A weather-beaten wallet, an old steelworker’s union pin, a tarnished silver eagle dollar coin with a triangular hole punched out of the middle, and a few other odds and ends. June pointed at the wallet.
“What about that?” she asked.
I shook my head and pointed at the coin. “No. That.”
Memories harkened back, and I could see Elmer standing on the front porch of the old Idlewild General Store, men sitting around playing checkers outside, and him sipping on a Coke with one hand, flipping that coin in the other. His lucky piece. I couldn’t recall a time Elmer hadn’t been flipping that coin or dancing it along his knuckles.
“That’s what we want,” I said, snatching the coin. Keenan flinched and almost dropped the box.
Holding the coin up, I looked through the hole cut in the center. “Thank you for your time,” I said, taking a step back.
“Yeah,” Keenan said, his voice sharp and irritated now. “You got what you wanted, now get the fuck out of here.”
I pointed at him, my finger level with his chest. “Watch your fucking mouth around the lady, boy,” I said in a dangerous tone. He may have looked older than me, but he was nothing but a boy. I’d fought and killed bigger wolves than him before he’d even been born. I allowed my alpha aura to surge outward,and the fear returned to his face. This man was as bad as his grandfather.
Keenan lowered his gaze, unable to make eye contact with me. “I didn’t mean nothing by it. I just want to be left alone.”
“Apologize to the lady,” I said. “Now.”
Keenan lifted his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
June, barely suppressing a smile, nodded solemnly. “Apology accepted. Thank you.”
I nodded once and snapped my fingers under Keenan’s nose. “Get your ass inside and remember your manners next time.”
“Yes, sir,” he mumbled and hurried in, slamming the door and locking it behind him.
“You really have a way with people,” June said dryly.
“It’s his own fault for being a dick,” I muttered as we climbed into the car. “I wasn’t expecting a warm welcome, but he should have at least invited us in.”
“True. He sounded a bit prickish on the phone. I guess I shouldn’t have expected any better in person,” June said, and started the car.
“When do you want to try this?” I lifted the silver dollar up.
“Tomorrow,” she said. “I don’t think I have the mental capacity to do it tonight.”
I slipped the dollar into my pocket. “Sounds good.”
The ride back was more pleasant than the ride out. June and I were able to talk to each other in a way we hadn’t been able to even in Hidden Grove. I even got the sense that we were friends—true friends who enjoyed each other’s company. She laughed at my jokes, and I laughed at hers. Something had changed between us, and I loved it.
A few miles from her house, the conversation veered toward movies, which I had little experience with, but June loved them.
“What about westerns?” she asked. “Were those big back when you left?”
“Westerns? Like cowboys?” I said, frowning.
“Yeah. You know, John Wayne? Clint Eastwood?”
“I don’t know those guys. Were they the real cowboys or actors?”
“Oh mygosh.” She laughed, slapping her hand on the steering wheel. “They’re actors.”
I shrugged helplessly. “No clue. I did seeNosferatuonce in Minneapolis. That was creepy as shit.”
“Okay,” she said. “That’s it. Before you go back to Hidden Grove, we’re getting you to a modern theater. Wait until you see a movie withactualsound. Let me guess, some old guy played an organ while you watched.”
“Well, yeah. How else would you have music?”
