Page 13 of Big Bad Wolf

He left Ruby wiping down the bar top after Sal stumbled out for the night.

Maybe if he made this meeting quick, he could catch her before she left.

It felt imperative that he did.

Chapter Six

“Thanks, Clark. Have a good night.”

“Get home safe,” the cashier said, going back to his Field and Stream magazine. “You shouldn’t be out after dark by yourself.”

“Got it, thanks.”

Ruby rolled her eyes as she pushed open the door of the twenty-four-hour market. It was absurd that the little shop was open all night, but the owner, Clark’s dad, said if he had to keep the lights on all night, he might as well have someone at the register. And that someone was always Clark. Ruby felt a little bad for the guy, but it was nice that she could grab a few things after her shift. And she got the impression that Clark didn’t have a whole lot else going on.

She continued the rest of her walk down Monroe Ave, the “central business district” of Maple Hollow, as the banners on the light posts proclaimed. She always found that hilarious.

There were exactly four businesses in the central business district.

Gert’s Diner.

The Bar.

Suds and Spins laundromat.

And the market, Sir Shops A lot, complete with a knight mascot painted on the sign out front. It didn’t make a lick of sense, but it was what it was.

Add in the police station and post office and you had Monroe Avenue.

It wasn’t exactly bustling, although during daylight hours you were bound to run into someone you knew. At this time of night, the town was deserted.

Up ahead at the corner, she’d hang a right down Mckinley and then from the dead end into The Pines. She’d be home and in her jammies in half an hour. It didn’t matter that she still had goosebumps from Sal’s story.

Or that she could still remember the sound of the growl she’d heard last week.

She’d walked home every night since and nothing.

She’d been perfectly fine and tonight would be the same.

But as brave as she tried to be, the sound of a truck pulling up beside her still scared the crap out of her. She gasped and clutched a hand to her chest.

Rafe rolled down the window.

“Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Jesus,” Ruby muttered. “Well, you did.”

“Are you walking home?”

“I’m not far.”

“But it’s dark.”

“I’m aware. It’s night-time.”

Ruby watched a muscle in Rafe’s jaw tick like he was clenching his back teeth. Good, let him clench. She didn’t need one more man in this town to tell her to be careful.

“Let me give you a ride.”