Dad’s smile vanishes. “Not funny, June.”
“Sorry,” I sigh. “Look, I’ll be careful. But I need to figure this out. For my own peace of mind, if nothing else.”
“All right,” he concedes. “But no more driving in bad weather until this whole thing gets sorted out.”
I nod my agreement, but my mind is already planning the first steps of my investigation.
I’ve got some people I need to talk to.
Chapter 16
Guardians and Saboteurs
June
I’ve always had a talentfor planning the most efficient route. Today, that means organizing my deliveries from “least likely to give me useful information” to “most likely to spill a mountain of secrets.” It’s basically detective work with packages.
My truck bounces over a particularly nasty pothole as I head up the winding road to the Ashcroft estate. The fancy wrought-iron gates swing open automatically as I approach. Veronica might be a fire-breathing nightmare, but her security system is state-of-the-art.
I park in the circular driveway, grab the small package from my passenger seat, and straighten my uniform. Delivering to Veronica is like having an audience with royalty—if royalty had scales and a tendency to scorch the messenger.
The massive oak door swings open before I can knock. Veronica Ashcroft stands there in all her terrifying glory: ten feet ofdragon elegance with iridescent scales shimmering along her elegant body. Her pupils are vertical slits in amber eyes, and when she speaks, I catch glimpses of teeth too sharp to be entirely comforting.
“You’re late,” she says by way of greeting, her voice that peculiar mix of British aristocrat and something legendary that crawled out of a volcano.
“Good morning to you too, Ms. Ashcroft.” I hold out my tablet. “Road conditions are still dodgy after the slide.”
She signs with one perfectly manicured claw. “I suppose that’s a reasonable excuse. Well? Where is it?”
I hand over the package, a small velvet box that probably contains some absurdly expensive gemstone.
Normally, this is where Veronica dismisses me with a barely perceptible nod. Today, however, I need information.
“Actually, Ms. Ashcroft, I was wondering if I could ask you something?”
Her eyebrow arches so high it nearly reaches her horns. “You? Ask me something?”
“Yes. Have you noticed anything… unusual happening on the mountain lately? Besides the mudslide, I mean.”
Veronica stares at me long and hard, and I wonder if I’m about to be barbecued on her front porch. But, to my surprise, she steps aside.
“You’d better come in. I have opinions on this matter.”
I follow her into a foyer that could comfortably house my entire delivery truck. The walls are lined with display cases containing glittering gemstones, each illuminated to showcase its brilliance. Classic dragon behavior; the hoard is always on display.
“Tea?” she asks, which might be the first hospitable thing she’s ever said to me.
“No, thank you. I have other deliveries.”
She waves a dismissive hand. “Very well. You want to know about unusual occurrences? How about having some vandal repeatedly disturb my precisely arranged collection?”
I blink. “Someone broke in and stole from you?”
“Stole?” She looks genuinely offended. “No one would dare. But for years, I would arrange my emeralds by shade and clarity, only to wake up and find them scattered across the floor. My rubies, meticulously organized by origin, suddenly jumbled together like common pebbles!”
I struggle to keep a straight face at the distress in her voice. Dragon problems.
“That sounds annoying,” I offer.
