Page 62 of Housesitter

“Maybe he was scared of what would happen if he tried,” he said.

Ruby shook her head and went to say something. Whatever it was slurred off her tongue, and she stopped, her hand up to cover her mouth. She took a deep breath, lips trembling, and tried again.

“Was that it?” she asked. “Is that what you needed?”

It wasn’t. But Kel had done enough damage. He forced a smile and nodded.

“That will be more—”

“There was a contract,” Shepherd interrupted him. He ignored Kel’s glare as he stepped forward, head angled so he caught Ruby’s gaze. “Between Easy and…his employer. It was passed on to Albert. What would he have done with it if he wanted to hide it from Easy?”

Kel grabbed his shoulder to pull him back. It didn’t work, and he was reminded again that Shepherd was stronger than he looked.

“It’s fine, Ruby,” he said. “We can work it—”

Ruby waved her hand at him.

“I wouldn’t bother,” she said. “Albert would have left it on the floor. The man once used a settlement check from the factory as a bookmark for six months.”

She laughed in surprise at the memory and then choked on it. Her face flushed red, sweat on her temples, as she clutched her chest. Kel lurched awkwardly forward and tried to gingerly slap her back, without breaking anything.

“I’m not a cat,” Ruby said once she caught her breath, the back of her wrist to her mouth to control, or hide, the droop of her lips. “I…just…what were we talking about?”

Kel glanced at Shepherd, who shrugged.

“Grandad,” Kel said after a beat. He leaned on the back of the wheelchair and craned around to watch Ruby’s face as he spoke. “You said I remind you of him.”

The only reaction to that was a disdainful look from Ruby.

“Bullshit,” she said. “You take after me. I goddamn raised you; I earned it.”

Kel didn’t know what the feeling that clutched in his chest was. It hurt, though. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, ignoring her cat-spit of surprise.

“You do,” he said and flicked the brake off. “I better get you inside. You need a rest.”

“...I was home-schooled by cultists,” Shepherd said as they stepped outside. “I can butcher most animals and speak uncultured Latin; I don’t know anything about neurology. Or it influences complexion. She might remember again. She might not. Which are you rooting for?”

Kel didn’t know. Rather than admit that, he changed the subject by nodding at the Seal of Approval on the corner.

“Want to get a coffee?” he asked. “We can brainstorm our next steps, try to work out what Dio did with the contract.”

Shepherd gave him an amused look. “Really, you think you can find common ground with a man who inherited a haunted house on a gateway to Hell by being too cocky for his own good?”

Kel slung an arm over Shepherd’s shoulders, pulling him in close so he could kiss the side of his head.

“I’m depending on you for the cocky part,” he said.

Shepherd snorted. As they got to the Seal of the Approval, there was a free library set up on a table against the wall. Shepherd paused to browse through the selection while Kel opened the door.

“I’ll order,” Kel said. “Your usual?”

Shepherd looked up from a car manual. “I don’t have a usual.”

“The most artisan thing on the menu,” Kel countered. “Add more whipped foam.”

There was a pause, and then Shepherd’s mouth quirked. “OK, that does sound good.”

Kel rolled his eyes and started on into the shop. He had just let go of the door when Shepherd blurted out.