“Great. Best money I’ve made in a day all year. On aTuesday. In September.”
I drove away from little parking area and noted eight cars lined up to turn into the garden parking lot. Six of them carried out-of-state license plates.
Tourists. Half a dozen coming to the garden on a Wednesday. It wasn’t unheard of, but we usually didn’t see an influx of people until the weekends. Was Baum and his luck already drawing them here?
“Thanks again,” I said. “Say, Hogan. Where is Xtelle right now?”
“In the yard at my house. Why? What did she do?”
“That’s what I’m going to find out.”
Chapter Nine
Hogan’s housewas long and narrow, which put his backyard a good distance away from the road and prying eyes. Just like he’d said, Xtelle was in the yard, staring over the fence like a normal little palomino pony.
What broke the illusion was the look in her eyes that made it clear she was sizing up the world to see how much of it she could sell for spare parts.
Xtelle didn’t usually spend time in the yard, preferring the extra bedroom she’d taken over inside the house. But since she’d insisted on remaining in the shape of a pony—an odd choice for the ex-queen of demons—she was supposed to act like a pony.
She had, so far, been terrible at it.
Than and I made our way to the backyard. Xtelle’s head stuck out over the fence, her body mostly invisible behind the wooden slats.
“Hey, Xtelle,” I said, looking around for Avnas, who had chosen the form of a very small black bull with very wide, sharp horns.
He was nowhere to be seen.
“I need to ask you a few questions.”
She flicked her ears back and showed me her teeth. “You said you don’t want me to talk,” she said through clenched jaws.
“We’ve been over this,” I said. “A lot. You know the rules. And you know when it’s okay to talk. Like right now when no one can hear us.”
Her lips flopped over her teeth, but her ears stayed cocked back.
“I know why you’re here, copper,” she said. “I regret nothing. Nothing!”
“All right. Noted. Why am I here?”
“Because you know I...” Her ears flicked forward, then straight up. “Oh,” she said, her tone contrite. “Delaney, you kidder you. I was just...acting. Yes. Acting. I’ve been given the starring role in the unsolved crime theater and have been practicing my part. End scene.” She lifted a leg, and executed a bow, tail held high.
“Wasn’t I wonderful? Of course I was! And you. You must feel so special to have seen my performance. This is the most awe-inspiring day of your life. All that you have known before pales in comparison. You realize your life has been nothing before this. Go ahead. Weep.”
“You’re in the murder mystery?”
“I am the star!” She tossed her head, and her shiny mane glowed in the sunlight.
“Uh-huh. Where’s Avnas?” I asked.
“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.” She minced away from the fence backward, keeping her eyes on me as she retreated.
“Good-bye Delaney. You are welcome for that life-changing experience. I understand how you must now go and reassess everything you’ve done with your years to this point. Good-bye. Good-bye.”
She pivoted and trotted toward the back door.
“Xtelle! I’m not done talking with you.” I strode over to the gate, then crossed the backyard. “Stop,” I ordered. “Right there.”
She paused on the patio, her hoof lifted to open the back door. Then she dropped her hoof, and I noted the mud on it, even though Hogan’s yard was not muddy.
