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“Delaney’s coming.”
“Let me know if you need me for anything, ’kay? And be careful.”
“Always am. Where are you, anyway?”
“The doctors let Dallas leave, so we’re back at Death’s Landing.”
Darien knew he shouldn’t ask, but the words were out before he could stop them. “Did you see Loren?”
Max hesitated. And then he admitted, “Yeah, she was at the hospital.”
Shit, he should’ve gone. But that was the very same reason he’d made the decision not to. Because he was trying to give her space, but it was harder than he’d ever imagined it would be, even with all this garbage with Gaven keeping him busy. “Did she seem okay?”
Another pause. “She seemed fine.”
Darien wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Was the distance ripping Loren apart the same way it was him? If she was as fine as Max was making it sound, then… Then he didn’t know what to think.
How had everything changed so quickly? It felt like someone had pulled a rug out from under him, only for him to realize there had never been a floor there to begin with.
“Nothing out of the ordinary?” Darien pressed.
“What are you really trying to ask me?”
“She’s safe?”
“Yeah,” Max said. “She seemed fine. Dallas said she’s been making it to every class.”
“Okay,” Darien managed to say. “Tell Dal and Sab to be available for her, alright? If she ever seems like she isn’t doing well, or if something’s wrong, I need them to tell me.”
“Sure thing.”
“Is Tanner there?”
“Hold on.” Max grunted. Standing up, by the sound of it.
A minute later, the line crackled as Max passed Atlas the phone.
“Hey,” Tanner said.
“Did you find anything on Nolan?” So much had been going on lately that he’d nearly forgotten about his request to have Tanner look into Angelthene’s new Head Detective.
“A whole host of documents, photographs and all,” Atlas replied. “I can even tell you when to celebrate his birthday, if you’d like to buy him a cake. The guy’s married with a couple of kids.”
Darien’s muscles melted with the news. “Alright. Thanks for looking into it.” At least now he knew Finn wasn’t messing with him. Tanner was the best at his job. If anything managed to trick him, it would be a first.
“Not a problem,” Tanner said.
The phone beeped, indicating a new call was coming through. Darien checked the screen to see an unknown number sliding across it.
“I have another call coming in,” he told Tanner. “Can you put Max back on and tell him to hold on a sec? I might need him for something.”
“Sure thing.”
He paused the call and hit ANSWER. “Cassel.”
“Be at the Doghouse at ten p.m.,” came Channary’s lilting voice. “We need to have a chat.”
35
