Page 131 of The Genius
“What do you see?” I asked.
“They are discussing. Hunter is agitated. He’s moving his feet, shifting his balance; now he’s pointing at Magni. This has to be about Solo.”
“Fuck, you know what I just thought of?”
“What?”
“Yesterday, Boulder and Finn told me that the reason Lord Khan and Magni weren’t here was because an Nman had murdered his wife.”
Shelly gasped out loud. “No!”
“Yes. I don’t know who he was or the motive for doing so, but why would they come straight here except to warn Hunter that Willow might be in danger again?”
“You think Solo is the murderer?”
Squinting my eyes, I wrinkled my nose up. “What else would it be?”
“But Solo was always so protective of women, remember?”
“He was also jealous and possessive.”
“All you Nmen are. I refuse to believe that Solomon would do something like that.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that a woman is dead and her husband was the one who killed her.”
I didn’t like the strange look that Shelly was giving me. “You don’t think I could do that, do you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Good, for a second you had me worried. Killing your wife isn’t normal behavior, you know.”
“I wish I could read lips or get close enough to hear what they’re saying,” she mumbled.
“Me too.”
“Lord Khan has his hand on Hunter’s shoulder. He’s leaning in and speaking with a serious expression on his face. Hunter has his arms crossed; he does not like what he’s being told.”
“What is he being told?” I asked.
“That’s the mystery, isn’t it?”
“Okay, quick, laugh. They’re breaking up the meeting and Hunter is coming this way. He’s looking pissed.”
I didn’t laugh, but I did follow Hunter into the woods.
From the way he was stomping and moving fast, his mood was easy to read. When I stepped on a branch that broke and made a loud sound, Hunter turned to see who was following him.
“What do you want?”
“Hunter, what’s going on? They told you something about Solo, didn’t they?”
“Yeah.”
“I know I was drunk last night, but I still remember what you told me about Willow and Solo. You can trust me. If Willow is in danger we can leave now.”
Hunter waited for me to catch up to him before he spoke. “They came to warn me that Solo might show up.”
“Here?”
