“Yes, ma’am,” he replied. “I know you want nothing more than to put all this behind you.”
My finger throbbed around the splinter, and I used the pain to focus my thoughts. I rolled my neck on my shoulders, felt a few vertebrae crack. “Well, Detective O’Connor. Since you’re asking me to come in as opposed to showing up at my doorstep with a warrant, I’m going to assume you don’t have anything resembling probable cause. That means you’re a thorough investigator who’s trying to shake something loose, and I respect that.” With my uninjured hand I gripped the hilt of the knife, gouged its point into the cracked wood of the tabletop and twisted. “However, I think I can save us both a lot of time and trouble,” I continued. “If I come down there tomorrow, I’m going to drink your terrible coffee and engage in stupid small talk. After that, I won’t say a single word in reference to anything that may or may not be related to the Farouche Plantation incident. I won’t give you a statement, and I won’t answer any questions. Not one. And before you try and give me the saw about ‘if you have nothing to hide,’ please remember that I’m former law enforcement, and I know how this all works.” I wrenched the knife, and a sliver of wood gave way with a sharp crack. “I don’t care if I’m accused of stealing a gumdrop or of killing the president with a velociraptor, I’m going to invoke my right to remain silent because that is my right. I’m also going to invoke my right to not waste my time and my gas coming to your office for no good reason.”
I heard him sigh. Poor guy. I’d frustrated him.
“Yes, ma’am, that is indeed your right,” he said, nice and calm. “Sorry to have troubled you.”
“No hard feelings,” I said. “I know you’d do the same if our roles were reversed.”
“Yes, ma’am. You have a good evening.”
“You too, detective.”
Exhaling, I disconnected. The simmering worry over the blurry photograph congealed into a thick dread that settled deep within my chest. Everything had consequences. I knew that. But damn, the timing of this one sure sucked ass.
I dropped the phone onto the table then used the tip of the knife to pry the splinter from beneath my fingernail. New pain lanced through my hand, but it soon faded to a dull ache. Too bad I couldn’t excise my worry with equal ease.
Surgery accomplished, I set the knife down and scowled at the table, even though I knew it didn’t deserve my ire. I’d been meaning to sand it down for ages and hadn’t. Consequences.
At least I could still flip people off with that hand. Sometimes you simply had to focus on what was most important.
Chapter 12
Despite hellacious disruptions of the flows, I managed to bring the kehza Juke through without injury. This particular demon adored pistachios, and I tossed it a five-pound bag the instant we sealed our agreement. Juke let out a screech of unmistakable delight, then expertly split shells with its claws and munched on the nuts while I explained the plan. That done, Eilahn escorted it to the woods to wait until I gave the signal. I helped get food ready and pretended this was nothing more than an ordinary backyard cookout with friends. Because, y’know, I did that sort of thing so often.
At five minutes before seven the security panel dinged. Bryce checked the camera. “He’s at the gate. We’re on.”
“Excellent.” I grabbed a towel to wipe my hands. “Buzz him in, please. Y’all remember to play nice, y’hear?”
Smile gone, Idris muttered something under his breath about No Promises and stalked out the back door. Bryce snorted.
I rolled my eyes and headed out to the front porch in time to see Pellini pull up in a silver Chevy pickup to park beside the Malibu. He climbed out then fished a twelve-pack of beer off the front seat.
“Glad you could make it,” I said with a smile.
He nodded and cast his gaze around, taking in the surrounding woods as well as the mobile home situated fifty yards to the east of the house. If he saw any of the arcane protections, he didn’t react to them.
“Nice place,” he said, starting up the steps. “Not what I expected.”
“Thanks,” I said brightly, determined not to rise to any sort of bait during his visit. “It’s been in the family a long time. Come on inside. I’ll introduce you to a couple of friends of mine.”
He followed me in and to the kitchen where I introduced him to Bryce and Idris. Bryce greeted him with a friendly smile and nice-to-meet-you, and Pellini responded in kind. Idris’s greeting was only a hair shy of surly, and to everyone’s relief he excused himself after the minimum length of time required to be sociable.