3
“Iain,” Lonna said. “Good morning. Did I wake you?” She pressed the button to turn the speaker feature on, and Iain’s cheerful voice came through.
“I was already up. Had the oddest feeling something was wrong.”
Lonna opened her mouth but covered it with her left hand to stifle a sob.
“Bad news,” Max said and covered Lonna’s other hand with his own. “Otis has been killed.”
“Killed? Are you sure?” Noises came through the phone as though he rearranged its positioning against his ear.
“Well, yes,” said Max. “He was quite dead.”
“At the Institute? Could it have been an accident?”
“Yes, here, and no, that’s not possible. Look, I don’t want to give you the horrid details over the phone, but Gabriel McCord, the Council Investigator, is here, and we need some information from you.”
“Gabr
