I tip my gaze to the ladder leading to the attic.
I should check it thoroughly again. Maybe not with Raven on the phone. I want to take my time.
“All right,” she says in a faint voice.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
The noise echoes again.
She notices it too.
“It must be the window in the attic. The latch is old,” she says.
“It happens often?”
“No. It’s never happened. But everything is rusty in the house. I wouldn’t be surprised if the wind blew it open. It’s a tiny window.”
I know that. I’ve seen it.
“Uh-huh,” I mumble.
I wonder if it can be used to access the house, which would put my competition in the ninja category, which sounds ludicrous.
I dismiss the idea. Without warning her, I start climbing the ladder.
“You don’t have to do that…” she murmurs. “I hate these old houses.”
“No, you don’t. You hate it because you don’t feel safe in it. You should consider a security system. I can hook you up with my people.”
Because it’s worked so great, having my surveillant system hacked and all that.
Regardless…
It’s better than nothing.
“Raven?”
“Yeah, yeah…”
“Are you fine, baby?”
“I’m a little nervous.”
“You can always come and live with me,” I toss at her casually.
I push through the attic door, make sure my flashlight is on and check the space.
“Can we do that?”
I stop and look around.
“Do what?”
“Live together?”
“Why wouldn’t we be able to do that?”