“Ideally, if the judge is a woman, that will help; if there is a large crowd in the gallery, that will help.She depends on soaking folks with her energy.More than six people and it loses effectiveness.”
“Noted.We have to work against the pack, as your sister has no legal standing.”
“Right.Richard is ostensibly in charge, but Elmer moves the money.The others are just there for Augusta support.She’s voracious.Peter is the one with the social contacts, and that’s how they go to the different events.”
Echel nodded.“Nice, that is what I was missing.Hang on, Duran.”
He began typing on his laptop, and from her vantage point, Em could see images of Augusta popping up and overlapping.
“There they are.”Duran smiled.“Thank you, Echel.No one can slog through gossip columns like you can.”
“Thanks.I am a spring, if anyone wondered.”Echel smiled.A printer whirred somewhere in the house.
Duran’s phone chimed wildly.
“Where is my original phone?”
Duran winced.“It is at my office.Why?”
“I would like the phone number forwarded.”
“I will do that when I am at the office.Stay here, relax, rest, and eat something.You are hollow.”
She crossed her arms and scowled hard.
He grinned.“I thought you were going to say that I wasn’t your boss.”
“I am not in the mood to trigger a proving anytime soon.Now go before I smack your ass and tell you to have a good game for some reason.”
Duran looked at her curiously.“Marshall’s pack mate is Rayden, a hockey player.Did you start discovery just because I mentioned a name?”
She shrugged.“I dunno.Did I?”
He tapped her nose.“See you soon.The delivery will be here in half an hour.”
“Thank you.”She inclined her head and heard him suck in a rough breath.
He gave the other two a look that conveyed something nebulous, walked out of the house, started a car, and then drove off.
She nodded.“Right.What’s next?”
Echel beckoned to her and pulled her onto his lap.She was still scowling, but the humming throb that he put out made her feel safe.She glared at him.“Stop that.”
He grinned and shook his head.“Is it uncomfortable?”
“No, but it feels like you are convincing me to relax.”
“I only work with existing fatigue.You are tired.Your body is still healing.This is natural sleep while using the sound as warm milk.”
She chuckled.“There’s a nickname for a t-shirt.”
He grinned then kissed her temple.“You can wake up if you need to.This won’t hold you down.We will talk around you.Alderna wants to know what we want to see you in and if we have any events coming up.Your father has made a list and has consulted your brother as well.”
She was dozing again.“Half-brother.His mother wants me dead.Bribed my mom to send me out of town twice, but Augusta said she needed me, so I stayed.”
Echel asked softly while the thrumming continued, “Your mother is still alive?”
“Yup.She’s probably freaking out about the arrests.Hah.”Em felt herself slipping against Echel’s shoulder.
