Page 34 of The Wolfing Hour
My apathy lessened, and I stifled a sob at the pain his words had evoked. “I love you, Ronan Williams.”
Ida came on the line. “Bestie, what in Hades’s hindquarters do you think you’re doing? You’ve got us all worried.”
“I warned him, Ida,” I said, the numb feeling returning.“I told Floyd if he came for any of my people, I’d make him regret it. He thinks I’m bluffing. I’m going to show him I’m not.”
“You’regoing to show him?Isit you? Because you stormed out of here looking like Bloody Mary’s first cousin.”
“It’s me.” Sort of.
My friend’s voice went granite hard. “Look, I don’t know why you abandoned us, but you need to get back here. You need to protect us.”
Abandoned?She thinks I abandoned her?
“I sent Margaux.”
“We needyou. What if they’re not done?” Her voice went high and thready. Scared. “Who will protect us if they come back?”
“Ronan—”
“Ronan is a wolf. He’s as susceptible to silver as Gladys. Get back here and do your job,bestfriend. Keep me safe.”
She ended the call.
I pulled into the lot behind Floyd’s bar and stared at the small window that led into his office bathroom. It would be so easy to lob a magical grenade through the glass and burn the building, and everyone inside it, to the ground. Cecil kept at least three different types of incendiary spells in his hat, which I knew because Fennel had warned me about it.
You abandoned us…
Who will protect us if they come back?
Get back here and do your job, best friend.
I was being a bad friend.
The apathy drained away, and I came back to myself with a painful jerk. “Sorry, Cecil. No explosions after all.” I’d shifted the car into drive when Cecil made a loud, screeching noise.
He held up a finger, signaling me to wait, then rolled down the window and jumped out of the car.
“Get back here. I’ve already wasted enough time. I need to get?—”
He was gone.
There was nothing for it. I had to wait for him. He was my partner.
Two minutes passed. It felt like two years.
“Damn it, Cecil.” I put the Mini in park and cut the engine. Reached for the door handle.
WHOOSH!
Mardi Gras fire shot up the side of Floyd’s bar. Purple, green, and gold flames engulfed the entire rear side of the building. It was scary and beautiful and something about it soothed my soul.
Cecil was back in the car in seconds, snickering to himself. His white beard was singed, and his nose was bright red, but he looked happier than I’d seen him in weeks. I restarted the car, and we fist-bumped once he was buckled into his seat.
I reversed out of the parking lot and took off for the senior center. As I drove, I glanced down at the hands gripping thesteering wheel. Pale brown skin, short nails, chipped black polish, planetary earth symbol tattoo on my inner wrist. Mine.
I glanced in the mirror. My normal face peered back at me.
Bloody Betty was gone.
