In Too Deep

18

A t four o'clock that afternoon, Zack got behind the wheel of the rental car. Raine buckled up in the passenger seat. She waved at Isabella and Fallon, who were standing on the narrow sidewalk in front of the office.

Zack put the car in gear and drove slowly along the Cove's narrow main drag, following the SUV carrying Rafanelli and his team.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Raine said. "But I believe that the Earth may have just shifted on its axis."

Zack smiled. "Because Fallon finally hired an assistant?"

"Not just any assistant. He managed to find the one woman on the face of the planet who seems to be able to appreciate his rather unique nature. They're sleeping together."

"Yeah, I did get that impression," Zack said. "Always knew that when Fallon finally went down, he'd fall like one of those big woolly mammoths at the end of the Ice Age."

"Hard?"

"Very. I'm surprised we didn't feel the ground shake all the way up in Seattle."

Raine drummed her fingers lightly on the seat. "I like Isabella very much, but I do sense that she's as comfortable with conspiracy theories as Fallon is. Maybe even more so."

"I think it's in the blood. Fallon says that she's the Sentinel's granddaughter."

Raine turned her head sharply, startled. "The nut who operates that weird website? Iceberg?"

"One and the same. Evidently the Sentinel died recently or faked her own death, depending on your point of view."

"Good grief."

"Isabella is convinced that someone may have murdered her grandmother because of some secret conspiracy. She thinks the killers are after her as well."

Raine rested her head against the back of the seat and groaned. "Oh, brother. Isabella really is a little out there, isn't she?"

"Looks like it."

"She seems so nice. I really like her. What does Fallon think?"

"Fallon really likes her, too. I got the impression that he's not buying into her conspiracy theory, at least not entirely. But he's sleeping with her and he's a Jones, so he'll do just about anything for her. He's investigating the Sentinel's death."

"Wait until the rest of the Joneses hear about this." Raine's mouth twitched. "The clan is going to go into shock. Everyone has been hoping that Fallon would meet someone who could keep him anchored in reality, a woman who would serve as a counterbalance for his rather unusual nature."

"Instead he's gone right off the deep end for someone who is even further over the horizon than he is."

"What did he say when you asked him to come to the Winter Conference?" Raine asked.

"I explained the situation to him. He understood. He'll be there. He won't be staying long, though, just the night of the reception and the auction. But that's enough for my purposes."

"Get a bunch of Joneses in one room together and people pay attention," Raine said. "Any idea why Fallon hates social gatherings so much?"

"He's never been keen on them, but he really does not want to attend this particular gig."

"Why?"

"His ex-fiancee and her family will be there."

"Whoa, slow down. I didn't know that Fallon had been engaged."

"Her name is Jennifer Austin. She's an expert in paranormal radiation. Works in the lab in L.A."

"Any relation to the Conroy Austin who sits on the Council?"

"His daughter," Zack said. "When Jennifer and Fallon got engaged, everyone thought it was a perfect match."

"What happened?"

"It didn't end well," Zack said.

"I see."

"By the way, you were wrong about the Earth shifting on its axis just because Fallon Jones got himself a new assistant."

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely certain," Zack said. "That Earth-shifting-on-its-axis thing only happens when you and I make love."

"Yes," Raine said. She smiled. "You're right about that."