Witcher Upper

by Amy Boyles

  I nearly jumped from my skin. “Right! Of course! I’m so sorry. It’s been a heck of a week.”

  He smiled kindly, and I knew that I had not lost my chance with Shane Prader. Thank goodness! He was hot, y’all, and a decent guy—a thousand times better than you know who.

  “It’s no big deal.” Shane’s gaze darted to Rufus. “We can reschedule.”

  “No, absolutely not. I’m ready to go.” I turned to Rufus. “See ya.”

  He gave a little wave, his eyes betraying nothing. “Have a good time. Don’t stay out too late.”

  Oh my word. How embarrassing. Who did he think he was, my protector? I shot him a scathing look, but it didn’t seem to matter to him. He shot me a devilish grin.

  We walked down the street, admiring the scene. “I hope that I didn’t interrupt anything.”

  “With Ru—I mean, John? What could you possibly have interrupted?”

  Shane shrugged. “I don’t know. It just seemed like you two were having a pretty intense conversation.” He glanced over his shoulder at me, and my heart fluttered. “Seems like you hit it off.”

  Why were we talking about Rufus? I wanted to be talking about us—about me and Shane hitting it off.

  “Seriously, it’s no big deal. He was just asking me about something. He doesn’t have any friends, you know? Unless you count the old lady squad.”

  Shane laughed and the tightness in my chest softened, making me feel better. Good. This was going well. If we could manage to discuss something other than Rufus, the date might actually be salvageable.

  “You know, Clem,” Shane started, “I felt bad about those men accusing you of hurting them. I didn’t like the way Sluggs let it all play out.”

  “It’s okay.” I sneaked a peek at him and found that he was studying me. “They were bad guys and deserved a lesson.”

  His mouth widened into a grin. “Some bad guys do deserve lessons, don’t they?”

  “I guess they do.”

  We smiled at each other, there under the sparkling lights and the buzz of conversation from everyone in the anti-social party. We smiled and I knew that there should have been chemistry, that my palms should be sweating and that my head should have fogged from liking Shane so much.

  But for some reason I felt nothing.

  I wanted to cuss out Rufus. Look at what he’d done to me. He’d messed with my mind, making it so that when I was with another man, I still thought of him.

  What was wrong with me?

  My thoughts got caught on a snag, however, when I saw Liam.

  I grabbed Shane’s arm. “I can’t believe that Liam’s here.”

  “Why?” Shane said.

  Liam’s presence distracted me, and my tone became clipped. “Because he should be mourning Sadie. At least I thought he was.”

  As we closed in, I saw that he spoke to Sykes Laffoon. Liam said something, and Sykes shook his head, appearing angry.

  “Why are they talking to one another?” I murmured. “Shane, doesn’t that seem weird to you?”

  Like, I had never seen Sykes Laffoon before Sadie’s death and now this guy was everywhere.

  Shane frowned. “Why should it seem weird?”

  I tugged him behind a tree so that we could watch the scene better. “Liam was Sadie’s boyfriend, who said he didn’t know anything about her dealings with Sykes and his associates. Sykes told me that Sadie owed him money. If I don’t pay up soon, he’s going to take my business.”

  “Oh no, Clem, can I do anything to help?” Shane asked.

  He reached for me and I shrank back. “No, I’ll figure it out.” I couldn’t focus on the money, or lack thereof, right now. Had to stay on point.

  I pressed my mouth close to his ear. His hairs tickled my cheek. “Well, now I’ve caught Liam in a lie. If he didn’t know anything about Sadie, why’s he talking to Sykes all buddy-buddy like?”

  “Maybe he’s trying to talk him out of taking away your business,” Shane offered.

  “I don’t buy it.” I shook my head. “See the way Liam looks? He doesn’t look upset about Sadie the way I would expect. Every time I’ve talked to him or seen him since her death, he was distraught. But now he looks the exact opposite. Something fishy is going on.”

  There had to be a connection. Liam placed a hand on Sykes’s arm, and both men started to move away. If I could just hear what they were saying, then maybe I could get proof that Liam and Sykes were involved in Sadie’s death.

  Honestly I hated to think that Liam had something to do with Sadie’s death, but let’s face it—someone had killed her.

  I darted around the tree with Shane on my heels. “Whoa, what are you doing?”

  “I want to get closer and hear what’s going on.”

  “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

  I scowled at him. “You can stay here if you want, but I’m going.”

  The crowd had thickened, making it harder to weave through the people, but I still had my gaze trained on Liam. If I could only just get to the other side of the street unnoticed, there was a chance to hear everything they were saying.

  It took some time, but I finally made it. Shane stayed with me, and I was grateful. If Liam or Sykes caught me eavesdropping, there was no telling what they would do.

  A thick patch of boxwoods stood between me getting a front-row seat to the two men. I motioned for Shane. “Come on.”

  I moved through the bushes, but Shane stopped. “My jacket. It’s caught.”

  “Hand it to me.”

  I tugged Shane out of it and wrapped the jacket over my arm. Something hard thumped against my pocket, and I figured it must have been his phone.

  Now we were close enough to hear.

  Liam spoke. “About my proposition…”

  Sykes shook his head. “I’m a businessman. Can’t do that. Last time I let my guard slip, I had to get rid of little problem, you know what I mean? Hated to get rid of her, but I did anyway.”

  That was it! Proof that Sykes had killed Sadie. What else could his “little problem” have been?

  I knew it!

  The two men moved off again, but it was okay. I had to call Tuney Sluggs. Okay, maybe not Tuney. I’d call his deputy, Earl Granger, and get him out here. Earl would listen to me.

  I pulled my phone from my purse and saw it was dead. Crap. Why hadn’t I remembered to charge it?

  I dipped my hand into the pocket of Shane’s jacket. “Is this your phone? I need to call the cops. That’s proof right there that Sykes was involved in Sadie’s death.”

  “Um, wait.”

  But I didn’t wait. I took the phone from the jacket and pushed the home button, but nothing happened. It was dead, too. Drat! I turned it over to hand it back to Shane, but a sticker on the case caught my attention.

  It was Sadie’s sticker—the one with our company logo. My heart jackhammered against my chest, and I glanced up at Shane, my mouth dry.

  He pulled a gun from his waistband and leveled it at me. “I knew I should’ve kept that at home. I really wish you hadn’t found it.”

  “Shane?” I whispered, tears pricking my eyes.

  His face had changed, darkened by the shadows that sliced across us. He looked twisted now, fierce and sinister. “Told you that you couldn’t be too careful around here. It’s always wise to pack some heat. Now, nice and slow, stand up and walk away from the party. If you don’t, I’ll shoot.”

  Chapter 22

  Shane had killed Sadie. Vomit surged up the back of my throat. My tongue pulled away like Velcro from the roof of my mouth. “What are you doing?”

  His shoulders tightened. “Walk slowly away from the party.”

  Could I thrust my arm out and get him to touch me? Could I do that quicker than he could pull the trigger?

  “And don’t even think about trying to pull your magic on me like you did those two men.”

  I gasped. He knew?

  Shane rolled his eyes. “What did you think—I couldn’t figure o
ut that you had magic? How else could you have taken down those two truck drivers?”

  Before I could answer, Shane waved the gun. “Get.”

  Walking might buy me time. Shane wouldn’t shoot me out here, not with so many people around.

  If he got me inside his truck, I would be dead meat. Above anything else, I had to make sure that I didn’t get inside that cabin. Once a victim entered their abductor’s care, chances of survival decreased by a significant amount. I couldn’t remember where I learned that—Oprah maybe?

  Maybe if I kept him talking, distracted him, then his focus would slip. Of course, my situation was not in the least bit helped by the fact that I faced away from him and he held a gun to my back.

  The devil definitely lay in the details.

  “Why’d you do it? Why’d you kill Sadie?”

  He chuckled. The sound was foul to my ears. Wow. What lousy taste I had in men. If they didn’t want to steal my powers, then they had killed my best friend.

  Perhaps I should consider avoiding dating at all costs.

  He spoke. “Your friend Sadie had been borrowing money from the mafia.”

  “I know, to pay her mother’s medical bills, but those had stopped.”

  “And she was pulling money from your business account to pay them back,” he explained, suddenly sounding so superior that I wanted to smack the tone right out of his mouth. “Well, one night she confessed to me what she’d done. She felt so bad about it—lying to you like that. But at the same time she seemed proud of the fact that she’d hidden her theft from you so well.”

  I scoffed. “More like my stupidity.”

  “A while back I found myself in a bit of a financial struggle with the bar. We were having a hard time paying our bills. Needing money, I went to Sadie.”

  It felt like a great hand was squeezing my chest, crushing my heart. I knew what he would say next, so I finished it for him. “You blackmailed her, didn’t you? Told her that you’d tell me everything if she didn’t pay.”

  “You got it.”

  It all made sense. Shane was asking for more money than she could scrape together, so Sadie had to return to the mafia for help.

  “So you killed her because she couldn’t pay you anymore.”

  It sounded like he shrugged. “No. I killed her because she was gonna go to the cops. She told me when we met at the barn.”

  “After our date.” I shuddered. Oh gosh. Shane had dropped me off at home, drove out to the barn and met Sadie.

  Rage pumped into my bloodstream. “You killed my best friend,” I spat. “You held her down in that wet concrete until she stopped fighting. You are an evil person, Shane Prader.”

  “Ah,” he said softly, “here we are.”

  We exited a row of hedges and spilled out onto an empty street. Shane’s truck sat on the road like a beacon, reminding me that the last thing I needed to do was get in the vehicle with him.

  A few pebbles crunched under my feet before I came to a stop.

  “Keep walking,” he said gruffly.

  Streetlamps lit the road and the sidewalk. Anyone who peeked out their blinds could see him holding a gun on me.

  I stopped and whirled around. “I am not getting into that vehicle.”

  Fury twisted his face. The features that had once looked so handsome reminded me of Satan—pure evil. “Yes, you are. If you don’t, I’ll shoot you here.”

  I crossed my arms and sucked my teeth in challenge. “Oh you will, will you? You’ll just up and shoot me right here when everyone at the party saw us walk off together. Is that right?”

  Shane wavered. “Who will believe that I had anything to do with your disappearance? Because that’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to disappear, and folks will just think that you couldn’t take the pressure. Let’s face it—your life is a mess, Clem. You’re about to lose your business. Your best friend just died. It’s too much for a girl like you. So you left Peachwood, never to be found.”

  I glared at him. “You really believe that Malene is going to buy that?”

  “Of course she will, especially after I tell her and everyone else how distraught you were on our date.” Shane’s lips formed a thin line. “Now, get in the truck and let’s go.”

  I was out of options. If I thrust my hand out to touch him, then he’d shoot me. There was the possibility that Shane would be caught off guard and I’d beat him to the punch, so to speak, but that was a slim chance. Maybe if I made him angry, he’d lose his focus.

  Or maybe he’d just go ahead and shoot me.

  Lunging was the best option. Right as I was about to, a shadow emerged from the bushes and out stepped Rufus.

  I rolled my eyes. Really? Why the heck was he here? He couldn’t even remember how to work his magic, so what good would his presence do?

  Right. I know. I should have been elated to see Rufus, glad that he had appeared since Shane had a gun on me—but I didn’t need his help. I didn’t want it. I wanted to do this by myself.

  “Put the gun down,” Rufus said.

  Shane scowled. “Got your little boyfriend to follow us, huh?” he said to me.

  “The last thing he is, is my boyfriend.” I raised my palms in a questioning gesture. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to help you.”

  “I’m perfectly capable of helping myself. I don’t need you.”

  He nodded at Shane. “Have you noticed that he’s got a gun on you?”

  “Like I said, I have it under control.”

  Shane waved the gun at Rufus. “Both of you, get in the vehicle. Clem, you’re driving.”

  I stamped my foot. “I am not getting in that vehicle. I already told you.”

  “She’s right,” Rufus said. “If she gets in the vehicle, her chances of survival fall immeasurably.”

  Annoyed, I said, “How do you know that?”

  He shrugged. “Everyone knows that.” Rufus turned to Shane. “I’ll be taking that gun from you now.”

  “What, are you both crazy? No one is taking this gun from me. Both of you are getting in the truck.”

  Rufus clicked his tongue as if the entire situation was a shame. “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen.”

  What in the world made Rufus think that he could waltz up in here and save me? I didn’t need saving. As far as I was concerned, he could just mosey right on back to that party, drink some punch and be anti-social with Malene and the gang.

  “Look,” I said to Rufus, “I am not a damsel in distress who needs some amnesiac knight in shining armor to rescue her. So why don’t you just scat?”

  Shane rubbed a hand down his face. “Would the both of y’all just shut up and get in the vehicle.”

  “Like I said,” Rufus explained, his voice level and calm, “that’s not going to happen.”

  Shane slapped his thigh in frustration. “I guess that I’m supposed to ask why is that not going to happen?”

  Rufus pulled a yellow spell from his sleeve. “Because of this.”

  Quick as lightning, Rufus threw the ball at Shane. It hit him squarely in the chest, and he dropped the gun.

  “Now, Clem,” Rufus shouted.

  I rushed over to Shane and grabbed his arm.

  His eyes widened in fright, and I ground out, “Sleep tight,” right before Shane was thrown back. He hit a street pole and groaned as he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

  Rufus rushed over to me. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, but how did you know?” I said, uncertain if I was grateful or annoyed at him.

  He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Just had a feeling that he was up to no good.”

  Blue and red flashing lights appeared, and three police cruisers screeched to a halt, their hoods bouncing.

  Earl Granger exited his vehicle. His lips were in a thin line, and I had a feeling that I was in trouble.

  “Officer Granger, Shane Prader held a gun to us and threatened to kill us.”

  Oh my stars and
garters, it was my word against Shane’s, and everyone in town loved him.

  But Earl nodded firmly as his men handcuffed the sleeping Shane.

  “I know all about him,” Earl said. “We finally got ahold of Sadie’s phone records. They led us straight to him. After some investigating, we discovered that he was blackmailing her.”

  I fell against his chest. “He was! Oh my gosh, thank you!”

  He nodded. “I’m sorry about Chief Sluggs. From the start this looked like murder, so I decided to investigate.”

  “Even though he said it wasn’t?” I asked.

  Earl shook his head sadly. “Chief Sluggs isn’t always in his right mind. Sometimes the rest of us have to pick up where he left off.” He turned to Rufus and shook his hand. “Thank you, sir. You’ve done a fine job for this community. I hope you’ll be staying on.”

  Rufus smiled. “It looks like I might be.”

  Earl tipped his hat. “Now if y’all will excuse me, I’ve got to make sure we do our due diligence with Shane.”

  As he walked off, I turned to Rufus. “Thank you for saving me.”

  Rufus thumbed toward the bushes. “Are you sure about that? Because a minute ago you were telling me to leave and mind my own business.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I can take care of myself.”

  He inhaled deeply and stared up at the sky. “I’m sure you can. You don’t need me showing up with a disarming spell to force a man to drop his weapon.”

  Realizing that I was being an idiot, I shook my head. “Okay, I apologize and for real—thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  We locked gazes, and I felt myself soften. “You told Earl that you’re staying?”

  Rufus’s cheeks reddened bashfully. “Well, it seems that I might actually have a job.”

  I lifted my brows. “You mean spell hunting?”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Something like that.”

  I shivered, the shock of Shane’s attack and revelation suddenly hitting me.

  “Come on. Let’s get you a blanket and some cocoa. Your body needs sugar and to relax.”

  I let him drag me away. As we walked, I rested my head on his shoulder and, for once, wasn’t bothered by my past.