“I didn’t hear it.”

“That’s because it was more like,” he mumbled through barely opened lips, “ ‘I love you.’ ” Vig rolled his eyes. “Kera, stop laughing at me!”

Kera sat down on Vig’s porch and checked her phone. She smiled when she saw a text from the soldier she’d help get a dog. He’d attached a picture of the two together and both looked happy and much healthier.

Okay. So maybe this was what she should be doing with her life. There were definitely worse life choices she could make. Besides, she already knew she’d be good at it. And she couldn’t put it off any longer. The soldier had already told a few friends about Kera and they’d sent her e-mails asking for help getting a dog “as great as Dustin’s.” She couldn’t turn them down, so she’d help. Of course she’d help.

“So are you going to be around, like, all the time now?”

Kera looked up from her phone at Stieg and Siggy. “Yes.”

“Yeah. All right.” Then they walked up the porch steps and into Vig’s house.

Kera smiled. It was nice being accepted by the “boys.”

Vig came out and sat down behind Kera, his legs on either side of her. He pulled her back so that she rested against his chest.

He kissed her ear. “Feel free to tell them to go away when you need to.”

“I don’t mind them. But if I want them to go away, have no fear . . . I’ll tell them.”

“Good.” After a moment, Vig asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I still haven’t found that necklace. Freyja’s necklace. Will she make me give back the hammer? I really like it.”

“Doubt it. But just to be on the safe side . . . I’d keep looking for it.”

“Okay. Wanna take a drive with me later?”

“Sure. Where you going?”

“Figured I’d go check on Brianna. I’m guessing she went back to her apartment and I want to make sure she’s okay. I heard she quit her job with Betty,” she finished on a whisper.

“Okay. Why are you whispering?”

“I don’t know. I guess I feel bad for her.”

“Don’t. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

Erin, Annalisa, and Leigh walked toward Vig’s house. Kera couldn’t believe it, but she was happy to see them.

“Hey, guys.”

“Hey.” Erin smiled at her. “Wanna go for a drive?”

“Where to?”

“Betty’s in the mental hospital. We’re going to go break her out.”

“Only if I can’t get her out myself,” Annalisa clarified. “By legal means, I mean.”

Kera glanced at Vig, then asked, “Why is Betty in a mental hospital?”

“It’s Betty, so who knows. But Chloe wants her out. You coming?”

“Sure, I’ll go. I’ve never been to a mental hospital before.”

“Yeah, but you thought Vig had.”

“Erin . . . shut up.”

Laughing, Erin and the other Crows headed back toward their car.

Kera slid off the porch. “Bet ya ten bucks that if they have the SUV, Jace is in the back . . . baking to death in the sun. While reading Dostoyevsky,” she added.

Vig grabbed Kera’s hand and pulled her close. He kissed her and Kera’s bare feet curled in the dirt.

When he pulled away, she said, “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

“And miss a chance to see Betty Lieberman in a straitjacket? If I get pictures, I can make a fortune selling it to the gossip sites.”

Vig jumped off the porch and looked back at his house with the broken windows. “Hey. We’re going to a mental hospital. You guys wanna—”

Vig didn’t get to finish because Stieg and Siggy ran out toward where Erin usually parked.

“My friends,” Vig said. “They make me so proud.”

“They could be worse,” Kera said, putting her arm around Vig’s waist.

“How?”

“They could be like your great-great-great-great uncles.”

“Excellent point.” His arm around her shoulder, they started walking. “So . . . going to a mental hospital to break out one of your Elder Crow sisters. Kera, you can’t say your life hasn’t gotten more interesting.”

“No. I can’t say that. But when I think about all you did to make this happen, I can’t help but think there has to be an easier way for you to get a date.”

“There is, but nothing is ever easy when it comes to the Crows. Getting a Crow, however, is always worth the trouble.”