Hourglass

“Okay, Michael, you have keys to the car, yes?” He held them up and then returned them to the table beside his computer, and Cat made a tick mark on the paper in her hand. “I have the keys to the science department.”

“You need the identification number for the cadaver you need to steal,” Dune said.

I couldn’t help but shudder.

“I’ll pull that up and make a note,” Michael said. “What else?”

“Keys, cadaver—oh, then there’s the …” Cat continued stalking around the kitchen, muttering under her breath.

Dune turned his attention to me. “I’ll check Thomas and Dru’s flight arrival time, too. I know you’ll want to talk to them before you go, make sure they got to the island safely.”

“Thanks, Dune.” I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths. My thoughts kept straying back to Landers and what he was up to. Would any of us ever be safe again? If he were on a power trip of the magnitude everyone thought he was, what would be the retribution if we were successful in resurrecting Liam?

“Hold it. What about money?” When Kaleb spoke, I opened my eyes. “What’s Dad supposed to live on for six months?”

Cat tapped her pencil on the notepad she was holding. “I can liquidate some assets, raise some cash, but we have to make sure we don’t use any bills printed after the date he died.”

“Yeah, I don’t think being arrested for counterfeiting would be a good way to stay under the radar. I can go to the bank,” Nate offered, putting the town map down on the counter. “Use my skills to sneak into the vault and get what we need. That way we won’t have to explain our need for bills with specific dates.”

“Nate,” Cat scolded. “Liam would never approve of your stealing—”

“I know, I know.” Nate held up his hands in mock surrender. “But do we have another option? It’s not like we won’t return the money.”

She shook her head reluctantly. Nate took that as a yes and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

“Speedy,” Michael said. The space on the kitchen table where his car keys had been was now empty. “He’d better not drive like he moves.”

“Okay, what else?” Cat looked at the list in her hand. “I wish we could work out a place for Liam to hide, but I just don’t see how.”

“Stop worrying. He’ll be alive.” Michael sat down in one of the kitchen chairs before his eyes met mine. “That’s all that matters.”

“Wait.” Cat’s eyes lit up. “You can get it!”

“What are you talking about?” Michael asked.

“Liam’s research. You can save it from going up in flames. It’s a miracle,” Cat said, clapping her hands together, her excitement visible. “All you have to do is get the disk. He only had one. It’s in a clear case, and it always sat beside the mainframe computer in Liam’s lab.”

“Sure,” I answered.

“Excellent.” Cat snapped her fingers and pointed toward the living area. “You need coats. If I remember correctly, it snowed that weekend. Michael, come with me. Help me dig some up.”

They left the room just as Dune shut the top of his computer. “Thomas and Dru are in Charlotte. They’re about to board their next plane, if you want to call them.”

“Thanks.” I stepped around the corner, pulled my cell out of my pocket, and sat down on the back stairs. Thomas answered before the first ring had finished.

After I hung up, I looked at the timetable in my hands and tried to wrap my brain around what was about to happen. I jumped when Kaleb stepped around the corner.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” I asked, lowering the timetable.

“Not getting the files. What I said to you last night. Am I forgiven?”

I sighed. “Of course you are.”

“You okay?” He lowered his body onto the step below me, then scooted down one more so that we were at eye level. “Tell me the truth.”

“You know I’ll tell you the truth. If I can be real with anyone, it’s you, and not just because you have a built-in bull detector.” I rested my chin in my hands. “The truth is, I don’t know. I thought I’d have more time to prepare.”

“Are you sure you want to do it?”

“What does your built-in bull detector tell you?”

“That you do.”

I nodded.

“Well, since you’re going anyway, the computer disk case Cat mentioned …”

“Yes?”

“The formula for my meds went up with the lab, too.”

I looked at Kaleb, really looked. Tiny lines were etched in the skin beside his eyes; the creases on either side of his mouth were deeper than they’d been even two days ago. “You said your dad made some for you just before he died. How long have you been without it?”

“I’ve been tapering off for a while now. I ran out completely a few weeks ago. It only got bad today, with everything going on.” The past few hours, all the emotions flying around—and Kaleb with no way to filter it all.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“What could anyone do?” He shrugged.

“I’ll get it. Where can I find it?”

“His bottom right desk drawer. It’s in a hanging file folder with my name on it. Looks exactly like his research disk.”

“Anything else you want me to get?”

“Just my dad.”

I looked into his eyes and hated the rawness I saw there. I could only imagine what it cost him. “Is that why you could feel my emotions so clearly when we met? Because you didn’t have a filter?”

“Yes. But—” He focused on the floor, and his long lashes cast a dark shadow on his cheekbones. There was no evidence of the playful, flirty Kaleb. “I’m pretty sure I would’ve connected with you anyway.”

I didn’t know the appropriate response to that statement. He seemed to have that affect on me. Fumbling around for words, I asked, “Um … hey, does everyone think that Landers is the one who killed your dad?”

“There weren’t any other suspects,” he answered, seeming grateful for the subject change. “The police questioned a few people, but they had no logical explanation for the fire, so ultimately they called it an accident.”

“Was Landers questioned?”

“Briefly,” Kaleb scoffed. “He had an iron-tight alibi.”

“I cut my teeth on murder mysteries. Alibis can be faked.”

“There was no way the authorities could have proved he did it. They don’t even know about places like the Hourglass—how could we explain his motive?”

“I’m worried.”

“I know,” he said, not bothering to hide his grin.

I smacked his gargantuan bicep. “Don’t tell me Michael won’t try to get proof about your dad’s murder when we go back.”

“Okay,” Kaleb said, raising his eyebrows. “I won’t tell you that.”

“But …” I motioned to the timetable on my lap. No room for error.

“He’s not going to do anything to put you at risk. I’m not going to deny that if he gets the chance to find out who did it, he’ll take it. But not if it puts you in danger.” Kaleb took my hand, rubbing his thumb across my knuckles. “He’s going to take care of you. That’s what Michael does.”