Page 16 of Sapphire Nights
The thrift store owner raised her palm. “Nothing a good whisky won’t help. See our guest home. We already know that evil walks our town, and we need to look out for eachother.”
Holding a purring Emma, Sam didn’t feel the fear she was probably supposed to feel. “If evil is real, then there are plenty of other places in thisworld that need to be burned,” she said as they walked past flickering sconces to the front door. “I thoughtserpentswere supposed to beevil.”
“And I thought the devil thrived on fire,” Mariah agreed cheerfully. “Séances are seldom useful. And Val is right, Cass’s are better, but I’m pretty sure she adds her own spin to the spirit’swords.”
Relieved that she wasn’t the only skeptic,Sam set Emma down when they reached the door at the top of the stairs to the studio. She rummaged in her purse and retrieved the ring with her car keys and an unidentified locker-type key, along with the studio key she’d added to it. Hiding keys under geranium pots negated the purpose of a lock in her opinion. Emma sniffed at the flowers on the tiny balcony as Sam unlocked the door. “Do youhave a ride home? It seems a little ridiculous to walk each other back andforth.”
“I know these paths better than evil does,” Mariah said with a chuckle. “There’s a shortcut by the rose bed, leads past my place and into town. Safer than walking theroad.”
“I’ll watch from up here.” Sam gestured at the stucco wall above the roses. “Holler if you meetevil.”
“I’ll blink myfront door light when I’m home. That’s what I do forCass.”
Sam was doubtful that she could see much through the rising fog, but a wind kept it to wispy drifts. She waited until she saw the light blink down the hill, then reached inside and flicked the front door lightswitch.
“Come along, Emma. Did you eat everything I left you? Do you need more? I wish this Cass person had leftcareinstructions.”
The studio seemed like a quiet, sensible safe haven as Sam entered, flipping on normal lights. She pushed boxes up against the wall to clear floor space. Had she left those books out? Scooping them up, she deposited them in a partially emptybox.
It wasn’t until she entered the bed area behind the blanket and saw her interview suit crumpled on the floor that sherealized someone had violated herspace.
The last timeWalker had taken time off had been for the hospital and funeral. That had been over a year ago. But officially, today was his day off, and this time, he was taking it. He showered and shaved at the lodge. He kept his very own Superman stash in an employee locker so he had jeans and a flannelshirt. He actually grinned when he took out his wrinkled clothes, remembering the newcomer’s sardonic comment from the nightbefore.
He hadn’t felt like smiling in a very long time. He would never smile again if he allowed another flaky female under his skin. So he needed to steer clear of Sam if she was a Lucy. The jury was still out onthat.
He’d diverted the crazies from the crimescene by warning them that he’d seen a cougar and her cubs prowling the grave site. So he’d managed a decent night’s sleep and was now prepared to be entertained hearing about theséance.
The people who knew him waved as he entered the café. The tourists didn’t look up from devouring Dinah’s scrumptious breakfast. The food almost made up for not having cell service. If he’d wanted a settingout of time and place to recover, this was a goodone.
Samantha glanced up from filling a coffee cup and smiled, but dark shadows still circled her sad eyes. The therapist had told him he had a strong need to protect derived from his teen years of being his abandoned mother’s crutch. He was trying hard not to go looking for the helpless and needy anymore, but damned if he could avoid thosebig blue eyes sparkling like sapphire crystals when she glanced athim.
He took a stool at the counter and nodded at the coffee pot she lifted in his direction. This morning she’d tied her hair back and covered it with a ridiculous ball cap withDinah’swritten above the bill. The orange didn’t clash with her blue denim shirt, but it stoodout.
“Did the spirits talk?” he asked afterinhaling the first half of hiscaffeine.
“I think the consensus was that we should burn evil or maybe just the serpents. Does this mean we should burn the person who ransacked the studio last night?” She kept her voice low enough that only he couldhear.
He froze in mid-sip, then lowered the cup. “Anythingtaken?”
“I don’t have anything worth taking. Someone just wanted toknow who I was.” Her whisper was almostaccusatory.
“Not me. I can look you up in a database anytime I need to. Do you want me to take a look around? Help change thelocks?”
“I’m a guest. I can’t change locks. But thanks for asking.” She plastered on a big smile and spoke more loudly. “Pie or do you want something more healthy?” Her voice wasn’t precisely sultry, but the practicalquestion held a pleasant musical note that was better than her earlierfear.
He played along. There wasn’t much he could do about a B&E with no damage. It cost money to run fingerprints and the county didn’t have much. “I’m off duty. I have time for healthy. I trust the Lucys don’t mean to burn down the lodge to stomp outevil?”
She refilled cups up and down the counter while shetalked. “They consider the lodgeevil?”
“Vile interloper polluting the environment,” he answeredsolemnly.
“Money is the root of all evil,” Harvey added, sliding onto the empty stool beside him. “Greedcorrupts.”
“Tourists put food on the table,” Dinah said, emerging from the kitchen to slap an enormous omelet in front of Walker. “Don’t condemn what you ain’t got. Poachedfor you?” She glanced atHarvey.
“As always, dear, with a bottle of your devil sauce,” he shouted after her as she strode back to thekitchen.
“Evil.” Walker pointed atHarvey.
