Page 77 of Mystery in the Mountains

Ducking back into the storeroom, she poked her head out, watching them. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he appeared to be thanking her.

He seemed friendly and took the bag.

Dusty continued to talk to him, and he said something that made her throw her head back in laughter.

Everyone seems to love him, but there has to be something, right?

She’d never seen anyone with glowing red eyes after having visions about them for weeks.

He turned to leave, and Sunny made her way out the bar.

“Who was that?” she asked, hoping to get an honest opinion.

“Nox? Oh, he’s the music teacher for the elementary school. I think he also teaches piano.”

“How long has he been in town?”

Dusty cocked her head. “A couple of years. I think he came here when you were gone.”

Clearly . . .

Sunny nodded. “What do you know about him?”

“Not much, really.” She shrugged. “He is nice enough when I see him around town.”

“What was in the bag?”

“He’s headed into Charleston to take some Ol’ Ray’s moonshine to his sister.”

“Nox has a sister?”

Dusty pushed off the bar and put her hands on her hips, evaluating Sunny.

“What?”

“I thought you and Asher were back together?”

“We are.”

“Then, why the interest in Nox?”

“Oh.” Sunny shook her head. “It’s nothing like that. I just didn’t recognize him. Just being nosy.”

Dusty gave her a skeptical look before wiping down the bar.

“And while I’m being nosy . . . Have you ever heard of the Church of Divine Deliverance?”

Dusty stopped again and turned to her. “Sunny. . . . Don’t tell me you went and found Jesus on your travels.”

“Nothing like that. I just saw something in my dad’s office, and he wasn’t a church-going guy either . . . so I wasn’t sure.”

The door opened, and a large woman carrying a speaker entered. “Hey. Up on the stage?”

“Yep. Do you need any help?” Dusty asked.

“Nope, I got it,” said the woman as she made her way to the stage.

“I’m going to stock the cooler,” Sunny said before heading back to the storeroom.

---