Page 41 (1/2)

"Hell" Jake flipped open his phone and punched in a nuot a new situation"

"See you at the house," Ryan said to Jake Jake gave him the thumbs-up, and Ryan led Carol to his own truck

When they were on their way to Darien’s hoht, correct?"

"Yes" Carol rubbed her ar you wanted to check on hiht not have discovered what they were up to until it was too late Whoever’s sick can be brought here And none of theto them Certainly not after what they pulled with you Are you sure you didn’t have a premonition of the phone call? It seeo there, and we find he’s just sleeping, but then we learn of North’s interest in the doc"

"I didn’t have a vision of anything Just a strong feeling And since the last vision I had was of Doc not being able to shift back, that’s what I feared this was all about"

"I thought we established that you don’t see lengthy visions, that he could very well shift later on"

"In his wolf foritated I can’t see where he is, but it’s like he’s caged in Like he’s stuck"

He could allow that she "felt" so that he’d have a hunch about a situation and know danger was present, or that so that he could prove in a court of law Just that elusive feeling

But he couldn’t help feeling that soered her need to be at Doc’s house at the rightthat was a littlelike a sixth sense that went beyond what he norht about Doc being in his wolf for that about "Maybe he just does that normally, Carol"

She turned to stare at him "What?"

"Doc Maybe he turns into the wolf and paces when he’s agitated sometimes All of us handle situations differently My Aunt Tilda likes to take a nap as a wolf As a hu, only children take naps But as a wolf, she feels it’s acceptable So maybe when Doc Weber is stressed, he shape-shifts To an extent, it does change e are for a while It’s a different sort of freedom"

"Maybe he does shift for that reason," she said quietly, "but I wouldn’t have a vision of so that is perfectly normal for him"

Silence stretched between them as Ryan mulled that over "Do you see more pieces of the vision later on?"

"Soe Like with Mervin tacklingany confirmation that what she envisioned could co to worry for Doc, too

Chapter 20

TWENTY MINUTES LATER, RYAN PULLED INTO DARIEN’S drive, unable to let go of Carol’s concern over Doc or his oorry that she nition and spoke to Carol as Jake pulled in behind him and parked

"You sure you didn’t have another preered your concern?"

"I’?"

He shook his head and opened his door "I don’t know Maybe your pre, too?" Her eyes ide "A hunch that ht?"

Orinto his psyche Almost as if her concern for a future unknown event had sensitized him to the possibility that it existed He shook his head at hihed, and he closed his door Before he could reach hers, Jake was already there again, helping her out

Darien headed outside to speak to them "I don’t want Lelandi to know about this latest developuard as usual until we settle this But it appears that the hospital staff are ets this tihing his head off, and decided to shift"

"No," Carol said, her voice hushed as her hand flew to her breast

Ryan caught her free arht he’d feel better Soies better If it’s the flu, canines can’t catch the human variety So it would knock it out Anyway, if it’s any of thewill lessen the sye back if need be "

Carol looked pale and distraught

"Let’s go inside," Darien said, studying her "Lelandi’s got supper on"

His arm around her waist, Ryan walked Carol into the house and whispered to her, "You all right?"