As soon as he stands, the dog leaps back up, draping his black and white body across my legs. He rolls on his back, pink tongue lolling to the side. “Good boy.” I scratch behind his ears, avoiding Henry’s eyes. “Don’t you have to get back?” I finally look up. His intense stare elicits a falling sensation. “No. I’m staying till I’m satisfied you’re alright.” He walks around my room, fingers dragging across the furniture tops. His eyes skip across my bookcase, and halt…and squint. I hear my heartbeat in my ears. The Antiquarian Journals. He turns to face me with narrowed eyes. “I’ve read those journals. You’ve been studying—” “Yes, the oversized skeletons found in different regions of these states.” His lips twist into a triumphant smirk. “Pray tell, how long have you been mad-keen for oversized skeletons?”
