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As soon as I was showered, dressed, and armed, I stuffed Elinor’s journal and Szerain’s notebook into my bag then arranged for the security guard on standby, Dennis Roper, to follow my Humvee in a separate vehicle. Solo excursions were a big security no-no, and I heartily approved of our two-people-per-vehicle protocol. But at the moment, even the silent and stoic Roper was more company than I wanted.
After a quick stop for supplies at the temporary building that housed the Beaulac PD crime lab, I continued on to the outreach center.
My heart skittered when I turned onto the street and spied a military light utility vehicle parked out front. One of ours, I realized an instant later, recognizing the long dent on the right rear bumper. As we neared, security specialist Bubba Suarez stepped out of the vehicle with his weapon at the ready. The instant he saw it was me, profound relief flowed over his wide face.
“I’m sure glad it’s you, ma’am,” he said after I parked and hurried up to him.
“Is Jill inside?”
“Yes, ma’am. She was dead set on coming here. Told me she had special business. We did a sweep of the building for threats, then she asked me real nice to wait outside for a bit while she took care of something.” He shifted his feet, grimacing. “I done texted her twice for status checks, and each time she says she’s fine, but it’s been almost a half hour now. I was just about to go on in when y’all came ’round the corner.” He turned his head and spat a stream of tobacco juice into the street. “We still ain’t got the chickens, dangit.”
“I’ll check on her.”
I told Roper to wait with Suarez, then I pushed open the front door of the center and stepped in.
“Jill?”
A few seconds of silence then, “In here.”
My footsteps echoed as I moved through the foyer and into the common room. Jill sat slumped on a dusty chair by a scarred metal desk. Shafts of light speared through the gloom around her.
“I thought that maybe if I came here I could feel something of my daughter, like how you felt Szerain,” she said, voice cracking. “But it’s just a smelly, dirty room.” She let out a brittle laugh. “I guess I’ve finally gone off the deep end.”
“Shallow end is for people who refuse to take risks.” I brushed the worst of the grime off a second chair and pulled it over by her. “You’re not crazy, Jill. Coming here wasn’t crazy. Honestly, when I think about everything you’ve been through in the last year, I’m stunned you haven’t started painting the walls with your own poop.”
She blinked at me. “That’s . . . completely disgusting.”
“See? You’re still a long way from totally losing it.” I gave her a warm smile. “I was looking for you at home because I have an update for you.”
Her expression turned guarded. “Spill it.”
“After you left with Bryce last night, I tried to confirm arrangements with Szerain. We didn’t get to chat this time, but he gave me written, final instructions. The plan is still on for bringing them home.”
“It can’t come soon enough.” She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. “I need to hold my baby girl.”
“I have something to show you.” I pulled Szerain’s notebook out of my bag, placed it on the desk between us and opened it to the first drawing. A baby looked up from a tumbled blanket, eyes bright, and mouth open in an expression of delight.
“Oh my god. It’s her.” Jill’s eyes went to a sketch in the corner, a small dragon with its eyes closed and its head tipped up to the sun. “And . . . that’s her, too,” she said with a note of amazement in her voice.
“Jill, she’s growing up fast.” I waited for her to tear her eyes from the sketch. “Maturing really fast because of her demahnk half.”
“How fast?” The question came out in a strained croak.
“Fast.” I flipped to a page with Ashava in human form—a little girl of nine or ten, eyes sparkling with humor above a mischievous smile. “This is her now.”
Jill reached toward the page, hand trembling. “Oh my god. She’s beautiful.” Tears spilled onto her cheeks. “Look at her.”
I waggled my fingers at the notebook. “There are more. Lots more.”
She started at the beginning and paged through slowly, studying each drawing with reverent intensity as if absorbing every minute detail. Her gaze lingered on the last one. “I missed all of this. I missed her growing up.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “She still has plenty of growing up left to do, though. And it seems Szerain did his best to chronicle her life.”
“Yes, he did.” Her eyes met mine. “He did that for me.” Jill sniffled and wiped the tears away. “It’s settled then. He gets cookies for life.”
I laughed. “Sounds more than fair.”
“Do you feel ready to do the summoning tonight?” she asked, a steely glint in her eye.
