He reached into his pocket for nails and began driving them in with quick, sure blows of the hammer.
Then he said, "I don't know what happened.Somebody broke it last night. Made a real mess."
"Last night seems to have been a busy night," Kestrel said dryly.
Jeremy glanced back at the voice. And then ... his hands went still, poised with the hammer and nail. He was looking at Kestrel, and at Rowan beside her,looking a long time. At last he turned to MaryLynnette and said slowly, "You need more gas already?"
"Oh-no. No." I should have siphoned some out,Mary-Lynnette thought. Nancy Drew would defi
nitely have thought of that. "I justit's been knocking a lotthe engine-and I thought you could lookat it-under the hood-since you didn't last time."
Incoherent and pathetic, she decided in the silencethat followed. And Jeremy's dear brown eyes were still searching her face.
"Sure, Mary-Lynnette," he said-not sarcastically, but gently. "As soon as I get finished."
Oh, hecan't be a vampire. And so what am I doing here, lying to him, suspecting him, when he's only ever been nice to me? He's the type to help old ladies, not kill them.
Sssssss.
She started as the feral hiss tore through the silence. It came from behind her, and for one horrible instant she thought it was Kestrel. Then she saw thatJade and Mark had rounded the comer, and that Tiggy was fighting like a baby leopard in Jade's arms. The kitten was spitting and clawing, black fur standing on end.
Before Jade could get a better grip, he climbed up her shoulder and leaped, hitting the ground running.
" Tiggy! "Jade shrieked. She took off after him, silvery blond hair flying, agile as a kitten herself.
Markfollowed, ricocheting off Ash who was just comingaround the comer himself. Ash was knocked into thegas station wall.
"Well, that was fun," Kestrel said.
But Mary-Lynnette wasn't really listening. Jeremywas staring at Ash-and his expression gave Mary Lynnette coldchills.
And Ash was staring back with eyes as green as glacier ice. Their gazes were locked in something like instantaneous, instinctive hatred. Mary-Lynnette felt a quiver of fear for Jeremy-but Jeremy didn't seem afraid for himself. His muscles were tight and he looked ready to defend himself.
Then, deliberately, he turned away. Turned hisback on Ash. He readjusted the board-and MaryLynnette did what she should have done in the beginning. She looked at his hand. The ring on his index
finger glinted gold, and she could just make out the black design on the seal. A tall duster of bell-shaped flowers. Not an iris,not a dahlia, not a rose. No-there was only one flower Rowan had mentioned that this could possiblybe. It grew wild around here and it was deadly poison.
Foxglove.
So now she knew.
Mary-Lynnette felt hot and sick. Her hand began to tremble on the board she was holding. She didn't want to move, but she couldn't stay here.
"I'm sorry-1 have to get something-" The words came out in a painful gasp. She knew everyone wasstaring at her. She didn't care. She let go of the board and almost ran away.
She kept going until she was behind the boardedup windows of the Gold Creek Hotel. Then she leaned against the wall and stared at the place where town ended and the wilderness began. Motes of dust danced in the sunlight, bright against a dark background of Douglas fir.
I'm so stupid. All the signs were there, right in front of my face. Why didn't I seebefore? I guess because I didn't want to ....
"Mary-Lynnette."
Mary-Lynnette turned toward the soft voice. She resisted the impulse to throw herself into Rowan's arms and bawl.
"I'll be okay in just a few minutes. Really. It's just a shock."
"Mary-Lynnette ..."
"It's just-it's just that I've known him so long.It's not easy to picture himyou know. But I guess it just goes to show you. People are never what they seem."
"Mary-Lynnette-" Rowan stopped and shook her head. "Just what are you talking about?"
"Him.Jeremy. Of course." Mary-Lynnette took abreath. The air felt hot and chokingly dusty. "He did it. He really did it."
"Why do you think so?"
"Why?Because he's a werewolf. "
There was a pause and Mary-Lynnette suddenly felt embarrassed. She looked around to make sure nobody was in earshot, and then said more quietly,"Isn't he?"
Rowan was looking at her curiously. "How did you know?"
"Well-you said black foxglove is for werewolves. And that's foxglove on his ring. How did you know?"
"I just sensed it. Vampire powers are weaker insunlight, but Jeremy isn't trying to hide anything.
He's right out there."
"He sure is," Mary-Lynnette said bitterly. ' I should have sensed it. I mean ... he's the only person in town who was interested in the lunar eclipse. And the way he moves, and his eyes ... and he livesat Mad Dog Creek, for God's sake. I mean, that land's been in his family for generations.And'
-Mary-Lynnette gave a sudden convulsive sniffle-"people say they've seen the Sasquatch around there. a big hairy monster, half person and half beast. Now, what does that sound like?"
Rowan was standing quietly, her expression grave-but her lips were twitching. Mary-Lynnette's vision blurred and wetness spilled onto her cheeks.
"I'm sorry." Rowan put a hand on her arm. "I'mnot laughing."
"I thought he was a nice guy," Mary-Lynnettesaid, turning away.
"I still think he is," Rowan said. "And actually, really, you know, it means he didn'tdo it." "The fact that he's a nice guy?" "The fact that he's a werewolf."
Mary-Lynnette turned back." What?"