“It’s a nutria,” he adds. “Cause of death undetermined. Colt will handle disposal.”
“Alright. We’re almost there.”
The guard at the shack waves me through without looking up from his magazine. Normally that would bother me. Right now, I’m grateful. Still unacceptable.
As I turn into Tianna’s drive, I spot a tall, lean man with an easy gait. Leather gloves. A weighted garbage bag hanging from one hand.
I park and cross toward him.
There’s a presence at my back. I turn to see James.
After quick introductions, Colt confirms what Coulson already told me. He adds that he sees no signs of property intrusion. No obvious injury to the animal. Hard to say more without testing. They’ll send it out for a necropsy.
“Normally it would just be a dead rodent,” he says easily as he lifts it into the bed of his truck, “but we want to rule anything else out.”
He peels off the leather gloves to reveal nitrile underneath, then disposes of both. Afterward, he offers his hand.
“I’ll be on my way,” he says. “Coulson will stay in contact.”
I shake his hand and turn toward the house, briefly wondering where Erik disappeared to.
Chapter seventy-one
Erik
I don’t know why they’re going to talk to the man with the dead rodent. He can’t tell us anything we don’t already know.
I head for the house. She’ll be near a back window, or in Meg’s dance studio. When I pass the sunroom and don’t see her, I go to the studio. It’s unlocked, just as I expected.
I step inside and find her with the Notes pressed against the back wall, watching Meg perform a flawless arabesque that flows smoothly into a fondu.
I ignore Meg and move straight toward Tianna. I stop in front of her. The Notes are glued to her sides.
I hold out my hand. She places hers in mine, and I pull her to her feet, opening my arms without a word.
She steps into them.
I give her a gentle hug.
The dogs immediately begin to wiggle, sensing that their person is no longer distressed.
Chapter seventy-two
Christianna
Meg turns off the music and moves toward us, absently scratching Treble as he comes up to her.
“What’s going on?” she asks, grabbing a towel to blot the sweat from her face.
“She walked the dogs and found a dead rodent,” Erik says. “One of the security team took it away.”
Meg blinks and glances at me, one brow arching.
“The Notes found something covered in flies near the wall in the back,” I say. “It was disconcerting. I texted Remy, and…”
Erik shakes his head. “Yes. I just said that.” He gives my hand a gentle tug. “Let’s get you some water.”
He’s already guiding her toward the kitchen.
