“I’ll side with Sarah on that one.” Katie helped herself to popcorn. “He might follow her around like a puppy, but if he’s anything like his cousin, he’s a waste of time.”
Sarah eyed her openly. “I guess you’re glad Lyle’s gone.”
Katie tamped down the instinct to scowl. “Hopefully, he’ll stay gone.” It was hard talking about Sam’s father without bitterness tainting her voice.
“I never really understood…” Eve fidgeted as if worried she pushed too far. “I know I shouldn’t ask, but Lyle was always out of the picture when we were kids. He was older, near Caden’s age. How did you two…” The sentence fumbled into silence as she shifted again, taking sudden interest in her glass.
Katie laughed. “It’s okay. I don’t mind talking about the jerk. It’s just…you know…like admitting I was a jerk too.” She took a sip of Chardonnay, liberating her tongue. It felt good to have girlfriends. She and Eve had grown close in the short time since Eve had returned to Point Pleasant, and Katie was gradually coming to know Sarah better. At first she’d feared the other woman might not warm to her, but that was old prejudices and doubts getting in the way.
“Lyle said all the right things at the right time.” Glancing down at her glass, she circled a finger around the edge. “As a kid, my sister was my only true friend. After Wendy vanished, it got really lonely. And it was hard listening to the things people said. How she got knocked up and took off to have an abortion, or that she ran off and ditched her family.”
Sarah sniffled. “I remember saying horrible things.”
Katie was surprised to see a shimmer of tears in her eyes.
“I was such a fool back then,” Sarah continued. “We all were, Katie. To think what really happened to Wendy—”
It must not be easy admitting you’d contributed to slander and gossip, especially in face of the ugly truth. “It’s okay.” Katie smiled softly, thankful for her new friend’s honesty. “We all do and say things we regret.”
It was only four months ago that she, Eve, Ryan, and Caden had unearthed Wendy’s grave in a thicket of woods at the edge of town. For fifteen years her bones had lain undiscovered, her murderer free to go about his daily life. Roger Layton was dead now, the official cause of his death listed as drowning. Only a select few, Katie among them, knew he’d met his fate at the hands of the Mothman.
“I regret ever having listened to Lyle.” She shook her head, recalling how stupid she’d been getting sucked up in his sweet talk. “He came along at a low point in my life. My sister was gone, and my mom and I—well, we didn’t have the best relationship back then. I was flattered Lyle took an interest in me.”
“He was a predator.” Having gotten remorse out of the way, Sarah seemed determined to defend her. Sitting straighter, she reinforced the comment with a resolute nod, sending her coppery curls bouncing. “You were what…six years younger?”
“Hey, I’m six years younger than Caden,” Eve protested.
“But you weren’t a teenager when he came sniffing around. Lyle was experienced, in his mid-twenties. He probably knew exactly what to say. Didn’t he, Katie?”
“He did.” Scooting off the sofa, Katie plopped on the floor, crossing her legs beneath her. The alcohol had given her a slight buzz. Glass in one hand, she scooped up popcorn with the other. Sarah grabbed the bowl from the coffee table and nudged it between them.
“You know the only good thing about Lyle?” Katie asked.
Sarah gave an indelicate snort and took a gulp of wine. “You mean there is one?”
Katie swallowed popcorn. “He gave me Sam.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet.” Sarah’s face took on an expression of tenderness. “Your little boy is adorable. I hope I have kids someday.”
“There’s still plenty of time.”
“Sure.” Sarah finished the remainder of her drink. “All I have to do is find a decent guy. And no, that isn’t Darrell Mason,” she added when Eve looked ready to comment.
Eve laughed. “I wasn’t going to mention him.”
“Listen to you,” Sarah countered. “You’ve got Caden Flynn. He and Ryan are the best catches in town.”
Feeling heat rise to her face at the mention of Ryan, Katie dropped her gaze. Her telltale flush didn’t escape Sarah’s notice.
“I forgot.” Sarah’s smile was wicked. “Katie has a thing for Ryan.”
“I do not.” The protest was automatic.
Eve rolled her eyes. “He’s certainly got a thing for you.”
“You’re reading too much into our relationship. Just because we chat, and occasionally get together with you and Caden—as friends,” she was quick to stress. “Doesn’t mean there’s anything between us, or that there ever will be.”
“Let’s find out.” Sarah’s eyes danced with mischief.
Katie slanted a look sideways. “What?”
“Oh, this is perfect. Wait, I have to get more wine.” Clambering to her feet, Sarah looked ready to explode with excitement. “And we need candles. Eve, kill the lights.”
“What are you talking about?” Eve was clearly as puzzled as Katie.
“I stopped at the store today and picked up a Ouija board,” Sarah explained. “I thought it would be a kick. Remember how you, Maggie, and I always used to play whenever we had a sleepover?” Spying a shopping bag she’d carried in earlier, Sarah hustled through the opening between the dining room and living room. A smile bloomed on her face as she hefted a colorful box from the package. “Look. Brand new!”
Katie exchanged a glance with Eve. “A Ouija board? Isn’t that all a big hoax?”
“Well if it is, you shouldn’t mind playing.” Kneeling in front of the coffee table, Sarah moved the cheese tray to the floor, then eagerly placed the box on the bare surface. “This is going to be so much fun. Eve, you have candles, right?”
“Mm-hm.”
Katie thought Eve looked a little apprehensive.
“Do we really need them?” her friend asked.
“We always used candles when we were kids.” Sarah tore off the cellophane wrapping. “And you have to dim the lights. It would be better if you killed them altogether.”