Page 19 of Who Pissed Off Ivy Dell?

His bike goes silent. I’m afraid to take my eyes off the snake, but I have to know if Cujo sees me. He does. I can see him in my peripheral vision now, standing next to his bike.

“Rattlesnake?” he yells.

“Yes!”

“You’re doing the right thing. How far?”

“Maybe six feet.”

“Okay. You should be good. Hang tight.”

“Yep. Not going anywhere anytime soon.”

“Stay still. Keep an eye on it. I’m not going anywhere either.”

I stifle a yelp when the snake lowers its head and uncoils. It’s moving, I think. I hold my breath until I’m sure it’s headed away from me. And then I start to walk backward in long, steady strides. There’s probably enough distance between us now that I could turn around and run, but I’m afraid to attempt it. I take another step back. My foot comes down on a rock and something grabs me around the waist. I scream before I realize what’s happened.

“You’re okay. I’ve got you.” It’s Cujo. I stepped on his boot. He grabbed me to keep me from tripping. He was coming to myrescue, even though I’m pretty sure I’m out of harm’s way. “You shouldn’t be walking around out here in shorts.”

“Thanks for the heads up.”

He laughs, not as loud as usual. “They can strike through pants, but it’s some protection at least. Bare legs are not a good idea.”

“I’ve worn shorts before, and nobody said anything.”

“It’s not as likely you’d encounter a rattler up front where most of the casitas are. They’re a lot more common out here in the open. They don’t want to be near us anymore than we want to be near them. You did good, though. Somebody taught you enough to know you needed to hold still.”

“We have rattlesnakes on the beach. They live in the dunes. There aren’t a lot of sightings, but they’re there. People see them more at night. I’ve always known what to do, but never actually had to do it.”

“If I let go of you now, you can stand, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m good. Thanks.” I hadn’t even realized he was still holding on to me. I’m a little rattled for sure. “I think that puts an end to my afternoon walk.”

“Come on. I’ve got to swing back by my place, and then I’ll drop you at yours on the way out. You ever ridden on a motorcycle before?”

“Um, I grew up at the beach. Yes, I’ve ridden on plenty of motorcycles.”

“All right. Good to know.”

He mounts his bike and cuts his eyes at me. “Don’t make my bike the first one you burn your leg on, please.”

“I know how to get on.” When my arms wrap around him, he drives off slowly. April is standing near the path, watching us. She must’ve heard us yelling back and forth about the snake. I wave.

She doesn’t wave back. For a second, I’m afraid she’s standing still because of a snake, too, but she turns and walks back in the direction of her casita.

Cujo goes inside to get whatever he’d forgotten, and then he drops me off at Sparrow’s Song.

Jensen’s truck is at Myrna’s, so I walk across the street to tell them about my snake encounter.

Before I make it to her front door, she opens it, and she and Jensen stand and stare at me. “Listen, doll. You can’t have ’em all.”

“Cujo rescued me from a rattlesnake.”

Jensen lunges at me from the doorway. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. It didn’t bite me. I knew to hold still, but it was pretty damn scary. Cujo saw me, and he watched until the snake moved on and I could back away. Then he came out to check on me and gave me a ride home.”

“What were you doing hiking in shorts?” Myrna asks.

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