“He was the client.” It wasn’t a question. His attention flew to the screen, inspecting the man. “He looks fit, someone who could hold up in a fight. I bet it wasn’t obvious under the business suit or formal clothes. Sam?”
She nodded curtly.
“It doesn’t sound like a threatening name, either,” he mused.
“Oi, Sam!” the same voice called out. Seconds later, another set of legs came in before the figure was prominent. The man was just as muscular, but the way he posed in front of Sam made it apparent who was in charge. “There’s no one here. They think so, too.”
Theymeant whoever was making a commotion outside the hut and not visible on the screen. But the wirings captured the distinct shuffles of figures going back and forth.
“That’s good,” Sam replied.
“We always check this place. I don’t get it.”
“It’s a yearly thing, Jay.”
“Not this year,” Jay insisted. “You were here every day in the last three weeks.”
“Ah, that was more for planning. But you know I can’t help coming here and seeing how successful we were. I think it’s time we make that accomplishment more tangible, isn’t it?”
“Tangible?”
“It’s why I asked you to bring those items with us today.”
“Those items? What…oh! Are you saying what I think you are saying?”
“Yes,” Sam confirmed. “I forgot about these lands after we defeated those assholes—thought it was nothing but a graveyard after they all rotted. But it’s good land. It’s not haunted.”
“And it’s a good addition to our territories?” Jay asked.
“Hell, yes. Now, do your thing.”
There was scrambling as Jay shouted orders and the footsteps quickened. The sound of metal hitting pebbles came next until she deduced that they were digging the ground, and it wasn’t long before the digging sounds echoed all over. Sam stood where he was, hands behind him as he watched.
“We can do the same setup. This will be my hut surrounded by other huts, but we make it more modern. Wood and straw…” There was a low chuckle. “No wonder they burned so easily.”
She shook violently. What she assumed was grief burned brighter than ever, transforming into a rage that was enough to have her fur sprouting. She glanced down, thunderstruck, then returned to the screen. His face wasn’t visible as he turned away from the camera, but she could imagine the smirk that played on his lips—as fresh and nasty as it had been years ago.
“I’m going to kill him,” she vowed quietly.
She felt Nico stand beside her. At the corner of his eye, she saw him nod. “There’s a time for that. Not now. Not with all these people.”
“Not a single one is innocent.”
“I assume there were no teenagers or children involved in the burning,” he countered. “Why after three years? Why would they want this?”
“It’s prime land. Good defense and opportunities for offense. A great hiding place.”
She left one thing behind, but as expected, he picked up on it.
“Anne?”
“Bruce’s birthday is right around the corner. I don’t know what it means. It could be symbolism. I don’t know why you always want me to say everything, even the things that don’t make sense.”
“Because a third party like me might be able to see things that you don’t.”
“Do you?”
Reluctantly, he shook his head. “No.”