Chapter 79

 

GRIMES TOOK A raging Fleming, my mother, and Aunt Bess in his car. Frei had given them directions to meet back at her place when she’d got her car running.

I got the feeling Renee needed some alone time so I’d wandered over to Frei who was swearing in a few different languages at her battered car. “The wonder of teenagers, huh?”

Frei’s icy blues fixed me with one of her scariest stares. “She drove through the hedgerow, Lorelei, through it.”

“She ain’t ever driven before. At least it ain’t that dented.” Much. It looked like it had been driven through a wall, not to mention the gouges out of the paint. The windshield was in one piece though.

“I’m not mad at the damage, Lorelei, I’m mad she had to be in that position.” Frei had a wrench in hand and was fiddling with something. I didn’t know enough about cars to know what.

“But she’s okay now. She’ll get yelled at by Miroslav and the others, sure, but she has you now.” I shoved my hands in my pockets and winced, then pulled out something that resembled a squished reed from it.

“Not the point.”

I sighed. “Can you fix it?”

“It’s a car. It’s not rocket science.” Her tone was curt and cold as always.

“You mad at me too?” It sure felt like it. What’d I do?

“You ever throw yourself in front of me again and I’ll shoot you myself.”

I smiled. “Feeling better, huh?”

She put her hands on her hips, wrench glinting like a gun, jacket back like wings. “You took a bullet for me, Lorelei.”

I nodded. “Yup. Suck it up.”

She scowled and wagged her wrench at me like she’d hurl it at me any second. “It was a stupid, foolish, idiotic thing to do.” Her eyes twinkled and a warm smile eased the frown from her face. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I held her gaze. “I really don’t like Jäger.”

“Get in line.” She turned back to the car, shield slamming back up.

“How do we stop him?” I asked. “He could hurt other people.”

Frei yanked at whatever she was tightening.

“I still have your back, if you need me.” I braced for her to yell at me but she stopped and stared.

“If you ask for my mother’s help, I get my genes from her too, you know.” I smiled. “Is there a way we can stop him?”

“I can’t expect you to follow me.” She stared at the ground. “This is my personal baggage.”

“Yeah, like mine was back in Oppidum and Renee’s was Yannick and you were with us every step of the way.” I frowned. “You think we wouldn’t back you up?”

Her chin wobbled. “Thank you.”

“When you come up with a plan, you let us know.” I sighed as I stared at Renee still sitting alone. “That’s if Fleming doesn’t fire us all first.”

Frei looked up to the sky, muttered something in German and went back to her car. “Renee is better with this than I am.” It sounded as if it was painful for her to admit.

“So ask her.”

Frei glared at me.

“Or I’ll ask her.” I swallowed. Nice to know Frei had the warm fuzzies. “You’re a pain in my butt, Frankenfrei.”

Frei’s glare creased into laughter. “Move or I will throw it at you.”

I sighed and trudged away from her. You go rescue a woman, get half-drowned, and I was still a gofer. I shook my head. Some things never changed.