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I dropped my hold on his arm. “Something weird has been happening, and Tom wanted to make me aware of the situation.”
Confusion washed over David’s face.
“I’ll explain it on the way to Chapel Hill.”
Tom narrowed his eyes, anger stiffening his shoulders. “You’re still going out of town? Even after what I told you?”
I met his gaze without flinching. “And I told you I don’t know what it was. We’re going to Chapel Hill to get information. We’ll be back Sunday night.”
Tom didn’t look happy.
“It’s the best I can do.”
The officer moved closer to me and lowered his voice. “People are dying, Ellie. Kids.”
“I know.” My voice broke. A few months ago, my biggest worry had been scraping together enough money to help put a new roof on the inn. Now I was expected to save lives even though I had no idea what I was doing. “The only thing I know to tell you is that people can try to protect themselves by putting salt on their windowsills and across the threshold of their doors.” I paused. “It should keep the evil out.”
His eyes widened in disbelief. “You can’t be serious? How am I supposed to tell people that?”
“It’s all I have at the moment. If anything changes, let me know.”
“I still don’t like it.”
My patience gave way to irritation. This day had sucked all the way around, and I was just about through with it. “Well, welcome to my world. There’s a shitload of crap I don’t like, but I don’t have a say in any of it.”
We had a stare-off for several seconds before Tom swore under his breath and looked away. He turned and climbed back into his squad car, leaving without another word.
“Did you actually tell Tom Helmsworth what’s going on?” David asked from behind me. He sounded incredulous.
I stared in the direction in which the police car had disappeared. I had a sort-of ally in the police department now. I was still trying to determine if this was a good thing or a bad one. “No. But Tom’s a perceptive guy, and he’s figured out quite a few things on his own. He knows I had something to do with the badgers disappearing.”
David put his hands on my hips and pressed his chest against my back. “It was inevitable, I suppose. As long as he’s not blaming you.” He paused. “I take it that something else has happened…”
I spun around to face him, and an unexpected wave of love and gratitude washed through me as I took in his concerned expression. I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and holding him tight. My hormones might have been infatuated with Collin, but I neededthisman. He was my rock, my stability. He was the support I needed that Collin wouldn’t—or couldn’t—give. But after what had happened at the beach—both with CollinandOkeus—I was suddenly terrified of losing David.
“Hey.” He gave me a gentle kiss on the forehead and pulled away to study my face. “What’s going on?”
“Can we just go? You have no idea how much I need to get out of Manteo.”
“Of course, love. I’ve put your suitcase in the trunk already. Do you need anything else?”
Did I? The crushing guilt of what had happened with Collin was making me addled. I rubbed my forehead, trying to focus. “Um…I need to talk to Becky about overseeing the inn this weekend.”
His hands ran up and down my arms. “I’ve already spoken with her. She’s all set. She’ll call you if a problem arises.”
“Okay,” I said, distracted.
“What did you and Tom talk about? It has obviously upset you.”
I gazed up into his face. “Can we talk about it in the car?”
“Of course, Ellie.”
He led me to his car, and we drove out of Manteo in silence as I leaned my elbow on the armrest, staring out the window. Something was terrorizing Manteo and I had to wonder if Tom was right. Was it wrong to leave at a time like this? David didn’t need me to talk to his colleague, and he didn’t need me to visit Charlotte with him. I wondered if I should stay and try to convince him to go without me, only the selfish part of me didn’t want to be alone for that long. Even if it meant possibly saving people. What did that say about me? But the truth was I had no idea what was killing those people or how to stop it. David had more resources at his disposal to figure it out. I wasn’t sure what good I could do if I stayed, and the truth wasIneeded David.
As he started across the bridge from the island to the mainland, I was struck with a new worry. How could I have forgotten about my agoraphobia, which was the curse’s way of preventing me from traveling too far from Manteo and the gate to hell at the edge of the Elizabethan Botanical Gardens? Of course, the curse had allowed me to leave the island before when fate required it.
David must have sensed my trepidation because as soon as we crossed the first bridge, he reached over and covered my hand. “How are you doing?”
