We paused just outside the store. “Where are they?” Laura asked.
I rummaged in my purse for my phone, then turned on the app. I’d recently learned I could also track her phone, but considering my daughter was out in the world kicking ass, I knew it was likely she’d fall on it, too. And that phone she loved might easily get lost or crunched if she kept it in her back pocket.
Besides, the necklace had been a gift from me. A reminder to her that I loved her. And that I would always be looking out for her.
I expected to see that they were at the beach, and I was surprised when I found them at the park, just a few blocks away at the east end of Old Town.
“Oh, that’s an easy walk,” Laura said. She glanced up the street, then pointed to a small art gallery. “There’s an alley between the gallery and that little cafe, and if we use it to cut through to the next street over, we can grab some ice cream at that cute little shop. We’ll just have time to finish before we get to the park.”
The alley isn’t actually intended as a throughway, and it was clogged with Dumpsters and plastic milk crates. It was cooler there, too, the buildings on either side keeping it shaded and gloomy. “Well this is charming.”
“Trust me,” Laura said. “Shortcut to ice cream. It’s worth it.”
We walked a few more steps, and then I stopped to adjust the shopping bag, the handle of which was cutting into my arm. As I did, I heard another step behind us.
I whipped around—at the same time mentally kicking myself, because I really should have been paying more attention—and found myself staring at a familiar-looking woman with a sullen expression standing behind me. I tried to remember where I’d seen her before, but before I could place her, she leaped on me.
That’s when I remembered.
And, dammit, IknewI should have impaled SourBitch that day at the checkout stand.
CHAPTER 18
“There must be no obstacles,” SourBitch said, looming over me as I thrust up with my index finger.
“Kate?”
I froze, my fingertip a millimeter from SourBitch’s eye .That wasn’t Laura.
“Oh my God, Kate!”
I glanced over SourBitch’s shoulder to see my friend Fran gaping at me as Laura raced to her side. Her shout had startled SourBitch, who clearly hadn’t anticipated someone behind her, and it gave me a split second in which I could change my course of action.
So instead of impaling the demon with my non-acrylic fingernail, I smashed my palm hard against her face, forcing her off me. Then I shifted my weight as I rolled to the right. I thrust up and out with my left leg, my hands on the concrete giving me extra leverage.
Blam—I got her right in the chest, and she stumbled backward as Laura moved protectively in front of Fran.
“Go,” I said, now on my feet with my knife in my hand. “If you don’t,” I added for Fran’s benefit, “I’m calling the cops.”
The demon showed yellow teeth, then turned and sprinted out of the alley.
“Kate! Why did you let her go?”
“She’d been drinking,” I lied. “Got upset when I accidentally bumped her with my shopping bag.” I winced, hoping the listening device hadn’t broken when I dropped it. “I think she just needs to sleep it off. And, honestly, I don’t want to deal with the paperwork and fallout.”
And wasn’t that the understatement of the year?
“Well, I still can’t believe it. But my gosh, Kate! That was even more impressive than what you and Cutter have shown us in class.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I guess we can call it an in-the-field demonstration.” Fran’s one of the mom’s in the women’s self-defense class I started. She’s also a good friend, though nowhere near Laura’s place on the hierarchy. Since her daughter Elena and Timmy are the same age, we’ve bonded over play dates and birthday parties. And now that her mother, Rita, is dating Eddie, I imagine I’ll be seeing even more of Fran.
I frowned, wondering how much of the truth Rita knew. She’d seen Eric lose it once at Allie’s birthday party, but as far as I knew, she thought it was temper or drugs—not a demon. Honestly, I’m not sure that’s a plus.
I made a mental note to ask Eddie the status. In the meantime, I was operating on the assumption that Fran was clueless about the demon situation.
“Wow,” she said again. “Sorry, but my heart is still pounding.”
“It’s all fine now,” I said, although it wasn’t. SourBitch was still out there, and I hoped I’d made the right call in letting her go. After all, I could have killed her and then told Fran the truth…
