“Not telling.”
“Killjoy.”
“Nowyousound like Aunt Dixie. That woman rubs off on everyone.”
“It’s part of her charm,” Lucy said. “I like her.”
“I like her, too. I only wish she’d settle down sometimes.”
Raphael pointed. “Something’s happening under the water tower.”
A large box truck with an orange stripe on the side panel pulled alongside the water tower’s base and came to a stop.
Diesel lifted a set of binoculars to his eyes. “I see two men and a large U-Haul vehicle, looks like a twenty-five footer. One is Indigo Smith, clearly not shapeshifted. I don’t recognize the other guy. I also don’t see Francine.”
He handed the binoculars to Raphael. “Do you know who that is?”
Raphael focused on the two moving figures exiting the truck’s cab. Indigo was in the driver’s seat. Was Francine inside?
Raphael scanned the cab for further movement, but didn’t see her.
Indigo moved to the back of truck, looking over his shoulder and at the surrounding area. He unlocked the rear door and shoved the rolling gate over his head, then climbed inside. The other man was out of sight, but he came into view a few seconds later at the back of the truck.
They pulled out two narrow metal ramps and attached them to the inside bed of the truck.
“What is that?” Raphael asked.
“Looks like car hauler ramps to me. Maybe they are going to drive away in whatever vehicle is in that U-Haul. I don’t think that’s legal.”
“I recognize the other guy. He’s wearing the shape of Randel Edgar.”
“The guy you just found out has been dead for a year?”
“Yes.”
“Crazy,” Wyatt said.
Who could the mystery shifter be? Raphael had a few thoughts rolling around in his head. Not many people could have killed Edgar, hidden his body well enough for a year and then assumed his life. Raphael could only think of a couple of names.
The distant sound of a mechanical rotor grew louder. “Whatisthat noise?” Raphael asked.
Wyatt and Diesel both looked up, even though they couldn’t see through the truck’s roof. “Helicopter,” they both said as the sound of propeller blades grew even louder.
Raphael had never heard an Earther helicopter and he’d only seen one pictured in a book.
Diesel opened his door, reached for the binoculars and eased out of the truck, leaving his door open. He lifted them to his eyes and searched the skies until he found what he was looking for. “It’s coming from the north and heading in this direction fast.”
The noise of chains rattling sent Diesel’s binocular focus to the fence around the water tower. “And they just cut the lock on the gate. Someone’s about to climb the ladder up there.”
Raphael looked at the water tower. “Can the helicopter lift the water tower?”
Wyatt said, “No way. The heaviest helicopter payload capacity on Earth couldn’t lift that thing.”
Diesel got back in the truck. “They could maybe peel the top off, though.” He started the engine. “Wyatt, call in reinforcements. We’re grabbing them now.”
“Got it.” Wyatt dialed a quick number and talked to Hunter.
Raphael saw Indigo climbing one of the water tower ladders with a large backpack slung over one shoulder as Diesel’s truck approached the U-Haul.
