Page 12 of Forbidden Moon
“Stubborn man! I’ll walk you back myself then.”
She followed him outside and linked arms, keeping him steady. As his head cleared, Jonah’s legs began working normally, and they made it back to the office without incident. Darlene waited while he unlocked the door and followed him in.
“Are you sure you’re all right? Do you need a ride home or anything? Is there someone I should call?”
Jonah smiled, shaking his head.
“I’m much better already, thank you. I’m sure you were right about my blood sugar, so I’m going to sit down and eat my lunch.”
She gave him “the look” and then heaved a deep sigh.
“I’m not convinced. Maybe the fresh air helped, but you do seem a little stronger now. If this happens again, you need to see your doctor for some tests.”
“I promise. Now you best get back to work before you get into trouble. You’ve been very kind, and I appreciate it.”
“You better be all right, young man, because if I find you sprawled in the middle of the street, you’re never going to hear the end of it! Take care now, honey.”
Once she left, Jonah relocked the door and took his lunch to the break room. Thank Luna Robyn wasn’t here yet! She’d be all up in his face and ten times worse than Darlene. The powerful reaction to a stranger’s scent left him thoroughly flummoxed. What did it mean? Who did it belong to? Would they ever actually meet? While he hoped so, it worried him more than he was willing to admit and he dared not ask anyone for advice.
####
DOMINIC HURRIED OUTSIDE, unwilling to waste a single minute of his thirty-minute lunch break. North Bluff Grocery started as a family-owned quick stop, growing over the years into a full-service store. Retail definitely had its drawbacks, but Dominic appreciated honest work and an employer who gave an ex-con a chance. He headed for the picnic tables near the receiving area in the back, a popular, shaded spot used for breaks during the warm months of the year.
Already seated was one of the assistant managers, Russell Hook, a big bear of a man in his late forties who’d always been kind to Dominic. They’d formed an enjoyable work friendship, often joking around or discussing the latest news. Unfortunately, Dominic made the mistake of mentioning his blog to Russell, and the man now pumped him for information every time they were alone. If only he’d kept his big mouth shut—another reminder of why he harbored a deep-seated mistrust of strangers in the first place.
Maybe today, they’d shoot the shit like they used to and not talk about the one subject he avoided like the plague with everyone else. No such luck, as Russell jumped right in with both feet.
“Any recent sightings?”
Dominic held his annoyance at bay, wondering why the man was so interested. He needed to watch every word with care.
“Not for a while. I guess I’m looking at the wrong time or something.”
Russell kept chewing while he thought, glaring at Dominic as if he’d like to beat the information out of him. Dominic remembered looks like that in prison, usually from the most dangerous inmates. It gave him goosebumps, and he pretended not to notice the sudden chill in the air. Russell must have realized he was scowling and pasted on a fake smile before asking another question.
“I can’t figure out how you watch these people without them seeing you. I mean, you must live close by unless you’re using one of them fancy drones?”
A reasonable question Dominic didnotwant to answer.
“What? Where would I get the money for something like that? I’m barely making ends meet as it is. You know, I heard we were supposed to get a raise at the end of the year. Has the store manager said anything about it to you?”
Russell recognized a change of subject when he heard it, as well as the man’s evasive answers. The sweat on Dominic’s forehead wasn’t from the heat, and he was wise not to irritate him. Sure, Russell could pound the information out of him, and he might have to if the little shit didn’t tell him what he wanted to know. Nobody with brains messed with Russell Hook, though he knew other ways to get what he needed.
“A raise? I haven’t heard anything about it. I’ll ask the boss and get back to you. What time do you get off today?”
Relieved at having dodged Russell’s scrutiny, Dominic smiled as two more employees joined them at the table.
“I’m done at three-thirty, and tomorrow I’ve got the mid-shift. Let me know what you find out!”
Though breaktime wasn’t over, Dominic gathered his things and excused himself to go back to work. Russell watched him leave, determined to get answers one way or another.
####
RUSSELL WAITED PATIENTLYfor Dominic to exit the store, watching from his parked truck where he wouldn’t be spotted. Without access to the store’s personnel records, he’d have to discover where Dominic lived the hard way. It couldn’t be too far since the man always walked and didn’t own a vehicle. Russell suspected this might be the key to finding out how Dominic watched these supposed shapeshifters without being seen. He certainly wasn’t the type to track them through the woods like a boy scout, so there must be another way.
At three thirty-two, Dominic exited the building, oblivious to the sights and sounds around him. Russell gave him a head start, easily following the bright red work vest down the street. He started the truck and eased into traffic, keeping track of the man as he headed south, then east towards Saunders Point. There wasn’t much of anything down there. Where could he be going?
Dominic left the residential section behind, passing businesses and the water filtration plant until he approached the bay itself. What the hell? Did he know he was being followed? Russell pulled into a nearby parking spot, hidden from casual view by a dark blue mini-van. Finally, his co-worker turned and entered the last structure on Delta Avenue—a tall building almost at the water’s edge and surrounded by scaffolding. He waited ten more minutes to see if Dominic might reappear. He didn’t.
