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“When did you—?”
“Nineteen-sixty-five.” Isaac’s scowl deepened, and Fanny shrugged. “Better safe than sorry.”
“Why?” Isaac asked. “The Tangwaci Cin-au’-ao was confined. He was never supposed to get out.”
“They’re never supposed to get out,” Fanny said. “You told the tale of the Tangwaci Cin-au’-ao at every campfire since I was old enough to understand words. It scared me. Once I put wolfsbane everywhere, I could sleep at night.”
“So Amberleigh’s crazy,” Derek murmured. “Seeing things? Hearing them, too?”
“Not necessarily,” Isaac said. “The Tangwaci Cin-au’-ao has been calling people to him since he was buried. Maybe he called Amberleigh.”
“Probably he called Amberleigh,” Gina said, and shrugged. “He called me.”
Isaac’s gaze narrowed. “When?”
“Since I fell in the cavern the first time.”
“And you didn’t mention this before now?” Isaac asked.
“Would you have believed me before now?”
“Yes,” he said simply.
“Well, I didn’t know that. I just thought I was imagining that the howls of the unwolves sounded like my name.”
Or that I was nuts.
“I always wondered why you insisted on going out there even though I’d forbidden it. I guess if he was calling you—”
Gina shook her head. “I didn’t hear it until we were rescued.” Isaac frowned. “Or maybe I heard it down there first.”
Which was why she’d always thought the voice part of her neurosis. After what had happened beneath the earth, why wouldn’t she have issues? Didn’t it make more sense that what she’d heard on the wind was nothing more than a guilt-induced echo of the last words she’d ever heard in her parents’ voices, rather than the call of an invisible Aztec werewolf sorcerer that she hadn’t even known about?
Teo squeezed her hand, and when Gina looked at him he smiled. “We may never figure all of this out. But since the sun’s up and the werewolves are gone, we should probably all drive to town.”
“I can’t wait to get on a plane,” Tim muttered.
“Excellent!” Derek announced, and gave his dad a high five.
“Everyone get dressed and packed,” Gina said. The sooner she got the guests out of here, the better. “I’ll have Jase—” She glanced around. “Where is Jase?”
No one answered. Gina got a prickling sensation along her back as her gaze rested on the door.
Jase wouldn’t have done anything stupid.
Would he?
* * *
From the expression on Gina’s face she thought McCord had walked out of the house and directly into the gaping wolf jaws of death.
Matt crossed to the window. Since there weren’t pieces of McCord all over the place, he doubted it. Most likely the man was in the barn or one of the other rooms of the house, pouting.
Isaac went out the back door looking as worried as Matt had ever seen him. Though Matt would prefer never to lay eyes on Jase McCord again, he hoped they found him soon for everyone else’s peace of mind.
The Gordons disappeared, no doubt to dress and pack at the speed of sound. Fanny had already pulled out a skillet, eggs, milk, and bacon. She pushed a button on the coffeepot and coffee began to stream into the carafe.
Gina jerked her head toward the hall. Matt followed her out of the kitchen and into her office.
