Page 49 of For Dear Life

“Anybody want something from the vending machine?” asks Leif and points to one in the opposite corner. I’ve seen these around the academy, usually empty. I’ve also frequently seen Leif using them.

“Um. We’re busy?” I say.

He shrugs and stands. “I’m not staying here to listen to the Violet and Rowan Show. I’ll get a soda; tell me what you decide to do.”

Leif wanders away, through the rows of suffering. Humans must lead extremely inconvenient lives. The burden from physical damage or disease would be enough to deal with, but the waiting. Humans are always waiting for something.

Slumping back, I drag my phone from a pocket and run through my notes. A woman in green pants and top to match the guy behind the desk holds her lanyard up to a pad on the left of the door I’m itching to walk through.

“We need a lanyard,” I say and nudge Rowan. “Or can your computer-magic-whatever help, like at the police station?”

“No, I can’t locate the hospital computer mainframe and disable everything,” he says.

“Why not?”

“Do you even understand what I said?”

“No, but that’s not uncommon.” His lips press together. “Why can’t you?”

“Because it’s impossible.” He studies me for a moment. “How was bowling?”

“Brief.”

“Did you have fun?”

I frown. Why the sudden interest and cold edge to his aura? “Define fun.”

Rowan looks at me. “Did anything make you smile? Elicit small feelings of happiness?”

“Are you being sarcastic? I can never tell when your face doesn’t move.”

“At least you didn’t leave empty-handed.”

“Agreed. The evening was fruitful, despite not speaking to many local humans. Kai is under curfew and hopefully safer. We now know who the bear shifter is, and if he’s still unalive, that will be an added bonus.”

Rowan nods at the dog’s ear protruding from my pocket. “I meant that.”

“Oh. Right. Well, I observed Holly’s interactions with Marci, and I have new suspicions. We need to discuss Marci tomorrow. What do you know about her?” Rowan shrugs. “She said something odd, Rowan. Marci told me she ‘missed your chats’, which implies that you and she were once in a relationship.”

There’re a lot of silences tonight.

“Yeah. Kind of,” he says eventually and digs hands into his pockets, stretching out his legs.

“Oh.” That twinge in my chest again, like the time he walked out of the room the night I died. I place a hand over my heart—hasn’t my body healed fully?

“Does that bother you?” he asks cautiously. “Mine and Marci’s relationship ended a long time ago.”

“Not at all. In fact, your past dalliance could prove useful. You’ll know plenty about Marci.” I lower my voice, even though the nearest human, a young guy with a glazed look, sits several seats away. “She’s now on my suspect list.”

“Why?”

“Because she doesn’t like me.”

Rowan chuckles. “That puts a lot of people on your list, Violet.”

“Only the ones I disagree with.”

“You argued? Crap.” Rowan straightens. “Where is Marci?”

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