Free The Mountain's Shadow by Cecilia Dominic Page A

were both always incredibly healthy.”
    Incredibly healthy… My stomach gave a lurch and I put down my fork. Joanna, I don’t know why you always get sick, and your brother doesn’t , my mother would say. Andrew is the most incredibly healthy boy.
    That’s because he’s a tough kid , my father would add, pride in his voice. That conversation had occurred when I was six. Three years later, my “incredibly healthy” twin brother had died.
    “Doctor Fisher? Joanie?”
    My name snapped me back to the present. I shook my head to clear the fog of old grief. “Sorry, memories.” It disturbed me that they had snuck up on me. Since the fire, only recent unhappy memories intruded on my days. Was I to be tortured by the old ones now, too?
    “Did you know someone with this?” Leonard frowned.
    “Beyond my research subjects? I…I don’t know.”
    Have you ever heard of the Landover curse? Now it was Galbraith’s voice in my head. It supposedly skips a generation. If it popped up, you’d know.
    Or would I? An incredibly healthy child who had died mysteriously of complications after an elective tonsillectomy, Andrew had always had too much energy for his own good. He wasn’t dissimilar to the CLS victims I’d studied. I filed that away in the back of my head to look into later.
    “Dessert, Doctors?” the waiter asked. It was a different one with blond hair, blue eyes the color of the ocean on a clear day, and a smile that invited a response. He winked at us, his pad poised. His nametag said, “Ronald”.
    “Sure, Doctor.” Leonard smiled. “I think that would be an excellent idea.”
    “Avoiding big brother, are we, Leo?”
    “Always.”
    “No worries. I can get you out the back if needed. Who’s the babe?”
    Leonard looked at me. “Do you know who she is?”
    “Yeah, she’s a social worker from Little Rock.”
    “No, doofus.” Ron tapped Leo on the top of his head with the pencil. “The one who’s sitting with you.”  
    Again, heat spread across my face and chest. I must be glowing.
    “Ron, this is Doctor Joanna Fisher, formerly of Cabal Laboratories and one of the world’s leading researchers of CLS.”
    “Nice to meet you.” I held out my hand and Ron shook it. His hand was warm, but also rough.
    “Ah, that’s who I was hoping you’d be. I’ve read your work and told Leo he needed to try to meet you. I’m Doctor Ronald Bowman, formerly a surgical resident at UAMS.”
    “And now waiting tables?” I asked, then bit my tongue. “Sorry, that was rude.”
    Ron’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile. “That’s all right. The CLS was interfering. Wouldn’t do to lose it in the operating room.”
    I put my fork down. “Why don’t you both come up to my place? I have a lot more to ask you.”
    Ron smiled. “Sure, when?”
    “When do you get off work?”
    “I’ve just been cut, so half an hour. Just enough time to fetch you some dessert and coffee. What would you like?”
    “Chocolate. But I had that dessert last night.”
    “The chef does an awesome chocolate cream pie the regulars know to ask for. It’s not on the menu.”
    “That sounds perfect. And a latté, please.”
    “Leo?”
    “Apple pie. Plain coffee.”
    “Coming up.”
    When Ron left, the room seemed to get a little darker.
    “Do you know how to get to Wolfsbane Manor?” I asked, then remembered, “Oh, yes, you do.”
    Leonard smiled, but with bitterness. “Will your butler be there?”
    “Oh, Gabriel, I forgot.” I thought for a moment. “Why should it matter?”
    “Well, there was last night.”
    I remembered the two men locked in their wrestling match, their faces intent. “I think he’ll be okay with it. We’re all trying to solve the same puzzle.”
    “Fair enough. I knew you’d need more than a salad.”
    “Leonard, are you teasing me?”
    He smiled without bitterness this time. “I can’t let my charming cousin have all the fun. And call me Leo.”
    I smiled back. This could end up being a fun