“She’s really quiet but always says how she likes to hear people talk.”
“Call her. Call her now,” I said, and then we were both grinning.
And yet, it wasn’t time to worry about the brownie’s lovelife right now. Karma might have to find him someone soon, because he seemed like he deserved a nice person in his life.
As we stopped at a light, I actually looked back and lifted a hand. Closing my eyes, I encouraged my magic toward him. I didn’t know what life he deserved, or what kind of man he was, but Karma would figure it out. A slow tingle moved over my flesh, and the scent of books came over me, and then it was gone. Who knows maybe he’d become a famous novelist and have to give lots of interviews about his life? Or maybe all his books will disintegrate into ash? It all depended on what type of person he was and the life he’s led.
“Green light,” Carol said, and her voice said she knew exactly what I was doing.
I opened my eyes and started driving again, being careful not to let the lingering tingles of using my magic distract me.
“Who’s next?” I asked as I pulled into the gas station parking lot a few blocks away. I hoped we were far enough that Jackson couldn’t walk here while we pumped gas.
Carol got out and went over our notes. “I got texts from Deva and Carol. They both hit dead ends. All duds, nobody who even remotely seemed suspicious.”
I sighed and finished pumping the gas. “Don’t we have one more name?”
Carol grimaced. “Louisa. That girl who was always sitting by herself and never talked to anyone.”
Her face popped into my mind. “Oh, I always felt so bad for her. She was chubby and had acne and it looked like she never washed her hair. Now, as an adult, I have to wonder what her poor home life was like. At the time, I just assumed she was kind of gross.” I frowned, feeling bad that I hadn’t understood back then.
One of the bright spots about being older is that we learn, and can do better.
“I know,” Carol said. “We were never the bullying type, but I do remember that all we did was try to reach out to her a few times. I feel like we could’ve done more.”
I’d never really even tried to reach out. I hadn’t been mean, but I also hadn’t been welcoming. Wherever she ended up now, I’d try to be friendly.
“Turn here,” Carol said, pointing.
I turned.
“Any idea what she’s like now?”
Carol pointed again, and I turned down another road.
“I’ve seen her, but not spoken to her. I’ve never been sure if she’s not friendly, or just shy.” Made sense. We were a small town, but it didn’t mean we were all close.
“And pull in here,” Carol said.
We pulled up at the animal shelter. “This is where she works?” I asked.
Carol nodded. “Yeah, she’s the animal control officer for the county. Since we’re full of shifters, we don't need much animal controlling. She probably doesn’t get much done.”
We walked in to find Louisa sitting behind a desk off to one side, clicking boredly on a computer mouse. The whole place almost had a doctor’s office feel to it, with waiting chairs and magazines and that same tile floor that so many businesses around here seemed to have. There was a small room a bit bigger than a walk-in closet off to the other side with a big window and door making up most of it. A sign on the door said “Get to Know You Room” and two chairs sat inside along with some dog toys.
“Adopt or surrender,” she droned when we stepped through the door. The distant sound of a dog barking muffled our footsteps on the hard floor.
“Neither,” I said. “We were looking for you, Louisa.”
She looked up with interest, but a second after she laid eyes on us, her face hardened and a sneer curled her lips. “Emma Foxx and Carol Hart. Forwhatdo I owe the pleasure?”
Whoa. Her voice dripped with sarcasm. It was definitely not a pleasure for Lousia to see us.
“We’re trying to figure out if anyone knew this man,” I said. Carol held out the yearbook. We’d put a sticky note under Al’s face with arrows pointing to his picture to show the people we’d been questioning.
Lousia gave it a quick glance. “No. Is that all?”
“Are you sure? We had a small graduating class, but no one seems to know him.”
