Burn Season novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: Play It

Rory's POV

Moss flew me down at dawn, and I asked him one question over the headset.

"Did you know where he went yesterday?"

"Yes," Moss said.

"Did you take him there?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

He glanced over at me, miserable under his cap.

"Rory, he's been standing at that cairn every night for two weeks. I figured he'd earned one favor."

I looked out the window and did not answer.

By ten the loft was full.

Thirty-five jumpers sat on folding chairs in front of the long wall where the reel had played.

A projector sat on a cart in the middle of the floor, humming.

I took the chair Bea had saved.

Kasey sat at the head of the room in a clean white shirt, with a clipboard on her knee and her ponytail neat.

She smiled at me across the floor.

I had never wanted to hit anyone so badly in my life.

Walker stood against the back wall by the door.

He didn't sit, and he didn't look away when I found him.

The senior spotter read the roster, as he had said he would.

When he reached the first squad, Kasey lifted her hand.

"Before we vote, I want to say again that I only want what's best for this crew. Rory is my friend, and I..."

"Shreve," the manager said. "Sit down. One item first."

He nodded at the rookie by the projector.

The wall went white, and then the loft was on it, with the date in the corner.

I didn't watch the clip this time.

I watched the room.

Bea's hand closed on her knee.

When the envelope went into the jacket, the senior spotter's jaw went hard, and two jumpers in the second row turned and looked at Kasey's chair.

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