Page 127 of The Whispering Night
[5:57]
Jeremiah: As mentioned, I do appreciate you taking the time to speak with me for a quick debrief. Please keep that file private, and if you need me… Well, you know where to find me.
Winnie: Yep.
[She turns her attention back to the interview records while Jeremiah rises and gathers his things.]
[6:20]
Winnie: Wait. [Her attention snaps up.] Right here, it says Grayson saw my dad turn into a crow?
Jeremiah: He did mention that, yes. It’s an ability we know the strongest Dianas possess.
Winnie: Yeah, but it says that my dad transformed rightbeforethe Hummer went underwater and Grayson never saw my dad again after that. Does that mean my dad could, like… still be a crow?
Jeremiah: I wouldn’t know.
Winnie: Mygod,Jeremiah. You should know! [She shoves away from the table, sloshing her tea and Jeremiah’s coffee.] You’re supposed to be a Diana-hunting scorpion, yet somehow you know even less about witches than I do!
I mean, you arrested me, my mom, and Darian four years ago even though we were soobviouslyinnocent. And then you arrested usa second timethree days ago! Like, come on, man. If you were even halfway decent at your job you would realize how many answers Grayson gave you right here.
Jeremiah: Ms. Wednesday, that’s enough—
Winnie: No. It really isn’t. If you’d just believed my family when we said we were innocent, you could haveused these last four years to pursue real clues and catch the real Dianas.
Jeremiah: Ms. Wednesday, if you are quite finished, I would like to—
Winnie: No. I’m notquitefinished. I mean, come on, Jeremiah! A crow—my dad turned into a crow, and you never wondered about that? Or looked into it further?
Jeremiah: No, Ms. Wednesday. We did not. How exactly should we have gone about that?
Winnie: [shrugs] You’re the Lambda, not me.
Jeremiah: Now are you finished?
[Winnie nods curtly.]
Jeremiah: Good. Because I have one more thing to give you before I go. [He crooks down to remove a plastic bag from under the table. It is puffy and large.]
[7:51]
Jeremiah: I believe these clothes belong to you. A hoodie and a leather jacket. We found them in the All-Terrain Race tent, under a table. Would you like them back?
[Winnie frowns at the bag for several seconds before snatching it to her.]
[8:01]
Winnie: Obviously I want them back. [She turns away. But then pauses and glances over her shoulder at Jeremiah.] Actually, there’s one more thing I want to say before I go: Isaac deserves a promotion. Or… maybe just a raise, since you know. He’s Isaac. But still, make it a big one. That guy went through hell for me. [She lifts her chin.] Okay,nowI’m done. [She swivels once more and stalks away without saying goodbye.]
Jeremiah: [sighs] Interview concluded at 9:54A.M.
[End 8:39]
As angry as Dryden Saturday is to have his maze destroyed, it quickly becomes a tourist destination for both visiting Luminaries and the residents of Hemlock Falls too. And although Dryden tries to get Winnie to film a quick interview within the shredded remains of the yew hedges, she tells him she’d rather jump off the waterfall.
Because she would.
The fact is, she hasn’t yet seen the damage the Whisperer left behind in the maze. She hasn’t yetseenwhere the Tuesdays held the line. A scorpion died in there, and Winnie would prefer to face that particular ghost during her first therapy session next week, and not during a live TV interview, thanks.
