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“Banned from there, yes, but she was staying at her mom’s place in Guildford. But she hasn’t been sighted for several days now, and with these deaths and all, we’re both worried.” He paused. “She’ll pay your regular fee, of course.”
I waved the offer away. “I’ll do it as a favor to you, but be warned—if I do find her, I’ll be obliged to tell the rangers.”
“That’s fine, because that’s exactly what Meika wants to convince her to do anyway. I’m not sure she’ll be successful, though. Larissa can be somewhat... stubborn.”
More than stubborn, from what Aiden had said. “There’s also no guarantee I’ll find her. You’ve heard me talk about psychometry enough to know it can be hit-and-miss.”
“I know, and I told Meika that.” He grimaced. “She still wants you to try.”
“Okay. I can book her in tomorrow—”
“Can you do it this afternoon? At her place?” he cut in. “She doesn’t want to come into town if she can help it, what with all the gossip that’s currently about.”
I hesitated. Belle, what do you think?
If Larissa’s desire for revenge is the reason the soul eater is here, then she may be tainted by its darkness, she said. So while I think you should attempt to find her, I’d be creating a protective circle around yourself before you try it.
Good idea. If she was tainted or otherwise linked to the dark spirit, however lightly, the circle would at least prevent it from sensing my attempt to find Larissa. And that, in turn, might just save Larissa’s life.
If she was still alive to save, that was.
I frowned and hoped like hell that wasn’t a premonition coming through. There’d been enough deaths in this reservation already.
“Okay,” I said, “I’ll go there once we’ve closed the café.”
“Thank you.” He gripped my arm lightly and then released me. “I’ll come with you, though, if you don’t mind. I also want to be there if you actually go look for her. She’s more likely to talk to me if she’s in a mood than a stranger.”
I hesitated again and then nodded. It wouldn’t hurt to have him along if and when I found Larissa, and not just because he could talk sense into his niece. Larissa was a werewolf, and a strong one at that, going by what Aiden had said. I might be able to protect myself magically, but physically I’d be very much at the other woman’s mercy. That was a risk I had no intention of taking.
“Fine.” I glanced at my watch. “We’ll leave at three thirty. Can you ring your sister and let her know we’re coming?”
“I will, and thanks again.”
I nodded and followed him back inside. Belle raised an eyebrow and silently said, Are you going to call Aiden?
I shook my head. Not until there’s something to call him about. It may amount to nothing.
It won’t if that vague premonition proves to be correct.
I seriously hope it isn’t. I don't need to see or find any more dead people, Belle.
On that, we are agreed.
Once we’d finished clearing the café and cleaning up, I grabbed my backpack and purse, then headed into the reading room to grab my spell stones.
“Did you bring in your car or did you walk today?” I asked Mike, as I followed him out into the parking lot.
He smiled, though it did little to
hide the tension in him. “It was too bloody cold to walk this morning. I biked it over.”
Meaning a motorbike, not a bicycle. “I’ll follow you around to your sister’s, then.”
He nodded and walked across to the far side of the parking lot. I jumped into our old wagon and turned her around. Mike—now riding a bright red-and-white motorcycle—couldn’t be missed, and not because of its size or color, but because of the sheer volume of noise it made.
We headed out of Castle Rock on the Midland Highway, going toward Argyle rather than Maldoon. I guess that was to be expected, given what he’d said about his sister’s reluctance to meet anywhere too public. Undoubtedly the Marin pack’s gossip brigade was just as fierce and nosy as those here in Castle Rock.
We slowed down as we approached Guildford, and turned right at a general store that looked to have been around since the gold rush days. About halfway down the street, Mike pulled into a graveled driveway and stopped. I did the same and grabbed my coat and purse before climbing out. The house was only a little larger than the cottage we’d been at last night, and looked to be about the same vintage, even though it was weatherboard rather than brick. The lace curtains covering the window to the left of the blue-painted door twitched, indicating we’d been seen.
