Touch of Darkness (23 page)

It wasn’t a large place, but it wasn’t tiny either. There were six or seven aisles that ran most of the length of the building and stocked a bit of everything. Along the far right wall was the produce department. The refrigerator and frozen food sections were on the far left. In between were paper products, pet foods, toiletries, canned goods. But the pride and joy of the owners was the meat section along the back wall. They got their meat directly from one of the large suppliers, and cut it to order in their very own butcher section. There were people who drove all the way across town to this store just to get the freshest and best cuts of meat.

There were only two checkout stands in the front, and usually only one cashier on duty, so you generally wound up waiting in line for a bit. But nobody seemed to mind. It was just a part of doing business in the neighborhood. I wandered through the aisles, pretending to shop mostly by tossing random things in my basket. I picked up milk and cheese in the dairy department. Bread, I definitely needed bread. Other than that, it didn’t really matter. If Janine had challenged me it would be one thing. We’d fight. I’d lose, mind you. I was unarmed. She was nearly my size and had a werewolf’s super strength and speed to her advantage. I’m good, and I practice, but there’s only so much training can do to level the playing field.

But she hadn’t challenged me. Hadn’t really done anything. Not yet anyway. Shit, shit, shit.

“Can I help you with something, Ms. Reilly?” A gentle male voice jerked me out of my reverie and into the present. It was the store owner, Shawn Hendren. Tall, in his late forties or early fifties, he was wearing a white cap over his close-cropped white hair. The front of his well-worn blue jeans and black polo shirt were mostly covered by a white butcher’s apron liberally decorated with fresh blood from the meat he’d been handling. I looked down to see what was in my hand. Head cheese? Oh, so no. I set it back down quickly and actually took a look at what was in the basket. Other than the milk, cheese, and bread, I’d basically grabbed an assortment of things that I wouldn’t normally buy if my life depended on it. I mean, turnips! Please, I hate turnips.

Okay, I was just too distracted. I needed to get my head together and get advice on how to deal with the Janine issue. Of course, the best person to ask wasn’t going to be thrilled to hear from me. “Is there any chance I can use your telephone? It’s a local call.”

“Sure, no problem.” He set down the knife he was holding and picked up a black, multiline telephone, setting it onto the glass display counter between us.

I dialed Joe’s number. Mary might be furious, but I was reasonably sure she’d want to know Janine was back, and as Acca, or former Acca, she understood werewolf politics enough to be able to give me good advice. Maybe. I hoped. She answered on the first ring. “Hello?”

“Mary,” I started to speak. Before I could utter more than her name she shouted for my brother.

“Joseph, it’s your sister.” Her voice was only slightly muffled, as though she’d covered the telephone speaker with her hand. Any hope I might have had that she’d calmed down died an icy death in the chill with which she delivered those words. In fact, I was almost tempted to check for frostbite.

“Katie.” Joe picked up the line almost immediately. He sounded harried. I wasn’t surprised. I decided to keep the conversation as short as possible. Maybe that would minimize the amount of crap he’d have to deal with. It was at least worth a try.

“Joe, I’m sorry. It was an accident. But just so you know, I’ve found a place. Tom and I are going to buy Brooks’s mom’s house.”

“Oh, thank God.” He let all of his breath out in a rush. Apparently he’d been worried. Maybe even worried enough to argue with his wife. In the background I heard Bryan’s voice asking “Where is she? What’s happened?”

“She’s fine.” He repeated what I told him about the house. I heard Bryan’s voice saying “Oh, thank God” in an exact echo of Joe, and what sounded like someone moving a kitchen chair to sit down abruptly. You’d almost think my brothers had been worrying about me. Nah.

“He’s even selling it to us furnished.”

“Give me the address. I’ll call Connie for you. She left a message asking where she should bring the cat. Apparently her boyfriend’s allergic. And I’ll let the insurance guy know too. They’re going ahead and issuing a check now that the police have arrested someone regarding the collapse of your building.”

“They are?” I didn’t squeal. I absolutely did not squeal, and certainly not loud enough to deafen my brother on the other end of the line.

“They are. There are photographs and a confession by one of the vampires. Since everybody knows you’re the vampire’s number one enemy and would never work with them the insurance company is paying up.”

I had worked for the vampires once. Under duress. But I wasn’t going to tell the insurance company that. Nope, nope, nope. Not me. Nunh unh.

“And,” Joe continued, his voice sounding a little bit more pleased, “since good news comes in threes, your luggage has arrived. Airport security delivered it to the house with their profuse apologies.”

“Oh, Lord. I bet Mary just loved that.” I hadn’t meant to say it out loud. Oops.

“Let’s just say that, under the circumstances, I think it’s best if I bring all your stuff to the house now.”

I took a deep breath. “Actually, I called to speak to Mary.”

“Uh, Kate … that’s not such a great idea.”

That was probably the understatement of the millennium. If I’d known anyone else who’d be as well connected and could help as well I’d call them instead. I didn’t. “Look, I know she’s still pissed. But Janine’s in town. She’s been following me around. She hasn’t done anything yet, but—”

Joe didn’t wait for me to finish. He called out to his wife, “Mary, you need to talk to Kate. Pick up the line.”

There was a brief argument. I didn’t hear the details. Joe apparently had used his hand to cover the speaker and it muffled the sound better than his wife’s had. But in the end he won. I knew because she picked up the line.

“What’s this about Janine?” Mary asked crisply.

“She’s back in town. She’s been following me.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.” I didn’t tell her I brushed the other woman’s mind. I wouldn’t need to. Mary knows about the psychic stuff. Probably understands it better than anyone else I know at this point.

She started swearing. She actually has a real knack for it. She started out low and slow, sort of under her breath, then let it build in both volume and intensity. I was almost impressed.

“What do you think I should do?”

“How the hell would I know?” she snarled.

“Fine,” I snapped. “Never mind. I’ll take care of it myself.” I started to hand Shawn the receiver, until I heard her shout.

“Wait! Reilly, don’t hang up.”

I put the receiver back to my ear. “What?”

“I’ll call Elaine and get back to you on your cell phone.”

I shook my head, then realized she couldn’t see it. “Can’t. The battery is dead and the charger’s in my suitcase.”

Her martyred sigh carried clearly over the line. “Fine. Joe and Bryan were going to bring your stuff to you at the house anyway. I’ll make the call while they load up the SUV and send word with them how to handle it. In the meantime, for God’s sake, don’t do anything stupid.”

I wanted to object to that, but decided discretion was the better part of valor. She was helping me. It wouldn’t do to get her any more irritated than she already was.

“Right. I’ll see them at the house. Tell them to be careful. I don’t want Joe pushing himself too hard and screwing up his leg again.”

“You and me both. Now hang up the damned phone so I can call Elaine.”

I set the handset into the receiver. “Thanks, Shawn. Sorry it took so long.”

“No problem. Did I hear you right? You’re buying the Brooks house?”

I nodded and grinned.

“Congratulations!” He slid off the clear plastic glove he was wearing and reached his hand across the counter to shake. “Welcome to the neighborhood! I was beginning to worry the place would never sell because of all the bad publicity.”

“Not the house’s fault.” I shook his hand. He had a good, firm grip and the smile actually seemed sincere. “It’s a nice little place, and it’s in great condition. It’ll be perfect for Tom and me.”

“Just right for a young couple,” he agreed. “So, are you stocking up the cupboards? What can I get you?” He gave a sweeping gesture to take in the meat counter. Everything looked, and smelled, wondrously fresh.

“I don’t want to pick up too much. I’m on foot and I already have a few packages.” I gestured at the bags. “I should probably return some of what I’ve already picked up.”

“No problem. We can deliver. Your place is on my way home. We close at eight tonight, so I can have it to you by eight-fifteen. Unless you need it sooner?”

“No, that would be fine.” I gave him a big smile. He was going to deliver. Talk about service! “I’ll just take home enough to fix myself some lunch and dinner and you can bring by the rest.” I pointed, he weighed and wrapped. When I’d decided I’d had enough, he rang up the amounts on an adding machine and handed me the printout. “Give this to Melinda when you go through checkout.” Melinda was his wife and business partner. She was half his age, a petite sandy-haired beauty with a winning smile and a mind like a steel trap. At the moment she was hugely pregnant with their third, or maybe their fourth, daughter. She did checkout duty only when they were short-handed. The rest of the time she handled the books, payroll, ordering, and the general office work.

He gave me a wry look. “If you get a chance, could you tell Bryan that we really need him to get back to work as soon as he can. Stevie quit, and I had to fire Carole for stealing so we’re short-handed. I don’t want to push, but I’m getting tired of working doubles and Melinda needs to be staying off her feet.”

“I’ll let him know.”

He looked relieved. “Thanks. He really is one of my best workers. We’ve missed him around here. Even the customers have been commenting on it.”

I was glad to hear it. Maybe working in a grocery wasn’t the most glamorous job, but it was honest work, and they were being as good to Bryan as they knew how: giving him time off to go into the clinic when he’d only been working there for a couple of months had been nice of them. He’d also been given at least one raise since he started. I didn’t know if he wanted to make a career out of it, but for the moment at least it was something he was good at and seemed to enjoy.

I steered the cart through the various aisles, putting back the nonsense I’d chosen earlier and replacing it with real groceries. In my head I was running a mental tally. Sad to say, most of the money Bryan had given me would be gone in this one stop. But what was I supposed to do? We needed to eat. The cat needed a litter box. I wasn’t exactly being frivolous here. Besides, I’d be getting the insurance money soon, and Tom was getting paid. It’d work out. With positive thoughts firmly in place I went through the checkout lane and exchanged virtually every cent I’d borrowed for enough groceries to get Tom and me through the next month. I left all but two bags’ worth there for later delivery. With everything I already had to carry even two bags was awkward. I walked out of the store into a day gone gray. The sky had clouded over, the sun hidden from view. A chill mist was falling that walked that thin line between rain and sleet. I made sure to watch my step. The sidewalk wasn’t iced over yet, but it would be soon. The temperature had dropped like a stone while I’d been doing my shopping, and I could see my breath fog the air. I set off at a brisk clip, in part to stay warm, but also to get to the house as quickly as I could. I felt exposed on foot, knowing that Janine was out here somewhere watching. The bags I’d brought with me from Joe’s swung back and forth as I moved, along with new bags containing a pair of frozen pizzas, paper towels, and a six-pack of soda. It wasn’t exactly a feast, but I didn’t figure my brothers would mind. It didn’t take long to walk the short distance to the house. As I came up the street I found myself grinning. Home. I hadn’t even put the key to the door and already it felt like I was coming home.

It looked almost exactly like I remembered it, a small, neat building with green shingles and gleaming white trim. The old metal chairs had been removed from the big front porch, and somebody had put a fancy wreath with russet ribbons and brilliant autumn leaves on the front door. But otherwise it was just the same as when Bryan and I had lived there a few months back. My stride quickened, my arms were getting tired, and I was eager to get out of the chill. I’d dressed in such a hurry this morning that the clothes I had on weren’t nearly warm enough. Still, I slowed to a stop when I reached the mouth of the alley.

The third dumpster down was where it had happened. It had been cleaned up, but I could still see some evidence. The fence pickets had been replaced, the new boards were beginning to weather, but still didn’t match the old. The dumpster itself still had dents and scars from where Amanda had swung a scrap of lumber at me and missed. I stared and let down my guard. Did it bother me to be back here? I’d joked about making Tom take out the trash, but would it actually bother me? Could I go down that alley, day or night, and not be bothered by the memory of Amanda trying to kill me?

Fierce barking broke out, and I shuddered. The dog had been barking that night too. It’s just a damned dog, Reilly, I told myself. Amanda’s dead. She can’t hurt you. Nothing there is going to hurt you. It was the absolute truth and I knew it. But that didn’t keep my pulse from thundering in my veins; couldn’t keep the adrenaline from rushing through my system with each beat of my heart.

I forced myself to take deep breaths. It took a little time, but I managed to calm my raging heartbeat. I would do this. I loved this house. I intended to make it my home. I would not be driven away by memories and irrational fear. I would not.

When I was as calm and as steady as I was going to get in one attempt I continued on, down the sidewalk and up the steps.

It was a little awkward opening the door, what with juggling the groceries and the key safe attached to the doorknob, but I managed. I stepped over the threshold, and hit the light switch. The overhead light came on, the oldfashioned cut crystal sparkling merrily as it threw a warm glow over a room filled with worn but well-tended furnishings.