Free The Burning Bush by Kenya Wright Page B

clippings.” Cassie seized one of my romance novels, wrapped in brown paper to hide the embarrassing book cover. “There’s like five articles about you and the murders last month. Zulu told me you solved that case, so I put that with your honor roll and dean’s list announcements—”
    “What?”
    “I have a whole scrapbook done in violet lilies.”
    Really?
    “I have this huge spot where I’m going to put the article I do on you in my book.” She peeled back the brown paper on the novel, revealing a Human sailor fondling a Mermaid’s huge bosom. “Strapped! Can I borrow this?”
    “No. It’s adult and . . . it’s not even mine. Just some ditzy friend that reads trashy romance books.” I dried my dreadlocks. “What’s the article that you want to do on me about?”
    “A day in the life of a revolutionary.” With each word she hit the air with her hand and grinned. “I’m so piped. You’ve not only busted the dopeness radar, you’ve created it. You soared it to the ceiling with your holiness and then birthed it to the universe.”
    I scrunched up my face in confusion.
    “She means you’re amazing.” Angel strolled into the room with a clean face and a bloody towel slumped around her shoulder. “She’s really cute. Can we keep her, Lanore? Please?”
    “Her name is Cassie, and she’s not cute because she’s Zulu’s sister and in high school,” I said. If I hurried, I could catch the seven o’clock tram before all the magical products plant workers crowded the trams up.
    “Please, Lanore? You’re my hero, seriously.” Cassie stuffed her camera and the romance novel into a big pink-and-white polka-dot purse. “I had to fight to get this article. The whole faculty didn’t want me to do it. They’re a bunch of busters.”
    “I’m sorry. Maybe we can do it next week.” I stepped over to her and seized my book from her purse.
    “This means everything to me.” Cassie’s blue eyes shifted to gold. Her round pupils transformed to vertical slits. Tiger eyes.
    “I bought an outfit, this new pocketbook. I told everybody about this,” Cassie whined.
    Groaning, I pulled my black Mixbreeds for Equality shirt over my head and snatched up a rubber band to put my hair in a ponytail. “Today may be dangerous. I’m checking a murder out.”
    “Oh! Oh!” Cassie jumped up and down. Black-and-orange-striped fur appeared on her face. “I have to go. There is no way I’m not coming. It would kill Sierra Thompson if I did a better feature than her.”
    “You’re shifting,” I said.
    Cassie paused and covered her mouth in embarrassment. The fur disappeared. Her eyes went back to blue.
    “Let’s take her. Fuck Sierra whoever.” Angel opened my drawer, stirred its contents, and dragged out a red shirt.
    I glared at Angel. “Would you stop cursing around her.”
    “It’s no big deal. And I’ll stay out of trouble,” Cassie promised. “Zulu said he would have Rebels following us anyway.”
    I whipped my head around to face her and paused in the middle of stuffing all of Rivera’s files into my denim satchel. “When did he say that?”
    “An hour ago,” Cassie mumbled, possibly sensing she’d gotten her brother in trouble.
    So he promises me he’ll back off and then has Rebels watching me anyway?
    “FYI, I have your scent now so I’ll just track you,” Cassie said.
    “You’re as stubborn as your brother,” I declared.
    “Worse, because I always get my way.” Cassie started hopping up and down again. “Oh! Oh!”
    I waved my hands. “What? And please stop.”
    “I could give you cool tidbits about my brother. Things no one knows.” Cassie stuck her lipstick-pink lips out in a pathetic pout as she ceased jumping. “Do you know his real name?”
    I finished packing the files into my satchel. “It doesn’t matter.”
    I’ll be calling him son of a Mixed bitch tonight!
    “What is it?” Angel flung the bloody towel in the corner. “If this is good, I’ll give you