Chapter 205: Chapter 205

INT. - PHILO's BAR AND GRILLE - EVENING

Ray sipped her wine, happy to see Kinsey, grateful her friend made the invitation open and warm, without a hint of an agenda. It helped, being here with the anthropologist, after Cici blew her off. Saved her from the hurt she felt, from the cold creeping in around the edges of her pain.

She hadn't expected Gerri to arrive, but held still when the tall redhead sank into her chair, the crowd at Philo's naturally moving away from her as though the wolf inside her nudged them aside. Instead of ordering her customary beer, Gerri leaned in, green eyes intent.

"Tell me about spider venom," she said.

Ray was so surprised by the question, she choked on her sip of red before setting down her glass. "What about it?"

"Could there be a variety of spider venom that could kill the way our vics died?" Gerri stole a French fry from Kinsey's plate and munched, still intense. Almost happy. Like she got when she was close to cracking a case.