“Then why would I need to climb all the way up the damn cliffs, in my fabulous shoes, and speak to people about someone whose name I don’t remember?”
Lisa paled and then bared her teeth.
“You think you’re better than me? I know your kind?—”
“My kind is the one who might not climb the damn cliffs but will still walk all over you in my brand-new Louboutins if you don’t leave my place of business. We had a deal, you and I. And I keep my word. Now, if that is all?”
“Yeah, that’s what you’d prefer. For it to be all done. Neatly squared away. Disposed of. Like you disposed of your wife.”
Lisa grinned with malice as her words hit their target. Rhiannon flinched and dropped the phone she’d been holding, the screen cracking with a pitiful sound that made her cringe.
“You think you are so high and mighty, honey, but everyone has secrets. Secrets that run very deep. And now that I am unemployed, thanks to you, I have all the time in the world to dig into those very secrets. Something tells me I will find quite a few where you’re concerned.”
Rhiannon’s throat was slamming shut, and any second she’d be clawing at it, needing air.
Panic attack, just a panic attack.
“You better stay away from me.”
“Or what?”
Lachlan stepped between them yet again, but before he could say anything Pru’s voice right beside her sounded like the cavalry over the hill. Like Rohan’s horns.
“I think it’s time for you to leave now, Lisa. Before you say something you might regret. Actually, you’ve said plenty as it is.”
“Is that a threat, Pru? Suddenly you’re mighty brave and adventurous. If only you’d have been this adventurous when we were together.” Lisa’s smirk was downright lecherous, and Rhiannon tasted bile. She could feel the craft clawing at herthroat. On the heels of fear, on the heels of panic, her raging power was rearing its head.
“Leave. Now.” She ground out the last word, and whatever Lisa saw on her face must’ve been enough to persuade her to depart without another sound. Her eyes spoke volumes, however, and the hatred in them was more than Rhiannon thought the entire situation warranted.
She turned and looked at the storefront, the exposed dark brick clean and the glass gleaming in the morning sun. And then dread slithered down her spine. In the second-story window—her bedroom’s—a photograph covered in blood was looking down at her.
“Margaux…”
22
PRUDENCE, STEALING HISTORY & CONFRONTATIONS
GRAND OPENING OF CROW & CAT RUINED!
The Crowharts are cursed! Rhiannon Crowhart’s antique bookstore unveiled its new name today, and while most attendees seemed to enjoy the fun behind Crow & Cat, someone did not appreciate it nor the owner. Lisa Poorson caused quite a commotion with hair-raising accusations and insults, and the store itself was broken into.
Sheriff Redding stated that nothing was stolen. Instead, the culprit left a bloody souvenir behind.
Has the creepiness of Halloween started a touch too early in Crow’s Nest? Or is Rhiannon Crowhart being targeted?
Watch Crow & Cat on Market Square.
—Crow’s Caw
In the resultingcacophony of people rushing into Crow & Cat, of Rhiannon coaxing Boleyn and Patches out from the chimney, of Lachlan checking all entrances, and of Victoria cursing out everything and everyone, Prudence tried to stay out of the way.
“How the fuck did she even get in? And again? I thought you changed the locks.” Victoria’s voice was hard, her hands bending and unbending a piece of pipe she had brought with her. Pru made a mental note to have Ceridwen teach her that move. Making flowers bloom was great and so was setting barrier around herself or around anyone else, but twisting a metal pipe into a knot? That was next level.
She moved closer to Rhiannon, who was pacing the length of the shop, and took the picture out of her trembling hands. Pru was certain Rhiannon didn’t even realize she had done that.
“I changed them here.” Lachlan shrugged and looked at her apologetically. “We didn’t think we needed to do so upstairs.”
Victoria unknotted the pipe from the neat bow she had made just seconds earlier.
