“Have you heard of Vivian Dunn?” I asked.
“I received a message from the Valkyrie about her.”
“Ryder’s trying to drive her out of town via boredom. I’m not sure it’s going to work. She seems…set on something. Like she’s caught a scent and isn’t going to give up on it.”
“She is a hunter. It is their way.”
“There are so many things she could find here. So many people.” I leaned against the counter and stared out the windows as the girl and her friends ran off toward the beach. A few people were walking this stretch of sidewalk, tourists, mostly.
“Crow thinks the gods’ weapons were stolen using a page out of the spell book of the gods.”
He stopped making noise for a moment. “Thatisinteresting,” he admitted. “I haven’t heard of it for some time.”
“Yeah, I get the feeling no one’s been keeping track of it.”
He made a sound that might have been agreement, and I was sure I heard thethunkof shoes placed on a mat, then the hissing rasp of laces being tied.
“Changing into those nifty shorts again?”
“I do not ownshorts.” Oh, the disdain.
“You say that, but I saw you in them yesterday. And those socks.”
“I do not know what you are speaking of.”
“Oh, I think you do.”
He made a noise that sounded like he disagreed.
“Bertie’s looking for a few people for the Ordinary Show Off.”
“The show of talent?”
“Mostly it’s an excuse to get out, enjoy the weather, and laugh at your neighbor.”
“It sounds delightful.”
“Really?”
“No.”
I smiled at that and crossed my arms over my chest. “There’s a ghoul hiding out in town. It could be anyone.”
He was silent.
“Do you know anything about ghouls? I know they’re not exactly living or dead, so I don’t know how much contact you’d have with them. If Xtelle is to be believed, they’re super nice and neighborly with demons.”
He still didn’t say anything.
“Than?” I pitched my voice a little louder.
I saw Than walk past the window, strolling down the sidewalk. He’d changed out of his Hawaiian shirt and into a plaid I’d never seen him wear. And he’d totally lied about the shorts. He wore them with the same high white socks and sandals. He also had a pair of rather large, red-framed sunglasses balanced on his nose.
“What are you doing?” I yelled through the window. “Where are you going?”
Two things happened very quickly.
Than, outside the shop, turned on his heel and stared at me, his brow pulled down, frowning.
