He nodded and glanced at his watch. “By the time we get her back to the café and settled in, it’ll probably be getting too late. The springs near Maldoon are probably the closest to Castle Rock, but it’ll take twenty minutes to get there. There’s too many old mines in that area to be clambering around in the dark.”
“There are too many to be clambering around in daytime, too.” The damn things were often difficult to see, especially if they were shafts that went straight down, rather than tunnels that ran diagonally into the hills.
He smiled. “This is why we take a ranger with us. They can lead the way and fall in first.”
“I heard that,” Tala said. “And if I fall in, I’m not going alone.”
Monty laughed. “Wise move, actually. I can cast a spell and magic us out of there.”
“Good to know. What time do you want to meet tomorrow morning?”
I glanced at Monty. He was technically my boss, after all.
“About seven? If we meet at the café, Liz can make us all a coffee to take on the road.”
“Oh, can she now?” I said mildly.
“Yes, indeed, and being the kind, generous soul you are, you’d probably include a cheese and ham toastie. Or at least cake.”
I snorted and shoved him toward the car. “Let’s get going before you fall too far into that fantasy world of yours.”
He laughed. I nodded at Tala as she went back to her SUV, and then followed Monty. We were back on the road minutes later, with Mrs. Rankin an unhappy presence in the back seat. She didn’t say anything until we pulled into the parking area behind the café.
“I’m staying here?” Her voice was incredulous. “In a damn café?”
“There’s sleeping accommodation on the first floor,” I said as Monty stopped the truck, then jumped out and moved around to the rear. “This is the safest place for you to be if the dark spirit comes after you again. It’s absolutely smothered with magical protections.”
“Dark spirit?” she said. “I thought it was a witch?”
“It’s both.” I opened her door and helped her out of the truck. “Long story, but basically you’re toast if either of them get to you.”
Her face went pale again. “And is that likely? Will the protections here hold up?”
“Yes, they will. You can’t leave the place, though, until we give you the all clear.”
“That’s going to be mighty inconvenient if I suddenly go into labor.”
I blinked. “And is that likely to happen?”
“I’m due tomorrow.”
Anger surged—not at her, but rather the situation she’d unwittingly found herself in—and I had to wriggle my fingers to release the sparks that burned at my fingertips. But I was having a hard time accepting that a damn dark spirit had more compassion and humanity than the witch who held her leash.
“Then let’s hope your kid is in no hurry to greet the world,” I said. “But just in case, I’ll ask Tala to arrange for your doctor to be on standby.”
“My sister is a certified midwife,” she replied. “We’d planned for her to deliver the baby anyway, so it’s probably best if she comes here, if that’s at all possible. I would feel safer if she was with me.”
So would I. I had absolutely no experience with babies, let alone the whole birthing thing. “As long as she doesn’t mind a fold-down bed.”
Mrs. Rankin smiled. “We’ve both slept in far worse in years past.”
I unlocked the door, motioned them both inside, and then followed and turned on the lights so they didn’t run into anything in the narrow hallway. “Ring her once we get upstairs, then, and we’ll set things up.”
“I will. Thank you.”
Monty led the way, her suitcase in one hand as he climbed the stairs. Mrs. Rankin followed more slowly, gripping the handrail to both steady and haul herself up. That she struggled was no surprise, given she was due tomorrow. I quickly dumped the backpack in the reading room and then followed, ready to give a gentle push if she faltered. She made it up the stairs a little out of breath but otherwise okay.
“Belle’s room?” Monty asked, with a quick glance over his shoulder.
“Yep. The sheets have been changed, so it’s all good.”
Monty dropped the suitcase in Belle’s bedroom, then stood aside as Mrs. Rankin waddled in. “Do you mind if I lie down for a while? It’s a bit stressful.”
“Sure,” I said. “But ring your sister first, just in case.”
She nodded and tugged her phone out of her pocket.
Monty glanced at me. “Will you be okay here alone?”
I half smiled. “Of course I will. Nothing is getting into this place unannounced. Not even a gnat.”
“I know, it’s just—” He hesitated. “I’ve got this feeling that now we’ve proven able to counter her creature—”
“Counter, not kill,” I cut in. “Big difference.”
“In the long run, I doubt it’ll matter, especially when neither of them got the satisfaction of a kill this time.”
“The hone-onna didn’t want this kill.”
He raised an eyebrow. “She’s a dark spirit. They always want the kill.”
“Not kids—not even unborn ones.” I waved a hand. “Sorry, please do go on.”
Amusement lurked in his silver eyes at the mock formality in my tone. “I think she’ll intensify her efforts to kill everyone remaining on her list. Even if the hone-onna does continue to send us information, we can’t protect or reach everyone.”
“Perhaps, but the witch isn’t going to be doing anything for the next twelve hours or so, at least.” I might not know much about blood magic, but I had no doubt it, like most major spells, would take a serious toll on the practitioner’s body. “It’ll take time for her to recover from this casting.”
“In normal circumstances yes. This witch isn’t normal—I think that is becoming ever clearer.”
He headed down the stairs. I followed him. “The thing is, there’s nothing we can actually do about that until we find her altar.”
“I know. I just wish there was some way we could alert possible victims.”
“What, send out a reservation-wide warning?” I laughed at the thought. “Even if everyone did hear it, how many would actually admit to having an affair?”
“Well, none, but doing nothing is damnably frustrating.”
“Then imagine how our head ranger is feeling.”
He snorted. “Aiden is getting some much-needed thinking time. Let’s hope he’s using it wisely.”
“He undoubtedly is, but there’s absolutely no guarantee his decision will fall in my favor.”
“He’s a fucking fool if it doesn’t.”
I unlocked the back door and then gave him a quick, fierce hug. “Thank you. I appreciate the support.”
And would no doubt need it, whether it be sooner or later.
“You’re my favorite cousin,” he said, voice a little gruff. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“Hurt is a fact of life, and in this particular situation, it’s inescapable. And I knew that going in.”