“Local carpenter makes them, sells them at hardware stores. I was just lucky enough to stumble across it.” I was glad to hear the students were willing to return to the dorm. I was under the impression the kids just wanted to get stuff out. “I haven’t seen Delaney since it all went down. Where did he go, anyway?”
“Got on the first plane out,” Eli reported, tone as dry as a martini. “And that makes him officially done. My super, your super, and his super are all absolutely fed up and have officially washed their hands of him.”
“Good. Guy wasn’t someone I wanted at my back.”
Quinn scooted past me to join in the conversation. “So does that mean you don’t need us back down there?”
“All that’s left is replacing the windows, and we can’t do anything about that.” Eli shrugged. “Might have to still smooth a few ruffled feathers with the president. He dropped by to see how things were going, and he’s still a little rattled.”
“Man looked like he was eligible for burial in twenty-four hours,” Mack pitched in, already in the kitchen. “He was that sheet white and shaky. But then, confronting something that overturns your beliefs will do that to a man.”
“Booker?” Quinn asked his wife.
“Taking advantage of having a bathtub to himself, so he’s at the hotel soaking.” Eli shook her head, amused. “And watching The Witcher, if you want to know the truth of it.”
Mack breathed in deep, like a bloodhound scenting the air. “Edmée, is that your famous chili I smell? Where is it?”
“In the crockpot,” Edmée answered in exasperation. “Some mighty hunter you are.”
“Hey, you say that, but hunters only notice if something moves,” he shot back. “It’s not moving, so thereby, I can’t see it.”
Eli cackled. “The logic is flawless! Explains a lot about you, Quinn.”
Quinn shot her an exasperated glare.
Edmée, perhaps wisely, decided not to trust Mack with putting lunch on the table. She went in and helped dish it all up, putting things out. I wrangled the four-year-old away from her new toy long enough to get her hands washed and her into her booster seat.
I ate through a bowl before I knew what had happened and had to go back for seconds just so I could properly appreciate the taste. Edmée seemed pleased we all enjoyed it. Not to mention she’d made a huge pot of it. Between Quinn and I, there wouldn’t be much left.
“Miss E.” Cali pointed to Eli’s mechanical arm, resting on the table. “Why’s your arm like that?”
Edmée looked appalled her daughter had asked.
Eli didn’t even blink. “I donated it for science. Got this instead. Cool, huh?”
Cali nodded agreement and went back to her chili.
It amused me that even though she didn’t understand half of that, Cali accepted the arm should be as it was, because Eli said so. Kids, man. I could see it embarrassed Edmée though so I changed subjects. “So with the friendly ghost already sent on her way, is there anything left for us to do?”
“No,” Eli said, sprinkling more cheese over her chili. “I think we’re pretty much done aside from writing the after-incident report. We can’t linger here for long, there’s other cases to handle. We don’t have a particular assignment yet, but I have no doubt by the time we fly home, another one will be in the works. Speaking of, can you two drive us back to the airport tomorrow? Flight’s at two.”
“Sure,” I agreed easily.
“This whole case has been a bit of a hot mess express,” Eli noted to Quinn. “But it’s been rather fun, too.”
“That it has,” Mack agreed. “So the next time you want to play, make sure to invite us, okay?”
A gamine grin crossed Eli’s face. “Sure, you betcha.”
Epilogue
The party was at full swing at Jon and Donovan’s house. It was ostensibly to celebrate me bonding with Mack—at least the banner over the front windows said as much. I think it also paired up with Jon’s mom’s divorce party, as that was finalized now. I understood they were still going to court to separate the finances and get that sorted, but of course her ex would make some part of this process hell. Lauren was just glad to not be married to him anymore.
With the weather its usual mercurial, rainy self, indoors was the perfect place to have a party. Food seemed to just keep coming from the kitchen, someone had Alexa playing music. For once, my sister Sammy had managed to get away from all of her commitments and join in.
Sammy brought me an ice-cold beer as she settled into the love seat next to me. “Ooh, thanks, sis.”
“This is my bribe so I can grill you,” she informed me. Of us all, Sam looked the most like dad. She had his nose, his eyes, and a more streamlined version of his bone structure. It made her look strong and elegant, like a predator cat, instead of pretty. Really, it suited her personality. My sister was not a delicate little flower.
I eyed her sideways as I sipped my beer. This was going to be good.
“You’re being careful during sex, right?”
“Sis, we’re both FBI,” I answered patiently. “We get routinely tested. Yes, we use condoms, but we don’t actually need to.” In fact, I was considering getting Mack to ditch those soon.
“That’s not what I meant, genius. I mean, you’re twice his size. Don’t break him.”
Mack snickered behind me, I could hear him. I had warned him my sister has no filter on her mouth whatsoever.
“Don’t worry, Sam,” he caroled brightly, coming over to join us. “He’s only knocked me into a window once.”
I gave him a forlorn look. “You’re never going to let me live that down.”
“Never,” he assured me cheerfully even as he made himself comfortable on my lap.
Sam was trying to keep a stern look on her face, but her eyes danced, giving the game away. “I just knew I should have warned you earlier. You’re such a lug.”
Being a mature adult, I stuck my tongue out at her.
Sam returned the gesture promptly.
“I love your family,” Mack snickered even as he stole some of my beer. “Fortunately, it seems my mom does too. She’s a lot more relaxed about us living up here now that she’s met all of you.”
That did seem to be true. Even at this moment, she was sitting next to my father and chatting amiably, her hands gesturing. It was cute to see her getting along with them so well. Mack had flown her up yesterday, and she’d stay through till Tuesday, when she’d drive back down. He’d also snuck some money to her so she could buy a few new clothes, I think. I knew better than to ask as money and obligations were still touchy subjects with him.
Sam paused with her own beer halfway to her lips. “You’re really going to live in Nashville?”
Shaking my head, I corrected, “Murfreesboro.”
“It’s a fine balance.” Mack pitched in on the explanation. “We need something close to an airport, if we have to fly out in a hurry. Our boss requested we stay towards the southern US, as most of the other mediums live either in New England or on the West Coast. We wanted to stay close enough to see family and have someone on hand to check mail, water plants, that kind of thing.”