Page 42 of Justice & Liberty

“Is this your friend who can help?” he asked, voice hopeful, biting his lip. “I was looking at the books, and I...I can do the ordering. That’s actually pretty simple. But I couldn’t figure out Bree’s accounting thing. Something about quick books? But it didn’t look very quick. It looked...complicated.”

“QuickBooks is pretty standard small business accounting software, I can do that,” Rita told him.

He seemed to deflate, and I worried for a second he was so relieved he was going to collapse right into the pavement. “Did...did Hunter tell you the shop is going to be part of aninheritance, and right now they think she killed him, so maybe?—”

“Hunter said someone needed my help and there was a job involved, at least short term. Did she tell you I’m a trans woman?”

My heart hurt for a moment at the renewed hesitation on her face. I was unfortunately familiar with the need to come out constantly, but it had to be way worse for her. Coming out as a trans person was downright dangerous.

Walter? He squinted at her in confusion. “No. But why would she? That’s none of my business.”

I reeled for just a second, staring at him in shock. “Holy crap,” I muttered, and everyone looked over at me. “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to—I just—Sabrina is dating a decent person. First time ever.”

Next to me, Hunter choked on nothing and then had a coughing fit. Walter stared at me, wide-eyed, mouth opening and closing. Rita? She laughed again.

Hunter finally managed to get her coughing under control and shook her head. “For the record, I was more worried about the motorcycle. I grew up in this town, and it’s...it’s not your average small town.” She motioned over toward the town museum. “Jo Joyce always says it was because of her great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Justinian Augustus Joyce, who founded the town. He was some big political figure back in the day, before coming to Iowa to settle down. I guess he promoted being...for lack of a better term, weird. When he came west, he brought carnies and sex workers and, shock of shocks in the middle of the nineteenth century, Irish people along with him to settle here. Whatever it was, I’ve never, not once, gotten shit in this town for being the butchest bi bitch they’ve ever seen.”

I shrugged, but nodded. “I still get reminded I had purplehair as a teenager, but I’ve never heard boo for being a lesbian.”

As though summoned by the conversation, Ed Kelly, who ran the gas station, walked by as I was saying that. He scoffed and waved at me. “You decided to have purple hair, kid. Nobody decides who to be. Only what they do. Besides, not many people blessed with auburn hair, and you went and dyed it purple. It was a shame.”

I sighed. “But it was almost fifteen years ago. Could we give it a rest?”

He shrugged, but gave me a slightly disapproving look nonetheless. “I suppose, if you’re not gonna do it again.”

When I turned back, Rita was looking me over, considering. “Not that it’s anyone’s business but yours, but he’s kind of right. Your hair is gorgeous, it would be a shame to cover it up.”

I sighed and threw my hands up.

Hunter once again draped an arm around my shoulders. “I like purple. Whatever floats your boat, that’s what I say.” Once again, she was my favorite person in the world. “Okay, so Rita and Walter are gonna go back to The Unique Bean and get started. I’m sure there’s employment paperwork and stuff to be done there, and if Walter doesn’t know how that works, I know Rita does. I’m going to go see the sheriff for a minute, because I want to know what kind of poison they used to kill Ephraim. It probably won’t, but it might make a difference to the investigation.”

Bee, finished not being a part of the conversation, stood up on her back legs to scratch at the side seam of my jeans, while complaining loudly. “I’m hungry. I want to go home and eat.”

Behind her, Hex sighed and I swear, rolled her eyes. I didn’t even know cats could do that.

“Looks like you need to get to cat feeding,” Hunter added,chuckling. I looked up at her, surprised, wondering if somehow she’d understood Bee. Instead, she shrugged. “I don’t speak cat or anything, but that’s a demand if ever I’ve seen one.”

Fair enough.

“Meet you at your place after I talk to Pat?” she asked. Then gave a little wince. “He’s gonna be too damn happy I’m sticking my nose into this thing.”

“Sounds perfect,” I agreed instantly to the first sentence. “Should I order dinner? Or, I mean, I can cook. I just haven’t been lately.”

She smiled at me, and it didn’t look too much like she was putting up with my nonsense. No, it was more of a smile like maybe...maybe she liked my nonsense. “How about I pick something up? Any allergies?”

“Sounds amazing, and none whatsoever. Though I don’t like mushrooms.”

“No mushrooms, check. Be there in about an hour. Maybe a little more. Pat likes to chat, and he keeps trying to talk me into running for sheriff when he retires.” She tapped her cane against the sidewalk. “Like this doesn’t disqualify me.”

Rita, who was still standing there, snorted. “Please. You could drop that thing and kill all three of us before it hit the ground. Any town should be so lucky. Especially a town that prides itself on being weird anyway.”

Hunter didn’t respond to the suggestion, just smiled at Rita, then Walter, and then...well, she didn’t smile at me so much as she...smoldered. The intensity in that gaze almost made me want to lean against the side of the nearest building and fan my face with my hand. My panties definitely melted under its heat.

Then she turned and headed toward the sheriff’s station.

“Damn,” Rita said as she walked away. Then she grinnedand called after Hunter. “Hate to see you go but love to watch you leave, sir.”

Hunter laughed, sashaying a little more prominently for a few steps, and Rita was very right. How was anyone in the world that hot?

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