“They have been helpful before, though,” Teddy said.
“That is the only reason I’m even entertaining this.” Wren sighed, tapping on the location link and waiting for it to load. The street view showed a few run-down buildings with zero pet stores, or stores of any kind, in sight.
“Not the nicest part of Arcstead.” Teddy frowned at the screen. “I don’t even know what to look for there.”
“Can you… Could you call Saint?”
“Sure I can.” Teddy smiled at the still-petulant tone and pulled out his phone.
“Don’t laugh at me,” Wren said, kicking and gently catching Teddy’s leg with his toes.
“I’m not laughing,” he said, dialing Saint.
“Hello?” Saint answered after the first ring.
“Hey,” Teddy said. “Question: Are there any pet stores, sanctuaries, vets, or anything animal related in North Arcstead? Harrow Street, specifically?”
“Not that I know of. There used to be a dude smuggling in snakes and spiders in Harrow, but he got busted last year and hasn’t shown his face since. Why?”
“The mystery texter sent us a location. Guess we’ll have to go check it out.”
“Trace and I are five minutes away from Harrow,” Saint said. “Want us to poke around?”
Wren shook his head.
“No, you guys do your thing,” Teddy said. “We found nothing in here so we’ll head there now.”
“Sure?” Saint asked, and Teddy hummed in confirmation before cutting the call.
“I guess we’re going to Harrow,” Teddy said, and Wren nodded, casting one last glance at the animals in the store before following Teddy out, closing the door, and locking it back up.
They piled back into the car, Teddy glancing around himself before pulling out of the street and driving off.
Apparently the presence of the police had warned Kellan off, because as far as Teddy could tell he was absent, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that that was somehow worse than having him tail them. At least that way he knew exactly where he was and when he would strike.
He could be prepared. What for, he wasn’t entirely sure. But the empty space behind his car and the silence of his phone made his already frayed nerves even worse.
“Settle down,” he heard Wren say as a small hand landed on his own and gave it a gentle press against his thigh.
The storm inside Teddy immediately quieted down, mellowing enough for his mind to focus again.
“Treating me like one of your critters.” He tried joking, flipping his hand over and letting their fingers slot together, skin on skin, warmth and comfort traveling between them.
“You’re no critter,” Wren said with a huff, then he left the statement hanging in the air between them. Teddy wanted to know what he stopped himself from saying, but he also wanted to keep the tenuous peace and ease between them for as long as he could.
So he said nothing.
He twined their fingers tighter, closing his eyes for a split second to imagine them back at their spot at Nexus, before opening them again and driving toward their destination.
The location the mystery texter had sent them to looked even worse in person than it had when they’d looked it up online. Apparently, the photo had been taken at the peak of the street’s beauty, which had been in decline ever since.
The row of buildings in front of them was near falling apart, cracks in the walls plastered messily to try and save them, steelbars sticking out of balconies and windows swinging on hinges that barely held them up.
“Didn’t know Arcstead did grunge,” Wren commented as they exited the car, Teddy already missing the feeling of his fingers between his own.
“Oh, it does.” Teddy walked around the car to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. “The contrast makes it worse.”
“I guess.” Wren nodded, reaching out to stroke a finger over Blu’s head when he landed on his shoulder. “Keep an eye out.”
