Page 459 of Chaos has a Name
“Kinky,” she joked, making Ivan snort.
Heading into the community center, Elizabeth kept Takoda close as Callen was off to do his Native duties as liaison. Gene was right behind her, making sure no one snuck up on them.
To do what?
She had no idea.
Maybe sage her so that the spirit of this city stopped haunting her.
When they entered the food pantry, Elkie was helping another older woman get some food. As she did, Elizabeth watched her.
The woman was…spry for her age.
What was also bothering her about her sons, and how they might be involved in this, was the proximity that the bar was to Thomas Adsila’s home.
One of the boys could have snuck out earlier, got there by moving through the trees to hide in his closet, while the other closed up and caught up.
They knew Thomas was most definitely drunk from the lab reports, so he likely wasn’t hauling ass home.
She also didn’t like that Elkie’s husband recently died. So far, everyone had told her thatThe Hollowpassed this down from generation to generation.
It also answered why the three sets of remains had gnawing that matched the two pairs of teeth marks, but years apart.
WasThe Hollowtraining his replacement all of these years? Was that possibly her biggest clue?
Unfortunately, she needed to feel it out. Oh, and by not making a perfectly nice older woman suspicious.
Or offended.
Normally, she wouldn’t care, but there were circumstances here.
Like her husband’s grew up here. While she prided herself on rattling the boat, here was not the time or place.
PERIOD.
When the woman turned around, Elizabeth waved at her.
“Hey, Elkie,” she said, playing it cool. “I hear you needed to see me.”
The woman headed her way, and immediately pulled her down to give her a big kiss.
“I did want to see you. Thank you for coming,” she said. “Who is this handsome man?” she asked, looking at Takoda, who was next to Gene.
“This is my eldest son, Takoda,” she said. “He’s a Marine, and keeping me company today.”
He held out his hand, and shook hers.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ma’am.”
The woman beamed.
“You look like Callen. He has to be your daddy,” she said. “He was a wild child at your age. Good for you for being a Marine. We tried to get my sons to sign up, but they never wanted to leave the reservation. My Joshua made them homebodies.”
Elizabeth was curious.
And her lowkey investigation began with that segue into the topic of her kids.
“Do they live near you?” she asked.
