Page 35 of Crow’s Shadow

“I count things, Crow. It’s the one thing I have never been wrong about.” She swallows. “He couldn't read it the way I can. He didn't have to. Names, dates, routes, enough pieces of the cipher, put the right people on it and he'd have enough to hurt us. Lash fed him a photograph at a time. Now, it’s riding in his car.”

Everything inside me goes quiet.

“So we didn’t end it,” I say.

“No.” She slips her hand into mine, first time in her life she has done it, and I feel it everywhere. “We started it.”

The cannery settles around us. Somewhere in my head the dead are still talking. Quieter with her beside me but not gone.

“Crow.” Storm, coming in off the flank, gun down. “We clear? Good to roll?”

“We’re good. She rides up front.”

“Copy.”

“And Storm.” I do not let go of her hand. “Nobody rides in the back tonight.”

“Copy, Crow.”

I key the radio one more time before we roll. “Byte. Raise the club. Tell Bones we’re inbound with her, and tell him she’s hurt. Not bad. Enough.”

“How bad is enough,” Byte says.

“Blood on the boathouse floor was hers. Four days chained to a slab. Have him ready.”

“He’ll be ready. Loco too.”

“Loco waits for a full report. Bones goes first.”

“Copy.”

I put her beside me, and keep hold of her the whole way down the country road.

She talks quietly beside me. “He told me how it works. The power. He needs it given, not taken. If he takes it, it rots. It rotted her.”

“Your mother.”

“He said her name like he owned it.” Her jaw sets. “He’s had twenty years to practice owning it. I want it back.”

“You’ll get it back.”

“There’s more, Crow. About the fire. Something I found out about that night.” She stops.

“Not tonight. I can’t do that one in a moving car.”

“Then not tonight.”

“You’re quiet.”

“I’m listening.”

“You never listen.”

“I do now.” I keep my eyes on the road. “I’ll be listening from now on.”

She leans her head on my shoulder and goes quiet. I keep her hand in mine, and drive.

I’ve kept my distance long enough.