He looked amused, but he gave directions, and in no time she was sticking a needle in his very fine buttock muscle. She placed a small bandage over the puncture and helped him pull up his shorts.

“You have definitely had some kind of medical training.” He took the pain reliever she offered.

“Yes, but not...nothing more than emergency stuff. The only real in-depth knowledge I have of anatomy is that the shin bone’s connected to the knee bone.”

This time he laughed a real laugh.

She grinned, pleased she had entertained the chronically serious man. “When those ladies walked in, did you see the look on Rune’s face?”

“And Señor Alfonso’s? And Ludwig’s? The arrival of those women had completely slipped everyone’s mind.”

“Poor Rune. Between talking to the police and the guy there to set up the festival and getting stitches in her face and having to keep her mouth shut about your wound, it was not her day.” Elle unbuttoned Rune’s shirt and slipped it down Adam’s arm. “Hm. Blood is seeping into the bandage, but I don’t think it’s excessive. I vote we don’t disturb anything until tomorrow.”

“I promise, I heal well.”

“That’s reassuring.” She pulled the shirt back up. “I’m pretty sure the Shivering Sherlocks thought they’d fallen into a real murder mystery. I was sure when they heard a shot had been fired and the shooter was free, they’d want to skip town. Instead, they sat in the restaurant and listened to the witness statements. When I said something to Patty about leaving—she was the lady with the umbrella—she told me it was too late for them to die young.”

He laughed again. Then his smile disappeared as suddenly as it had come. “Do you still have the newspaper?” he asked. “The one Angelica gave you?”

“I finished reading it—” all of it, and she marveled at how little she knew of national and local happenings “—so I stuck it in the trash can in the kitchen.”

“Did you read about Big John Hammer?”

“Yes,” she said cautiously. “Scary guy.”

“More than you know. Did Angelica tell you that Hammer and I have a past?”

“She mentioned it, yes. But I didn’t think... Oh. You think he’s the one who shot at us.” That fit. “He’s the enemy you’ve collected.”

“I have others, but most of them are linked to the Amazon trek.”

Puzzled, she said, “I didn’t read anything about any Amazon trek.”

“Then you should. Go do your research. That will explain a lot about me—and Hammer.”

“First I’ll see if I can trace Big John Hammer’s location today around noon.”

Adam leaned his head back on the couch. “Brilliant! My God, I love you.”