Page 26 of Snow River

“It’s something about the train station itself.Not about the Community there.It wasn’t directed at them.”

“How do you know?”

“Look.”She pulled out her own phone and showed him the photo.“I sent it to myself while he was jabbering on about the syrup.“They avoided all the furniture, all those sitting cushions and bookshelves and drum sets.”

“Maybe that’s the most obvious place to dump some syrup.”

“But if they were trying to mess with the Community, why be so careful?And look at this.”She pointed to a sign on the wall just above the pool of syrup.Even though the Community members had nailed up extra boards to keep the place warm, they’d left that sign intact, maybe as a touch of retro nostalgia.“Fangtooth Gulch,” it read.“End of Line.”

Bear could see what she was referring to, but wasn’t convinced it was intentional.“It could have just worked out that way.”

“Really?You think so?”She squinted at it again, zooming in and out with her fingers.“To me it seems intentional.Like a message.”

That seemed like a stretch to him.“But what does it mean?”

“I have no idea.”

“You can’t sense anything?”

She shook off the question.“From a phone?Of course not.”

That answered that.“You want to go out there with me and check it out?”

The door swung open and Martha, along with a group of her crafting friends, crowded inside.Martha raised sheep on her land, and sold both raw wool and yarn she carded herself.Once the busy summer ended, her craft circle liked to meet at The Fang as much as they could manage.

“I’ll stay and help these lovely ladies.”Lila smiled at the incoming women, who were all dressed in some version of fall work overalls and mud boots.“Maybe we can try out the new milk frother.”

Bear lowered his voice.“Are you sure?Could be helpful.You might pick up something if you’re actually there.”

Mistake.He knew it as soon as her head jerked up and her eyes flared.“It doesn’t work that way,” she said sternly.“I told you.It comes when it comes.I can’t control it and I don’t want to.It’s not something to use like that.You shouldn’t even try.”

He froze where he was.Lila was right.He had no right to expect her to act like a trained seal, performing on command.What had he been thinking?

Bowing his head, he mumbled an apology and stalked toward the back door.

Outside, he headed across the frostbitten grass toward his truck.Before he reached it, the sound of footfalls made him pause.

“Bear.”

Lila.

She ran across the grass, graceful even in her rubber boots and tight purple felted wool skirt—a Martha creation, the kind she only bestowed on her favorite people.

“I’m sorry, Bear.I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.”

“No need to apologize.I was wrong.”

She stopped before him, catching her breath.“All you did was ask.You didn’t push me.It’s just me.I don’t know how to handle other people knowing.With my friends it’s one thing.With you…I’m just afraid.”

He frowned at her.“Afraid?”

“You might think I’m a freak, or a witch, or just too strange to keep around.”

His jaw tightened at the idea that he would think any of those things.“No,” he said simply.“I don’t.”

“But you might.After the novelty wears off and you really start to think about it…” She twisted her hands together.“It’s fine.I don’t expect everyone to understand.I don’t expect anyone to, that’s why I learned not to tell people.However you feel is how you feel.I’m just…I’m just not used to someone knowing.”She trailed off, her gaze lowering, as if whatever impulse had sent her running after him was fading away.

He couldn’t stand to see her hang her head like that.She should feel proud and never ashamed, not for a second.

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