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"If you call her that again--" Clay was saying as we closed the door.
"Kids getting bored?" I said as Elena led me away.
"No, the guys are keeping them busy. They just want Mom and Dad to quit this crazy save-the-world nonsense and go camping with them this weekend."
"Gotta have priorities," I said.
We took a few more steps.
"So I take it you're not worried about Malcolm?" I said.
She shook her head. "Another adventure for another day. We need a break and, last we saw, he was safely in Nast custody." She pushed a half-open door. "And there's Adam."
He turned and motioned to his cell phone.
"Thanks," I whispered to Elena. "Oh, and congratulations."
"For what?"
I grinned. "You'll find out."
I stepped into the office and eased the door shut as Adam got off the phone.
"Ah, so that's why you've been ignoring my calls."
"Ignoring . . . ?" He checked his messages. "Shit. I was on hold. Never even heard the beep." He strode toward me. "Is it Bryce? Is he--?"
I held up a hand to stop him. "Awake. The doctors checked him. He seems fine. I'm giving him some time with Sean. He needs to tell him about Thomas."
"Right." He shook his head. "That's a shitty thing to wake up to."
"Which is why I left them alone. So, I know it's getting late, but I was hoping to talk you into a drink, if you're done with work."
"Wasn't working." He walked to the printer, took off a couple of sheets, and handed them to me. "For you. A little 'thanks for saving the world as we know it' present. There's a T-shirt coming, too, but it'll take awhile."
"T-shirt?"
"Yep. It says 'I defeated Lord Demon Balaam and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.'"
I laughed. "I'll count myself lucky if that is all I get. I'm still waiting for him to show up and use my hide for a shirt."
"He won't. Too humiliating. Better to just blame Gilles de Rais for screwing up everything." He waved at the sheets. "Now read."
I skimmed the first page. "Our ski trip to Switzerland?"
"On my dime. And a very expensive dime it is, too. That place ain't cheap. But you're worth it. Just remember that when I ask you to come heli-skiing with me."
"I'm not doing skiing of any kind." I lifted my cast. "Did you forget something?"
"Did you check the dates on that reservation?"
They were for two months from now.
"Oh."
"Yeah, 'oh.' I figure that'll give you time to recover."
"Time to find an apartment, too. I'm moving out as soon as we get back to Portland."
