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While Domhnall, Magnus, and Logan open the gate and haul Holden away, Errol wriggles his fingers at Thane in a gimme gesture.
But Thane simply gazes calmly at Errol.
I whisper to Thane, "I think he wants you to give him your phone."
"Aye, that's right," Errol says. "I assume you'll want the land mines app removed from your mobile. Or would you rather keep it just in case?"
I expect Thane to want the app erased, but he surprises me.
"Leave it on there for now," he tells Errol. "Just in case Holden escapes again, though I cannae see Domhnall, Logan, or Magnus letting the cacan get away from them."
Errol shrugs. "You never know. Sometimes the villains can be bloody determined. For all we know, Holden might have an accomplice."
Oh, perfect. I needed another reason to feel anxious.
"I should go with the other laddies," Errol announces. "Looks like Odin and Rebecca are all the security you need."
He jogs out to the road, joining the others in the car with Holden. Soon, their vehicle disappears from view and the rumble of the engine fades away.
Ava has been standing behind us to sulk in silence. Now, she moves in front of us. "If you mean to drive me away, it won't work."
I lift my brows at her. "Why on earth would you want to hang out here with me and Thane? We'll be screwing each other's brains out, and you are not invited to the party. But if you want to hang out with Odin and the chickens..."
She acts like I never spoke. "Thane, darling, we need to have a serious conversation."
"If you want to discuss your obsession with me, I am not interested."
Thane ushers me through the gate and waits for Ava to follow. She stands there with her nose in the air for about seven seconds. Then Odin approaches her and starts sniffing her hair. She cringes a tiny bit. But when the llama licks her hair, she jumps and rushes through the gate.
As Thane shuts it, he shakes his head at Ava. "Dinnae understand you at all these days. Not that I ever really understood you back in the day. But you used to be a tough intelligence officer, the sort of strong woman any wee lassie would want as a role model. What happened to you?"
"Nothing that I care to discuss in front of her." She jabs a finger toward me.
"In that case, we have nothing to talk about."
Thane and I walk away.
Chapter Thirty-One
Thane
As we enter the house, I can still see Ava standing there. Once I've shut the door behind us, I peek out the window---and Ava is still waiting. For what, I have no ruddy idea. Rebecca comes up beside me to gawp at Ava too. We exchange baffled looks. I shrug. Rebecca shrugs. Neither of us has an explanation for why Ava wants to loiter out there.
When Ava wanders over to her wrecked tin-can vehicle, Rebecca smacks her palm on her forehead. "Duh. She can't leave even if she wants to because her car is smushed between your truck and Holden's vehicle."
"Smushed?" I say with a slight chuckle. "The only person I've heard use that term is Malina MacTaggart." I scratch my chin. "Though I might have heard Rory's wife say it once. Emery is American, after all."
"Are you implying that all American women use the same words?"
"Well, no. I've gotten myself into a fankle, haven't I?"
"If you tell me what a fankle is, I'll answer your question."
"A fankle is a tangle or confusion."
Rebecca rolls her eyes in a deliberate attempt to harass me, affectionately. "Oh, so it's like 'hot mess.' That's another phrase a teenager might use. Care to comment on my use of it?"
"Wouldnae dare. Have all the smushing and hot messes ye like."
