Page 3 of Draco

“Sorry for my tardiness, ladies.” I grinned. “I ran into a... dilemma during my stroll up here.”

Sammi tapped the top of my hand. “No apologies needed. I’m just happy you’re safe. I know you like to crawl down dark rabbit holes.”

“Oh, I know who you are,” the only person I didn’tknow spoke. “Sammi always talks about her sister-friend that’s obsessed with werewolves, vampires, and serial killers.”

“Yep. That’s me.” I cut my eyes at Sammi. “I wouldn’t say I’m obsessed, but I enjoy a good thriller and paranormal tale, especially around Halloween.”

“Girl, that is the devil’s birthday.”

My gaze latched onto the motormouth who hadn’t offered her name.

“Every day is a day the Lord has made. Unless you can show me a birth certificate, let's just leave it at that.”

“I agree,” Sammi commented. “Frankie, what was the predicament you mentioned?”

I treated the wallet like it was an artifact when I retrieved it from my handbag and placed it on a napkin.

“I found this on the way to the restaurant. I don’t know why I didn’t leave it there?—”

“That’s what I would’ve done,” motormouthchimed in. “It was probably a setup. Haven’t you seen those reports on the news?”

“I mean, that was my first thought, but then I remembered shit happens. Someone may have dropped it by mistake.”

Troi bounced her big curls from side to side. “I agree with you and Jasmine. I would take it to the police. Let’s say the ownerwasbeing careless. What type of karma would you bring your way if you keep it?”

“Stop being dramatic.” Sammi pursed her lips. “This could be a blessing. I can see the blue faces spilling over the top. Take the money and mail the license and credit cards to the police station.”

I seized the eyesore from the table and tossed it back into my bag.

“Whatever I do will have to wait until tomorrow. Tonight, we celebrate you, sis!”

Dinner with Sammi and her friends lasted until midnight, and a wave of fatigue hit my bones by the time I walked through my front door. The glasses of wine I had during dinner made me stagger down the hallway, but confusion squared my shoulders when I saw all the lights in my house were on. My mannequin and yarn were also sprawled across the floor.

As quietly as I could be, I went into the coat closet and fished in the back for the double-barrel shotgun I kept on standby. When I said I wouldn’t allow anyone to take my mama’s house from me, that wasn’t limited to the bank.

Housed on bent knees, I journeyed down the hallway with the gun aimed directly at my room.

“If there’s someone here, remember that I have the right to shoot! Seriously! If you’re here to rob the place, just leave me a cup of noodles.”

I laughed at myself, yet the echo of my voice provoked a knot to hold my airway hostage. I couldn’t hear anyone else, but I could feel them.

Like a police officer investigating a crime scene, I wandered through my house, studying every square inch for evidence of an intruder. Other than my crotchet hook, and yarn being out of place, I found nothing.

“Frankie, you are tripping. Go wash your ass and chill out,” I spoke to myself like an impatient parent while going to put the gun away.

Even though I was still leery, I removed my makeup and replaced my dress with one of my mama’s moo-moos. Liquor may have been the last thing I needed, but I grabbed my last spiked lemonade from the fridge and then grabbed the TV remote. I rarely watched it, but the news was like a dose ofmelatonin, so I turned it on after getting comfortable on the couch.

“Thank you, Sandra. As we reported earlier, the Blackstone police are investigating a bank robbery that happened during the wee hours of Friday morning. At this time, investigators are unsure of how the assailants could have entered the vault, but they’re speculating it was an inside job. A few witnesses have come forward reporting they saw the suspects flee into the woods on Kruger Lane. We’ll provide additional updates as we receive them.”

My eyes swept over to my bag. Quickly, I hopped from my seat. Nervousness made my heartbeat glitch as I opened the wallet, probing for a driver’s license or something with a name on it. Other than the wad of cash, the only thing I discovered was a ring slipped into the space for a card.

The piece of jewelry twinkled in my dimly lit living room. This wasn’t my first time touching diamonds, but something about the piece wrapped me in a trance. Thatsomethingwas the fact that the ring’s infinity design matched the charm Mr. Lex refused to buy. The pieces of jewelry looked like a pair torn apart.

“Love Binds. Even in Death.” I read the words engraved into the band before I slipped it on my ring finger. “Aww, somebody’s in love.”

Deep down, I knew there was only one way to handle thefinder’s keeperschaos. Even though I wanted to believe I manifested the cash and the diamond ring, I knew better. The only way God would ordain the blessings I prayed for was if I continued to do the right thing when my back was against the wall.

I fought my sleep for as long as I could before my limbs got loose.

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