No Crone Unturned

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Out with it,” Gunner growled. “We had a late night. Things ... took a turn.”

  Graham sobered. “I heard about Brandon. I’m sorry.”

  I was taken aback. “How did you hear? There was only a small group of us dealing with the problem and I’m pretty sure everyone else is still in bed.”

  “I ran into Mama Moon while out and about last night. She told me.”

  Where was Graham hanging out with Mama Moon in the middle of the night? The supernatural speakeasy in the woods was my first thought, but if they didn’t want the Spells Angels hanging around, they certainly wouldn’t want the chief of police there.

  “Are you dating Mama Moon or something?” I asked out of the blue.

  Graham looked horrified by the thought. “Why would you think that?”

  “Because she was with us until almost two ... and you look like the sort of guy who goes to bed at ten o’clock on the dot. I just thought that maybe you guys were ... you know.”

  Graham’s expression was dark. “First, young lady, my personal life is none of your business. Second, I’m a night owl, so you’re wrong about the ten o’clock thing.”

  “That’s true,” Gunner volunteered. “He’s up until at least eleven o’clock ... unless he falls asleep in his recliner.”

  Graham ignored his son. “Third, Mama Moon and I have a ... complicated ... past. It does not involve romance. I respect her, but she’s a wild card and I don’t like my women wild.”

  Gunner smirked. “He only likes prim and proper ladies. Ones who wear little bonnets and ankle-length skirts.”

  I glanced between them for a beat, absorbing the tension going wild between them, and then shook my head. “Why are you here again?”

  “Brandon losing his mind isn’t the only thing that happened last night,” Graham replied grimly, turning serious. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to lay it out for you. Honey Martelle is gone.”

  I blinked several times in rapid succession and drank my coffee, confused. “Did you think she was just faking it or something?”

  The sigh Graham let loose was a sign of extreme exasperation. “I mean her body is gone. From the morgue.”

  “But ... how?”

  “We’re not sure. The medical examiner hasn’t even completed her autopsy. There was a fire two towns over and that was given precedence because three people died and arson is suspected.

  “The back door was open, which means that someone either managed to get in through it and claim the body or ... .” He didn’t finish. He didn’t have to.

  “Or she was turned after all and got up on her own,” I mused, rubbing my chin. “Does the building have security cameras? That might help.”

  “It does, but none of them were operational last night.”

  “That seems ... convenient.”

  “It does,” he agreed. “I thought you guys should know. You might have another enemy out there.”

  “Or someone who simply wants us to think we have another enemy,” I countered, my mind busy. “It’s weird that it happened the same night that Brandon went off the rails.”

  Gunner jerked his eyes to me. “What are you thinking?”

  I took a big gulp of coffee and then stood. “I think we need to talk to your buddy. If he won’t talk to me — which doesn’t seem likely — you’ll have to question him. Once word gets out that Honey’s body is missing from the morgue we’re going to have issues.”

  “Yeah, I’m worried about that, too,” Graham agreed. “This thing could blow up in our faces — and fast — if we’re not careful. We need to figure out what’s going on.”

  Eighteen

  Brandon didn’t have the best night. He was a ranting lunatic when we checked on him.

  “This is all her fault,” he spat as he jabbed his finger at me. He looked as if he was considering rushing me, perhaps trying to wrap his fingers around my throat. That wouldn’t work, but he appeared deranged enough to attempt it. “She’s the devil.”

  “Brandon ... .” Gunner shook his head. It was apparent his temper was dangerously close to exploding.

  “It’s okay,” I volunteered, sending him a reassuring smile. “It’s not him. And I don’t exactly suffer from delicate feelings.”

  “That’s because she’s the devil,” Brandon explained. “Only the devil doesn’t care what others think about her.”

  The statement was so absurd it almost made me laugh. “Since when is the devil a woman? I’m pretty sure that he’s a man ... that’s why high heels are a thing.”

  Brandon rolled his eyes. “Stop talking to me, demon,” he hissed, tapping the side of his head. “I’m wise to your games. You cannot control me. I’m too powerful.”

  I narrowed one eye as I regarded him, something occurring to me. “You’re too powerful, huh?” I pulsed out a bolt of energy strong enough to pin him to the wall and moved closer, ignoring the way he flailed. “Did they give you this power?” I studied the wound on his neck. “We should probably put an ointment on this. It looks like it hurts.”

  “Let me go, you devil!” Brandon was howling now. He strained against the invisible ropes I’d restrained him with. “It burns! It hurts! She’s killing me!” He was obviously going for sympathy, but Gunner didn’t fall for it.

  “Stop it!” Gunner’s eyes blazed. “Just ... stop.”

  I slid my gaze to him. Seeing his friend like this was almost more than he could bear. I was convinced he was the only one who might be able to penetrate the haze overwhelming Brandon’s mind, but I wasn’t certain it was worth the pain he would have to go through to do it. I was just about to suggest letting Marissa take over babysitting duty — if anyone deserved the punishment, she did — when I was distracted by the appearance of Rooster.

  “How are things?” he asked as he studied the situation.

  “Is that a serious question?” Gunner looked pained. “Look at him. He’s out of his mind.”

  Rooster was a calming presence and he exerted that power on Gunner as he rested his hand on his shoulder. “You need to calm down. We’re going to fix this, but it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s something we have to figure out. You need to be patient.”

  “I’m not sure I can be patient.” Gunner sank onto the cot. “I’m afraid we’ve already lost him.”

  I wasn’t certain if coddling him or tough love was the way to approach his defeatist attitude. Tough love came naturally, so that’s what I went with. “Suck it up,” I ordered, refusing to cringe when his annoyed eyes landed on me. “You’re no good to us if you’ve already given up. Brandon needs you to fight for him. You’re his friend. That’s your duty.”

  “I ... .” He worked his jaw and I was convinced he was about to argue. Instead, he slowly nodded. “You’re right. I’m not helping matters.”

  “You need to stay here and talk to him,” I insisted. “You’re closest to him. You need to try to break through whatever barrier they’ve erected in his mind. And you have to be patient when you do it.

  “Remember, this isn’t his fault,” I continued. “We’ll get him back. He’s only fixated on me because the vampires want to cause trouble. Don’t let them win.”

  He nodded. “Okay. What are you going to do?”

  “I’m heading back out to the house on the bluff.”

  His eyebrows practically hopped off his forehead. “Excuse me? How is that the smart play? You’re vastly outnumbered.”

  “Yes, but vampires can’t go out during the day,” I reminded him. “I’ll be perfectly safe. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “There are at least three women in that house who can walk around during the day.”

  “They’re not a concern. I can easily take them. All I expect from them is more taunts from inside.”

  “What about the minion?” Rooster asked. “He might be more powerful.”

  “Maybe,” I conceded. “The only time he ever tried to move on me was when I was a kid, and that was before he r
ealized how powerful I was. I don’t think he’s stupid enough to try anything.”

  “Okay.” Rooster was using his reasonable tone, which told me he was about to mount some sort of argument I wasn’t going to like. “What are you going to do up there? I thought there was a barrier. It’s not as if you can get inside the house.”

  “It’s a magical barrier. I’m certain I can tear it down if I figure out the right spell.”

  “And that’s your plan?” Rooster folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not sure how smart that is. What if you do pull the barrier down? Are you going to run headlong into danger and take out all the vampires while they’re sleeping?”

  “Do you have a problem with that plan?”

  Gunner snapped up his head. “Um ... I have a problem with that plan.” He raised his hand as if in a classroom. “I don’t think you should go up there alone. If you do get into a fight, you’ll be on your own. They could attack when your back is turned. You don’t seem to think they’re a threat, but I don’t want to risk it.”

  I tugged on my limited patience. “How many times do I have to tell you that I can take care of myself?”

  “How many times do I have to tell you that you’re no longer a one-woman team? You’re part of my team, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “Just because we’re dating doesn’t mean that I’m going to cede my independence.”

  “I haven’t asked you to. You’re still not going up there alone.”

  He stated it as fact, which made my temper flare. “When were you declared the boss of me?”

  “I’m not your boss. When you do stupid things, though, I’m going to call you on it ... and protect you. If you insist on going up there, I’m going with you.”

  “You have to stay here and deal with Brandon.”

  “We don’t know that’s going to work. I do know that I can watch your back. Sometimes you have to pick one priority over another. You’re my priority.”

  “Well, you’re not invited.”

  “It’s a free world.”

  Rooster cleared his throat and glared. “This, this right here, is exactly why you shouldn’t crap where you work. You two are ... there are no words.” He tugged on his hair and made a disgusted sound as he shook his head. “Okay, this is what’s going to happen.

  “I’m the boss,” he continued, not missing a beat. “I say what goes. No more relationship drama in public. If you two want to verbally stab one another in private, that’s on you. But you can’t do it on the job. I’m putting my foot down.”

  The way he declared it almost made me laugh. “You’re putting your foot down?”

  “That’s right.” He nodded. “Gunner is right, Scout. It’s not safe for you to go up there alone.”

  My stomach twisted as Gunner shot me a triumphant look.

  “Scout is also right, Gunner,” Rooster added. “The barrier they’ve erected needs to be tested. She’s the strongest warrior we’ve got. If anyone can bring it down, she can.”

  Gunner’s smile faltered. “But ... .”

  “No.” Rooster refused to back down. “She’s going up there and you’re staying here. You are our best option for reaching Brandon. Because I agree it’s stupid for her to tackle this alone, she will have backup in the form of Bonnie. I’ll text her and have her meet Scout up there. That should be enough to placate you.”

  Gunner didn’t look as if he agreed in the least. “I think I should go with her,” he persisted. “I’m familiar with the players. Bonnie hasn’t interacted with them at all.”

  “You have another duty here.” Rooster lifted his chin, practically daring Gunner to further the argument. “I’ve made my decision. Bonnie’s going with Scout. If you don’t like that ... well ... I don’t really care what you do. I’m the boss, right? I make the decisions.”

  Rather than waiting for us to continue arguing, he turned on his heel and stalked out the door as Brandon started cackling like a maniac.

  “Oh, he told you,” Brandon chortled.

  I pursed my lips as I slid my eyes to Gunner. “I hate it when he pulls rank on us.”

  Despite the tense cloud hanging over us, Gunner snickered. “It’s definitely annoying.” His gaze was somber as it locked with mine. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  The earnestness of his words was enough to eradicate the anger that had been building. “I promise. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”

  “I wish I could believe that.”

  I BEAT BONNIE TO THE HOUSE, BUT ONLY by a few minutes. She didn’t appear agitated about being forced into babysitting duty, instead greeting me with a friendly smile before turning her attention to the house.

  “I bet it was pretty back in the day,” she noted as I knelt next to the magical barrier and studied the way it glimmered at the junction where it touched the ground. “I bet it was a real showplace. It’s kind of sad how it looks now.”

  “Yes, it’s heartbreaking,” I drawled. “The vampires are living in a rundown house. I don’t know how I’ll ever get over the heartache.”

  Her expression was hard to read as she turned back to me. “You seem ... agitated.”

  “I am royally ticked off,” I countered.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  “Fair enough.” She held up her hands in a placating manner and focused on the barrier. “This is a nifty piece of magic.” She extended her fingertips until they intersected with the magic and then jerked back her hand. “Um ... ow.”

  Despite myself, her reaction amused me. “I wouldn’t suggest touching it.”

  “You could’ve warned me.”

  “I thought it was a given.” I focused on the edge of the barrier and pulsed out a burst of magic, quickly moving to the side when it ricocheted back at me.

  “Oh, that’s interesting.” Bonnie forgot about her singed fingers and moved closer to me. “It’s a rebound barrier. Anything we throw at it fires back at us.”

  “Pretty much.” I was grim as I planted myself on the ground and sighed. “I need to think.”

  “Is there a way to get around the rebound thing?”

  “I don’t know.” I shifted my gaze to the house. I hadn’t seen a hint of movement. That didn’t mean there weren’t people inside watching us. In fact, I could feel eyes on me. “Can I ask you something?”

  Bonnie nodded. “Of course.”

  “What’s the deal with Rain? Gunner told me a little about her situation last night, but I’m still confused. I didn’t want to push him too hard because he’s dealing with the Brandon situation, but there are a few holes in the story.”

  All traces of good humor fled Bonnie’s pleasing features. “How much did he tell you?”

  I shrugged. Her leeriness said I needed to tread carefully. “I think he just hit the basics. It was late ... and the only reason I knew to ask was because Brandon used the incident as a weapon.”

  “That’s ... unfortunate.” She made a tsking sound and shook her head. “What happened to Rain was a tragedy. We all learned a little something from it, including the fact that we need to watch out for one another instead of sitting back and letting things play out.”

  I couldn’t help but believe that was a pointed dig. “I’m guessing Rooster told you that Gunner and I were arguing about me coming up here alone.”

  “That he did.” She smiled at me. “He said he felt like he was trapped in a room with hormonal teenagers.”

  “I don’t believe that’s an accurate assessment.”

  “He also said you were more emotional than Raisin.”

  “That’s definitely not accurate.”

  She laughed, the sound low and throaty. “Oh you’re funny. I’m so glad you joined this team. We’re overrun by testosterone sometimes ... and it’s not exactly as if I want to bond with Marissa. You’re a good fit, even if you do have attitude problems.”

  I opted to let the comment go. I had other things on my mind. “Gu
nner said that given the change in Rain’s demeanor before things went south, he thinks it’s possible she was being controlled by a vampire. What do you think?”

  Bonnie looked taken aback. “I don’t know. I hadn’t considered it.”

  “I think the only reason Gunner considered it is because of Brandon. He’s been ... unsettled ... with the way Brandon is reacting to me. He’s upset because if it was anyone else he would be throwing punches. Brandon isn’t in control of his mouth, so Gunner can’t really protect my honor.”

  “I can see where that would be an issue with Gunner,” she hedged, her eyes serious. “As for Rain ... that situation was harder on Gunner than he probably lets on. I’m not sure how much I should tell you, but you’re in a relationship with him — and I happen to think you’re good for him — so I’m just going to go for it.”

  Oh, well, this sounded promising. “I wholeheartedly concur that’s a good idea.”

  She snorted. “Of course you do. Anyway, Rain had a crush on Gunner. That’s probably not all that surprising. He has a certain presence that drives women wild. You’ve seen Marissa. She’s way too old for him and yet can’t stop herself from panting.”

  “I can’t decide if she really likes him or it’s an ego thing,” I admitted. “I try not to spend too much time thinking about it because it will give me a migraine.”

  “That’s probably best.” She smiled. “Rain convinced herself she had deep feelings for Gunner even though he was gentle and tried to let her down easy. He told her that he couldn’t date anyone he worked with, and I thought he actually meant it until I saw him with you. Then I realized he was just shining her on.”

  “I think it’s more likely that he was being sensitive,” I countered.

  “I’m not saying he was trying to be mean,” she said hurriedly. “He was convincing when he said he couldn’t date someone he worked with. Rain was upset about it but seemed to accept the statement as fact. It wasn’t until you came along that I realized he didn’t believe what he’d said.”

  “Oh, I think he meant it.” I smiled to myself as I extended magical feelers to test the barrier. “I don’t think either of us had any intention of dating anyone in the organization. Sometimes ... well, sometimes things just happen.”