Chapter 12

Ahard bump jostled me awake. As I stared up at a fabric-covered ceiling, I noticed other details. Like the firm thigh I was using as a pillow. And the large hand meshed with mine where it rested over my stomach. Licking my chapped lips, I swallowed to wet my throat. "Harrow?"

"Frankie." He leaned over me, his fingers tightening. "We're almost to the hospital."

"No hospitals." I took a mental inventory of my aches and pains. "Just need sugar."

Aside from the fact I enjoyed sweets, I was also reliant on them to jerk me out of spirals like this one.

"Pull in at the next gas station," Harrow barked the order. "Get her a soda and cookies."

Had I been in better shape, I might have pretended to want carrots and ranch dressing, but I was too far gone to pretend vegetables held any appeal while my head was spinning from low sugar.

"Okay, Daisy," Carter said, snickering, "whatever you say."

"On your left," Harrow called out. "Stop there."

"I have eyes." She bumped off the road. "I can see fine." She parked and glanced back. "What'll it be?"

"Soda and cookies," Harrow told her again, an edge of frustration creeping in. "That's what she prefers."

"Fine." She held up her hands. "I'll be right back."

"Be nice." I wished I could untangle our hands without being obvious about it. "It's not her fault I overdid it."

"I'm aware," he grumbled, "but I try not to yell at people who don't feel well."

"That has never stopped you in the entire time I've known you. What did they do to you in Seattle?"

"Opened my eyes," he murmured on an exhale, leaving me to wonder if I heard him right.

Neither of us found much to say after that, so we each stared out our own window, lost in our own thoughts.

Before things got painfully awkward—more painfully awkward—my door opened, allowing me to stretch my legs.

"Can you sit up on your own," Carter asked, "or do you need help?"

"I've got her." Harrow slid his palms down my back, which absolutely did not send heat curling down my spine, then lifted me into a seated position, facing the door. "Let's get you turned around."

When he wedged his hands under my thighs, gripping the insides of my legs, I jumped sideways in alarm. I tipped right out of the truck, taking Carter down with me. She grunted when she hit the asphalt on her butt, and I landed in her lap with a gasp.

"Oh, my God." I scrambled off her with flames licking my cheeks. "Did I hurt you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Her focus settled on a spot beyond my shoulder. "You can sit on me any time."

When I glanced back, Harrow filled the doorway, and I swear I heard his molars grinding. He stepped down, a perk of being tall, and checked me over before offering Carter a hand up she accepted with a grin.

"I'm going to celebrate the day I come off probation." He pivoted back to me. "Hop in."

"I've got her." Carter cinched her fingers around my upper arms and lifted me into the truck like I weighed no more than a cheddar puff, igniting my curiosity about what she was to have such strength. "Strap in, Frankie."

Bent over to gather the spilled items Carter bought for me, Harrow missed when she leaned in and said, "Josie isn't the only looker in the family. You're a beautiful woman, Frankie." She glanced at the back of Harrow's head. "Don't be so terrified of someone noticing it."

A million denials tripped through my head, but then Harrow was there, plying me with bite-sized cookies he had already opened and a soda he uncapped and held at the ready.

"Better?" Harrow stepped into the doorway, blocking Carter's line of sight. "Do you need more?"

"I'm good." I worried if I didn't eat fast enough, he would start handfeeding me. "I should have brought a juice box and crackers."

"The peanut butter ones that stick to your teeth and on the roof of your mouth?" He tilted his head. "I thought Matty was the one who loved those."

"His fridge is all juice boxes, and his pantry is all peanut butter-based products. It would be concerning if I wasn't so impressed with the variety. I usually steal a juice and a pack of crackers when I work remotely."

Only the Suarezes, who ate lunch and dinner for him, got any fruit, meat, or veggies down him.

"How often does that happen?"

The question, from Carter, burst our nostalgia bubble, reminding me they were cops, and I…was not.

"Not very." I closed the soda and put it in the plastic bag along with the other trash. "I prefer not to."

Carter must have picked up on the hint of worry in my tone. "Are you vulnerable during summonings?"

"I don't worry about me." I was impenetrable, as far as Vi could tell. "It's those around me who can be."

"Does that mean one of the spirits you summoned tonight could have possessed Harrow or me?"

"No." I told myself it was anger and not fear prompting my voice to sharpen. "I was in control the entire time."

No doubt thinking of our surprise guest, her tone was wry. "And spirits never disobey direct orders?"

"Tonight was a first." I dialed my confidence down a notch. "I'm experiencing a lot of those lately."

Power surges that roused the dead weren't great, but this was next-level bad for business.

"You primed the body, but you didn't place bindings that I saw." Harrow had paid closer attention than I realized. "That's why the witness your mentor sent could slide into Phelps when he wasn't the spirit you intended to summon."

Until he said it, I hadn't realized my rationalizations aligned with his. "That's what I'm thinking."

A buzz in my pocket had me reaching for my phone. No surprise, it was Josie.

gt;gt;Harrow texted. He said you fainted. Do you need me?

gt;I had a soda and cookies. I'm good.

gt;gt;I don't like you going off alone with those two. They don't know how to take care of you.

The sad truth was, Harrow did know. He might have to reach way back to remember, but it was in there.

gt;It's fine. I'm fine. I'm on my way home now.

gt;gt;I'll be waiting.

Of that I had no doubt.

Josie and Matty waited in the parking lot with their wrists pinned at their spines in some weird parody of parade rest. With their matching poses and tight frowns, they could have been twins, aside from the fact Josie was a blonde beanpole while Matty was a sturdier brunet with permanent shadows smudging the already dark skin under his eyes.

"They don't look happy to see us." Carter parked in front of them. "Is it safe to get out?"

"Probably not." I clicked my seat belt free then hesitated. "Tuesday?"

Before they could answer, my door flew open and Armie swooped in, scooping me against his chest with a grin I couldn't help but mirror. He was one of the few people I didn't mind carrying me. Shifters were a strong bunch. Even though he refused to tell me his animal, I wasn't worried I would throw out his back.

"Hey, Bijou." He kicked the door shut behind me. "I know you're going to hate this, but Josie?—"

The door I had just exited swung open with a violent shove. "Who are you?"

"I'm the FWB." Armie cocked an eyebrow at Harrow. "Who are you?"

"I'm the detective." Harrow tapped his badge. "What the hell is an FWB?"

"Friend with benefits," Carter explained to him without missing a beat.

"Keep your badge in your pants." I squirmed until Armie set me down, but he maintained a firm arm around my shoulders. "This is Armie." I patted his chest. "He's a family friend."

"Sit down and shut the door." Carter sighed in Harrow's direction. "You're making me look bad."

Half hanging out the door, Harrow only had eyes for me. "You're sure…?"

"Armie is a puppy shifter. Totally harmless. The worst thing he'll do to me is chew my shoes."

A deep laugh rang through his chest, and he slid his arm up until he had me in a headlock. "Take it back."

"Never." I was laughing before his wide knuckles dug into my scalp. "Does puppy want a chew toy?"

"All right." He gave me a noogie. "You asked for it."

Squealing as he ruined my hair, which, honestly, wasn't hard to do, I teetered, out of breath.

"Have you ever wondered why they aren't together?" Josie mused to Matty, but her attention was on Harrow. "They're adorable."

"He asked her out first, but she turned him down." Matty sounded amused, but his eyes were dark and hard. "You were his consolation prize. The fact you spend hours gardening in the nude probably helps."

As much as Matty enjoying throwing it in Josie's face, he wasn't wrong, but he wasn't right either. Armie had asked me out first, but I had been sitting next to Josie at the bar in his restaurant at the time. To me, it was clear as day he was flirting with me to snag her attention. I indulged him to show my appreciation for the free drink he insisted on—a Bijou—until I could make a polite excuse to go and let them get on with it. They had been together off and on as they fell in and out of love with each other and other people ever since.

"Nah." Armie quit hassling me and tucked me back against his side. "I like Frankie too much to date her."

"Are you saying you don't like me?" Josie thrust out her hip and rested her fist on it. "Answer wisely."

"Did you say like or lick?" Hand cupping his ear, he leaned in her direction. "I assure you, I do both."

A flush rose in my cheeks, but Josie just rolled her eyes, a fond smile tugging on her lips.

"Frankie?"

"Are you still here?" Josie answered for me, flaying Harrow with a withering glare. "We take care of our own."

The truck rocked with the force of the slamming door, but Carter didn't peel out of the lot. She reversed, waved to me, and pulled back onto the road. Once we were alone, my siblings approached me, revealing why they had concealed their hands behind their backs.

A whip made of thorns dangled from Josie's fingers when she dropped her arm to her side.

Matty held three small vials of dream sweet he collected from the dream realm.

A few drops would knock the person who came in contact with it unconscious for hours. More than that, and the effect could last weeks. Matty was never without it, and I was glad he had protection there and here, but threatening Harrow with it was a tad extreme.

"You guys understand Harrow is a cop, right?" I leaned on Armie. "You can't just assault him."

"He hurts you," Matty said, rolling the quarter-sized bottles between his fingers, "we hurt him."

"They were going to knock him out, whip him, then dump him in that briar patch off Highway 17." Armie scooped me up again, my pride be damned. "There was even talk of pulling his pants down between the whipping and the dumping."

"I assume you were the voice of reason."

"I'm more than my looks, darlin'." His chuckle moved through him into me. "Plus, I know you keep a low profile. The mess you're in now is nothing compared to the mess you'd be in if this Harrow guy required medical intervention to remove the thorns from his bare ass."

"Or poison ivy crotch," Josie called after us. "That one's still on the table."

"I'm telling you," Matty countered. "We need to invite him to dinner, slip him a laxative, then show him to a bathroom you've preloaded with toilet paper laced with urushiol."

"What's that?" I was almost scared my guess would give her ideas. "Poison ivy essential oil?"

"Pretty much." Josie's grin was downright evil. "You wanna come over to Matty's and watch a movie? You bailed early last time, so you kind of owe us."

"You just want to babysit me." I preferred to be alone but figured it might be smarter not to be. "Matty?"

"I ordered pizza. Extra pepperoni. Extra onions. I can't eat it by myself, and you're the only other person who likes pepperoni."

"That's a lie." I indicated Armie. "He would eat the couch if you sprinkled pepperoni on it."

"That's an offensive shifter stereotype," Armie grumbled. "I would also need a gallon of tomato sauce."

"Okay, okay." I caved once Armie passed my landing without slowing down. "Let's all go bond."

Heartburn woke me before dawn,and I couldn't fall back asleep. I decided to chew a handful of antacids then go for a run. As long as I didn't visit Bonaventure, I should be fine. Kierce had never approached me outside the cemetery. I could work up a sweat, let my mind drift, and decide how to spend my days off.

According to the calendar, I had planned to pull weeds, pick up trash, and perform other subtle tidying that wouldn't draw attention from the caretakers at Bonaventure. I would have to postpone those idle chores for the deceased without perpetual care until after Kierce was eliminated as a suspect.

Ifhe was eliminated.

The only witness had placed Kierce at the scene of the crime. Now Kierce had to explain himself.

And if that felt like a betrayal…

Loyalty cost more than a few clumsy talks and an awkward meal.

Dressed in black with my hair twisted into a bun, I dug out my earbuds and popped them in. I strapped a fanny pack on, stuffed in my phone and a pack of crackers, dialed up my cardio playlist, and hit the stairs.

I had plenty of room to run without heading to my usual haunt, so I veered from my normal path in a jog to test my stomach. Still queasy but better. I hadn't stretched, a rookie mistake, but as long as I didn't let it become a habit I ought to be okay.

Idaho Avenue was my usual turnoff when I took this route. I hit it in stride, then cut onto Hawaii Avenue, moving deeper into the Avondale neighborhood. I was about to intersect Delaware Avenue, enjoying the peaceful darkness, when an engine revved behind me. There was no sidewalk or bike lane. I was running in the street but off to one side. A bit risky in the dark, but not at this hour, and it was perfectly legal.

Switching on an LED wrist bracelet Matty bought me last year, I signaled for the driver to go around me.

A shimmer on the edge of my vision, maybe the headlights bouncing off metal, had me turning my head. The driver had crept up on me. They were maybe six feet from my heels. I waved again, but they ignored me.

No worries. I had other options. Safer options.

I tried to respect the residents' lawns—a mix of bamboo, saw palmetto, live oaks, and sparse grass losing the battle to weeds—but I wasn't about to let this car roll over me. I moved to the fringe of the properties, giving the driver the entire road to go on their way, but they paced me. I wasn't one to spook easily, but I also didn't want to end up as a pancake. I took out my phone, killed the music so I could hear, then dialed Matty.

Voicemail.

I tried Josie next.

Voicemail.

As much as it galled me to do it, I reached out to Harrow. "Hey."

"Hmph."

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"S'okay."

"I'm running. In Avondale." I was out of breath, more from fear than exertion. "There's a car. Following."

"A car's following you?" His tone grew more alert. "Can you see the driver?"

"The headlights are in my eyes."

"Can you tell anything about the car?"

"Sounds like a classic." A hotrod maybe, with that engine. "It's definitely had muffler work."

Swapping out the stock muffler for a glasspack muffler would explain the extra exhaust noise.

"Keep your phone out and let them see you with it."

"They're less likely to run me down if there's a witness to the crunching noises?"

"If they get spooked and speed off," he said patiently, "try to snap a picture of the license plate."

"Okay." I dropped back into an easy jog to increase my stamina. "I'm flashing the phone."

For the span of a block, nothing changed except on Harrow's end.

A vehicle door slammed in the background, and a siren screamed to life.

"Talk to me." He worked to be heard over the noise. "Do you see any lights on in house windows?"

A quick check told me I was out of luck there. "No."

"That's okay. I'm ten minutes out. Just hold on until then."

"I'm good for another hour or so before I have to slow down."

"Keep talking. Make sure he knows you're not faking. How about a Qamp;A? Why pick running?"

"It's faster than walking."

"Smartass."

"The truth only goes to show I need to get out more." I wiped my wrist across my forehead. "The first time I saw the bronze statue of Julia Denise Backus Smith in the cemetery, it struck a chord with me. She's dressed in running gear and posed mid-stride. She looks so happy. Transcendent even. I thought I would give it a try. Turns out, I love it. Who knew?"

"Why choose Madam Fontenot as your mentor?"

"I helped one of her relatives when I was first starting out, and they told her so. She offered to teach me what she knows, and only a fool would have turned down that invitation." Pain radiated down my spine just thinking about those long car rides. "I commuted to New Orleans. Sort of. I came home every weekend."

"Of course you did," he murmured. "I wouldn't have expected anything else."

The faint edge of censure made me bristle. "Why Seattle?"

"I've always wanted to meet Bigfoot."

"That's not even a good lie. You hate magic."

"I don't hate magic, and I don't?—"

Sudden force knocked me stumbling into a lopsided hedge, and the phone flew out of my hand.

What the hell?

The car had hit me. Actually struck me. Knocked me over like a traffic cone.

The driver revved the engine and flicked his headlights on high beam when I glanced over my shoulder. I wrestled with the hedge, fighting to get free, desperate to put more than a few limbs between me and a second attempt. Impact never came. The tires squealed as the car sped off, but I had stared too long.

When I blinked my eyes, all I saw were twin white dots on a black canvas.