Kaitlin held up a hand in mock defense. But she could feel a smile tugging at her lips. Josie needed this. And she’d called Travis a bastard. That had to be a move in the right direction.
“And don’t smile.”
Kaitlin stopped smiling. “I wasn’t.”
Josie took a deep breath. “So guess what? Travis was not a good guy. He was a bad guy. Very bad. And I’m glad he’s dead.”
Hey. A result. “Good. So now you’re ready to move on. Maybe get kissy-kissy with Detective Steve.”
“I don’t know. I obviously have deplorable taste in men. What if he’s a bastard as well?”
“I like him.”
“You do?” Josie didn’t sound happy about that.
“Not like that.”
“No, because you only have eyes for Kane. Which means you have deplorable taste in men as well.”
“I don’t have eyes or anything else for Kane.”
Josie opened her mouth. Kaitlin glared, and she closed it again. Clever girl.
“There was other stuff in the files,” Josie said. “About the experiment. Details of what they did. Christa is going through the information. She thinks she might be able to reverse it.”
“Is that what you want?”
“I think so. I might have lost my memory, but right now I also feel like I’ve lost a part of myself. Who and what I am. And I’ll never be complete without getting it back. But even if she can’t reverse it, Christa reckons she can mend me.”
Christa had been working on the Kindred’s DNA for years. She hadn’t known it, but she’d been inadvertently working for the Conclave who had been funding her research. But strangely, not into the telepathy side of things but the other facet of their nature—that they were long-lived. She’d already identified the unique coding that stopped the aging process. She’d used up-to-date technology, cutting out the relevant piece of DNA code and adding it to her own—she hadn’t wanted to grow old and die while Jake stayed the same.
She believed it had worked and had no side effects. She’d offered to do the same for Ethan, and he’d accepted. And Kaitlinknew she had spoken to Rose and given the same offer to Dave. So far, he hadn’t taken her up on it, but Kaitlin believed he would. In time. Providing he had time.
Now Christa was working on identifying the DNA code that made them telepathic. So that would be an option too. Also, maybe she could do the opposite and take away the telepathy—switch off the gene code. But Kaitlin would never want that, and she didn’t think any of the others would either.
She patted Josie’s hand. “I’m glad. It will be good to have you completely back.”
“I know. Being with you all, up in Scotland, made me realize how cut off I am from the others. I only really felt connected to Sadie. And you, of course.”
“Of course. Hey, we’re friends.”
It was true. The feelings had crept up on her. At first Josie had just been someone in need of protection, but they’d gotten past that. She’d never really had a friend before.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Josie asked. “Is it about your brother?” Josie had no memory of Sam. “Did you find anything new in the files? Did it upset you seeing them? Finding out what happened? Do you want to talk about it?”
Not particularly, but she was going to. She just wasn’t sure how to broach the subject. Josie would probably tell her she was totally insane. And maybe she was.
Fuck. She sort of wished she’d never had the idea, but now it wouldn’t leave her alone. She jumped to her feet, needing to move. Her glass was empty, and she crossed to the bar and made herself another. Josie was only halfway through hers; she wasn’t much of a drinker. Unlike her—she was a complete lush.
Kaitlin took a gulp and turned back to find Josie watching her. Maybe she should just get it out fast.
“I want to steal Kane’s time machine and go back and save Sam. And I need you and Detective Steve to help me.”
Chapter 16
Kane had managed to sleep for most of the flight from Edinburgh to Uganda. Which was just as well since he’d had almost zero sleep the night before.
Now he was wide awake and not happy.
