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“Oh, and I just found two more symbols. The plank has thirty-six symbols and I’ve now figured out twenty-two of them.”
“That’s great, David.”
“But not good enough.” He stood and pulled me to my feet. We were less than a foot apart and I shivered again. I couldn’t believe how ridiculous I was being. I’d been close to David several times over the last week without feeling anything like this.
He studied my face, looking like he wanted to say something, and then the hint of a smile appeared. “Call me if you need me.”
My gaze locked with his. “You too.”
He picked up his computer and eased past me into the house. I stood next to the chair, looking out toward the sound as I took slow, steady breaths to keep from hyperventilating.
I was in trouble.
A couple of hours later my cell phone rang while I was cleaning a bathroom. The number surprised me. It was the New Moon.
“Ellie, how are you getting along?” It was Floyd, the owner, but he’d handed all responsibility to Marlena. He rarely stepped foot in the place.
“Hey, Floyd. I’m getting by. I’ve been picking up some shifts at Darrell’s.”
“I’ve hired a new manager for the restaurant, and I’d like to reopen next week.”
I kept myself from gasping in surprise. I couldn’t imagine someone else managing the restaurant, but of course someone else would. Time moved on. “That’s great.”
“I’d already heard that you’ve been working at Darrell’s. Are you interested in coming back?”
“I’ve only been filling in there. But I do have a request.”
“Okay,” he said, his voice hesitant.
“I can’t work the night shift any more. Only day shifts.”
“You know I can’t guarantee that, Ellie. From what I’ve seen, you used to work both.”
“Then I guess I’ll just keep working at Darrell’s.”
He groaned. “Oh, all right. You can have days only. But it’s going to piss the other waitresses off.”
I shrugged, even if he couldn’t see it. “Oh well.” After all the angry spirits I’d gone up against, pissed-off waitresses were nothing.
“I’ll see you for the lunch shift next Wednesday.”
I might have gotten my job back at the New Moon, but I still had a shift at Darrell’s to fill. The customers were all strangely subdued. I was trying to figure out what was wrong when Tom came in with the sheriff deputy he’d been dining with on my first day. I froze, hiding around the corner in case they were there to question me. The hostess seated them in my section and the muscles in my shoulders tensed. There was no evading them now.
I forced a smile and took menus over to them. “Good afternoon, Tom. Deputy Moran. Can I get you hardworking officers a drink?”
The deputy obviously liked to hold a grudge based on the scowl he shot in my direction.
Tom didn’t look much happier.
I was waiting on a table opposite theirs after I took their drink orders, and I caught snatches of their conversation.
“…location isn’t similar to the previous one,” Deputy Moran said.
“But we haven’t found any pattern whatsoever other than Ellie. The dogs were found to the north and west of the island. Another one was found next to Ellie’s family home.”
They were talking about Ukinim.
“The first victim was found south of Manteo,” Tom continued.
