But the way he said it, she knew he didnt believe it, either. She bit her lip to hold back a fresh wave of sobbing, and turned her head to kiss his palm.
Hey, he said softly. He moved closer to the bars, pressing his face between them. I always said you were jailbait, but this is ridiculous.
She tried to laugh. She really did.
His smile looked broken. Im going to consider this protective custody. At least this way, I cant do anything thatd get me in real trouble, right?
She leaned forward to kiss him. His lips felt just the same, soft and warm and damp, and she didnt want to move away. Not ever.
He sat back first, leaving her stranded there tingling and once again on the verge of tears. Dammit! Shane could not be blamed for this. It wasnt fair!
Ill talk to Michael, she said.
Yeah. Shane nodded. Tell himwell, hell. Tell him Im sorry, okay? And he can have the PlayStation.
Stop it! Stop ityoure not going to die, Shane!
He looked at her, and she saw the bright spark of fear in his eyes. Yeah, he said softly. Right.
Claire clenched her fists until they ached, and looked at Eve, whod been standing quietly in the background. As Eve came toward the cage, Claire turned away and went to Detective Hess. How? she asked again. How are they going to kill him?
He looked deeply uncomfortable, but he looked down and said, Fire. Its always fire.
That nearly made her cry again. Nearly. Shane already knew, she thought, and so did Eve. Theyd known all along. You have to help him, she said. You have to! He didnt do anything!
I cant, he said. Im sorry.
But
Claire. He put both hands on her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. She realized she was trembling, and then the tears came, a huge flood of them, and she held to the lapels on his coat and cried like her heart was breaking. Hess stroked her hair. You bring me proof that he had nothing to do with Brandons death, and I swear to you, Ill do everything I can. But until then, my hands are tied.
The idea of Shane burning in that cage was the most horrible thing she had ever imagined. Get hold of yourself, she thought furiously. Youre all he has! So she pulled in deep, shaking breaths and stepped back from Hesss embrace, scrubbing the tears from her face with the sleeve of her T-shirt. Hess offered her a tissue. She took it and blew her nose, feeling stupid, and felt Eves hand on her shoulder before she even knew Eve was there behind her.
Lets go, Eve said. Weve got things to do.
Chapter Seventeen
It had been Michael in the doorway when theyd driven by on their way to Founders Square, and it was Michael in the doorway when the car pulled to a halt at 716 Lot Street. Gretchen opened the back door to allow Eve and Claire to scramble out. Claire looked back; Hess was still in the backseat, watching them go. He wasnt making a move to get out with them. Detective? she asked. Eve was already halfway up the walk, moving fast. Claire knew that the first rule of Morganville was Never hang around out in the dark, but she did it anyway.
Im going back to the station, he said. Hans and Gretchen will drop me off. Its okay.
She didnt like the idea of leaving anybody alone with Hans and Gretchen, but he was the adult, and he had to know what he was doing, right? She nodded, backed up, and then turned and ran the rest of the way up the steps and into the house.
Michael had pulled Eve inside, but not far in; she nearly ran into the two of them when she charged over the threshold. She slammed the door and locked itShane or Michael had replaced the locks again, and added moreand spun around to see that Michael had Eve in a bear hug, pressing her against him so tight that she nearly disappeared. He looked at Claire in total misery over Eves shoulder. What the hell is going on? Wheres Shane?
Oh God, he didnt know. Why didnt he know? What happened? she blurted. Why did you let him leave?
Shane? I didnt let him do anything. Any more than I let you go running off unprotected in the middle of the dayhis dad called. He justleft. It was still daylight. There wasnt anything I could do. Michael pushed Eve back a little and looked at her. What happened?
Brandons dead, Eve said. She didnt try to soften it, and her voice was as hard as an iron bar. Theyve got Shane in a cage on Founders Square for his murder.
Michael sagged back against the wall as if shed punched him in the stomach. Oh, he whispered. Oh my God.
Theyre going to kill him, Claire said. Theyre going to burn him alive.
Michael closed his eyes. I know. I remember. Oh, crap, hed seen it done before. So had Eve. She remembered them saying so before, though theyd spared her the details. Michael just breathed for a few seconds, and then said, We have to get him out.
Yeah, Eve agreed. I know. But by we, you mean me and Claire, right? Because youre of no damn use at all.
She might as well have punched him again, Claire thought; Michaels mouth dropped open, and she saw the agony in his eyes. Eve must not have seen it. She turned and clomped away, brisk and efficient.
Claire! she called back. Come on! Move it!
Claire looked miserably at Michael. Im sorry, she said. She didnt mean that.
No, she did, he said faintly. And shes right. Im no use to you. Or to Shane. What good am I? I might as well be dead.
He turned and slammed his hand into the wall, hard enough to break bones. Claire yelped, scrambled backward, and ran after Eve. When Michael went all avenging-angel, well, it was definitely scary. And he didnt look like he wanted witnesses to whatever was happening inside.
Eve was already going up the stairs. Wait! Claire said. Michaelshouldnt we?
Forget about Michael. Are you in or out?
In. She guessed. Claire cast another look back at the hallway, where the sound of flesh hitting wood continued, and winced.
Michael couldnt hurt himself, not permanently, but it sounded painful.