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"How did he hide it?" I asked

Cody gavebehind his eyes "He didn’t The rain did The thunderstorm Remember?"

Oh, I remembered "You couldn’t have known Cody, we didn’t even suspect Boo Radley! We just went there to notify hiht," he said brusquely "And if we’d done it before the storm, I would have picked up the Tall Man’s scent"

There wasn’t a lot I could say to that "I’m sorry"

"It’s not your fault," Cody said "You didn’t know any better I did But"

The word trailed away, dangling a host of unsaid things We hadn’t gone out to investigate immediately because I’d found Cody in a feral state, still ht before I’d startled him He’d yanked me down, and I’d liked it I’d kissed hi Aftere’d lain together in a nest of woolen blankets and Cody had listened tomy back fro cracked the sky, thunder rumbled in theaway the scent trail

It had been one of the nicest ret it, Cody" There was a tremor in my voice "I really don’t"

"I know" He slung an arm around o back"

By the tis had quieted Most of the crowd had dispersed Somewhere in the aftermath, Lurine had shifted back into hu with thean was in custody in the back of a police cruiser The Easties had clambered down the fire escape fro a stern lecture fro their best to look abashed, but I was pretty sure they were delighted with themselves, and I couldn’t blame them

The Tall Man’s bones still lay in a heap in thesteel plate

"Daisy!" Jen was standing in a small cluster that included her sister, Lee, Casimir, Sinclair, and, unfortunately, Stacey Brooks Jen waved me over, and I saw that Lee had retrieved the spirit lantern and had it tucked into the crook of one aruilt swept over otten I’d set it down "You guys were aht"

"You totally saved my life," Stacy said to Sinclair She shuddered at the"Totally"

He glanced at me "Actually--"

"It’s okay," I said There was no way in hell I was going to try to explain to Stacey that I’d nearly gottenher stupid life with an invisible bullwhip of y Other than the uessed what had happened there "I’lad no one but Jojo" A luht

"I know," Sinclair said softly, touching the sprig of joe-pye weed drooping over his breast pocket "She was a brave little thing"

"She was a foulmouthed, obnoxious little shit, and I’ll ly eht in his other hand "So what happens now?"

"I’ll take randfather’s spirit home and lay it to rest where his bones are buried," Sinclair said in a grim voice "And I’ll tell my mother and my sister that if they want me to have any part of their lives, they’ll never, ever threaten ain"

"Amen, brother," Casioing back to Jamaica exactly what they wanted you to do?"

"Oh, I’ it "And after tonight, there’s no way they canMr Palht, Miss Daisy," Casiained a considerable a of strength and power, now that everything was under control, I was feeling the acute drain onataze, I kindled ," Bethany said unapologetically "It’s just that I’" She ss "Funny, I never noticed how cute you were"

Gah! And yetgoddamn eldritch Kinsey scale My shield flickered as I stared at ine the my skin

"Okay, ew!" Jen said in a fir at the Easties, I’ with me"