I did not like the way she said that—as if there was a secret somewhere that was being hidden from me. “She’s fine,” I replied slowly, unsure if there was a correct answer to her question.
Leola didn’t say anything else, but I doubted that meant she didn’t have more to spill.
I followed Rufus to the camper. He climbed a set of rickety steps that leaned to one side, and knocked on the door.
The door swung open, and standing in the doorway was a man holding a shotgun that was aimed straight at us.
Chapter 16
“Who in the heck are you?” the man pointing the shotgun said. “And I better like your answer or else you’ll get a face full of lead.”
Rufus lifted his hands. “Perhaps you should put the shotgun down.”
“Perhaps you should start talking,” the man spat.
Rufus slowly lowered his hands. “My name is John, and this is Clementine. We knew Crystal.”
“Hogwash,” the man spat. “If you knew Crystal, I would’ve known you.” He pulled back the hammer of the shotgun. “Now get out of here before I fire.”
“We’ll be glad to,” Rufus told him.
But just as I thought Rufus was going to retreat, he pulled a spell from his pocket and flung it at the dude. The shotgun dropped from his hands, and the man fell back, arms lifted.
“What the—”
Before I could blink, Rufus had the shotgun aimed at the guy. “You have bad manners, and I think you should apologize for scaring the woman I’m with. It’s not gentlemanly of you to go around pointing dangerous weapons at unarmed people.”
The man glared at Rufus. “You’re one of them magicks.”
Rufus sneered. “I am and I have a lot more magic where that came from. Now. Why don’t you take a moment and put on your good manners? My name is John, and we’re looking for Pete Swensen.”
“He ain’t here,” the man said.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“That ain’t none of your business,” he growled.
Rufus placed a foot on his shoulder. “Ah, ah, ah. What did I tell you about manners?”
The man glared at Rufus before shifting his gaze to me. “The name’s Wylie South. What do you want with Pete?”
“We wanted to ask him some questions about Crystal.”
“Why?” came a voice from behind me.
Standing in the doorway was a man with short dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He held an open beer in one hand and a sack of groceries in the other.
“I take it you’re Pete Swensen,” Rufus said.
Pete stalked into the camper and set the groceries on the tiny kitchen counter. He took a swig of beer. “That’s right. Went for a beer run. I’m having a bad day.”
“Would you let me up now, please?” Wylie asked.
Rufus lowered the shotgun and extended his hand, helping him to his feet. Wylie brushed off his shirt and slacks.
“Sorry, but there are a lot of folks who come around looking for money,” he explained, taking the shotgun back. “I thought y’all might’ve been one of them or a reporter or something. I’m trying to protect my cousin.”
Pete gave Wylie a wry smile before tossing him a beer. I noticed Pete didn’t offer one to us before he sat at the kitchen banquet.
