Page 40 of Petty Deadly Gorgeous

“Yeah, some girl from here went missing in Ailmere at the no-tell-motel.”

Sean laughed. “Nobody goes to one of those unless they’re up to no good.”

I remembered parking my car at a restaurant and walking over to meet her. She happened to be at the same bar I frequented when I didn’t want to sit at home alone. We talked, she got handsy, I asked if she wanted to go somewhere private, she tossed a number at me and we kissed to seal the deal.

I didn’t want to be seen where I live going into the motel there, so I suggested the one in Ailmere. Being a bigger city than Grimgate, we wouldn’t be noticed. We left the bar; she gave me a handjob behind the building and then told me to hurry because the clock was ticking.

All I wanted that night was to get my dick wet, get my rocks off, and go home. The sex sucked. I squeezed too hard for too long and, well, that was that.

Reaching up, I scratched my scruff. “Yeah. Well. I told him I’d go check out the surveillance cameras for him.”

“Look at you.” He lifted his water in a toast. “Making friends.”

“Fuck off, man.” I half laughed. “Isn’t that part of the job? Work together with the local PD’s?”

“Yeah. But no one does.” He stared at me for a moment, then leaned in over the table. “I still don’t understand why you think you saw one of the missing girls.”

I sat up and met him halfway. “Because I kept staring at the damn pictures.”

He raised an eyebrow and sat back. Damn my mouth! I’m not sure how I’m going to get him to stop asking, but that’s something for later. As Maddie walked up with our food, she gave us another smile and served us and wandered off.

The ribs were so tender the meat fell off the bone and when he took his first bite; he moaned. “Damn, that’s good!”

I laughed at him, salted my burger and arranged it so I could pick it up and take a bite. After laughing at him, I felt like an asshole when I moaned as well. “This is a damn juicy burger!”

Neither of us spoke as we gobbled up our food like some cave dwellers. Maddie came around and brought more napkins and fresh water, but we were too focused on eating to care or use manners.

When we finished, Sean excused himself to the bathroom to clean off the barbeque sauce, and I sat back with my water. Looking to my left, the old man from last night walked around, talking to the few other patrons. When our eyes met, he smiled and came over to me.

“Dom!” He shook my hand. “Good to see you again.”

What was it the sheriff called him? Oleg? Ollie? Ollin!

“Hey Ollin. How’s business?” I took my hand back and turned in my seat to see him better.

“Not bad. Not bad.” He winked at me. “I didn’t know you were one of us.”

“I’m sorry.” I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”

A flashback slapped me upside the head as I remembered the sheriff saying, “I think he’s almost done playing with his food.”

I pointed to my plate. “From last night?”

A big smile swept across the old man’s face as he nodded and I had to fight the urge to vomit. I pointed over my shoulder to where the police station was. “He knows?” My words came out in a whisper.

Ollin took a seat across from me at the table. “You don’t know much about Castle Hollow, do you?”

“Well, I’ve heard the rumors and myths.”

He nodded his head towards the couple in the opposite corner from us. “They’re rougarou. Like their parents before them and their grandparents before that. They need it to survive, sure they eat other things, but long pig is best.” He motioned to the person sitting at the counter. “Pete there just likes the taste and enjoys popping in for a special now and then.”

And everybody’s okay with this?

I scratched my forehead and looked at him with my eyes narrowed. “Does Anna? What is Anna?”

“Oh, no, she just uses the blood, saves me a step. And she’s not a what. She’s a who.” He smiled. “Do you believe in reincarnation?”

I glanced around Ollin toward the back where the bathrooms were, looking for Sean. “That’s something the hippie dippy folks think.”

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