“You knew?” Cam asks.
Waylon looks a bit hesitant now, since I’m sure he’s afraid that Cam is going to be upset with him for hiding the truth. “Yeah.”
“And your parents… you said they were PIs who did boring things like ‘cheating cases.’ That wasn’t boring or a cheating case!”
“They do cheating cases… among other… things.”
“I think it’s very different!” he cries.
“Just be careful. I have a feeling Detective Patel is extremely nosy,” I warn.
“That woman is out there sniffing around,” Leland says. “She’s going to try to break you down, Cam. You hold strong.”
Cam looks uncertain about that. “Why can’t we tell the police? Can’t they do something?”
Waylon turns to him. “If Leland and Jackson encouraged you to lie to them, you should listen. They… okay, maybeLelandis really strange, but they seem to know what’s best. So I wouldn’t fight it.”
Cam hesitates but seems to actually be reassured for the first time as he nods. “Okay. Yeah… I will. I… I won’t tell them.”
After they’re done with us, the three of us get into the van and head for home, since the rest of our party has already left. Ellis wasnotpleased to see Tavish’s wound, no matter how much Tavish reassured him that it was nothing.
When we pull into the driveway, Leland is just finishing up telling Waylon averydramatic version of what happened. I’m pretty sure Waylon knows which parts to listen to and leaves Leland to it. When I stop the car next to another that’s already in our driveway, I’m confused who it might be, but it looks familiar.I haven’t even put it in park before I see Micah step away from the front door of our house and start our way.
“I thought I was done looking at annoying humans for the day,” Leland mutters before he opens the door and looks over at the man who points at Waylon.
“I came. I conquered. I found the child,” Micah says as he gestures at Waylon. “It won’t be cheap.”
“You’re likehourstoo late. I’m not giving you shit,” Leland retorts.
“You didn’t specify a time to save the child,” Micah reminds us.
“Weirdly enough, saving children is probably like ‘Let’s do that first and go grocery shopping after,’” Leland says. “I mean… most of the time. I have come across a few children in my old age that I’d go shopping first, and maybe even to bed, and then maybe stop for ice cream on my way to save them, but this isn’t one of them.”
“You probably shouldn’t announce that,” I tell Leland.
“Hey, if a child wants to be a little shit, I will treat it like a little shit. Keep that in mind, Micah.”
“You’re now comparing me to shitty little demon spawn?” Micah asks.
“Pretty much. We’re headed to bed. You can sleep on our floor if you want. That way if someone breaks in, I can use your body to shield Jackson. Here, stand next to him so I can make sure you cover all parts of him.”
“How tempting,” he says as he follows us into the house. I assumed he would be like “ha!” and leave, but he seems prepared to curl up on the floor before he glances at the couch. “This will do.”
“Why are you staying with us?” Leland asks.
“You’re not supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“You think you’re the gift in this situation? Because if you are, I’m more than happy to look you in the mouth and see if you’re old enough to be put down,” Leland says.
Micah flops down on the couch as Cayenne tries to shower him in kisses and Sarge scowls at him, much in the same way Leland is. Micah throws a blanket over himself and nods approvingly even though his tall stature means his legs are draped over the armrest. “Good night.”
“He’s going to murder us in the middle of the night, isn’t he?” Waylon asks.
“Waylon, people can’t murder you if you murder them first,” Leland says, as though this is some sage advice.
Waylon nods like he understands. What has Leland done to him to make him “understand” that?
We leave Micah to his couch and head upstairs, but when Waylon reaches his room, he hesitates. “Thank you both. I just… I’m not sure Cam would have made it out if you guys weren’t there to help. I… I saw some really horrible things when I was younger… and all I could think about was Cam ending up like that.”
