Page 17 of Dark Obsession

“I saw him driving through town the other day. Is he allowed to drive with a neck brace?”

“He shouldn’t, let’s put it that way.”

“Those employees of yours.”

“Right?” He picked off another piece of muffin. “I’m concerned about the new chatter. What locations were those again?”

Clarabell opened the laptop again and brought up the spreadsheet. “Stone Hill subdivision.”

Gooseflesh ran up Demetrius’s arms. “That’s where that abandoned house was located.”

They looked at each other in silence for a moment.

“Guess we should bump up our supply of garlic and wolfsbane,” Clarabell said as she picked up her phone and typed herself a reminder.

“Yeah, guess so.” He pushed the muffin on the coffee table away. “The sugar’s going to make me crash if I finish that.”

“Robin will devour it the minute they get home.” Clarabell studied him a moment. “You doing okay? You two have gone through a lot in a short amount of time.”

“We all have.” He touched her arm then got to his feet. “I’m doing good. Thanks for the talk.”

“Doesn’t seem like I helped.” Clarabell got up as well. “I might have made you feel worse.”

“No, you didn’t. Just gave me a lot to think about.” He checked the time on his phone. “I’m going to head to the office.”

He picked up his drink, gave her a wave, and descended the stairs. The truck’s cab felt like an oven set to broil, and he cranked the AC as he pulled away from the curb. Not even a block later, the blip of a police siren from behind startled him, and red and blue lights flashed in his rearview mirror.

“Oh, come the fuck on,” he muttered, slowing to a stop at the curb.

Deputy Lucia Durant stepped out of the sheriff’s cruiser, sunlight sparking off the lenses of her aviators. In the passenger side mirror, Demetrius saw Deputy Gayle Walsh get out and approach his truck as well. Great, two against one. He powered down both windows but turned to Lucia as she came up the driver’s side.

“Hi, Lucia.”

“Demetrius.” She stood, feet apart, hands resting on her utility belt, her blond hair in a short ponytail. “Visiting Clarabell?”

“Yeah.” He turned to the passenger door as Gayle rested her forearms on the frame. She was Black, her hair cut short and her shoulders and arms evidence of her dedicated workout routine. “Hi, Gayle.”

She gave a single nod. “Demetrius.”

“Is there a problem?” he asked, turning back to Lucia.

“Well, the sheriff’s department got a call last night about someone dropping a mutilated body off at Eternal Rest cemetery.”

“Okay, wait⁠—”

“Spooked the new security guard so much he quit today.”

“Well, that’s really too bad. Rich seemed nice. But they clearly did not properly train him for what⁠—”

“So, you admit it?”

Demetrius laughed. “You know it was us. Who else would it be?”

“Okay, care to tell me about it?”

“Does it have to be here in a traffic stop?” He looked between them. “Can we go to Margie’s on your lunch break and talk about it?”

Lucia tipped her head to see past him. “What do you think, Deputy Walsh?”