Lost Bird by Tymber Dalton Page A

“Goddamned witch probably would, too.”
     
    * * * *
     
    When Sachi returned home, her dad seemed to radiate nervous energy.
    “How was today?” he asked.
    “I didn’t sneak in any shooting, Daddy. I swear.” She dumped her purse on the counter and headed to the fridge for a bottle of hard cider. She wasn’t much of a drinker, but she really wanted one tonight.
    “So? How did the investigation go?”
    She pulled a bottle from the fridge, grabbed the magnetic bottle opener from where it hung on the front of the fridge, and popped the cap off. Then she took a long swallow, enjoying the slight bite from the cider. “It was just the preliminary talk and walk-through, not the actual investigation. We’re going back over on Tuesday to start.”
    “Do you want me to go with you?”
    “No, actually, I want you to plan your move from Idaho.” She walked over to him and gave him a one-armed hug. “Did you finally make your decision?”
    He’d seen another cardinal at one of the other interviews and was waffling, unsure which job to take. After slowly nodding, he said, “I still think the one in Pasco.”
    “Because of the cardinal?” She knew she shouldn’t ask, but couldn’t help it. She could only rein in her snark for so long before it busted out in other, more hurtful ways.
    He smiled. “They offered the best salary and had the best benefits.”
    “Ah, logic.”
    “Yes, as hard to believe as it sounds, Miki, I do use logic on occasion.”
    She took another sip. “So when do you start?”
    “Monday, if they have their way. But I told them I need to take care of moving first.”
    She tried to slow her racing pulse as her excitement built. “So when are we moving you?”
    “I guess that depends on how soon Ellis and Brad can come help. I’ll pay to fly them out, and their expenses,” he said.
    She tried to keep her calm. She really did. She set the bottle down on the counter and took a deep breath, but then the little girl still hidden somewhere deep inside her threw her arms around him and started crying tears of gratitude. “Thank you, Daddy.”
    It felt so good to bury her face against his shoulder and feel safe again. To know, finally, they could be a family again. Or, rather, what remained of their family.
    He chuckled as he hugged her. “You act like that now. Wait’ll I’m hounding you about not eating right all the time, and how many hours you’re working.”
    “I don’t care,” she mumbled against his shirt, relieved that, for the first time in her adult life, she could finally reconnect with her father. “I’ll be glad to have you here.”
    Despite how he’d talked, she’d still secretly feared, up until that moment, that he might change his mind and return to Idaho. “I’ll make our plane reservations tonight,” she said. “We’ll fly out and get the house packed and be ready when Brad and Ellis get there.”
    “Don’t you need to coordinate with them first?”
    “Ellis said the drive would take about three days, give or take. You and Brad can fly back. We’ll use a car hauler for your truck. You can get back here and start work sooner that way.”
    “All my tools are still there, Miki.”
    She looked up at him and saw he wore a smile. “The job will still be here for me,” he assured her. “I’ll fly out first. You have your investigation on Tuesday night. Let me get things packed and arranged before you make the flight reservations. You can fly out later in the week. Besides, you have juniors on Thursday afternoon.”
    He touched her chin. “They were so glad to have you back. Don’t worry, it won’t take long to pack the house. You arrange things with Brad and Ellis and you three come out together. I don’t want you missing any more of your lessons than you have to.”
    She felt a smile creeping in. “You realize I might try to sneak skeet in while you’re gone, right?”
    He nodded. “I’m counting on it. Which is why I already talked to Mandaline about