“The corpse has been interfered with in a way that suggests someone exploded a small explosive in Clay’s head.There are multiple exit holes. We are unhappy.” That’s Gregory’s voice. “Do you have any insights, any at all? Bear in mind, if I find you’re already making chaos and interfering, that contract is void.”
“Uhhh.No, sir? We’ve been up here signing things.” She’s smiling though and I’m puzzled as to why. “How could we have done anything?”
Gregory’s loud sigh comes through. “Keep it that way.”
He disconnects.
“Hailey?”
She puts a finger to her lips, meaningshhh.
A second later facts pile in like jigsaw pieces finding a home.
The Not-Cat Squiggle has the same marking on its head as the sheriff, and I’m certain he didn’t have the mark that night outside the warehouse.
The dead deer with the holes in its head and neck.
Clay has new holes. More than I gave him. Poor man.
“Come. We should leave. I’m going to have to find some thread to sew up your hand.”
I follow her lead, let her tow me for a few steps, before I venture to say, “Told you this town had some odd people in it.”
“Yup. Hole in one.”
“The irony in that cliché. Clay would not appreciate it.”
She giggles and I don’t know if I have ever heard her giggle before.
Squiggle Cat is some kind of alien creature.
And so is the damn sheriff.
48
SERENITY
A school of tiny fish flick their tails and zoom away as our kayak musically cleaves the water into a ripplingVand nestles its side against the jetty pylon. The ducks are here, curious as to what we are doing. I steady the kayak to let Hailey climb the short ladder.
“Sorry! No food yet, guys,” she tells the three ducks courageous enough to swim in closer.
As I climb up, they give me the once-over, too. My tracking ankle bracelet rattles on the metal of the ladder. In the distance, pine trees on the opposite bank of the lake make a perfectly beautiful backdrop. I’m sure there will be observers, somewhere over there with sniper scopes or similar. We are never going to be allowed to run free, but I refuse to let that ruin this.
The water is clear enough that I can see the swirl of the ducks’ webbed feet under the surface.
“Have you been thinking about yesterday like I have?” sheasks as I heave the kayak out of the water and onto the jetty beside us.
“Yes.” The memorial dinner for Esau was like a rowdy wake.
Wine, whisky, song, and all that.
About twenty of his friends from Revenant showed up, as well as us Weirdos. Everyone agreed he’d have loved it. I didn’t know him well enough to have an opinion, but it was fun. No family were there. Not that anyone else is allowed in yet. It’s only been a week since the choppers arrived, and already they’ve reinforced the base they’re building on the outskirts of town.
“Granted, I might not have had the same thoughts as you.” I take off her baseball cap and ruffle the top of her head.
Hailey grabs my hand with both of hers and cups it between them. “Let’s sit down.”
She walks to the seat, and I sit beside her, letting her keep my hand on her thigh. Her bronze-colored exercise shorts have ridden up, and her skin is warm.
