Page 49 of Bright Dark Curses

He pounced on that like he’d been waiting for the pizza delivery guy while starving. “How do you know his name? I knew it! There’s something going on, and you’re involved.” He leaned over the counter and let out a small growl. “Tell me or?—”

An answering growl came from the bead curtain. Rufus had come to investigate the ruckus. Fluffy let out a brave yip, then ran to hide behind him. Couldn’t blame her—Hutton’s alpha aura always messed with animals’ instincts.

I herded them back into the backyard. “It’s okay guys, Hutton is just worried. He means no harm.”

“I will if you don’t tell me what’s going on,” he called out from the shop.

“Don’t listen to him,” I told the dogs in soothing tones. “Play for a little longer, okay?”

I closed the back door and returned to the shop. “You need to put the alpha aura away when you go visiting. It’s hard on the nerves.”

“Doesn’t seem to affect you,” he muttered, taking a sip of his coffee.

“That’s because I know where it’s coming from.” My potion-making kitchen.

His scowl reappeared at that. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Your aura is very scary, and I’m shaking inside.”

He harrumphed. “What’s going on, Hope? I know something’s up.”

His use of my name made me all teary-eyed. Progress! “Didn’t you talk to Brett?”

“He was still sleeping it off when I dropped by.” He grew serious. “If there is a threat to the shifters, I need to know. They are my responsibility.”

He was completely right. I was torn between the need to update him and my promise to Key. She was the lead of this case; she got to decide who to let in. Brett hadn’t wanted Hutton to know, and that was something I also had to take into account. Just because they were all about twenty and I was six years older, it didn’t make them incapable of making decisions I had to respect.

Hutton opened his mouth again, but I lifted my hand to stop him. “Hold that thought.”

Ignoring his grumbling, I went into the back, locked myself in the small bathroom, then called Key.

She picked up, sounding groggy. “Hope?”

“Good morning. Hutton’s here and wants to know what’s going on. Do I have permission to tell him?”

I waited while her sleep-addled brain digested my query. “Why are you asking me?”

“You’re the lead in the case. If you tell me to hedge, I’ll hedge.”

Another long pause, then, “Brett didn’t want to get Hutton’s attention…”

“I’m afraid that ship has sailed.”

“Uhm. Let’s not tell him yet. Give us one more day.”

“I’ll try my best. Go back to sleep.”

“Sure,” she mumbled, then hung up.

When I returned to the front, Hutton was all but frothing at the mouth, so I gave him a second cookie.

“Witch,” he warned. “You better?—”

“Don’t worry, nothing’s coming after the shifters,” I said, because he had a right to know that much.

“I’ll be the judge of that. What’s going on?”

“Do you think there’s a curse on Olmeda?”

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