Page 115 of Gem Warfare

“Me too,” said Ruby. “I got a call from Rachenstein’s reps just as I was getting into my car to come here. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. I’ve never had that kind of money before!”

“Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I’m enjoying being a part of the ruby’s history. Imagine that it was in our yard all this time and that we were amongst the last people to see it before it disappeared again!” said Carrie.

“I was there too!” said Mom. “I should speak to someone atTheGazette! Are you going to be on TV, Garrett?”

“I hope not,” said Garrett.

“Lexi?” Mom turned to me.

“I don’t have anything to add,” I said.

“You’d look so good saying nothing,” said Lily. “Just stand there looking mysterious.”

“I could do that,” I agreed.

“I love this scarlet dress. You should wear it on TV. Sexy and mysterious,” Lily added while waving a hand at my dress.

“Most definitely.” I nodded along, warming to the idea.

When the conversation descended into a riotous mix of questions, theories, and more questions about the reward money, I slipped away. I got a burger from my dad and found a chair to drop into. Lily came to sit next to me, having offloaded Poppy onto Jord.

“I’m trying not to cling onto her,” she said watching the two playfully bond. “That asshole, Gideon Black has a lot to answer for.”

“I really don’t think Poppy was ever in any danger.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s the thought of it. I’m glad this case is closed. I hope he’s as far from Montgomery as he can get and never comes back.”

“Do you want to make sure?”

“How?”

“His father’s funeral is tomorrow. Do you want to come?”

“Duh. Of course I want to come. I have the cutest black dress.”

“I’ll pick you up at ten.”

“Do you think Gideon will show?”

I’d thought a lot about that. “Only if he’s crazy,” I decided.

~

The Eternally Resting Hills cemetery was a sprawling, undulating lot filled with a whole trove of dead folk. A long, winding road cut the lot in half and the gravesites ranged from large stones with carved angels filled with long, loving, testaments to their occupants to small, simple crosses. I couldn’t imagine this being my final resting place but I knew I had relatives here somewhere just waiting for my unearthly mayhem.

“I am not getting buried,” said Lily. She smoothed the pencil skirt of her black dress and adjusted her black velvet headband. She looked like a Mafia doll but I didn’t tell her in case she was too pleased.

“Why not?”

“I don’t like the idea. Cook me up and spread my ashes somewhere pretty. Or!” She grinned excitedly. “You could keep me on the mantel and chat to me.”

“Why are you dying first?”

“I don’t want to see you die. Every time you get injured, I think you’re going to die, and it sucks.”

I gulped down my guilt. “Sorry.”

“Plus, I want someone to watch over Poppy and who could I trust more than my best friend?”

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