Blood Brothers

“Terrifying.” He pulled her against him, held her hard. “I’ve never had another woman in my life who’s given me as many bad moments as you.”

“I’m delighted to hear it.”

“I thought you would be.” He laid his cheek on top of her head. “I’d like to stay here, just like this, for an hour or two.” He replaced his cheek with his lips, then eased back. “But I’ve things I have to do, and so do you. Which I knew before I walked in here and used it as an excuse to pick a fight.”

“I don’t mind a fight. Not when the air’s clear afterward.”

He framed her face with his hands, kissed her softly. “Your hot chocolate’s getting cold.”

“Chocolate’s never the wrong temperature.”

“The one thing I said before? Absolute truth. I missed you.”

“I believe I can arrange some free time in my busy schedule.”

“I have to work tonight. Maybe you could stop in. I’ll give you another bowling lesson.”

“All right.”

“Qui

“Yes, we do. One thing before you go. Is Fox going to offer Layla a job?”

“I said something to him.” Cal swore under his breath at her expression. “I’ll give him another push on it.”

“Thanks.”

Alone, Qui

Cybil came in. “All clear?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“No problem.” She opened a cupboard and chose a small tin of loose jasmine tea from her supply. “Discuss or mind my own?”

“Discuss. He was worked up because I told him I love him.”

“A

“Some of both, I think. More worried because we’ve all got scary things to deal with, and this is another kind of scary thing.”

“The scariest, when you come down to it.” Cybil filled the teakettle with water. “How are you handling it?”

“It feels…great,” she decided. “Energizing and bouncy and bright, then sort of rich and glimmering. You know, with Dirk it was all…” Qui

“Whoa, point A to Z in ten words or less.”

“Exactly.” Qui

“Hence the jolt.” Cybil measured out her tea. “But I don’t see you jumping off.”

“Because you know me. I like where my feet are, as it turns out. I like the idea of heading down that path with Cal, toward wherever it ends up. He’s in trouble now,” she murmured and took another sip.

“So are you, Q. But then trouble’s always looked good on you.”

“Better than a makeover at the Mac counter at Saks.” Qui

“Won’t that be fun?” Cybil said it dryly as she poured boiling water for her tea.

ARMED WITH THE KEY, CYBIL OPENED THE MAIN door of the old library. “We’re here, on the surface, for research. One of the oldest buildings in town, home of the Hawkins family. But…” She switched on the lights. “Primarily we’re looking for hidey-holes. A hiding place that was overlooked.”

“For three and a half centuries,” Cybil commented.

“If something’s overlooked for five minutes, it can be overlooked forever.” Qui

There were some tables and chairs set up, and someone had made an attempt at some old-timey decor in the antique old lamps, old pottery, and wood carvings on shelves. Qui

“Stone fireplace,” she said. “See, that’s an excellent place to hide something.” After crossing to it, she began to poke at the stones. “Plus there’s an attic. Essie said they used it for storage. Still do. They keep the folding tables and chairs up there, and that kind of thing. Attics are treasure troves.”

“Why is it buildings like this are so cold and creepy when no one’s in them?” Layla wondered.

“We’re in this one. Let’s start at the top,” Qui

“ATTICS ARE TREASURE TROVES,” CYBIL SAID twenty minutes later, “of dust and spiders.”

“It’s not that bad.” Qui

“Not that good either.” Courageously, Layla stood on a folding chair, checking rafters. “I don’t understand why people don’t think storage spaces shouldn’t be cleaned as regularly as anyplace else.”

“It was clean once. She kept it clean.”

“Who-” Layla began, but Cybil waved a hand at her, frowned at Qui

“A

“A

Abruptly, Qui

Cybil crouched down to study Qui

“I guess it was.” She pressed her fingers to her forehead. “Damn, got one of those I-drank-my-frozen-margarita-too-fast-and-now-have-an-ice pick-through-my-brain headaches. I saw it, her, them, in my head. Just as clear. Everything moving, like a time-action camera. Years in seconds. But more, I felt it. That’s the way it is for you, isn’t it-going the other way?”

“Often,” Cybil agreed.

“I saw her writing in her journal, and washing her sons’ faces. I saw her laughing, or weeping. I saw her standing at the window looking into the dark. I felt…” Qui

“You don’t look well.” Layla touched her shoulder. “We should go downstairs, get you some water.”

“Probably. Yeah.” She took the hand Layla offered to help her up. “Maybe I should try it again. Try to bring it back, get more.”

“You’re awfully pale,” Layla told her. “And, honey, your hand’s like ice.”

“Plenty for one day,” Cybil agreed. “You don’t want to push it.”

“I didn’t see where she put the journals. If she put anything here, I didn’t see.”