Part 65 (1/2)

After a moment, Austin nodded. ”It's brilliant.”

Claire picked him up and kissed the top of his head. ”It's why I get the big bucks,” she agreed.

Sledge over his shoulder, Dean bounded down the stairs into the lobby and rocked to a dead stop when he saw Claire's door open. ”I uh, piled all the bits of your keyboard on the desk,” he said as she emerged.

To his surprise, she smiled. ”That's great. When I get a minute, I'll separate what's recyclable and throw the rest out.”

He took a tentative step closer. When he realized he was holding the sledge across his body like a s.h.i.+eld, he let it swing down until the head rested on the floor. ”You're not angry, then?” he asked tentatively.

Claire shrugged. ”Accidents happen.”

”No, I meant about saying you sounded like...” Although she no longer seemed as crusty as she had, it didn't seem polite to say it again. ”You know.”

”I was angry because you were right.”

Coming out from behind the counter, Austin performed an exaggerated double take. Dean tried not to smile.

”But,” she continued, ”I've come up with a way to solve the problem.” She nodded toward the sledge. ”How's the elevator coming?”

”We've got all four doors cleared. They didn't take anything out when they closed the system up, so it just needs the trim back around the holes. Jacques is in the attic right now having a look at the works.”

”Jacques is?”

”It's old,” Dean told her cheerfully, as though that explained everything. When it didn't appear to, he added, ”It's the sort of machinery he's familiar with.”

Walking over to the recessed doorway, Claire peered through the wrought iron scrollwork into the closet-sized s.p.a.ce. She could just barely make out the cables. ”Where's the car?”

”In the bas.e.m.e.nt.”

”Given what's in the furnace room, is that entirely safe?”

”Given gravity, the bas.e.m.e.nt seemed safest.”

Up on her toes, Claire sent a pale white light into the shaft. Everything she could see seemed in remarkably good shape, but she supposed there was no point in taking chances. ”You're probably right.”

Austin sat back on his haunches and stared up at her in astonishment. ”That's twice.”

She ignored him. ”Do you think you can get it working?”

”Sure.” Dean's grip slipped as he realized what he'd said. ”I mean, yeah. No problem.”

”Don't try it without me. I'd like to be in on the inaugural ride.”

”It might not be safe...”

”It'll be safer with me in it.” Turning to go, she paused and took a deep breath. There was one more thing she'd resolved to do. ”Oh, and, Dean? I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier.”

”That's okay. It was nothing.”

”It was something if I've apologized for it.”