stood up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek where the dimple lay.
He looked very pleased and, as he bent at the waist to bring his face nearer, he turned into the kiss and made it a gentle contact between our lips.
I started, pulling back and blushing like mad. I was liable to pass out given the number of times I’d blushed in the last twelve hours. Embarrassing.
“Do I apologize?” he asked, grinning again but looking mischievous this time.
I rubbed my lips with cold fingertips and shook my head. “No. No, I don’t think so. But in order to keep my head clear, can we go on to the site of the disappearance?” Something bothered me, but I couldn’t quite put it together. I looked around at the guards and they were all armed even better than the driver had been. Maybe I was just uncomfortable with all the weapons. The only thing I had available to stop an attack was my mind, and it wasn’t bullet proof.
“Of course.” He held out his arm to me, and I took it. He turned me toward the northern copse of trees, and we began the walk through the field, our merry contingent hot on our heels.
The area where Jossel had allegedly disappeared was unimpressive. It was located in the northern stand of the ancient oak trees. That was it. There was nothing remarkable about it, no flashing arrow pointing to a single clue. I began looking around the area with Tarrek trailing right behind me. I came across two sets of boot prints in the soft dirt, one large and the other, within the first, smaller. The smaller prints moved from tree to tree so that it appeared as if someone was stalking Jossel, or herding him in a particular direction. I held up my hand for everyone to stop. I got on my hands and knee to look for clues but also to say a quick prayer that I didn’t make a total ass of myself. The guards all watched me carefully, aware of who I was but, more importantly, what I was—a woman. Being a descendant of the Father of Who-Done-It was a blessing and a curse. It occurred to me as I ran my fingers through the sparse grass that these men likely knew my great-granddad. I sighed. Again, no pressure.
“Tarrek?” I called out.
“Here,” he responded, and I suddenly saw a pair of Italian shoes in my peripheral vision. “What may I do, Maddy?”
“I need a digital camera. Preferably a professional grade one. How possible would it be to get one out here this morning?”
“Give me a moment. Do you have a brand you prefer?” Before I could answer he turned and beckoned to one of the guards before turning back to me. I looked up at his face, which was all business.
“Uh, Canon is my personal favorite.”
“It will be handled. Give me a moment.” He stepped away and spoke to the guard, who nodded and disappeared. Literally. The guy was there one second, gone the next. I gasped. Tarrek walked quickly back to me and squatted down, forearms resting on his knees. “Remember what I told you about the ease of our traditional transportation? Earlier, in the car?” He touched nothing that was potential evidence. Or me.
“Waxing and waning,” I whispered.
“Very good.” He beamed. “You just saw Klayn wane. It’s common for us, so you’ll need to become used to it, okay?”
He talked about it as if it were that simple a concept. It was like saying, “We prefer tea over coffee, so be prepared to drink tea.” I sat on the ground, hard, and hoped I hadn’t squashed any evidence. Tarrek stayed squatted next to me while I thought through the strangeness that was now my life. Before I could come up with any profound explanation for the question Why me? Klayn appeared, or waxed, about ten feet in front of me. I made that horrible girly eep noise and the guards’ collective chuckles rang through the morning mist that was developing. I scowled at them. Great. Now I was amusing.
Stepping up to me Klayn said in a surprisingly deep baritone, “I apologize, Niteclif.” There was a small smile playing around his lips. In his hand was the camera. I didn’t ask where it had come from or how he’d obtained it in a matter of minutes, but instead took the camera when he offered it to me. I looked it over and began adjusting settings. This I