Mercy Thompson 01-05 - THE MERCY THOMPSON COLLECTION

Mercy, so that—” Adam’s arm tightened around my legs and he growled, making Samuel change his mind. “All right, all right, we’ll wait for Honey to get back with the chair. Here she is. We’ll wrap Mercy in the blanket, you send her to sleep, and then go wash up and change before the police get here.”
    Adam didn’t move.
    â€œAdam…” Samuel’s tone was wary, his posture carefully neutral. A truck drove up and the tension in the garage dropped appreciatively. No one said anything, though, until Warren came in to the garage. He looked pale and strained, and he slowed down as he got a good look around him.
    He walked into the center of the garage and nudged a piece of meat with the toe of his boot. Then he looked at Adam. “Good job, boss.”
    His eyes went to Samuel and the blanket he was holding. Then he looked at the chair resting on the floor in front of Honey.
    Samuel’s body language told Warren what had been going on and what he wanted without saying a word.
    Warren strolled over to us and snagged the blanket from Samuel, snapping it out. “Let’s get her warm and covered up.”
    Adam let Warren take me without argument. Instead of setting me in the chair, though, Warren sat in it and pulled me snugly against him. Adam watched us for a moment—I couldn’t read his face at all. Then he leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead.
    â€œIf you called the police, they will be here shortly,” said Nemane as soon as Adam had gone to the bathroom to wash up. “I need to be gone with these before the police come.”
    â€œThere’s a ring,” I told her, still basking in the peace that Adam had gifted me with.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œA silver ring on his finger.” I yawned. “I think there are a few more things in Tim’s house. He keeps them in a cabinet in his bedroom.”
    â€œThe Mac Owen ring,” Nemane said. “Would you all help me to look for it?”
    â€œMaybe Adam swallowed it,” I suggested and Warren laughed.
    â€œNo more horror movies for you,” he murmured. “But Adam didn’t eat any of him.”
    â€œHere it is,” Honey said, bending down to pick something up. Instead of giving it to Nemane, she closed her hand over it. “If you go and take that cup, they’re going to prosecute Mercy for murder.”
    â€œGive it to me.” The temperature in the room dropped appreciatively with the ice in Nemane’s voice.
    â€œWe have the video,” Darryl said. “It should be enough.”
    Honey laughed and turned on him. “Why? All it shows is that Mercy was drunk. She drank more every time he asked her to. She might have said no, but he never appeared to force her to drink. From the video, a prosecutor could argue that her judgement was impaired by alcohol—but that’s not enough to get her freed from a murder charge. She had him incapacitated and she deliberately got up and took a crowbar and hit him with it.”
    â€œThen that is what may be,” Nemane said. “It is too dangerous for humans to know we have these things.”
    â€œNot everything,” said Honey. “Just the cup.”
    â€œBy itself it would answer most of the police’s questions,” said Samuel. “Though you might have to explain how a human managed to rip a man’s head off.”
    â€œHe had bracelets,” I told him. “Called them bracers of giant strength—but they weren’t bracers. They’ll be around someplace, too.”
    â€œBen,” said Adam, sounding cool and controlled as he came back into the garage bay. “Go get my laptop.” He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved gray shirt. His hair was damp. “Nemane, I will make you a deal. If you watch what happened tonight, I will let you take your toys and run away—if that’s what you still want to do.”
    â€œI am the Carrion Crow,” Nemane said. “I’ve seen more death and rape than you can imagine.”
    Shame slipped through the warm peace Adam had given to me. I didn’t want anyone to watch. “She’s blind,” I said. “She can’t see anything.”
    â€œShe can use my eyes,” Samuel said.
    I saw Nemane stiffen.
    â€œMy father is a Welsh bard as well as the Marrok,” Samuel told her. “He knows things. You can use my eyes, if Adam thinks it’s important to see