Page 10 of Asher

I take a deep breath and commit fully to this farce. “Garrett.”

CHAPTERFIVE

Garrett

At eight on Saturday morning,I put down my mug of tea, push aside the plate bearing toast crumbs, and call Alistair. I’ve deliberately timed it to wake him in the middle of the night.

The line rings four times before connecting, and all I hear is a muffled groan.

“Alistair?”

“I hate you,” he grumbles, his voice rough with sleep.

“Good morning! How’s your life been lately?”

“Whyyyyyy do you hate me?”

I scoff. “You can’t ask people questions like that, Alistair. They’ll answer you, and the list is long.”

He says something, but he’s not speaking into the handset and I can’t make it out.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I was just waking Aidan so he can share in my pain.”

I shake my head slowly in disbelief, even though he can’t see me. “You woke your boyfriend for no reason? He’s going to leave you if you’re not careful.”

“Never. He loves me too much.” He’s starting to sound more like his usual chipper self now.

Aidan’s Irish lilt comes clearly down the line. “Not that much. Who is that and why do they want to be murdered?”

“It’s Garrett. You like Garrett. Shhh.”

“Sorry, Aidan,” I call, feeling a little guilty. Aidan’s a good man, and heismy species leader.

“Not to worry,” he answers. “I know whose fault this is.”

“Hey!” Alistair exclaims in an injured tone. “I wassleeping.”

“So was I,” Aidan says darkly. “What was it you needed, Garrett?”

“Information. There’s a woman here who seems to have a lot of influence, and—”

“Gideon’s grandmother,” Alistair announces. “Is she as scary as everyone says?”

I blink. “You didn’t think it might be relevant to tell me there was a scary, important person here so I could get some background and be prepared?”

Shrugs don’t make sounds, but I can still tell my idiot cousin is shrugging. “You’re a clever man, Garrett. I knew you’d be able to manage.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose and count silently to ten. I should have left him at the park when he was an infant. My aunt would have been sad at first, but she’d have gotten over it. And he’d be some other family’s problem.

“Tell me about her now,” I order, as patiently as I can manage.

“I don’t know much,” he admits. “Sam’s terrified of her. She tried to kill Andrew once.”

“Andrew Turner? Who works with you?” I met him at our cousin Elinor’s wedding, but I’d heard a lot about him before that—and not just from Alistair. He’s almost as old as Damaris and is highly respected. “Why?”

“Who knows? He probably deserved it. Andrew can be so annoying.”

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