Page 47 of SIN Bone Deep

“That’s hardly the point,” Callista snapped. “I know who was behind this. Warren Jackson.”

“Did you have anything to do with Warren’s missing wife?” Jacob Collins’ eyes noticed. “They have been missing for over a week now, and he says they you have something to do with their disappearance and that we should search your house. He’s a concerned husband searching for his missing wife.”

“He’s an abuser searching for his victim,” Callista corrected. “She is free to go wherever she wishes. If she’s chosen not to notify him of her whereabouts, that is her choice.”

“So, you do know something,” the constable’s eyes narrowed.

“Everyone knows that Warren is free with his fists, especially when the target is smaller than he is.”

“You should be careful with your words, Callista Vossen,” Jacob Collins’ eyebrows raised. “Whilst you have no evidence that Warren was responsible or a party to the attack on your house, you just slandered him within our earshot.”

“We are the victims here,” Callista scolded. “Or did you miss seeing the graffiti, glass, and scorch marks? If you are so certain that it was not Warren, then find out who it was. The town is only so big, after all, and there are only so many men who weren’t tucked up at home last night.”

“You might start at the bar,” I suggested sweetly.

“And what would you know about the bar?” Constable Liam’s eyes ran over me in a way that made my skin crawl.

“My niece is eighteen. Legally able to enter a bar,” Callista stepped subtly between us. “But that is never mind. I have reported before that Warren Jackson has threatened us, banging on my door and windows late at night, and he put his hands on my niece in her workplace leaving bruises on her wrist.”

“That’s not proof that he was here last night, or responsible for it. We have spoken to him, and he has told us that he came to your house searching for his missing wife and daughter, and only approached your niece at work because he was buying a coffee.” Jacob Collins sighed heavily anyway. “Look we’ll go around and have a word to him and tell him to keep away, but without proof, our hands are tied. We cannot arrest people without evidence and there is no evidence of just who was here last night.”

“Go to the bar and talk to John,” Callista pulled on her gloves. “Nyx is right. They would have all had a bit of liquid courage before heading up the hill to harass us.”

“We will certainly do our due diligence,” Sargent Collins was less than impressed by being told how to do his job. “We’ll let you know if we have any news, but I very much doubt it.” He and the constable returned to the car, and we watched them go.

“Fat lot of good that did,” Nova muttered.

“We shall see,” Callista was calm as she reviewed the damage to the house. “Well, my girls, to work with us!”

“So…?” Nova said when our work brought us together away from Callista’s keen hearing.

“You start,” I replied firmly.

“I met someone,” she whispered. “He’s… well, he’s… He was using me,” she was ashamed of it. “Some stupid dare. Some game that boys play, to prove who is the biggest arsehole… I thought… I thought he was the one, but he’s not. And now he won’t see me,” she was angry, slapping the paint onto the wall so that I danced back to avoid the spray cast off.

“I’m sorry.”

“So, what’s your story?” She demanded.

“There are two… men,” I said hesitantly. “Neither is… Well. Human.”

She stopped painting and turned to stare at me slack-jawed before grinning and nudging me with her elbow. “Who would have thought you would be such a kinky slut,” she remarked laughing ruefully. “So, one of them was there last night… Or…” Her eyes lit up. “Were both of them there? Where did they go?”

“I… uh,” I was flustered with embarrassment. “Just one… In the bedroom last night,” I corrected myself. “And… He just…. Goes away.”

“Handy,” she fixed her painting. “Unless it’s at the wrong moment,” she added with a smirk.

“Nova!” I cringed.

“True,” she was smug.

“What’s true?” Fennel wondered stepping out with a tray of cold iced tea.

Nova and I exchanged a side-eye. “Nothing,” we said in sync.

We ate a late lunch on the porch watching the busy cabbage butterflies flitter amongst the plants, and as I leaned back on the cushions of the cane couch and listened to the chatter between the aunts and Nova, I thought of what Ender had said.

“Make sure that those who you value, know how important they are to you, and don’t waste those precious moments on a demon who is playing a cruel game.” Of course, a grim reaper would hold such a view, he probably had spirits bemoaning their regrets all the way to the underworld all day and night long, but that didn’t make the words any less true.

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