Chapter 52

“Looks like dinner’s up.” Nick got to his feet. I followed him out of the room, and up the stairs, trying not to stare at his butt.

* * * *

A few minutes later, Aunt Frannie pulled out a chair for Nick. “You can sit in John’s seat.”

Lene was already seated at our round plastic table. Her eyes flickered on my mouth for a second, and I cringed at sitting opposite her, but that was the only chair left, so I slid into it, trying to avoid herardent stare. “Hello, Derek,” she said. “I made the salad.”

I looked down at my plate. The salad appeared to be normal enough.

She smiled. She was missing so many teeth. How did she manage to chew her food? “Did you know that Nicolai put blue ink under his skin, on his ch—”

“Lene, what did I say ‘bout that?” Nick dove his fork into the meat pie. “Looks good, Ms. Saint-Jacques.” He was obviously trying to change the subject. “Real good, thank you.”

Ink? I let my eyes roam over his arms and hands. Didn’t see any ink there.