Gryph appeared, feet first, then knees, waist and then Chip, his cat, curled in his arms. By the time the door opened, it was clear cat and owner had been living together too long. Both had tufts of white hair sticking from their ears. Both were overweight. Both had whiskers.
Gryph eyed Declan as if he suspected him of a crime. Declan smiled and offered a little wave.
Gryph frowned and turned his attention to Charlotte.
“Tilly said you might be coming,”
“Looks like she sent me to the right guy,” said Charlotte. She motioned inside the garage, where, mixed with stacks of computer equipment, hung a shelf lined with drones. “You can fly all of those?”
“I can fly a few of them. Give them patterns to follow.”
“That would be great.”
“What am I looking for?”
Charlotte shrugged. “Suspicious activity in general. I don’t know how much Tilly told you, but there might be a killer on the loose who hates hoarders.”
“Who doesn’t?” said Gryph. “Five hundred a night.”
Charlotte scowled. “One.”
“Three.”
“Two.”
“Deal.”
Charlotte put her hands on her hips. “Though, you really should do this as a free service for your community.”
Gryph laughed, the cat bouncing in his arms. Without another word, he turned and headed back inside, slapping the garage door controller as he reentered his home.
“I think that’s a no on the freebie,” said Declan.
Charlotte nodded. “Seems like it.”
They returned to the Jeep and a minute later Declan pulled into Charlotte’s driveway. He saw Abby’s head rise into the window, her nub of tail wagging. Every time he drove up Abby shot to Charlotte’s bed to get a view, if she wasn’t napping there already, and just popped up like a puppet. When he headed for the front door, the dog ran to be sure she’d be stationed inside like a Walmart greeter.
Charlotte opened her front door and stooped to pet Abby, sneaking a glance at her watch as she moved.
He smiled. “Should we stay here tonight?”
She straightened, relief radiating from her like a magical aura.
“Could we? I didn’t think about the things I have to pack for Abby and, to be honest, I didn’t really get to me yet either. If I rush I know I’ll forget something.”
“It’s late. And the storm won’t hit until tomorrow. No hurry.”
She hugged him, he suspected half out of affection and half because she wanted to rest her head on his chest and close her eyes. He didn’t mind. He slid his hand up her back to pull her close to him.
“I love that I never have to watch the weather with you around,” she mumbled.
“I know that’s all I am to you. A weatherman.”
She nodded. “That, and I get the friends and family discount at the Hock o’Bell.”
He chuckled. “I feel so used.”
***
By the time Declan finished brushing his teeth, Charlotte was asleep, Abby pressed against her, the dog’s long legs stretched like crime tape across any spot he might have found to lie down.
It didn’t matter. He felt wired, and imagined sleep would take work. Still dressed, he went outside and wandered to the end of Charlotte’s driveway, looking left and right down the road. A quiet had settled over Pineapple Port, small lamp posts and dim solar path lights the only illumination. The wind picked up, but the rain stayed at bay.
He hadn’t jogged in a while, much preferring swimming as a daily exercise, but with so many of the neighborhoods represented at the Five Families table close by, he thought he’d take a quick jog through them. He could be back in an hour and never be more than ten minutes from Charlotte’s door. Hopefully, the exercise would make it easier to sleep.
It couldn’t hurt.
Declan retrieved a bag of spare clothes he kept in his Jeep. Changing into running shoes, athletic shorts and a sweat-wicking top, he locked Charlotte’s door and started down the road, scanning between houses and down roads.
I forgot how much I hate jogging.
His back felt stiff.
Having a serial killer after you and your girlfriend can do that to a back.
He glanced down each street, not sure what he was looking for, but hoping he’d know it when he saw it.
Too bad Jamie drowned her car.
It had been an advantage, knowing the color and general make of her vehicle. By now, she’d have secured herself something new.
He looped through Pineapple Port and crossed the street into Silver Lake.
He had to admit, Silver Lake was definitely more upscale.
Point to Penny’s sister.
By the time he’d finished the second neighborhood, he knew he wanted to quit. He headed back across the street toward Pineapple Port as fire truck sirens wailed in the distance.
He didn’t think much about the sirens, until he spotted an orange glow coming from somewhere inside Pineapple Port.
Somewhere in the direction of Charlotte’s house.
Declan broke into a sprint.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Charlotte’s eyes popped open to stare at the glowing red numbers on her ceiling, where her tiny projection clock displayed the time. Seeing the hour without having to turn her head to look at a clock was one of her greatest guilty pleasures.
Ten forty-five.
She rolled over and poked at her pillow, attempting to shape it into the perfect headrest.
Ugh. I haven’t even been asleep that long.
Abby grunted, irritated to be awoken by movement, and Charlotte heard a thump as the dog jump to the floor. Abby rarely got so angry she left the bed.
I must have shaken her out of a treat dream.
Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will herself back to sleep, but her mind felt as though it had already left the bed and made itself a cup of
