“If I free Ruby, where does she go? I know Max said the originals don’t visit, but I’m not sure I’m willing to risk the consequences if we so boldly flout the council’s edict and get caught doing it. It’s one thing to let her out of her coffin, darling, and I agree with you. Ruby doesn’t deserve to be locked away. However, you can’t equate that freedom with the one she’ll get in twenty-five years. They aren’t the same. One is based on compassion. The other is based on punishment, which means we can’t simply escort her to the property line and send her on her way.”

“So you’re saying she’d need to stay with us until her sentence is up?”

“Yes, and I’m not sure locking her in a room would be any better than in a pine box.”

Lisa took a moment to weigh their options before she ran her finger down the back of Bennett’s hand. “You know, sweetheart,” she said, batting her eyelashes. “If I had a few more details about the house, it would make this decision so much easier. I mean, I don’t even know if there’s a guest room.”

“Well, it seems you’re between a rock and a hard place, now aren’t you?” Bennett said without missing a beat.

“Oh, come on,” Lisa said, slapping Bennett’s leg. “We’re in the air. Why can’t you tell me?”

“Because I want it to be a surprise, but it does have…um…it does have several guest rooms. How’s that?”

“It’ll do, I guess,” Lisa muttered. “Okay, so if our choice is to either go about our lives for the next twenty-five years knowing Ruby’s locked inside a coffin or having a houseguest for twenty-five years, I vote for the houseguest. We’re all getting along, and Polly and Angelique are going to be around. What’s one more?”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” Lisa grabbed her purse and pulled out a tin of mints. “Breath mint?”

“Do I need one?”

Lisa leaned in for what she thought would be a quick kiss, but once their lips met, quick flew right out the window. A minute later, with cheeks heated along with a few other things, Lisa pulled away. “Um…no,” she said, clearing her throat. “You’re…um…you’re fine.”

Lisa wasn’t the only one affected by the kiss, and as Bennett shifted in her seat, she noticed the neon yellow canary cat toy in Lisa’s purse. “I can’t believe you bought Xi a toy at the airport.”

“It’s so cute,” Lisa said, giggling. “And I miss him.”