doing?” Rael inquired. He glanced around the cabin’s interior. “Where is everyone?”
“The doc had to go into Salmon. Roadkill and Crank took him, as they were hunter-gathering groceries. Vic went along for the ride.” Hashtag beamed. “Perfect. Okay, Dellan, you can move now.” He went to the table where he’d set up his laptop. “There’s coffee made.” Hashtag gestured absently toward the countertop as he sat down.
Dellan poured two mugs and then joined Hashtag, while Rael went about preparing breakfast. “So why do you need my photo?”
Hashtag held out his empty mug. “I’ll have another while you’re there.” Dellan took it, and Hashtag pointed to the monitor. “I woke up realizing there are things to be done sooner rather than later. My first task of the day is to organize a temporary ID for you.”
“ID?”
Hashtag arched his eyebrows. “Well, unless you were carrying ID in a cute little bag around your neck when we got you outta there, you don’t have any. Correct?”
For the first time since he’d arrived at the cabin, Dellan realized how much of a bubble he’d been living in. “I didn’t even think about ID,” he said slowly.
Hashtag gave a knowing nod. “You’ve had other things on your mind. Well, leave the ID to me.”
“You can do that? Get me an ID?”
Hashtag grinned. “You’d be amazed at some of the things I can do. And no, it’s not exactly legal, and it could be detected if it’s examined too closely, but if you’re gonna travel, you’ll need it. And seeing as there was no little bag with an ID, that means no credit card either.” He peered at Dellan. “I don’t suppose you happen to remember the number, expiration date, and security code.”
It was Dellan’s turn to grin. “You’d be amazed at some of the things I can do.” Hashtag chuckled at the repetition, but his eyes widened as Dellan rattled off the figures.
“What the fuck?”
Dellan shrugged. “What can I say? I have a head for numbers.” Then Hashtag’s question sank in. “Why do you need my credit card details?”
“Because you never know when you’ll need ’em to lay a false trail.”
“Excuse me?” Rael stared at him.
Hashtag sighed. “Okay. Picture this. Dellan goes back to Chicago to kick little half brother’s ass and take back his company. But Dellan’s been gone for more than a year. People are bound to ask where he’s been. Now, he can’t exactly say, ‘Hey, I was forced to shift into a tiger and then I was kept like that in a glass cage,’ can he? So we need to show he’s actually been places during his absence.”
“How can you do that?” Dellan was officially impressed.
Hashtag tapped the side of his nose. “The trick is not to go overboard. I create digital receipts that show you were someplace. Not too many, just enough. Of course, they wouldn’t stand up to too much scrutiny, but why should anyone look too closely? It’s not like you’re wanted for murder, right?” He pointed to a notepad and pen beside the laptop. “Write down your card details for me, please.”
Dellan did as asked. At that moment the cabin door opened and Doc and Vic entered, stomping their boots on the mat and shivering, Roadkill and Crank behind them.
One look at the coffeepot told Dellan he needed to make more.
“So you finally got up?” Crank commented as he dropped his box of groceries onto the table. “Not that I’m surprised. I guess you had a disturbed night.” He smirked. Roadkill smacked him on the arm, and he glared. “Just because you’re too prissy to say anything.”
“Prissy has nothing to do with it,” Roadkill retorted. “It’s called being polite. Considerate. Insert other appropriate adjectives as required.”
Horvan snorted. “I could’ve laid money on Crank being the first to say a word.”
Hashtag gave Crank a smug glance. “I managed to have an entire conversation without bringing it up once. You’re in the place for less than two seconds, and your mouth runneth over.”
Doc walked over to Dellan and held out an envelope. “This is for you.”
Dellan opened it and slid out the single sheet of paper. Warmth flooded him. “Oh. I see.” Rael looked at him with interest, and Dellan smiled. Guess who got the all clear.
Horvan snickered. Guess who forgot to add lube to the shopping list.
Crank looked from Horvan to Rael to Dellan. He groaned. “I don’t need to ask what that was about, do I? That’s it. I’m wearing earplugs tonight.”
Vic coughed. “Guys? I think it’s