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Laurie looked at the vehicle, then at me. “We brought Sybil here. We can take her home.”

“You can follow us.”

Sybil’s head came around. “Why can’t I ride with them?”

“Because if I’m responsible for your protection, I need to control transport.”

“From the county building to my house?”

“From anywhere.”

Her brows rose.

I expected the argument. What I didn’t expect was how much I enjoyed the direct challenge in her expression.

“You’ve known me for approximately forty-five seconds,” she said.

“That doesn’t change how a vehicle works.”

Pamela coughed into her hand.

Sybil looked at her. “You are enjoying this far too much.”

“I spent the night waiting for you to get out of jail. I’m taking my amusement where I find it.”

The humor faded from Sybil’s face at the word jail. Laurie’s hand moved immediately to her back.

I let a few seconds pass before I said, “You don’t have to like the arrangement. You do need to know what it is. Hollowfield brought us in because somebody was killed in the attraction you run, the evidence points at you, and nobody knows yet whether that makes you only a suspect or also somebody who could be in danger. Until we have a better answer, I stay close.”

The wind pushed damp leaves over the curb between us.

Sybil looked toward the picturesque stretch of town beyond the municipal buildings, where shop awnings and old brick fronts were coming alive for the morning. When she faced me again, the anger was still there, but it was aimed more carefully.

“I need to be at Hollowfield today.”

“I know.”

“I’m not asking whether you know. I’m telling you I’m going.”

“We have a meeting there later.”

Her mouth tightened. “Then why did you just make that sound like your decision?”

“Because where we go is your decision. How we get there and whether I think the route is safe are mine.”

She studied me again.

“That distinction is going to become annoying.”

“Probably.”

This time Pamela didn’t bother hiding her smile.

Sybil finally handed Laurie the bakery box and walked toward my SUV. “Fine. But we’re stopping at my cottage first. I need a shower, clean clothes, food, and enough coffee to make the next twelve hours legal.”

“I can work with that.”

She looked over her shoulder. “I wasn’t asking permission.”