The flight from Shenandoah to Kansas City was both short and silent. Cadence spent most of the time trying to concentrate on what she was planning on saying at the memorial later that afternoon, rather than focusing on the fact that her morning had not started out the way she expected it to; she had, once again, woken up alone--something she was certainly not anticipating, not already anyway.
Aaron had a perfectly good explanation--he had gone to get her breakfast--which she appreciated. But when she turned over to an empty bed, panic had set in pretty quickly. He had returned within a few mom
Aaron didn't say anything, and Cadence wondered if that was because there really wasn't anything to say or if he was anticipating the beginning of the memorial service. Either way, she sat in silence, her hand in his, trying to keep herself together for the last few minutes before Hannah cued the music and Christian, who was running the sound, began the ceremony in the most unusual and unexpected way, by playing "Don't Fear the Reaper," by Blue Oyster Cult. Like everyone else, Cadence and Aaron glanced around, confused, before breaking out in laughter. After all, it made perfect sense. The last thing that Elliott would want is for anyone to be crying on his account.
As Aaron made his way back to sit beside her, she gave him a reassuring smile, and began to focus on the reverend again. Once it became apparent that the ceremony was just about over, however, Cadence realized that the red-headed woman was gathering up her purse. She was certain Aaron had no idea what was going on--even though he always seemed to know everything; this situation had to be off of his radar. Cadence had to make a decision. As the reverend asked everyone to bow their heads one last time as he went to the Lord, the woman Cadence believed to be Amanda Keen stood and made her way to the nearest exit. With only a second's hesitation, Cadence bolted as well, hoping that if anyone noticed, they would think she was just overcome with emotion.
After a few minutes, they reached the largest of the fountains that decorated a vast green area near the back of the property. It was a simple design, an immense bowl with the statue of a little girl protruding from the middle, a sweet grin on her face, standing on a pillar topped with clouds, pouring out the contents of a watering can into the basin below. Cadence had never really paid any attention to it before, but now that she was standing next to it, she wondered what, if anything, it was supposed to represent."This is Aarolyn," he explained, gesturing at the cherub faced child. "Elliott
"We are having a light luncheon at the main building in a few minutes," Hannah explained as she approached. "Everything all right?""Yes, fine. Why?" Cadence asked as Aaron patted her gently on the back and then went over to talk to Jamie, Shane, and Christian.Hannah shrugged. "You took off out of her so quickly I just wondered if... Oh, my goodness, Cadence! What's that on your hand?"
The next morning, after a tearful goodbye with her family, Cadence found herself in her usual chair in Aaron's office, sitting next to Jamie, who had no idea how much of a distraction it was to her that he was sitting in Elliott's chair-- in her mind, that's who should have been sitting there. At least it's not empty, she thought, as she waited for the rest of their team to take a seat so Aaron could get started.Hannah, Christian, Shane, Meagan, and Aurora were also present. Cadence tried to focus on the tasks at hand, determining their next steps in tracking down the renegades, and
"I hope Paxton and Smith can handle watching Laney, too," Shane admitted. "But I have them on the IAC, and they did okay yesterday during the memorial. Surely they can keep an eye on her for a few minutes....""Hope so," Cadence mumbled."We have an election date," Hannah offered. "Not sure if you heard."
Aaron had insisted on walking Cadence and Jamie down to the holding pen where Laura was being kept, despite the fact that Jamie had been down there dozens of times by himself in the last few days. Though Aaron wasn't lying when he said it wasn't a prison, it was a small room with no windows and a door that not only locked but was reinforced against the possibilities of any being--Hunter, Guardian, Vampire, or otherwise--finding a way to muscle through it. Standing outside of the room, he watched as Cadence double-checked that her Glock was loaded with the titanium bullets and then shoved it into the back of her waistband beneath her shirt.
The slight change in expression on Laura's face at the word fiancé was not lost on Cadence, and even though Laura tried to hide it from her, as she did her growing fear, Cadence was willing to exploit it. "Oh, you didn't see my ring? He's got fine taste, that one." She held her ring up to the light so Laura could have a better view."You're engaged to... Aaron?" Laura asked."Sure am,