Page 3 of Rescued By the Mothman

Most of the library patrons had gone back to their browsing or reading, so I poured myself a fresh coffee and fired off a text to my uncle. When I looked up from my phone, the small shape of our neighborhood gossip, Doris, was on her way over to me.

“Of course,” I murmured.

“Afternoon dear. Well, that was a commotion, wasn’t it?”

The old lady peered at me through her glasses as she dumped a pile of books on the desk.

“Yes. What a creep. Do you know who he is, Doris?”

If anyone knew, it would be her.

“I think he’s just passing through. I imagine after getting a lap full of coffee, he’ll carry on his way quickly enough.”

“Let's hope so.”

“Have you told your uncle?”

“Yes, I just messaged him now.”

“How is he feeling about your brother being back? I know they’ve had their fallouts. “

My stomach sank.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Your brother. I saw him yesterday at the grocery store. He didn’t look well.”

It was the first I’d heard of my older brother being back in town. He’d left a couple of years ago after a family argument, and none of us had heard from him since. My brain scrambled for a way to deflect her.

“Oh, you know. Working as a prison guard is tough work. He needs a good rest and he’ll be fine.”

“Yes, Carla from the bakery said she’d heard he was at that prison that had that riot.”

I blinked and tried to hide my surprise. I’d thought he was still working somewhere in the south.

“Yes, a terrible business.”

I scanned her books and handed them back to her.

“Enjoy these, Doris.”

She eyed me for a moment and then seemed to realize she wouldn’t get any more out of me. As soon as she was out of earshot, I grabbed my phone and, before I could talk myself out of it, dialed my brother’s number.

Chapter 3

Sable

My contacts had gotten back to me quickly. Sadly, what they’d gotten back with was days of CCTV footage. They all owed me favors, but not big enough favors that they were willing to comb through it all for me. That was a mug's job, and I was the mug. Luckily, the information from my sister’s friends had pinpointed him moving east from the prison in a stolen car, according to a monster who’d been caught recently. But that still left a lot of towns and footage to look through.

No one came near my desk as they sensed the simmering annoyance that was oozing out of my pores by hour 5. This was the worst part of the job. I had multiple photos of Delaney from different angles pinned around my desk so I could spot him in the footage easily. He was ingrained into my brain.

My phone rang, and I paused the video file before answering the unknown number.

“Sable Argent.”

“Sabe, it's Denny.”

I sat up. If Denny was calling, then either he had something good for me or he was fishing for something himself. Either way,it was best to play it cool and let him think he was leading me around the conversation.

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