautiful log cabin that was entirely wrapped around by a lovely verandah, or deck, or whatever the proper na away in her little rocking chair, while Trill was playing Frisbee with Anyan I s made an enormous leap into the air to catch the Frisbee Trill had a powerful arht have taken off the top of a tree Trill grinned at ed his tail slowly, but didn’t co "Good to see you again, child," she greetedeye on Ryu "You look pleased with yourself, youngling," she told hiave her a cheeky s inside the cabin, I ad I noticed was the smell--it smelled deliciously of lemon wax and carda sculptures all over the place, tucked on top of and between various pieces of battered but attractive furniture I hoped I’d get a chance to look at the sculptures up close, but noas not the tiood a snoop as I could as alked through to the seating area The kitchen was surprisingly e I assumed this was Nell’s cabin, but I wasn’t quite sure how she could reach the top of the stove Which I didn’t think was the most polite of questions, so I surreptitiously looked around for a footstool as Ryu and I settled onto the overstuffed leather sofa Meanwhile, Trill sat down atchair inside and sat down across from us Anyan lay half in, half out the cabin’s open front door, as far away froet

Nell nodded at Anyan and, causing the dog to flinch, said, "While you tere a yourselves, Anyan has been very busy The body is disposed of, and he’s collected Gretchen’s effects Her briefcase was only slightly daed by the fire, but her files and business planner had already been removed Her killer overlooked her personal planner, but it contains very little information outside of her dental appointments Goblins like to keep their teeth sharp," Nell inforht be able toof its contents Finally, Gus is on his way because Anyan was clever enough to reed quartz rock sitting on a copy of National Geographic in the ured out what it was: the stone that had bashed in Peter’s skull

"Nice work," Ryu said to Anyan, and for a second I got the impression he’d almost called Anyan "sir" Maybe that’s what this tension is about, I thought Ryu used to be Anyan’s underling, and now they’re supposed to be equals That can’t be a comfortable situation I looked curiously between Ryu and the barghest, as if by co the two their secrets would be revealed

Ryu took ravel drive, and Anyan whirled about to greet the new arrival It was Gus,as if in space behind his glasses

He gave us all a curt greeting, taking adisconcertingly, before his attention was drawn to the stone sitting on the table He walked toward it the way another person ently picked it up and stood stroking it, huht startle otherwise

I shuddered Gus’s rapport with the stone was giving me the willies Not only was it just weird, but I could see that the rock still had blood and, I i to be caressed; it was so to be Lysoled

Ryu squeezed ently "Can you tell us anything?"

Gus looked up and I could see that he was nearly crying "Oh, it’s awful," he said "She saw everything She’s still very upset"

I couldn’t help it, it was all too much I let out a little snort of derision; it was either that, or run away screa

Gus abruptly turned toward me, the quickest movement I had ever seen him make "It’s not funny," he said, sharply "Hoould you like it if someone picked you up and used you to brain somebody?"