Chapter Twenty-Four
Twenty-Four
Bex
I never thought the day would come where the words we have to trust the witch would leave my mouth. Viola told us she can convince Cletus not to take my sister or Hunter. And we’ll have to trust that she’ll make good on her promise.
“We need an alternative offer, just in case things go south,” Nina reminds those of us in the room, which is me, Booker, Murphy, Sheamus, Loretta, and Ruby. Everyone except Booker has been quiet since arriving, as if they aren’t normally privy to decision-making meetings.
The grandfather clock on the other side of the parlor from the piano chimes eleven times, signaling we’ve got one hour left before midnight.
Loretta nudges Murphy in the arm and says, “We can round up the deputies and position them around town. No weremutt…no offense to present company—”
“Some taken,” Booker replies.
Loretta finishes, “…will be able to see them.”
“But they’ll be able to sniff them out, but you do whatever you think will keep the town safe,” Booker states, seemingly annoyed with redheaded gunslinger.
“I can get Trigger to cover the roof of the inn,” Murphy suggests.
“Yeah, put him up there in the cage with a watcher. Good idea,” Booker says, nodding to Murphy.
I’m not sure who this guy is or what a watcher is, so I ask. “Who is Trigger and why are you putting him in a cage on the inn’s roof with a watcher?”
“A watcher,” Loretta answers, “is someone who watches the surrounding area. So no one sneaks up on you from behind.”
“And Trigger—his birth name is actually Trent—is our town sharpshooter. He’s also one of Gravers Junction’s deputies.”
Ruby leans over from her chair next to me and says, “And there’s a cage up there that’s like my garden cage. As an extra layer of security.”
I pocket the name and his title for later when I meet him. For now, I’m grateful to know there’s someone who can potentially take out Cletus if needed. I look around the room. “And who will be his watcher?”
Murphy whistles, and Davie and Gopher come strolling into the parlor. I’m happy to see the scrappy dog didn’t get killed by the giant bugs. “Davie can do it,” Murphy offers. To his son, he says, “Go get your rifle, and lock up that damn dog.”
Davie nods, then disappears into the back hall.
“What about Hunter?” Loretta asks. “Do we bring him out or keep him locked up?”
I can’t read Booker’s expression, and then I realize why. He knows it’s not his decision to make. Even though he offered himself up to be Hunter’s alpha, if Hunter ever accepted, they’d both be on the kill list with the alpha council. What exactly that means, I have no idea.
But then I see the hurt in Booker’s expression as he looks to Nina.
“Oh, no. Please tell me Hunter didn’t already pledge his loyalty to you?” I ask, facing my sister. “You’re not a werewolf!” He stood by her side that night, protecting her. The rogue wolf’s loyalty is to my sister.
“And he can do whatever the hell he wants!” Hearing my sister curse feels wrong. For me, it was invigorating, like a rebellious act. But coming out of Nina’s mouth, it feels like anger has gotten the best of her sweet nature.
Nina stands and says, “I’ll get him. He needs to be there.
We can’t trust Viola to keep her word. And we don’t want Cletus to think we’re trying to deceive him by hiding Hunter or me.
We need to be out there when he arrives.
” She walks to the back hall, knowing to use the tunnels rather than go outside.
Holding on to the door frame, she tells everyone, “If she keeps her word, and Cletus is open to an alternative, you guys are going to have to think up a deal that’ll appease him.
” And with that, she disappears out the front door of the parlor.
“I don’t know much about your cousin,” I say, looking to Booker. “What’s something he’d want?”
“Where to begin?” he says with a snort.
Everyone throws out ideas from firearms to livestock, and even baked goods, which of course was Ruby’s suggestion.
Time passes, and we’re less than ten minutes from midnight.
Murphy already sent Davie to get Trent and head up to the cage on the roof of the inn.
We’re all sitting around, staring at the clock, still unsure about what we’re going to offer Cletus in exchange for Hunter and Nina, when Garrett walks in from the front door.
“I got it!” He holds up a small wooden box and looks over the entire group before locking eyes with Booker.
“Geez, man. Nothing like getting’ back at the eleventh hour!” Booker stands from his seat and weaves through the tables until he’s right in front of Garrett. He takes the small box and looks inside. He closes it, not sharing the contents with the rest of us.
“Can I show this to Maureen?” Booker asks.
Garrett nods, and Booker waves for Murphy to follow. Sheamus makes his way to his piano. I don’t know the meaning is behind the song he starts playing, but I don’t care. All I care about is that Garrett is here.
I walk over to him, and he removes his sunrider hat and holds it against his chest. “Sorry I didn’t tell you I was leaving.”
“It’s fine,” I say with all the calm and collected nerves I can muster. “I’m just happy you’re not hurt.”
Loretta marches over and punches Garrett in the arm. “Damn, boss! Glad to see you’re not dead!”
He smiles at his deputy. “Get into position across the way. Wait for my signal if we need you. Tell the other deputies to get into position and buckle down. And send Trigger up on the roof.”
“Already on it, boss!” She adjusts her two pistols at her waist and then hurries out the back of the parlor.
Ruby stands from her seat at the table and says, “I’m going to lock myself in Maureen’s place and make sure she stays safe. If those bastards get inside, I’ll protect her with my life.”
“Thank you, Ruby.”
It’s just him and me and, well, Sheamus, but he’s preoccupied with his music. I stare into Garrett’s eyes. “Where did you go?”
“An idea popped into my head about what we can offer Cletus to either forfeit his retribution or at least give us more time to find something he might want more than your sister and Hunter.”
I glance back at the doorway where Booker took the small box to show Maureen. “What’s in the box?”
“A family heirloom, of some sort.”
“Something that belongs to your family?”
“My family is a complicated mess. One that we can get into tomorrow if we survive the night.” He steps closer, tucking a strand of my hair behind one of my ears. “I really am sorry I left without telling you where I was going.”
“Have you changed your mind about…” I lift my chin and look up, as if gesturing to the bedrooms upstairs.
He laughs. “If you’re wondering if I’ve changed my mind about us, then no. I haven’t. And you shouldn’t be trying to get me to change my mind. We need to stay focused on protecting this town.” Silence lingers between us, and after a few heartbeats, he asks, “Can you do that for me?”
No. Dammit. But, at the same time, I understand what he’s saying. “I can respect that.”
The grandfather clock strikes twelve, and everyone looks to the door when it swings open. “They’re here,” Nina says, a giant wolf standing by her side.
Murphy and Booker follow Nina and Hunter outside. Garrett grabs my arm the second I go to follow and spins me to face him. “Don’t be a hero out there. We’ve got a plan—a good deal that Cletus will take.”
“I can’t make any promises. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect those I care for, and I’ve come to care for quite a few things in this town. Ruby’s frozen cream being one of them.”
He laughs, and it looks good on him. “Always the cheeky one, aren’t you?” Then to my sister he asks, “You ready?”
“Let’s go make a deal,” she says, turning away and walking outside with Hunter on her heels.