“Yeah,” Nimec said. “I wouldn’t have to tell him anything’s changed as far as the reason for our flyby. And it hasn’t really changed. How it looks to me now, I find the opening to a wolf den out there, I find where Scarborough’s team got dragged.”

Megan mulled that a bit, then gave him a nod.

“All right,” she said. “What’s next on our discussion list?”

Nimec hesitated.

“Before I came up here, I was in the utilidor with Waylon. Where we brought the bodies,” he said. “Waylon reminded me that we don’t have a clergyman to say anything for our man who was killed in the attack. When we send him off on the plane.”

Megan looked at him.

“Bill Sprague,” she said.

Nimec nodded.

“I promised we’d take care of it,” he said. “But I’m no good at words. And I don’t know that I’ll be back from the Valleys before the flights leave.”

Megan sat in quiet thought.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I’ll preside. That’s how it should be.”

They fell into momentary silence again. Then Nimec gave her a nod.

“I’d better suit up and get hold of the whirlybird man,” he said, pushing back his chair.

Megan was watching him as he rose to leave. He noticed her steady attention and paused in front of her desk.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Just thinking,” Megan said.

“Uh-huh. I kind of figured.”

They looked at each other.

“Well?” he said.

“It’s something that’s probably none of my business,” Megan said.

“Oh,” Nimec said. “So whose business is it?”

Megan took a breath, released it.

“Yours,” she said. “And Annie Caulfield’s.”

Nimec stood there without saying anything.

“Pete, I’m sure it isn’t news to you that Annie’s flying out with the Senators,” Megan said. “Good with words or not, you should talk to her before you leave. Or you’ll miss your chance.”

They were both silent, their eyes in solid contact across opposite sides of the desk.

“My chance,” Nimec said finally.

“Yes.”

“To talk.”

“Yes.”

“To Annie.”

“Yes.”

Nimec stared at her, his throat going dry all at once.

“About?” he said.

Megan waited to answer, looking at his nervous face, the barest suggestion of a smile on her lips.

“That’s up to you, Deputy,” she said.

“It’s not that I don’t want to help you,” Granger said. “I’m wishing like hell I still could help. But with the herbie slamming us as bad as it did, and our field camps trying to get their heads up above the snow, MacTown’s depending on me to check up on them.”

“You can do it when we’re out,” Nimec said. “Seems to me that was almost exactly our original plan. I ride peter pilot while you make your rounds. And you detour us into the valley south of the notch.”