Page 26 of Witch Moon

And then, out of the blue. Shauna said. "I just wish he'd never got involved with that whole mess. I mean, it wasn't worth it. It just screwed up his head."

Rowan tried not to look as alarmed as she felt. "What whole mess, Shauna?"

Shauna sniffled, wiped her eyes. "Nothing. I mean...I don't want his name being dragged through the mud, Rowan. He's gone now, you know? It would be too hard on his mom."

''I wouldn't want his mom to suffer any more than she already has. Or you either. Come on. I'm your best friend. If you don't get it out, it's just gonna keep eating at you until you do, you know."

Shauna blinked her red-rimmed eyes. "It has been helping, talking to you. How'd you get so smart anyway?"

"Mirabella-Miss Saint A, I mean. She told me you were going to need friends who'd just let you spill it all out."

Shauna lowered her head. "I guess Miss Saint A's going through some garbage of her own right now, huh?"

''They suspended her from her job at school. It's all over the papers that she's some kind of cat-murdering devil-worshiper."

"That's so lame." Shauna said. "They're so stupid. She's the best teacher we ever had."

"I know."

"She wouldn't hurt a freaking fly, you know?"

"I know."

Drawing a breath. Shauna lifted her chin. "Rowan, Miss Saint A didn't have anything to do with those animals they've been finding all cut up."

"I know."

"Yeah, but...I mean. Ireallyknow it."

Rowan frowned. "How?"

"Because...it was Bryan, and a couple of other guys. Swear you won't tell!"

Rowan heard what she said, but it took an extra beat to sink in. It was that far beyond belief. When she could finally spit out words, she blurted, "Why the hell would hedosomething like that?"

"Because he was paid to."

Rowan frowned hard, and tipped her head sideways. "You mean it didn't have anything to do with any...occult stuff at all?"

"No, of course not. Bryan's only religion was football and that stupid old junk car he wanted to re-build. He was getting paid a lot, Rowan. I mean, it was nothing for him to have three or four hundred bucks on him all at once. When he started throwing all that cash around, I thought...I don't know, I thought he was dealing drugs or something. So he told me the truth. Someone was paying him a ton of money to kidnap cats and rabbits and stuff, and cut them up and leave them where they would be found. The guy gave him instructions too. How he had to make symbols in blood and stuff. It was disgusting."

"Jeez, Shauna! What were you thinking? Why didn't you say something?"

She looked shocked at Rowan's anger. "Hey, don't act like I'm the one who was killing animals!"

Rowan just looked at her.

Shauna lowered her head. "Bryan hated it. I mean, he felt awful about it. And he said he never tortured anything, like the papers say. He always killed them first, before any of the—other stuff. And he promised me he'd stop. Then the cops saw him that last night in the cemetery. And he got scared. He told the guy he was working for that he wanted no more to do with it. He wanted out, you know?"

"Yeah?" By now, Rowan was facing her on the bed, gripping her hands hard, eager to hear more. "And then what happened?"

"Nothing. The guy said fine, no problem. Bryan seemed so relieved. I thought he was gonna be okay, you know?" Shauna lowered her head as tears welled up again. "I guess he just couldn't deal with the guilt of killing those innocent animals, though."

"Right. Bryan killed himself over some cats and bunnies."

Shauna burst into noisy tears, and Rowan hugged her and rubbed her shoulders while she cried. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, but don't you see how ridiculous it is? Shauna, you have to tell me something." She pushed Shauna back a bit, so she could look her in the eye. "Who was the guy paying Bryan and the others to do this stuff?"

Shauna shrugged. "Bryan didn't tell me."

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