“That so?” I asked. “Which one?”
“It’s a 1948 inside view of Happy Hill Restaurant from up in Jerome. I got a buddy who collects that kind of thing.”
“Interesting,” I said, feeling smug. “How much you willing to pay for it?”
“I’ll give you two-fifty because he’s going to pay four-fifty, easy. It’s a rare one.”
I turned my grin on Lu. “You hear that, Lula? A rare one. Two-hundred fifty for the postcard. How much did you get for that bookmark?
Lu squinted at me.
“Oh, that was a good find too,” Ricky said. “Pretty, with a little residual magic. But not worth as much as the postcard.”
“Huh,” I said. “Someone owes me a hotel room.”
Lu planted her hands on her hips. “That bet’s over. I still won.”
“Really,” I said. “Two-hundred fifty dollars says the bet’s just been reopened, and a new winner has been declared.”
“Could someone tell Val thank you for staying?” Danube said, cutting into our argument. “For me?”
“I’m not staying for him,” Val said.
“Settle down,” I said to Val. Then to Danube. “He heard you.”
Val shifted his weight onto his back leg, trying to look relaxed. “I think I did what Cupid asked me to do, that’s all.”
“You did,” I said.
“I got my chance at revenge. A chance to find out what really happened to me. I don’t forgive the packs for what happened, but I think I understand. They didn’t want me to die.”
“No,” Ricky said. “They didn’t. Danube came to me back then. He tried to save you.”
Danube had gone very still, his eyes glistening with what looked suspiciously like tears.
“We broke a demon trap down there in the caverns,” Val went on. “Ricky thinks there might be some fallout from that. I thought I could help if there is.”
“Oh, there will be,” Ricky said.
“You need us to stay and deal with the demon trap?” I asked her.
“If I needed you to stay for every strange thing happening in these parts, Brogan Gauge, you and Lu would have to settle down here permanently.”
“That’s never going to happen,” I said.
She grinned. “Scared you off with all that talk about building my shop, huh?”
“Nope. Just don’t want to be talked to death by your current house ghost.”
“Friendship revoked,” Val said. “Have fun explaining to people why you’re traveling across country with a child and a big-ass panther.”
“Hope you stay here a long time, Val. A long, long time,” I said. “Don’t leave it on our account. Ever.”
“Oh, I’ll keep in touch,” he said. “Ricky’s gonna show me how I can use a cell phone, and I’ll text you every day.”
“I own a gun,” I informed Ricky.
Lu’s eyebrows rose. “He doesn’t.”
