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“But?” Why don’t you hang up? Idiot
“I don’t knohere she is”
Sweet Lethe
My fingers tightened on the phone until I felt the has she been gone?”
“I saw her yesterday She left her phone at my place, but I didn’t worry about it because ere supposed to meet for lunch today When she didn’t show—”
“You decided so because that’s not like her”
“Sounds like you know her pretty well”
“I did Jesse, can you feel her?” He’d sensed I was in trouble froia His ee, and it extended to those he cared about
“No” His anguish caone So far, I can’t sense anything But she wouldn’t just leave…” Then he seeer “Shan told you about ain?”
“Corine Solo to him
A sharp intake of breath “I feel like I should know you Like I do know you”
Poor Jesse He exuded bewilderment
“It’s…coifted, too”
“Ah Corine” He repeated the word like a talisone, and since I didn’t knohat they were talking about, I just shrugged And my boss, Glencannon,” he added in a tone of realization “He assumed you’d left because of my job Who the hell are you?”
Chuch and Eva knew everything; they were old friends, not gifted theh soard to spooky happenings They both had a shady, interesting past—Eva had dabbled in forgery, and Chuch used to run weapons, but they’d settled into suburban bliss in Texas
Chance and I stayed in Laredo long enough to see their baby daughter, Caious, and she insisted on having the rite performed as soon as possible Afterward, I’d explained to Chuch why Shannon wouldn’t be returning to Mexico with me I offered money for her room and board, but he’d refused, as I had known he would He said Shan elco as she needed, and that Eva appreciated her help He’d also proet spell wore off because I didn’t knohat the effects would be if ainst human interference I’d heard it could be trau, so if this was similar, then we had to err on the side of caution I hadn’t wanted to hurt Shannon and Jesse, only protect them
“Well?” he prompted in his sweet drawl
“The i Shannon,” I said softly “You start the search on your end I’ll do what I can here, and if I locate her, I’ll call you”
“That’s not good enough—” But I did then what I should’ve done earlier, and cut the call
He rang back, but I let it go to voice mail Jesse was Shannon’s boyfriend, which meant she was all that connected us I’ddown the line when the spell wore off, as it sees you just don’t do, and hooking up with your best friend’s ex sat at the top of the list For me, Jesse Saldana was now an untouchable
It seeo to the rendezvous point on the back of the note if I intended to save the girl And obviously, I did I couldn’t bear to consider what she ; I had to focus on the here and now After tucking ot a backpack and started filling it with provisions for a road trip When Chance arrived a little later, I was still at it Tia must have let him in; I didn’t hear the bell, but my room had thick walls and was near the back of the house So, not surprising
He tapped on the door and then came in before I answered Because he knew ainst him, and said, “Tell me”
It felt good to be in his arms, familiar, even with the differences I was sli ainst the smooth fabric of his shirt, I explained the situation succinctly He let go of me then, but not in rejection He picked up the note to exa
“So you think demons have Shannon?”
“The spell suggested as much Certainly they’re involved on some level”
“What do they mean, ‘claim the crown’?”
He knew I’d handled my business with Montoya, but he didn’t know the particulars And this wasn’t the time to tell him
“I’m not sure,” I prevaricated “But I am sure demons took Shan”
Chance nodded “Let ure out where we’re going It’s a good thing the shop isn’t finished yet”
Gratitude warrees I wasn’t ready to sleep with him, or move in with him, but I remembered why I’d been with hi Maybe second chances ht that if so failed, it was best to put it in the rearview mirror and try not to think about it I cut ties like a professional swordso Maybe thatafter all
He dropped a quick kiss on race capturedfor him to return Twenty minutes later, he was back in my room, laptop in hand Tia didn’t have Internet, so he had a USB wireless card, convenient for travel Chance took the note and brought up a program A few keystrokes and clicks later, he had a map on the screen