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“No, that’s ok,” Tean tried to say. “We don’t have to talk about—”
But as Emery launched into a blistering response, Jem tugged on Tean’s sleeve and whispered in his ear, “They’re both enjoying it.”
Tean gave him a look.
Jem grinned and nodded.
“And Emery is totally sucking up to you,” he whispered, his grin widening, those crooked front teeth peeking out for an instant.
“All right, all right, all right,” John-Henry said. Then he barked, “Enough!”
North and Emery settled back into their seats. They did, Tean thought after a moment, both look incredibly pleased and like they were trying not to show it.
“You were saying—” Emery shot a dark look at North. “—before you were rudely interrupted?”
“Good Lord,” Theo muttered, and Auggie laughed into his beer.
“I was going to say I talked to Chief Cassidy about the likelihood of recovering evidence.” Tean shrugged. “I’m not sure the odds are good.”
“I’m surprised he talked to you at all,” Shaw said. “He just yelled at us.”
Tean couldn’t imagine why. But he said, “He did some yelling too. He wasn’t happy to have his theory about Missy proven wrong, much less that he was eventually going to have to let her go. But he did ask a lot of questions.”
With a grunt, Emery sat back in his chair and looked out at the hotel corridor. “Jonas was always good at getting the information he wanted. Even if it wasn’t the truth.”
“He seemed…frustrated. A large part, perhaps the primary part, of wildlife forensics is determining which specific animal was behind the attack.”
“Seriously?” Auggie asked. “Like, CSI but for bears?”
“The only bears you have to worry about wear leather harnesses,” North told him.
Theo’s expression darkened. Jem smirked and covered the expression by turning his head. Auggie burst out laughing.
“North has a leather harness,” Shaw said.
“I do not have a leather harness. I have a tool belt. For tools.”
“But he’s definitely a bear.”
“I am not a bear, dumbfuck.”
“Your chest is all hairy; sometimes I have to comb it while you’re asleep.” Shaw brightened. “Maybe you’re a cub.”
“He is a cub,” Auggie said through a fresh wave of laughter. “He’s definitely a cub.”
North spared him a long look and a middle finger. “Cubs are young, and—”
“Your eyes, I know,” Shaw said. And then, bellowing again, “And your hearing. The ravages of age.”
“Jerk water,” North snapped, “yell in my face one more time—”
“Oh, I’ve got it! You’re a sun bear!”
North’s face was so red Tean was beginning to worry about the possibility of a stroke. “I am not—”
“He actually does kind of look like a sun bear,” Jem said. “I can see it now. Right?”
The question was directed at Tean. “Uh.”
