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He walked into the kitchen and opened his refrigerator For aplopped onto the counter next to hiun and sar Where were you? Sleeping on top of the fridge?"

He stroked the pitch-black cat with the huge gold eyes that sidled up to him

"Sorry, how inconsiderate ofon, okay?"

Sloan found the cat’s bohich was shoved up against the cabinets beneath the sink, and filled it with cat food, then checked the automatic water dispenser he had for his pet It was still almost full

"You needed sustenance and that co for a beer"

The cat meowed; he was darned loud for a cat Very talkative He’d found Sloan, rather than the other way around One day, he’d been on the doorstep and Sloan had taken him in The fliers he’d posted around town hadn’t produced an owner, nor had the ad he’d placed in the paper Cougar had becoe, maybe part Persian or Maine coon, and he deserved the naar"

Once the cat was cared for, Sloan pulled a beer froerator and went back to the parlor

He eased into one of the two plush leather chairs that sat in front of the fire, although tonight he didn’t have a fire going He closed his eyes for a ain, he saw that he wasn’t alone

Theand dark and barely graying He wore jeans, a calico shirt and a cowboy hat His facial structure was fine and proud, his expression stoic at all times

It wasn’t Johnny Bearclaw Johnny never entered without knocking

It was the "visitor" he’d first , he’d learned that Longrandfather on his randfather--and to see that his great-great grandson learned how to help the living cross the great plain to the great lands beyond

Only, when Sloan’s grandfather had died and crossed the plain, Longman had not He chose to remain behind and tored to keep fro for the spirit of his ancestor to speak

Long for a while He stared at the hearth as if a fire was crackling

"Evening," Sloan said at last, raising his beer to Longravely, then continued to stare as if deep in thought,fla of the woan "She’s a very good artist" She was "I don’t knohy, but I feel I’ve seen the wo, and it bothers me But that’s impossible" He didn’t add that he was bothered by Jane Everett, as well She could be all business, and yet courteous at the sa She was truly stunning and he had to admit he was attracted to her in a way that was definitely physical but much more Maybe it had to do with how she moved and spoke, or the depth of passion and care that seeain, he didn’t knohy She was no doubt proficient at protecting herself

Longman looked at him "And?" he asked

"Andand that’s it Oh, there’s the usual Caleb Hough is acting like an idiot over his son being arrested The kid is okay, though"

"But you’re worried"

"Yeah, I’h wasn’t his major concern at the moment; it was Jane Everett Strip away the FBI appearance, the tailored business attire, and Jane Everett looked as if she could be a erie

That didn’t explain why he was afraid for her In fact, there was no reason for anyone to be afraid in Lily The town had kids who drank too ht they were s in Lily and, for the most part, Native Americans, African Aot along just fine

Longman turned back to the hearth "When you feel the wind,froet that we need to pay heed to the sights and sounds that tease the air If you feel wind, Sloan, then you "

"A store, a shake-up The ground is always quiet before the earth erupts First, , they fall through the cracks"

Great Really great All he needed was a cryptic ancestor Longman was on his mother’s side His dad’s people had been a no-nonsense ian But, of course, this land had been in his reat-grandfather, and it was her father who’d raised him This house was on old Apache land, it was natural, he supposed, that his last full-blooded Apache ancestor should come to his parlor to watch invisible flames

Then, of course, his dad’s faood--and those who’d just disappeared into thin air