“I can still see you grinning like a maniac. This isn’t funny.”
“Totally not funny.” He sounded like he was going to bust a lung trying to keep the laugh at bay.
“I don’t have a backup phone,” I whined. “How am I going to check in on The Whistling Sails?”
“You could get a new one. If the road to Salem isn’t flooded.”
“It is,” Crow called from the living room. “Part of 101 slid off the hill. Crews are working on it, but it’s gonna take more than a day to get it stabilized.”
I dropped the half phone into the trash can. “So either I have to drive the long way south through Newport, hoping the pass is clear, or go without a phone.”
“And did I mention the other bad news?” Crow called out.
“Is it wrong of me to want to strangle my almost-uncle?” I whispered.
“I don’t know,” Ryder whispered back. “Have you tried it?”
I grinned at him. He grinned back and called, “Spill it, Crow. What’s the bad news?”
I shucked out of Ryder’s T-shirt and threw on a sweater, then dug out a pair of socks. Phone or no phone, I was going to be outside today checking in with everyone and assessing the storm damage. Another storm was scheduled to hit later tonight. We weren’t out of the woods yet.
I grabbed a rubber band and finger-combed my hair back to get it out of my way. Ryder was ahead of me, letting the dog and dragon pig back inside.
“Bad dragon,” Ryder said as the pink menace trotted in a cute little circle around his feet. “But you’re probably starving. Thank you for not eating my truck.”
It sat on its soft butt and tipped its snout up. Itoinked once, adorably.
Ryder headed toward the garage. “How about a crappy set of golf clubs for breakfast?” He got anotheroinkfor an answer and the dragon pig galloped after him.
“Could I interest you in an incredibly annoying pet?” I asked Crow.
“Why, what’d it do?”
“Ate my phone,” I grumbled. “Okay, tell me the rest of it. All of it.” I snagged up my boots from where I’d left them in the front entryway.
“Electricity’s out,” Crow said.
“Where?”
“Just the shoreline and the bay. Some places are working on backup generators.” He held up the hot coffee as proof.
“You know, it’s weird you’re the one telling me all this. Where are my sisters?”
“I ran into them and offered to come by.”
“Suspicious.” I balanced on one foot, shoved the other in my boot, and repeated the process.
“You really gotta try looking on the bright side one of these days, Boo Boo.” Crow took another swig of coffee.
“What’s the bright side?”
“Me,” he said, like it was obvious. “I’m the brightest bright you’ve ever seen. Oh, and also I think we have a little time before all hell breaks out.”
Ryder had lugged the golf clubs into the living room, leaving the pig to its feast. He handed me my coat. I just held it in my fist, wanting nothing more than to throw it at Crow’s head. Then maybe strangle him with it.
“You make me crazy,” I said. “If you’re not going to tell me, I’ll just go ask Myra. Or Jean. Have fun being Bertie’s lackey for the next decade.”
I angled into my coat, reached for the door.
