As I climb under the covers, my smile fades slightly. Tomorrow I’ll have to tell him about Deputy Dale’s accusations, about the claw marks above the slide area, about the possibility that something is targeting people on the mountain—possibly me specifically.
But for now, I let myself enjoy the warmth spreading through my chest at the thought of seeing him again. Whatever’s happening on this mountain, it’s going to take a lot more than a mudslide to get between me and Riven.
I fall asleep with my hand curled around the silk scarf at my neck, dreaming of glowing webs.
Chapter 17
Probable Claws
June
The next morning,I stop at Merry’s Diner for the usual: coffee and town gossip. The bell jingles as I push through the door, and the familiar scent of bacon and maple syrup wraps around me like a warm hug.
“Morning, June!” Merry calls from behind the counter, already pouring my usual into a to-go cup. “Running early today?”
I slide onto a stool. “Actually, I’m in a bit of a rush. Big delivery day.”
“Say no more,” she says, pushing the coffee toward me. “Want some blueberry muffins for the road? Just made ‘em fresh.”
“That would be perfect, thanks.” I fish out my wallet. “Better make it two. Might be a long one.” Merry’s quick to hook me up, and I’m nearly on my way out when I hear a throat clear behind me.
“June Hartwell. Just the woman I wanted to see.”
Deputy Dale Brennan waves me over to his booth with an urgency that makes my stomach drop to my knees. He looks like he hasn’t slept in days. His uniform is rumpled, and there are dark circles under his eyes that suggest he’s been mainlining caffeine.
I reluctantly slide into the seat across from him, setting my coffee and muffins down. “Morning, Deputy. You look terrible.”
“Been working the mudslide case,” he says, lowering his voice and leaning forward. “We’ve had a break.”
The way he says it—like he’s auditioning for a crime procedural—would be funny if my heart wasn’t suddenly doing its best impression of a jackhammer.
“Oh?” I sip my coffee, aiming for casual interest while my brain screamsDANGER! DANGER!
“We identified a suspect with the size and strength to cause that kind of damage. Pulled some permit records for that area of the mountain.”
I take another sip of coffee to hide whatever my face is doing.
“Not long after the Great Unveiling, someone built a custom home up there.” Dale taps the table for emphasis. “Custom-built for a Vyder.”
I nearly choke. “A what now?”
“Vyder. Spider-people.” Dale makes a wiggling motion with his fingers that I assume is supposed to represent eight legs. “Reclusive species. Very dangerous.”
“Interesting,” I manage, though my mouth has gone desert-dry. “And what makes you think this guy caused the mudslide?”
Dale leans in closer, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “The claw marks, June. Perfect match for Vyder limbs. And they’re extremely territorial. Known to attack anything they perceive as a threat.”
My mind races. “But why would one target me?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out.” Dale sits back. “Working on getting a warrant to investigate the property and question the resident. The process takes time. Probably a few days.”
A few days.
Not much time to figure out who’s actually behind this.
“What do you know about Vyders?” I ask, trying to sound merely curious rather than desperately fishing for information about how much danger Riven might be in.
Dale shrugs. “Not much is documented since they’re so reclusive. But the few cases we have suggest they’re incredibly dangerous when provoked. Venomous, strong enough to kill a bear. And they build these elaborate web systems to monitor their territory.”
