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Bradley called me at home that night. Strangely, after blowing a man's brains out in front of a lot of suburban moms and kids I just wasn't in the mood to go into work. I was already tucked into bed with my favorite toy penguin, Sigmund, and Micah curled beside me. Usually Micah's warmth was more comforting than a truckload of stuffed toys, but tonight I needed that choking grip on my favorite toy. Micah's arms were wonderful, but Sigmund never told me I was being silly, or bloodthirsty. Neither had Micah, but I kept waiting for it.
"You made national news, and the Post-Dispatchis running a front-page picture of you executing Van Anders," Bradley said.
"Yeah, turns out I was across from a camera store. Lucky me." Even to me, I sounded tired, or something more. What's more than tired? Dead?
"You going to be alright?" he asked.
I pulled Micah's arms closer around me, snuggled my head against his bare chest. I was still cold. How could I be cold under all these blankets? "I've got a few friends staying with me, they'll keep me from getting too morose."
"He needed killing, Anita."
"I know that."
"Then what's that tone in your voice?"
"You haven't gotten to the part of the article where the three-year-old boy is having screaming fits about me killing him, like he saw me do to the bad man in the mall, have you?"
"If he'd gotten away . . ."
"Just stop, Bradley, just stop. I made the decision before I moved on him that the witnesses' psyches weren't as important as their physical safety. I don't regret that decision. Much."
"Okay, I'll just talk business then. We think Leo Harlan is best known as Harlan Knox. He's worked with some of the same people that employed Heinrick and Van Anders."
"Why am I not surprised?" I said.
"We tried the number he gave you. The answering service says he's canceled his contract with them, except for one message."
I waited for it.
"You're not going to ask?"
"Just tell me, Bradley."
"Okay, Here goes. 'Ms. Blake, sorry we didn't get to raise my ancestor. In case you were wondering, he is real. But under the circumstances, I thought discretion the better part of valor. And the assignment has been canceled, for the time being.' Do you understand what he means about the assignment being canceled?"
"I think so, I think he means the deal was called off. It got too messy. Thanks for checking, Bradley."
"Don't thank me, Anita, if I hadn't tried to get you onto our payroll as a federal agent, you might never have come to the attention of whoever hired Heinrick."
"You can't keep blaming yourself for that, Bradley. It's like spilled milk, clean up the mess, and move on."
"The same goes for Van Anders."
"I always give better advice than I take, Bradley, you should know that by now."
He laughed, then said, "Watch your back, okay?"
"I will, you, too."
"Bye, Anita, take care."
I was in the middle of saying, "you, too," when he hung up on me. What was it about working for law enforcement that gave you such bad phone manners?
Nathaniel came into the bedroom with the copy of Charlotte's Web."It was in the kitchen, and it's got a second bookmark. I think Zane, or somebody has started reading it."
I cuddled tighter in against Micah's body, and he held me, his arms warm and fierce as if he could squeeze the bad feelings out of me. "Let them get their own copy," I said.
Nathaniel smiled. Micah kissed the top of my head. "Who's reading tonight?" Nathaniel asked.
"I will," Micah said, "unless Anita wants to."
I buried my face in the crook of his arm. "No, being read to sounds just about right tonight."
Nathaniel handed him the book and climbed into bed. I wasn't sure if it was the warmth of both of them under the covers, or the sound of Micah's deep voice as he read, but slowly, I began to be warm again. I hadn't read Charlotte's Webin years. I was overdue. Overdue for so many things that didn't involve guns or killing people.
