“Complete cooperation with the Portsmouth investigation,” Will said. “Nesbit ordered me to answer every question Trumbull might care to ask.” He frowned angrily at the memory. But then he deflated, adding in a low voice, “And no communication with Jane.”
Will dabbed at the puddle of coffee with the totally inadequate napkin that had accompanied his cup, and then looked up at Sunny. “She may not show it, but this whole situation has Jane pretty freaked out.”
“We talked a little about it this afternoon.” Sunny decided not to tell Will about Jane’s mini-meltdown. “If you have any advice you need to pass on to her, you can always do it through me.”
For the first time since he’d come in, Will brightened a bit. “You’re the best, Sunny. I think that’s the only decent thing I’ve heard all day.”
But his smile quickly flickered out. “I think we’re past the point of giving advice,” he said. “What Jane needs now is a lawyer.”
“Peter Lewin has worked with her at the foundation,” Sunny began, naming a local attorney, but Will shook his head.
“I’m talking about a criminal, not a civil, lawyer,” he interrupted. “Someone who can practice across the river in Portsmouth.”
He dug a crumpled business card from his shirt pocket. “This is a guy who knows his business.” Will gave her a wry smile. “Back when I was on the Portland force, he dragged me over the coals a couple of times when I had to testify in cases. He’s the youngest partner in the firm.”
“Crandall, Sherwood, and Phillips,” Sunny read the top line of the card aloud. “Well, at least it’s not Dewey, Cheatem, and Howe.”
“Tell her to get in touch with this Phillips guy.” Will shook his head unhappily. “Otherwise, it looks as if my hands are tied.”
He called the waitress over for more napkins and the bill. “I’m sorry, but I can’t drink this stuff. Not the way I’m feeling now. It’ll go right through me. And that’s not a good thing when you’re going on patrol.”
Sunny didn’t know whether to laugh or scowl as Will quickly headed out the door.
When she got home, though, all she found was a note in the kitchen from Mike:
No answer? Sunny dug out her cell phone. “Great,” she muttered. “Dead battery.”
Then she smiled down at Shadow, who was still twining his way around her shins. “Looks like it’s just me and you tonight. I just hope there are some sandwich makings in the fridge that aren’t ham and cheese.”
In the end, she wound up making a smashed fried egg sandwich, taking her plate into the living room and sitting on the floor with the cat.
*
Shadow paid no attention to the picture box, busily trying to push the plate out of Sunny’s lap so he could climb in there. He usually didn’t hang on her so much, but it wasn’t often that they had the house to themselves.
After the Old One left, Shadow hadn’t been able to settle back into his nap. Instead, he’d patrolled the empty rooms, feeling . . . lonely.
He tried to burn the feeling off the same way he would excess energy, playing the running game where he started in the kitchen, raced down the hall, caromed off the archway into the living room, and landed by the couch. The only problem was, it wasn’t the same when he wasn’t landing on Sunny. So he’d been especially glad to see her, even though she came home late.
When he went after her plate the fourth time, she tore off a piece of what was between the bread—huh, it turned out to be egg, which he ate even though he really wasn’t interested. He just wanted to be nice to Sunny.
As she finished the sandwich, he finally got a paw on the plate and shoved it across her thigh. Then, when she went to pick it up, he swarmed over her arm and into her lap.
Halfway there, he paused for an instant, distracted. Was that Gentle Hands he smelled on her arm? Why was Sunny seeing her? His paw felt fine. To prove it, he reached out and gave Sunny’s leg a good smack. No pain at all.
He swirled around in her lap and arranged himself comfortably. He certainly hadn’t expected to find traces of Gentle Hands tonight. That was the interesting thing about two-legs. You never knew what they got up to once they left the house.
10
