Page 17 of Last Witch Attempt
“Okay.” Landon nodded. “It’s late. If you haven’t eaten dinner, we’re going back to the inn. I’m sure Winnie kept leftovers warm for us.”
My stomach growled in anticipation.
Landon gave me a sidelong smile. “I know somebody is hungry. You’re welcome to join us. Both of you.” He inclined his head toward Spencer.
Steve hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “We’ll meet you there.”
Landon waited until we were in Chief Terry’s vehicle to speak again. “If you’re angry about me inviting them, tell me now,” he prodded. “Let’s get it out of the way.”
“I’m not angry,” I assured him. That was true. “It’s fine.”
“What are you thinking?” he asked as Chief Terry did a U-turn and headed in the direction of the inn.
“We have some sort of monster.” It was better to get all my feelings out before we sat down to break bread with Landon’s boss. “If we were dealing with humans, it would have to be more than one. Plus, humans wouldn’t have known to run from Evan.”
“We don’t have proof,” Chief Terry cautioned. “We have a theory.”
“It’s a pretty good theory. It’s not as if we’re working with a large time window.”
“That’s the part that really bothers me,” Landon said. “You guys could’ve turned around and come home at any point. Other people could’ve been on the road. Human killers wouldn’t have left that truck the way they did. There’s just no way.”
“It has to be a paranormal,” I agreed. “Now we have to figure out what we’re dealing with.”
“And you’re okay working with Steve?” Landon asked, contorting to look between the front seats and catch my gaze in the back seat. “You’ve been leery about it since he brought it up, and yet here we are.”
“I’m fine with it,” I assured him. “You don’t have to worry about me. If I’m uncomfortable, you’ll know it.”
“You talk big,” Landon vigorously shook his head, “but you have a tendency to button things up in an effort to protect me. I don’t want you doing that. The second you feel uncomfortable, you’re out.”
He didn’t realize it, but the way he phrased it was troublesome. The second I was uncomfortable I was out. What about him? Would Steve use Landon and his work ethic to try to draw me back in? Would he use my secret to leverage Landon into cases he didn’t want to work?
“It will be fine,” I assured him, despite my misgivings. “Let’s go home and eat. I think Mom cooked that chicken dish you like.”
AUNT TILLIE WAS IN THE LOBBY WHEN WEarrived. I smiled as Landon and Chief Terry led Steve and Spencer into the kitchen, then lowered my voice so she would know I was deadly serious.
“You need to keep your pal Crusty away from the dining room for the next hour or so,” I warned her.
Rather than give me grief, she narrowed her eyes and said nothing.
“I’m serious,” I insisted. “Just … put him in the attic or something.”
She remained rooted to her spot and silent.
“Nod to tell me you understand what I’m saying,” I ordered. To my surprise, she moved her chin ever so slightly.
“Great.” I looked over her outfit. “I see you changed out of the camouflage. That was smart. They haven’t asked what we were doing out there yet, but I know it’s coming.”
As I was leaving the lobby, Peg the pig, Aunt Tillie’s pet, skidded around me, seemingly excited to see my great-aunt.
Snort. Snort.
Rather than race up to Aunt Tillie and demand a treat, which was her way, Peg turned around and followed me right back out of the room.
“She’s in a bad mood,” I said to Peg as we walked down the hallway. “She had to help Mrs. Little tonight. That goes against everything she believes.”
I could almost imagine that Peg understood me given the solemn expression on her face.
“Don’t worry about it,” I assured her. “She’ll get over it.”
