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“I do.”
She pulls into city traffic behind the guys and flashes a giddy smile when Archer sets a light on the roof of his car and takes off through the morning commute. Because he drives fast, she gets to drive fast too. Because he has the flashing light and the authority to speed, Aubree decides to test fate and do the same.
“I know when you get to work and you’ve infused the night before.” She speaks calmly, despite our screeching tires as she takes a sharp corner. “And I know when you’re running low. I can totally predict your routine now, even if I hadn’t added it to my calendar.”
“Why the hell would you addmyfactor infusions toyourcalendar?” I look across at her and wait. “Why?”
“Because that’s what family does.”
She skids around a corner so fast, I grab the handle on the ceiling and grit my teeth. If we crash, I’m toast. And call me a cynic, but I doubt this sweet little flower child has ever taken a driving course that included combative techniques.
Archer fangs his way through the city, and just a car’s length behind them, Aubree giggles and does the same, in spite of the icy road and sliding tires.
“He’s a good guy,” she finally adds after a moment of silence. “Archer. I’ve known him a few years now, and I’m just saying, he’s totally solid. He doesn’t care aboutanyone, Minka.”
I take out my phone to fulfill my promise to call the lab. Staring at the device has absolutely nothing to do with not looking into my closest friend’s eyes.I swear.
“I mean,” she continues when I say nothing. “He cares about Fletch, and he cares about Tim. He cares about those he considers family. And he cares enough about me to make sure I don’t die speeding through the city.”
She snickers when my surprised gaze comes up to meet hers. “He’s going only half as fast as he could right now, because he cares enough not to lead me into a car accident. But you…” She pauses to let that hang. Because she gets off on dramatic effect. “The way he looks at you is a whole other case ofwhat the hell.I’ve never seen him this way.”
She skids around another corner and cackles at the way we slide. And then at the glare Archer shoots through his rearview mirror.
“He cares,” she concludes. “That’s all I’m saying. And no matter how badass you think you are, I know you care about him, too.”
“He knows my factor infusion schedule.” I speak to myself. Iwonder, to myself. “What the hell is that, Aubree?”
“Seems to me, you’re not used to people caring. Oh shit!” She slams her foot to the brake and brings us to a screeching stop just inches before we hit a motorcycle that slid into our way.
Breath racing, eyes wide, she stares for a moment to make sure the guy wasn’t creamed. Then she lays her hand on the horn andHONNNNNNNNNNKS. “Move, idiot! Get out of the way!”
“We’re not supposed to kill people on the way to a crime scene.” I press my shaking hand to my heart and will it to slow. “Dammit, Aubree!”
The moment the bike moves, she switches pedals and springs us forward to catch up to the guys. “He cares. I think it’s cute he cares. And I think it’s even cuter that being taken care of flusters you.”
“I’m not flustered! I don’t get flustered.”
“Flusteredanddefensive. That’s cute.”
“You’re about to be out of a job.”
Dialing the lab, I bring the phone to my ear while my employee laughs off my threat and weaves through a gap in traffic smaller than I would have thought possible.
“George Stanley Medical. This is Doctor Raquel.”
“Hi, this is Doctor Mayet. How are we doing on the Kiera Chase tox reports?”
“Oh, hey! I was literally signing off on my report and getting ready to send it to you. Something totally strange is happening down here with Kiera’s blood.”
“Weird? Like what?”
“Like, the stuff we found is insane. We caught traces of imidazopyridines.”
“Imidaz…” I stop and shake my head. “Sleep aids?”
“Right! Alpidem, Necopidem, Saripidem, Zolpidem. She’s got the whole alphabet in here. Divaplon, Fasiplon, Indiplon, Lorediplon, Ocinaplon. So many -plons, but those are all downers, right?”
“Right.” I bring the phone away from my ear and hit speaker so Aubree can hear too. “What else?”
