He shook his head. “People need carbs to face the day. But are you sure? You know we’ll see a lot more of each other.”
“I’m counting on it.” And the sly little wink she gave him told me she and Hogan were doing just fine together.
“Excellent.” Bertie clapped, snapping our attention back to her. “Since you’ll no longer be working nights, I’ll expect you to be a strong participant in all the activities.”
Jean scrunched up her nose, but Delaney nodded. “Yes, Bertie. We can make that happen. Happy to help. Right, Jean?” Delaney nodded at Jean.
“Yes, Bertie,” Jean finally said.
Bertie laced her hands together, her gold nails flashing. “Very well. Jean, I’ll meet with you on Wednesday to assess exactly how you can assist. It will require quite a bit of your time. I hope you’re prepared to give me your best effort.”
“I promise I won’t let you down,” Jean said. When Bertie glanced away, Jean drew her finger across her throat and mouthed at me: “You’re dead.”
I waggled my eyebrows at her.
“You said there were two things you wanted to talk about?” Delaney asked.
“Oh,” Bertie said. “Yes. We seem to have developed a portal to Hell.”
The pause in the room, the full moment of silence as we each absorbed that statement, was immense.
Bathin broke the silence with a little grunt. “Huh.”
“A what?” Delaney asked. “No, just. Where?” She plucked up her jacket and shrugged into it as she strode across the room. “Where is the portal to Hell, Bertie?”
“Out by the lake, dear.”
“Which side?”
“In the park. Near the dragon.”
Delaney was all motion, already at the door, Ryder on her heels. “Bathin, with me,” she said. “Jean, stay here.”
“Yes, boss,” she said.
“Hatter, Shoe, you’re on patrol. We’ll keep you in the loop. Ryder, stay here.”
“Nope.” He was moving behind her, with her. They had become more than just boyfriend, girlfriend over the last year or so. They had become a team: partners at work, partners at home. There was no chance Ryder was going to let her charge off to face a portal to Hell without him.
I didn’t think Delaney realized it, but he had firmly planted himself in both her life and her career.
“Myra,” Delaney said.
The tug in my chest was so strong I felt like someone had hooked me and was reeling me in. “Oh, I’m coming with you.”
She nodded. “Be back as soon as we can, Roy.”
“I’ll save you a cinnamon roll,” he replied.
Chapter 3
Delaney and Ryderswung into his truck, and I marched over to my cruiser. As soon as I was behind the wheel, the passenger door opened and Bathin angled his way into the seat.
“No.” I pointed at the door.
“Yes. Delaney wants me to come, and there is no room for me in the truck between those two love birds.”
“Walk, transport, or find some other way to get there.”
