Part 100 (1/2)
”You figure their parents were cousins?” Austin asked when she closed the door.
”I have no idea.”
He yawned, stretched, and glanced over at Dean. ”What's with him? He looks like he just tried to kill somebody.”
Dean stared wide-eyed at the cat. ”You can tell?”
Austin sighed and flicked an ear toward Claire. ”What's he talking about?”
”When he heard Fred going upstairs in the elevator, he hesitated before racing off to save him.”
”Not much point in removing only one of them,” Austin agreed.
”You're not helping,” Claire snapped before Dean could react. Crossing the lobby, she poked him in the chest. ”Stop tearing yourself up over this. You aren't a horrible person. You've got to be the nicest guy I've ever met.”
NICE GUYS FINISH LAST.
”Get out of my head.”
WE WEREN'T TALKING TO YOU.
Oh, h.e.l.l...
”Dean?”
”If you don't need me for anything, I'd like to go downstairs and do some serious thinking about my life.” He spun on one heel and hurried off before she could answer, which was probably a good thing since she couldn't think of anything constructive to say.
Walking over to the counter, she scooped Austin up into her arms and stroked the top of his head with her cheek. ”This is not good.”
”What? That after living unaffected next to h.e.l.l for almost a year. Dean spends a month and a half in your company and all of a sudden he's willing to kill?”
”He hesitated! Then he saved the guy!”
”Face the facts, Claire, you've got him tied in knots. He's not thinking, he's reacting and that's exactly the sort of situation h.e.l.l loves to exploit.”
THE CAT'S RIGHT.
”Of course I am; but who asked you?”
She set him back on the counter. ”I'm not Dean's problem.”
JEALOUSY IS ONE OF OURS.
”He said he was fine with me and Jacques.”
YOU'RE REALLY NOT A PEOPLE PERSON, ARE YOU?.
”Take your own advice and stop listening to h.e.l.l.” Austin paused to lick at a bit of mussed fur. ”Let Dean do his serious thinking, and maybe he'll solve the problem on his own.”