Raphael conjured the worst possible scenario from the depths of his nightmares in order to answer that question. Such as,What if Indigo Smith took her to make a trade for his gold ingots?
Chapter Fifteen
Diesel pushed out a long sigh, wondering why he’d gone against his better judgment to come here. “Aunt Dixie. Beyond the fact that’s not why I’m here, let me be very clear—the answer is no. I do not think we should mass produce the highly inappropriate Maxwell the Martian mugs where hot beverages poured inside makes our alien mascot appear naked with his hind end sticking out!”
Wyatt had a hand up over his mouth, not at all hiding his amusement over the elderly woman’s scandalous question regarding a new marketing plan she’d drawn up for clever alien tech on coffee cups.
“We’d make a fortune, Diesel! And it’s so funny.” She turned to Wyatt. “Have you seen the mug?”
Wyatt shook his head as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.
“Once you pour hot liquid inside, a bubble above Maxwell also appears and says, ‘Well, crack my crater, this cup is as hot as a naked alien!’ Isn’t that hilarious?”
Wyatt bent at the waist and nodded. “It is,” he managed to say, not bothering to hold in his laughter.
“I don’t care if we made all the money in the world or if it makes everyone in the world laugh like a loon. The answer is still no.”
“Spoilsport.” She mumbled a few other words under her breath that he ignored. He made a mental note to talk to Wheeler—who designed the illustration—and Gage—who invented the tech—about ensuring their aunt would never be allowed to mass produce that joke mug he’d received as a gag gift.
Diesel wiped one hand down his face and tried again. “The reason we are here is because of what happened at a rice paddy a few miles from Alienn.”
“Rice paddy?” Aunt Dixie looked instantly contrite, her eyes shifting back and forth, as if she expected him to blame her for something.
Wyatt wiped moisture from one eye, cleared his throat and said, “There was a disturbance at a farm where it looks like some sort of wild animal plowed through the center of a large plot and either ate or carried off quite a bit of the rice about to be harvested.”
Aunt Dixie’s eyes went wide as saucers. “You don’t say.”
Diesel asked, “Do you know of any creature or alien being that could do that?”
“Let me think.” She paced back and forth across her floor. “I can’t think of anyone or anything, but let me call Miss Penny.”
“Would she know?”
Aunt Dixie shrugged. “I know she loves rice. In fact, it’s her favorite food.”
Diesel couldn’t picture the frail, small-framed, elderly Miss Penny on hands and knees, plowing her way through a rice paddy to quench her love of rice, but maybe being a fan would give her special insight into other possibilities. He was taking any and all tidbits of advice.
“Great. Call her. See if she will come over and talk to us.”
“Dandy. I’ll be right back.” His aunt went to call, leaving Wyatt and Diesel alone.
Wyatt wiped both eyes with the backs of his hands. “You sure have a fun family. And Aunt Dixie is very entertaining.”
“You only say that because you’re not responsible for managing her chaos. You know laughing only makes her bolder.”
“Can’t help it. Even you have to admit that the cup she talked about is pretty hilarious.”
“I do not have to admit anything.” That made Wyatt snort and start laughing again.
Diesel shook his head. His phone buzzed again. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. It was Gage, probably looking for another of their brothers. Deciding he’d call him back later, Diesel pocketed his phone without answering it.
Wyatt calmed himself and asked, “Do you think Miss Penny will have any information we can use?”
Diesel shrugged. “I hope so. I don’t know that being a rice lover will help, but I can’t think of anyone else to ask. I also don’t have a next step to try without some sort of direction to go in.”
Aunt Dixie walked back into the room and headed for the front door. She got there as a light knock sounded. She popped the door wide open and let in Miss Penny, Aunt Dixie’s cohort in crime.
