Page 46 of Grave Beginnings

He sent back a laughing emoji. A link popped up below with an encoded database search engine to paranormal species.

Nice.

I took a picture of Peanut Butter, who curled up beside me, and sent it back.

Peanut Butter and I thank you.

You really are a cat lover.

I am.

Do you have any recommendations on books about variant shifters?

Why?

Do I need a reason? Maybe I’d like to know more about the guy I’m partnered with?

He sent me a wide-eyed emoji.

Just ask.

My little brother is variant, I sent. And staying with me.

Shifter?

Yeah.

But I would also like to know more about my new partner. He’s got this adorable cat form that loves scratches and eats my sandwiches without asking.

Sounds like your partner is a jerk.

I swallowed a laugh.

And he’s not adorable.

He’s fierce.

Very fierce,

–ly adorable.

Two links appeared in our chat for eBooks on shifters.

Basics, but good info.

I downloaded them.

Thanks.

He sent a thumbs up emoji.

I put the chat aside to watch through the first two interviews again, reading over my notes, and Ezra’s, of anything he scented. Since they were from the two femaleemployees, the stories matched and nothing really stood out about either of them. But neither had been close enough to the victim to see what happened.

The only interesting thing I noted about the conversation with them was that neither of them had seen a child enter. And since the death happened in the middle of a school day, they would have noticed.

Why did Ezra ask about children? He’d noted the low angle of the blood spray.

I really needed to meet the guy. His observations were on point. Angel added a link to my recount of hearing a child giggle and followingsomething that looked like a kid, which led me across a new tear.