I started tapping my finger on the chair. “They’re just moving to town?”
Rory met my gaze. “Yeah.”
I started to tap faster. “There’s a lot of people moving into town lately.”
Rory nodded. “I know. But all we can do is live our lives and keep an eye out.”
I stopped tapping; he was right. “I know. It just makes me jumpy.”
“I’ve got friends on every shift, so if anything weird happens in town, I’ll know,” he reminded me.
“Yeah, I guess. Look, I’ve got some new news,” I said, hating to have to tell him. But Rory needed to know what was going on in town.
He set the mail down, giving me his full attention. I explained quickly what Ethan had told us yesterday. In the end, he was not happy.
“He should have told us sooner.” His lips were pressed tight.
“He told us when he was ready to,” I countered. “We can’t be mad at him for that. His entire life changed and he didn’t even know.”
He nodded then looked me over. His brow furrowing. “How are you doing? I know the constant hiking has been tiring you out. And the late nights aren’t helping.”
I shrugged. “Tired. But okay, I guess. I can keep this up for a couple more weeks before I start to have problems.”
His face grew hard. “I don’t want you to have problems. That Veil alarm will wake you up, right?”
I nodded. “Yeah, but I’ve been pulling double crossings all month just to get the Veil back to where it was when that asshole showed up. It’s finally there and… I think the walls are clearing.”
His brow drew down. “What does that mean?”
I hesitated. I could be wrong, but I didn’t think I was. “I think the Veil is getting close to opening again.”
His eyes grew wider. “That’s amazing, Lexie.”
My face warmed as I smiled slightly. “I haven’t told the others yet because I’m not a hundred percent about it, but the walls are changing a little at least.”
Rory’s face was serious as he met my gaze. “Speaking of the boys.” Rory’s face was serious as he met my gaze. “Have you talked to the others about bringing Maria, Jessica and Sylvie in on what’s been going on?”
I ran my fingers over the top of the back of the chair. “Not yet.”
He tilted his head to the side. “Don’t you think we should? With more and more supernaturals coming to town?”
“I know, I just…” I shrugged. I didn’t want Sylvie and Maria to look at me as if I was a freak. I’d had enough of that in my life already. But with every new face in town, the risk to them got higher. “I’ll talk to them about it tomorrow.”
The front door opened; Tara poked her head inside. “Come on, Dad. We’re going to be late!” She popped back out with a smile on her face.
“She’s happy.” Rory grinned as he picked his keys up off the table.
I turned back to him. “She’s getting to meet her grandpa for the first time. She’s excited.”
His face turned serious. “Are you sure you don’t want to come today? He’s your grandfather too.”
I shook my head. “I still have research to do. Besides, it’s Tara’s turn for family time.”
He came around the table. “What do you do when I walk out that door?”
“Lock the front door with the deadbolt, set the alarm and deadbolt the back door,” I repeated robotically. “Then check all the windows to make sure they’re closed and locked.”
He clenched his jaw. “Where’s the shotgun upstairs?”
“Linen closet. Middle shelf. Fully loaded with the chamber empty.”
“Where’s your bat?”
“Next to my desk.”
“Good.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t like leaving you here alone.” Rory had good reason to be paranoid right now. Three women had been found murdered in the last month. The entire town was on edge; Rory was pulling extra shifts just like the rest of the cops in town.
“I’ll be okay. I’ve got Hades, I won’t wear headphones or blare music. And if I get scared, I’ll call one of the guys to come over,” I promised. Hell, if I didn’t have so much to do, I would love to have one of the guys over now. But our dating rules were rules.
“Good.” Satisfied, Rory picked up his phone and headed out the door.
True to my word, I locked the front door, turned on the alarm, locked the back and checked every window in the house. When I was finished, I headed into my room with Hades.
My room was tiny, and the walls were now lined with bookshelves. It was small but it was mine and it had a door. I smiled to myself as Hades got on the futon and laid down before I closed the door.
I sat down in my chair and sighed. Teachers, classes and homework, oh my. It all started again soon. Add in all the hiking… No, I wasn’t looking forward to it. I opened my laptop and brought up my research on the odd symbol we had found in the woods around Swan Lake.
After the last month, I could honestly say I knew what it wasn’t. Not a protection symbol or circle, not a summoning spell, but I still had no idea what it was. I pulled up my latest research from last night and started again. I knew I was in for another long day and night.
Miles
I continued to tap my fingers as I read the paperwork again. It was from my father. Basically, he was wanting to give Mother control of all his accounts, businesses and properties. In the event of his death, everything would transfer to me. Everything but the shipping business. My stomach knotted even more.
Mother had already signed. If I signed, I’d be agreeing to take everything when he died.
What was his game? He had to have a reason. He never did anything without a reason. Absently, I pulled out the drawer on my right and popped a stick of gum in my mouth. He knew what I would do with the shipping company if I ever got my hands on it. I’d shut it down. Create a huge problem for myself. But from what was delivered tonight… I searched the paperwork again. The shipping company wasn’t even mentioned. I was trying to figure out what he could possibly want from me when Ethan came into the office. Yips and giggles echoed up the hall from the family room.
“Hey, are we watching a movie?” Ethan asked as he came up to the desk. “’Cause those cubs aren’t going to wait much longer to watch Pixar.”
I tossed the papers back down and nodded, still lost in thought.
Ethan spotted the letter and the papers. He picked them up before I could put them away. “What’s this?”
I stayed silent as he did a quick read. When he looked up from the papers he was frowning. “He’s trying to give you everything?”
I nodded. “Except the shipping business.”
Ethan sat down in the chair across the desk from me. “The business you didn’t want?”
Still trying to calculate the odds of a trap, I nodded.
Ethan dropped the letter back onto the desk. “So, this would be exactly what you’d be willing to agree to?”
I nodded again.
Ethan scowled. “That stinks.”
“Exactly.” I began rubbing my right temple. “I’m trying to figure out his game.”