AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Weather doesn’t impact ghosts in my experience, but it could impact your investigation.”
“We did a sweep for evidence last night,” he said, “but I think it’s worth doing another one. It’s impossible to know whether we found all of his remains.”
With that image in my mind, I had a little trouble swallowing my tea. “You hated coming here to ask for my help, didn’t you?”
He gulped the remainder of his drink and set the empty mug on the table. “I’d rather come here to kick your ass at Scrabble, that’s for sure.”
“We don’t have to be at odds, West.”
“We don’t have to be friends either.”
Got it. The werewolf still didn’t trust me. That was fair, because I was most definitely hiding important information from him. He had an excellent sixth sense, I’d give him that.
“Not that it should matter either way, but Chutney left behind a wife and two kids. Even if you don’t do it for the pack, it might ease their suffering to know what happened to him.”
Clever wolf, playing the family card. He knew from previous conversations I’d been close to my grandfather. My fault for oversharing and exposing a weakness. If Pops could see me now, he’d be disappointed that I’d lowered my guard enough to reveal personal details that were now being weaponized against me. Kane leaving town was bad enough. I didn’t need the extra reminder that sharing led to caring.
“You met his son the last time you were at the trailer park,” West continued. “Chatty kid with the bowl haircut.”
I remembered him. He knew I’d lived in London before arriving in Fairhaven and asked if I was fluent in British. Cute kid. And now a devastated one.
“I can try,” I said, “but no promises.”
West offered me a ride in his truck, which I accepted. I was mildly concerned that my ancient truck, affectionately known as Gary, wouldn’t operate in the wintry conditions. I’d find out eventually, but I was happy to live in blissful ignorance for now.
“Where’d you learn to be so distrustful of strangers?” Iknew it was the pot calling the kettle paranoid, but I couldn’t help myself.
He kept his gaze fixed on the road. Flakes were now falling at a more rapid pace, and his wipers were having trouble keeping up. “What makes you think it’s all strangers and not just you?”
“Ouch.” I knew wolves tended to be wary of outsiders, but sheesh. “If I recall correctly, you were an outsider once upon a time. Maybe try to remember how that feels.” When we first met, West told me that he’d come from another pack but neglected to offer any details.
West’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “I’ve been established here for a long time. Fairhaven’s a small town. We have to look out for each other.”
The most recent census identified the town’s population as three thousand people, which meant it hadn’t increased significantly from its early days. Fairhaven came into existence as a crossroads village that bordered the Delaware River and Sawmill Creek. During Colonial American times, a crossroads village was a settlement that was situated where two or more roads intersected. It provided identity and vitality to the surrounding countryside, as well as a sense of community. Fairhaven still possessed all those qualities and then some.
He parked the truck at an access point to the woods. “You should’ve worn gloves.”
“That’s what pockets are for.” I climbed out of the truck and made a show of stuffing my hands into my coat pockets.
I followed West into the woods, feeling like Snow White trailing behind the huntsman with blind trust. Snow White’s sweet and kind demeanor had saved her from execution, but I had something better.
Weapons.
I pulled down my knit hat so my ears were covered. I’dbeen prone to earaches as a kid, and I wasn’t interested in reliving that experience. My grandmother had been amazed that someone with my abilities could still suffer from ordinary ailments. Like my parents, my grandparents had been all human, and they’d often been stunned by my body’s balance between child and goddess.
Snow blanketed the ground, although it was only a thin layer. If there was still evidence to be found, West’s keen werewolf senses could manage it.
He stopped in the middle of a copse. “This is where we found most of him. Do you think his ghost would be around here?”
“If he hasn’t crossed over yet, I’ll find him.” I stood quietly and waited for West to leave.
He seemed to realize I wasn’t moving. “Oh, you want me to go?”
“I don’t perform for a live studio audience.”
“How about if I search for clues over there?” He pointed in the direction of a row of evergreen trees dusted with snow. If Nana Pratt had her way, I’d cut one down and drag it home after I was finished.
“As long as you’re out of earshot, I don’t care where you go.” It wasn’t simply the pressure I was avoiding. It was the chance I might say or do something that would reveal I was far more than a ghost whisperer.
