Page 55 of Something Cryptid This Way Comes
Warning bells go off in my head. “Like sugar for cases of shock?”
His brown eyes pleading, he pushes my bagel at me. “Please. I’ve been going around and around about how to handle this. Please eat.”
My stomach doesn’t want food now, but he’s obviously stressed, so if he wants us to eat first, that’s what we’ll do. The size of our bagels and number of strawberries dwindle between mouthfuls of coffee. When I finishthe last crumb and drop, I put the empty cup on top of the plate and sit against the headboard.
Trevor drains his cup. He takes it, and the tray, and sets it on the foot of the bed. Then he turns to face me, drawing one leg under his body. “The dogs barking last night… I was going to take them to the yard.”
“Right.” I look at our furry friends, lying in their beds. “Did you see what set them off?”
He nods. “They insisted on going out the front door, scratching at it. So we did. Someone in a creature costume was on the lawn in front of the carriage house. The person we were looking for.”
“No way.” I grab his hand. “What happened? Why didn’t you get me?”
“They yanked me out the door before I knew what was going on. And then the person ran. So we chased them.” He huffs a breath, squeezes my hand, then lets go and pushes off the bed. “They had a car waiting and got away, but part of the costume caught in the trees. And when we arrived at that spot, I saw the car before it turned the corner.”
I watch him pace in front of the bed, his tense movements, clenched jaw, and the troubled gaze, like he’s warring with himself on what to say. “You know who it is.”
He steps into the hallway and returns with a black, hairy mask. Biting his lip, he walks to the bed and places it beside me. “There’s a strand of white hair inside. The car was a pale blue Mini Cooper.”
My aunt’s hair color and custom car color, and if that wasn’t enough, her signature scent wafts from the ugly mask. There’s a heaviness in my limbs and a knot in my stomach. “Agnes? What the fuck?”
He shakes his head. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense.”
“A lot of things don’t make sense.” Confused, angry, andhurt, I push the covers aside. “Come on. We’re going to Agnes and getting answers.”
I pull the SUV up to the curb of Agnes’s house. Other cars besides hers are in the driveway, and I don’t care what we might be interrupting.
Trevor opens the door and climbs out. By the time I’ve rounded the car, he’s let the dogs out of the back.
Holding both leashes in his one hand, he nods at the house. “You ready?”
I link his other hand with mine. “Now I am.”
Voices carry from the garden. We walk along the side of the house, and I recognize Rae’s voice.
The Rocktogenarians are seated around the table, much like when we met them to talk about the cryptid stories.
They look up and the conversation scratches to a halt. Five pairs of eyes turn our way.
Trevor squeezes my hand in silent support. We march to the table. I pull the mask from my back pocket and set it in front of Agnes. “You dropped this last night.”
Her eyes grow wide. “Dear, I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t you?” I step back. “Your hair’s in it. It smells like you. And your car was seen peeling away like you’d just robbed Moon Meadows Farm of all its maple.”
She holds my gaze, steady, unflappable. Then her lips press together in a slight grimace.
Eleanor sets her teacup on its saucer. “Just tell him, Agnes. We were bound to get caught sooner or later.”
“Only because certain people can’t read a timesheet correctly.” Rae sips her tea. A bottle of whiskey isnext to the teapot.
Shooting a glare at Rae, Celia continues petting the dogs. “I already apologized for showing up last night too. Got my days confused.”
Trevor holds up his hand, his expression incredulous. “Wait.Moreof you were in on this?”
Rae snorts. “Honey, you have no idea.”
“What’s that mean?” He rubs his thumb along my knuckle, his gaze jumping from Rae to Agnes to Eleanor to Lydia, then Celia. “More people than you five?”
