Page 145 of The Bone Code

Ryan gently brushed sweat-soaked hair from my face. Waited.

“A car was running you down, Ryan. Just like on Laurier.”

“And we saw how that went. I’m indestructible.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You want to talk about the rest?”

“Maybe later. Sorry to ruin your shower.”

“I’d just finished when I heard you shrieking.”

“I don’t shriek.”

“Birdie did a half gainer.” Ryan unwrapped the towel to dry his hair. “Stuck the landing nicely.”

“Are you trying to distract me?” I asked.

“How am I doing?”

“Hit the road, cowboy.”

“You’re sure?”

“Happy trails.”

I watched him dress in jeans, a long-sleeved waffle tee, leather jacket, and muffler. Moments later, the front door opened, then closed.

Ignoring the issues troubling my id, I yanked on a robe and headed to the kitchen for coffee.

Beyond the window wall, the sky was charcoal all the way to the horizon. Sleet pelted the glass with a steadytic-tic-tic.

I phoned the lab.Skippy damn!No bones requiring my discerning eye. I could cocoon for the day.

Birdie was already lying belly-up on the table, looking like taxidermy gone wrong. Or roadkill.

I’d just booted my Mac when a message bonged into my mailbox. Katy.

My daughter’s unit was heading out on a mission. She couldn’t give details. Of course, she couldn’t. Not comforting. She was well and looking forward to rotating home. A bit more reassuring.

I was typing a response when my phone did a little “A.M. Radio.”

I checked caller ID. Claudel.

In my hurry to answer, I upended my coffee. In one fluid move, the cat went vertical, flew from the tabletop, and shot from the room, leaving a trail of brown pawprints in his wake.

I cleaned up the mess, cursing the whole time, then called Claudel back.

“Detective Charbonneau has Docteur Murray under surveillance.”

“And?”

“He is not enjoying it.”

Claudel was in one of his moods. Pressing him would do no good.

“The subject rose at six this morning and went directly to InovoVax. He likes to drive very fast.”