When Rake opened the front door, Mabel, who’d been conked out in her doggy bed after a few days of extra special attention from all of them, skittered through for her own goodbyes. She got showered with pats and kisses before Rake ordered Shaun and DJ to the car. DJ walked out, holding Mabel under one arm and his luggage in the other, but Quin gently took Mabel from him and carried her back into the house.
“We’ll visit again,” Shaun said.
“You just want to spend more time with the dog,” Kit replied.
Shaun grinned. “I don’t mind Mabel, either.”
“Hey!” Quin said.
Shaun raised both his hands. “I didn’t say anything.”
“We were so close to leaving,” Rake lamented.
“We’ll come visit you the next time,” Kit said.
“I’m holding you to that,” Shaun said.
“Ooh, we can show you our local kink club!” DJ said.
“You know, I’m looking forward to having a conversation that doesn’t revolve around sex,” Kit said.
DJ blinked. “I feel like that was aimed at me.”
“Who else would it be aimed at?” Shaun said, elbowing him.
“Rake, obviously. He’s a sex pest,” DJ said.
Rake sighed wearily. “Car. Now.” This time, he corralled them into the vehicle with no kidnapped pets.
Kit and Quin stayed on the doorstep to wave them off. With Mabel sitting between them, it was all very domestic. Kit shuddered.
“What was that for?” Quin asked. “You all right?”
“I just realised we’re super basic.”
Quin laughed and pulled Kit back inside. “I don’t mind being basic. In fact, I think I like the idea of a drama-free life from now on.”
“Only one creator trapped in a necklace to go,” Kit said.
A few nights after they bid farewell to the trio, Kit and Quin headed out onto the waves. Quin organised one of the locals to take them out just after dark, which had involved a fair amount of money to grease the way. Kit considered there to be no better use of his unwanted inheritance from Lawrence. Appropriate that he was paying for the trip to his own watery grave.
The boat had seen fairer days, but Kit liked its weathered scarlet hull and matching name,Red Sky at Night. He’d never been on such a small vessel before, the boat only having a little covered part for the helm, with the rest remaining open to the elements. A bench with peeling white paint was built into the deck, and Kit was glad of Quin’s foresight to bring along somepillows and a blanket, because the wood looked like it’d be murder on his arse.
Their captain for the evening—a robust woman with short grey hair—walked them briskly through the safety procedures before letting them aboard. She delivered most of her spiel to Mabel, who was on her best behaviour, sitting at Kit’s feet and listening intently.
They’d borrowed a dog life vest from Louie for Mabel, complete with fake shark fin. Kit met the dog sitter the night before after he’d invited them over for a cuppa. Kit, of course, had refused the tea, but he’d enjoyed the conversation.
Louie was fun, if a little preoccupied with being a good host. It was a novel experience to socialise with someone who knew nothing of the paranormal world. Kit had to turn down the provision of biscuits no fewer than three times before Louie gave up offering them, but Quin more than made up for it with the amount he consumed.
With their own life vests on, they stepped aboard the vessel. To their knowledge, Mabel had never been on a boat before. But, after spending a few minutes looking unsure as they took off, she began yapping at the salt spray in the air. Kit spent most of the journey fussing over her, making sure she wouldn’t jump off the boat in her exuberance.
The necklace was burning a hole in his pocket, but he wanted to wait until they were at such a distance that there’d be no chance of Lawrence finding his way back. Kit and Quin stayed mostly quiet as they zipped over the waves. They travelled so far out that Kit could only make out the murk of the surrounding sea, its blackness looking ripe to swallow everything up.
A suitable burial ground.
“Here?” Quin asked, putting a hand on Kit’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze.
“Here works.” Kit stood up, unfurling the blanket he’d had wrapped around him. With shaky legs, he moved over to the side of the boat.
