Brendauses the back of her hand to sweep her hair away from her face. “Leavingthe axe they used to break the window hidden behind the shrubs is about as subtle as a rooster in a henhouse at sunrise.”
“Mackenzie’sdoing okay,”Charliewhispers in my ear. “Imean, you can tell that under the surface she isn’t so much, but she’s pasted on a pretty good smile for this.Severalregulars seem to know her enough to know that something is up, but they aren’t being as intrusive about it asIthought they’d be.Ormaybe they’re saving it for after the event.”
Mostpeople don’t whisper discreetly, so the sound of their whispering can be heard by people for quite a distance, even if they can’t make out the words.Mysiblings andIlearned as kids how to share information without being detected, andCharlieis as good as they come.Especiallywhen it comes to breathing quietly and speaking softly.Nota soul on the other side of the room has given the slightest indication that they hear us.
Ican’t see much ofMackenzie’sface, but as the scene goes on,Itry to see ifIcan tell for myself how she’s doing and what she might be thinking.
“Maybethe culprit is the gardener,”Germansays. “Ithink this is his axe.”
Brendashakes her head. “Nopoint in counting your eggs before the chicken’s even clucked; we need to look around more.”
“Okay, open minds then…”Germantakes a look around. “Maybethe axe was a red herring and the perpetrator actually used that innocent-looking log!”
Withher hands on her hips,Brendamakes atsking sound. “Paintedstripes on a mule and called it a zebra.That’swhat they did here.”
Mackenzie’sfriend,Livi, is sitting next to her and starts nudging her to go up to the front.Itdoesn’t take long for several other people around her to add their own nudges.
Charliewhispers to me, “Oh,Mackenziehas put her hands on her knees and is taking a deep breath—Ithink she’s going to go up.Andshe is!Whodo you think she’s going to tap in for?”
Iturn and whisper to my sister, “Charlie, you’ve been in my ear for enough dates withMackenziewhile she was my asset.Idon’t need you to be in my ear here, too.”
Charliechuckles quietly. “Gotit.”
MackenzietapsBrendaon the shoulder, and the older woman takes a seat asMackenziestands in her place. “We’reonQ, right?Okay.”Shegives her shoulders a shake like she’s shaking herself into the scene. “Quickthinking,German!Wemight just crack this case yet.”
Ialmost take a step forward, but thenIturn back toCharlie. “Feelfree to take pictures, though—Mackenziewould like that.”
“You’vegot it.Oh, andJace?Goodluck.”
Inod, take a deep breath, and then split the curtains enough to walk between them and into the other side of the room.
CHAPTER42
CODEBREAKER
MACKENZIE
Livicame to my apartment just before tonight’s club activity, andItold her thatIchanged my mind about givingJacespace to work through his fears.ThatIcan no longer wait patiently for him to find his way back to me.He’smy everything.I’mmiserable without him.Thisis how it went down.
Livi: “No.Staystrong and just wait.Youknew it was the right thing to do before and you know it’s the right thing now.Justgive him time.”
Me: “No,Iwas wrong.Ifwe are together, we can work things out.Iknow we can.Ijust need to see him.I’mgoing over to his apartment right now.” (Thewithdrawals are hitting me hard.)
Livi, in a very firm voice: “No.”Andthen she takes my keys.
Me: “I’mgoing to call him.”
Livi: “Mackenzie, you are not going to call him.”
Me: “I’mgoing to text him.”
Livi, after taking my phone: “Justgo to the club meeting.It’sthe one thing that’s going to take your mind off him for a bit.”
Forthe record,Liviwas wrong.Jacehasn’t left my mind the whole time we’ve been here.Butthere are people present who haven’t been to a club meeting before— a few are peopleI’vemet through the clinic, a couple others had seen my fliers around town, and three are people who saw the note about it in with their city bill.Sothat’s exciting.Ichatted with all of them, andIthink they’ll add a lot to the group.
Doyou know who else would add a lot to this group?Jace.
Iremember my addicted raccoon thoughts.Okay, soI’man addict.Buttoday, specifically, my need to seeJaceis also because a) it’s been far too long sinceIlast saw him and the missing him has just continued to build, and b) because things still feel so unsettled between us.IfJacehad been away on a mission this whole time but things between us were great,Iwould be handling him being gone just fine.
