Page 92 of Snake-Eater
“I’m bringing in repeat business,” said Grandma Billy. “Darren’ll come back just to see me again, just you wait.”
Selena had to wait to slice more provolone until she could stop giggling.
Despite the money, everyone was glad when tourist season finally ended, except possibly Grandma Billy. Selena weeded her sadly neglected garden and was glad for the return of quiet. It had been wonderful to be genuinely useful again, and she’d made more than enough to keep Copper in dog food for months, but hearing so many strange voices had made her tense in a way that she didn’t quite understand.
She was listening to the silence and watching to see if anyone would come to visit the planting of winter squash when she heard a screech of brakes out front.
Oh lord, now what?Selena came out onto the porch to see Connor’s truck, being driven by Connor’s younger son. He waved frantically out the window at her. “Selena! You gotta come quick!”
“What?” She came down off the porch. “Why?”
“Dad sent me. You gotta get into town. There’s this weird guy thereaskingabout you.”
Selena stared at him. It wasn’t possible. Snake-Eater was gone. Yellow Dog had said he wasn’t coming back. He couldn’t be walking around, talking to people. Hecouldn’t.
“Dad says you gotta come,” Connor’s son said. “He’ssayingthings.”
“Things?” Selena said blankly.
“Like you gottaleave.”
Maybe it wasn’t Snake-Eater. Maybe someone from the government had come to kick her out of the historic zone. That made more sense. She knew it couldn’t have been as easy as Jenny made it out to be.
It didn’t matter either way. It had to be dealt with. Selena shook her head to clear it. “Of course I’ll come. Just let me grab Copper’s leash.”
The door to the church was open when Connor’s son pulled up in front of it. Copper hopped out and Selena followed. Anxiety was eating a hole under her sternum, and her mind whirled with contingency plans—if this happens, I’ll do this, if that happens, I’ll do that instead, if they try to lock me up, I’ll ask Father Aguirre to take Copper ...
She couldn’t imagine that Snake-Eater would come to Our Lady of the Palo Verdes, to Father Aguirre’s home ground. Also, it seemed unlikely that he would drive the car with rental plates parked beside the church.
That shut off one set of fears. It must be someone from the government. Jenny had said that the interview was only a formality, but maybe a law had changed or maybe a bill hadn’t passed in the faraway halls of government and nobody was allowed to move into a historic zone anymore.
I’ll explain about Aunt Amelia. I’ll say I’m just taking care of the house until we’ve sorted out the will. If that doesn’t work, I’ll ask Grandma Billy if I can stay with her until the historic man leaves. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll ... I’ll ... I don’t know, go into the church and cry sanctuary if I have to!
She went up the walkway and had just reached the door when she heard a man’s voice saying, “Really, I’m extremely grateful for all you’ve done for Selena. I know she’s not always easy ...” The voice trailed off to a rueful chuckle. “Believe me, I know.”
The voice was familiar, and yet for a long moment, she couldn’t place it. Sheshouldknow, shedidknow, but her life had changed so much and this wasn’t the place where the voice belonged—
Oh shit,she thought.Of course it’s Walter.
Her first instinct was to turn around and run. Then Father Aguirre said, rather sharply, “Selena’s been a great help to have around, actually,” and her fingers tightened on Copper’s leash and she thought,I fought agod, why am I running fromthis?
She straightened her back and stepped through the church door. It was cool and dark after the brightness of the desert, but she could makeout Father Aguirre standing in the middle of the sanctuary and Mayor Jenny leaning against a pew with her arms crossed.
Another man stood with his back to her, but of course she recognized him. She knew his back quite well. Walter. Her partner.Ex-partner,she thought fiercely.
He looked smaller than she remembered. Perhaps it was because the desert was so large and it had seeped into her bones. His hair had always been thin in the back, but it had grown to an honest-to-goodness bald spot.
“That’s great to hear,” Walter said warmly. She recognized that warmth. It sounded so sincere. It probablywassincere. Walter always said that he only wanted what was best for her, and she was pretty sure he believed it.
Hell, she’d believed it.
Father Aguirre’s eyes went to her, and relief sparked in them. “Here’s Selena now.”
Walter turned. “Selena!” he said, taking two steps toward her. “I was so worried!”
“Itoldyou it was over,” she said, taking a step back. “I told you months ago.”
Walter waved his hand as if wiping her words out of the air. “Don’t worry about what you said,” he said. “I know you were upset after your mother passed away. People do strange things when they’re grieving.”
