Thank God Connor and Angela were already safely ensconced in their Flagstaff home for the summer; Jake was pretty sure he didn’t have the necessary stores of patience to drive all the way down to Jerome at the moment, especially not after that abortive trip east earlier in the day. But their house was only fifteen minutes away, and although he had to spend a little time explaining to the twins why he didn’t have Taffy with him this time — “but I want to see your dog again!” Emily begged in plaintive tones, big green eyes earnest and pleading — not too much time elapsed before he and Connor were sitting in the living room, with a sympathetic Angela coaxing Ian and Emily and Miranda outside to play in the wide, pine-shadowed backyard so the two men could talk in peace.
“We had a sighting in
