Chapter 10
Eli didn't fit in his skin. Every time the door opened, he jumped, and it opened a lot.
The rumor about new produce had spread through the settlement.
That was good. The fish and leafy greens wouldn't stay fresh for long, but every time there was a lull in customers, Eli moved nervously through the shop.
It didn't feel safe today. The shop had always been his haven, the business he'd built. He was the core of Last Hope, the place everyone visited. He knew most of the people by name, and the chattier ones he had a deeper connection with. He might not call them friends, but this was his home.
But today, there was no peace.
The door opened again, and Rosie walked in. She didn't have a basket. It was Friday, but maybe Gerald hadn't been paid yet, though it was soon time to close for the day.
Her gaze jumped around. "Anyone here?"
Eli shook his head.
"Lisa-Mae and I rowed over to Fisherman's Lake today. Martha Pretty sold us some wool."
"Good."
She gave a slow nod. "When we got back, there was a man I didn't recognize on the dock."
"The sheriff?" He was the only one Eli had seen who didn't belong.
"No. I had the pleasure of meeting the sheriff this morning.
" She looked as if she'd eaten something rotten.
"It was someone else. He told us as of today, there is a fee for mooring your boat to the dock.
" Her eyes flicked to Eli's. "Lisa-Mae rowed past him and moored at Chester's, her brother's, little jetty.
We rushed off the boat and carried the wool inside Chester's house. "
"Did he come after you? The man?"
"He knocked on the door, but Chester was at work, and we pretended not to be there. Lisa-Mae promised to talk to him, and we'll do what we can to keep him out of trouble, but Eli...what are we going to do?"
"I don't know." He rubbed a hand over his mouth. "I...were you able to warn Mrs. Pretty?" Eli believed Martha Pretty was Finn's mother, but he wasn't sure. He didn't know the people of Fisherman's Lake as well as the people in Last Hope.
Rosie shook her head.
Before Eli could say anything else, the door was yanked open and a naked Byrd rushed in. Rosie made a surprised sound and averted her eyes.
"Byrd, it's not safe for you to be here. Didn't Thano speak to you?"
Byrd looked confused. "Not since I asked him about being allowed to trade at the market. He was going to ask the board."
There had been a lot of happenings since then. "They've forbidden others to come into town. I'm so sorry. You're not safe here."
Rosie gasped and turned to look between Eli and Byrd, seemingly forgetting Byrd was naked. He was clutching what looked like a lunch box in his hand.
"They have done what?"
Eli grimaced at her. "Thano was by earlier, he'd come into town to talk to the board, and they'd told him Others weren't allowed within the settlement limits anymore."
Rosie wrung her hands. "This is not good."
"No." Eli couldn't agree more. He walked over to the counter and pulled out the balloon whisk from the shelf underneath and placed it on the counter.
Byrd put the lunch box next to it, and Eli opened the lid.
It had a box inside with three compartments, and fasted to the lid was a knife, fork, and spoon in plastic.
It didn't look to have been used. "This is nice. " He smiled at Byrd.
"So we trade?"
"If you're happy with what you're getting." Eli believed a lunch box was worth more than a whisk.
Byrd snatched the whisk from the counter and grinned at Eli. "Ha! I got your shiny."
Eli couldn't help but laugh. "You sure did." He placed the lunch box on the shelf underneath the counter where it wasn't visible to the customers. He'd bring it home when he closed.
"Byrd?"
He looked up from the whisk. "Mm."
"How hard would it be for you to fly over to Fisherman's Lake?"
He shrugged. "I'm a little tired now. It was heavy carrying the bucket."
"Lunch box."
"Huh?"
"It's a lunch box."
Byrd frowned. "It's not a bucket?"
"No, a bucket is more..." Eli showed something bigger with his hands. "And with a handle. This is great though, we were talking about containers when you said it, so I figured it was what you meant."
Byrd looked at him for several long seconds, and Rosie watched them both.
"What do you want from Fisherman's Lake?"
"Do you remember what Joshua Fagan looks like? The man who was here with all the produce."
Byrd nodded.
"Could you fly to him and tell him there is a toll now. We don't know how much--" He glanced at Rosie to make sure she didn't, and she shook her head. "--but as of today, there is a fee."
When Byrd didn't reply, Eli grabbed the basket with kitchen utensils. "I'll pay one shiny."
Byrd's eyes lit up. "I want the one with the arms." He snatched a winged corkscrew bottle opener, and Eli nodded his agreement. He grabbed his last money out of his pocket and rang up the purchase. He'd simply have to eat eggs tonight again.
Then he placed the bottle opener underneath the counter. "I'll keep it until you've delivered the message. You can tell Thano when you've done it, and he can tell me tomorrow. You don't need to fly here. I'll bring it to The Moonlight Ranch." If he still was going. He believed he was.
Byrd rushed toward the door, then he hesitated. "Can I leave my whisk here?"
Eli nodded and moved closer to take it. "I'll keep it with the bottle opener."
"The what?"
"The shiny you picked. Do you remember the message?"
Byrd nodded. "There is a fee now, you don't know how much."
"Yes, a fee to come to the dock." He hoped Joshua would understand what he meant.
Pushing the door open, Byrd stepped outside and more or less ran into the sheriff. The sheriff spluttered, but Byrd shifted and took to the air.
Eli watched in horror as the sheriff grabbed his gun. He released the safety and aimed at the sky, but before he could pull the trigger, Rosie rushed out of the shop and into him.
"Sheriff Ambrose." She tugged at his arm. "There was a...a...naked man."
The sheriff looked at her, and Eli let out a shuddering breath as Byrd flew off, shielded by the mist rolling in from the lake.
The sheriff growled and shook Rosie off. "What are you doing, woman? I'm holding a loaded gun."
"Oh..." She started to sob, and Eli watched in disbelief. He'd known Rosie all his life, and not once had he seen her shed a tear no matter what hardship she'd faced. "I was so scared. He rushed into the shop, and Eli and I didn't know what to do."
Eli nodded, not sure how else to reply. She wiped at her cheek. "Thank God, you came."
Sheriff Ambrose--Eli tried to memorize the name--stared at Eli in disgust. "A second warning." He grabbed his notebook and wrote something, then he strolled off.
Eli stood frozen.
Rosie put a strand of hair that had come loose from her braid behind her ear. "A despicable man."
"His name is Ambrose?"
"Jack Ambrose."
Eli nodded. The name was familiar. Elijah had mentioned the name when he'd first come to town. "Is he still staying at the hotel?"
Rosie nodded. "I suspect he's looking for something permanent now." She looked down the street, and her face split into a wide smile. "Oh, here comes Gerald. May we please do some shopping before you close for the day?"
"Of course." Eli gestured for her to reenter the shop.
* * * *
Thano let himself into Eli's house. It was in the middle of the night.
The meeting had gone on for hours, and after, he'd gone to his home, but then he'd started to worry.
It was easier not to care what the stupid humans did in Last Hope when he didn't care about anyone there.
He didn't care what they did to each other, but Romeo had been worried enough to now have his coven stay with him at the ranch, and on more than one occasion during the meeting, he'd expressed concern over Eli.
Thano tried to ignore it, but he couldn't relax. Thoughts of Eli kept popping up. Eli smiling. Eli standing close to him. Eli touching him.
Silently and hidden by the shadows, Thano moved around the house. He walked through the main room and toward the bedroom.
Eli was on the bed, several blankets on top of him. Was he cold? It was a little chilly in the house. For several seconds, he stood watching Eli. His breaths came slow and steady.
He was fine.
Thano should leave.
The next second, Eli's eyes opened, and he pulled a knife from underneath the pillow. Thano didn't move. Didn't so much as breathe.
"Byrd?" Eli's voice was nothing more than a whisper, and he adjusted his hold on the knife.
Byrd? Why was he asking for Byrd? Did he hope Byrd would come to him?
Slowly, Eli pushed the blankets off him and put his bare feet on the floor. He looked around the dark room.
Thano moved out into the kitchen where he silently pulled out a kitchen chair, dropped the shadows, and sat. It didn't take many seconds before Eli switched the lights on. He jumped as it revealed Thano, but he didn't make a sound. After a moment, he lowered the knife. "Is Byrd okay?"
Thano frowned. Why did he care about Byrd? "I believe so."
"You haven't seen him?" Eli rubbed his eyes, and something inside of Thano melted.
"He was at the meeting."
"When was it?"
Thano swept his gaze over him. Eli was a fine specimen, but he needed to eat more. "A few hours ago."
"And he was there? Unharmed?" Eli nodded as if willing Thano to agree.
"Yes. Why?" Thano rose to his feet. Eli's eyes followed his every motion, but he didn't move.
He rubbed his neck. "I asked him to fly to Fisherman's Lake, said he'd get a shiny from the basket if he flew to Joshua Fagan, and told him there now was a fee to moor at the dock."
"They went through with it?" It shouldn't have surprised him. Thano stepped closer to Eli, and to his surprise, Eli reached for him and pulled him closer. No one ever touched him.
Eli's hand cupped the back of his neck, his thumb gently stroking the skin. It made Thano shiver.