“The girl by the city hall skating rink,” she says as she passes.
I blink as she keeps going. “Wh-what?”
She stops and looks over her shoulder. “You are looking for a girl, yes? That’s what I thought I heard when your boyfriend was sniffing around earlier. Werewolf, I presume?”
“Uh, yes...”
She smiles, lipstick glowing a cartoon red under the streetlight. “Haven’t seen one of those in ages. As for the girl... Thirteen, maybe fourteen? Running from someone?”
“Not us.”
She gives a tinkling laugh. “Ah, sugar, I had no doubt of that. Neither of you strikes me as the sort who goes around frightening children.” She glances at Derek. “Not on purpose, anyway. Go help the girl. Poor thing’s putting on a brave face, but she’s scared out of her wits. This town ain’t too bad, but no place is good for a girl like that on her own.”
“Thank you.” I pause. “If there’s anything I can do—”
Her tinkling laugh cuts me short. “Not looking for quid pro quo, sugar. Just a fellow traveler in the night. You take care of yourself now.”
With that, she’s gone, sauntering along the dark street.
I tell Derek what she said.
“Seem legit?” he says.
“Yes, but after earlier, we can’t take chances.”
“Let’s go check it out, then. Carefully.”
It isn’t a trap. There’s a girl huddled behind the giantTORONTOsign in Nathan Phillips Square, and she’s the one from that photograph in Justin and Gina’s apartment. She has her back against the sign, arms wrapped around her knees, backpack at her side. As we watch, a passing homeless man spots her and gives her wide berth. A woman pushing a cart walks over and exchanges a few words before moving on.
“She was telling Gina where she can find a shelter for teens,” Derek says.
“Not exactly well hidden, is she? No wonder that ghost noticed her.”
“You think that’s suspicious?”
I shake my head. “I think she’s even worse at this sort of thing than we are. She’s tired and scared, and at least here, if someone does grab her, she might be able to scream and bring help.”
Tucked behind that sign next to the out-of-season skating rink, she’s on the doorstep of city hall, in the heart of downtown. Did she really pick the spot because it was safe? Or because she’s hoping someone will notice her, someone who can do more than direct her to the nearest teen shelter?
At least this makes our job easy. Not like we need to worry about her bolting. Well, not unless...
I glance at Derek.
“I’m staying here,” he says. “I’ve got your back, but yeah, I’m not exactly the friendly face she needs right now.”
I put my arms around his neck and rise up to kiss him. A quicksqueeze, and then I’m off. I get halfway there before Gina sees me coming. She doesn’t tense. Doesn’t grab her backpack. Just watches me approach.
“Gina?” I say.
That has her stiffening. I put out my palms and stay back. She gives me a once-over and relaxes. I might not have Derek’s brute strength, but there’s power in being able to lower people’s defenses, too.
“Don’t go back to your apartment,” I say. “There’s a guy watching it.”
“I know.” Not defensive. Not sarcastic. Flat, emotionless, empty. Defeated.
“Do you know what happened to your brother?” I ask.
Every muscle tenses, and grief flashes before she ducks her face, letting her light brown hair curtain it from view.
