Page 16 of Bewicched

“Please,” she said again. “And may you never have to look into the eyes of a desperate parent whose child is missing.”

I sat with my elbows on my knees, my head in my hands. I didn’t want this. I’d never wanted this. The poor kid was already dead. I was sure of it. I couldn’t get his bedroom out of my head, though. Avengers dolls lined up on his desk, T-ball trophies, school pictures, drawings tacked up on a bulletin board, ticket stubs to Shakespeare in the Park. His mom thought he was finally old enough last summer and took him to seeA Midsummer Night’s Dream. She prepped him, explaining the story and all the characters. And he’d loved it. She’d gotten weepy watching him watch the play. He’d been mesmerized and she’d vowed to take him back every year. Only now, there would be no more summer Shakespeare, no more anything.

“Yeah. Okay.”

8

Spider-Man, Ironman, and Wile E. Coyote

Iheard wooden boards being pried up outside. “Give me a minute.”

“Sure.” Hernández watched me walk across the studio but didn’t say anything more.

I opened the back door and stepped out onto the deck.

“Hey. Get back in,” Declan’s deep growly voice sounded especially cranky.

Oh, yeah. I’d shoved him in the water yesterday. “In a minute.” I crouched at the edge and looked over. “Good morning, Cecil!”

A tentacle rose, breaking the surface.

“Charlie, Herbert, you’re both looking especially handsome today. I just wanted to warn you. There’s a big, growly guy up here who’s going to be making a lot of noise. He’s promised not to drop wood into your home.” I turned and gave Declan my squinty, suspicious look. “Soon we’ll have a beautiful new deck, and I can start installing the sea monster tentacles.” Cecil slapped the water again.

I stood. “If Wilbur comes by, tell him I’ll be back soon.” I glanced around the deck and found the tennis ball wedged under the doorframe to the gallery. I pulled it out and threw it as far as I could. “Bye, guys.”

I was just turning to walk in when I heard, “I have a tarp strung up under the dock to catch any boards that get past me.”

Oh, well, jeez, that was nice. Especially after yesterday. Ugh. I was going to have to do it, wasn’t I?Shit. “I’m sorry about chucking you in the water yesterday. I was in a bad place, and you wouldn’t fricking leave!” Arwyn, not helping. “Anyway, sorry I did that.”

“It pissed me off.” He shrugged. “But it was effective. Sorry I didn’t leave the first time you asked.”

“Okay.” I gestured to the studio door. “I need to go now.”

“Uh.”

I stopped and looked back.

“Do you want me to go with you?” He scratched his beard, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

The question confused me until I remembered his wolf hearing meant he’d heard our entire conversation. “No, thanks. I’ll be fine. And can you put in earbuds or something?”

He shook his head. “Sorry. I can’t.” He glanced at the studio window, no doubt trying to determine if Hernández was listening.

“See? Right there. You’d hate it.” No one enjoys being eavesdropped on.

“I would, but I have to be able to gauge threats.” He shimmied his prybar under another plank and pushed slowly. The boards were rotting and he was trying to get a full board rather than crumbling pieces. “Good luck.”

I went back in and closed the door before looking down at myself. Eh, paint-spattered sweats seemed fine for a walk in the woods. I went to my worktable and pulled open a drawer. Dropping the dirty gloves on the table, I pulled out a fresh pair of green gloves. My hands would blend with the forest. I grabbed my phone and wallet, stuffing them in my kangaroo pocket. “Ready.”

Detective Hernández looked out the window, no doubt wondering about my talking to sea creatures, but she let it go with a quick nod, leading the way back through the gallery, out the door, and to her car.

“Arwyn,” Phil called. “When you back?”

Shrugging, I said, “Soonish.” I pointed to Hernández. “She says I’m not being arrested this time, so that’s good.”

The look on Phil’s face was priceless.

Once we were strapped in, she pushed the ignition button while studying me. “This time? I checked your record. It was clean or I wouldn’t be here. What do I need to know?”

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