Page 185 of Deadfall

“I saw your tracker go back online like a week ago, Griff!”

“Yeah, I’m sorry, it’s been–pretty wild since I came back online.”

“Speaking of—want to tell me what’s going on?”

“I do actually, but first I have a favor to ask.”

The line was silent.

“Sis?”

“I’m here,” she said warily.

“I was wondering if you’d pilot a helo for an upcoming job I have?”

The silence was heavy.

“Would you stop that?” I huffed. “It’s really annoying—”

“There’s a girl, isn’t there?”

“What? Why would you—”

“Oh my God, I’m right, aren’t I?” She asked excitedly. “You never ask me for favors.”

“I mean, yeah, there is—”

She squealed, and I held my phone away from my ear. “I knew it! I knew there was a reason I hadn’t heard from you! Of course I’ll fly for you. BYOH or what?”

I chuckled. Bring Your Own Helo. “Yeah, if you have something available—”

“Psh, duh.” I could hear the smile in her voice. “Will the Little Bird work or do you need something bigger?”

“No, that’s perfect.”

“Alright, now tell me the details, bro,” she said. “And don’t leave out any of the good parts.”

89

THERON

I found her outside throwing a stick to her wolfdog. I came and stood nearby. The midday sun was warm, but it was almost fall and didn’t hold quite the power it had a few weeks ago.

“He’s quite the creature,” I said. “How old is he?”

Emersyn came and stood beside me after she threw the stick out across the lawn.

She shrugged. “When I met him he was a few months from turning one I think, so he has to be around thirteen now.”

We watched Fang. He definitely moved like he was up in years, but he still had that happy dog energy, even if he didn’t race after the stick as fast as maybe he might have in his younger years.

Getting old was a bitch, and didn’t I know it.

“Griffin said you helped navigate them through the forest on the island,” I said. “Where’d you learn all that stuff?”

Fang came and dropped the stick at her feet. She frowned as she picked it up and tossed it away.

“His name was Sacha. He was an ex-Russian spy and special ops instructor.”