Page 22 of Soft Flannel Hank

“Esther MacLaren.”

“Esther. The hidden queen.”

“Magdalene. The woman cured of seven demons.”

A wide smile broke across Magda’s face, crinkling the skin around her eyes further. Esther guessed she was probably in her seventies, judging by the lines that wreathed her eyes and mouth.

They ordered breakfast—waffles and bacon for Esther, eggs and pancakes for Magda—and drank so much coffee that the server finally brought a thermal carafe for their table as the diner filled up around them. Magda lived on the outskirts of town. She’d been a nurse before retiring. Her son was named James, though he went by Jamie.

Before she took her last bite, Magda’s phone vibrated against the tabletop. Esther picked up her own phone just to have something to do with her hands while Magda spoke to the person on the other line in a voice could only be described as affectionately annoyed. But she smiled when she said goodbye and told the caller she loved them.

“That was my son. He usually joins me for breakfast on Saturday morning, but today he dropped me off on his way to take the kids to their cross-country meet since it’s his weekend with them. He’s going to be late to pick me up. Very late.”

“You can’t drive?”

“I don’t drive.”

“Fair enough.”

Magda sighed. “I suppose I’ll call Hank.”

The name made Esther sit up straighter, a move that was not at all lost on Magda, judging by the way she smirked.

“Hank Dove?”

Magda arched a delicate eyebrow. “Yes, Hank Dove. You know him?”

“He gave me a ride last night,” Esther replied, willing herself not to blush.

Magda arched an eyebrow. “I’ll bet he did.”

“I’ll drive you,” Esther said quickly.

“Nah,” Magda said, waving her off. “It’s probably the opposite direction for you to where you’re going. Unless…”

“Unless?”

“Well, I imagine you’re staying at the motel, right?”

“Not anymore.”

“You leaving town?”

“Not exactly,” Esther said, but paused. Shannon still thought she was safest in World’s End.

“Looking to be the hidden queen again, Esther?” Magda asked quietly.

Esther felt a jolt of energy cross the table from Magda. It felt like the protective charms her grandmother once placed on her every time she left the house, a warmth that tingled as it spread over her body like rain.

“Always,” Esther whispered.

“Well,” Magda said, swirling her finger around the rim of her coffee cup, “there’s some property that butts up against mine. I bought it a few years ago so that they couldn’t develop it. There’s a little A-frame cabin on it. It’s pretty shabby, but it’s surrounded by trees and quiet. A perfect little roost for a bird looking to hide.”

Esther felt her intuition practically screaming at her. She couldn’t outrun Callum. Not forever. Eventually she would run out of money or her car would die or she would get sick and he would catch her.

And she was so tired of running.

But this? A quiet place to hide until they eventually found her? A place that was remote enough that nobody else would get hurt when they did? Besides, maybe with Magda’s magic combined with hers, she could ward the place or protect herself somehow.