Read Online Boneyard (The Thaumaturge Series Book 2) by Cal Matthews - Free Book Online

made an approving noise.
    “It’s the girl then?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper. “The other... witch?”
    “Yes,” I said, surprised. “How did you know that?”
    He shrugged. “I have a police scanner. The description seemed familiar.”
    “Oh,” I said and he eyed me speculatively.
    “I thought that you decided to let her go. When I left that night, those other folks were getting her ready to go to the hospital.”
    “It’s complicated.” I paused, searching for a way to explain without mentioning Leo. “She was dangerous,” I finished lamely, but he seemed to accept it.
    “I heard there was a cop at your trailer,” Scott said, bringing the cup back up to his mouth. “Do we need to worry?”
    I shook my head. “No. No, Chad’s a friend of mine.”
    “Metz?” Scott asked. “Chad Metz?”
    “Yeah, you know him?”
    He gave me a little shrug, one that meant that in such a small town, it was impossible not to at least recognize a name.
    “I know his dad,” Scott added. “How’d you know him?”
    “I... “ No reason to lie, but some things are more than habit. They’re instinct. “I helped him out. You know.”
    Scott nodded. He took another sip of his tea.
    “I’m going to take care of it,” I repeated. Behind me, Neil started up with something that sounded vaguely like the Allman Brothers.
    “You have her, then?” Scott asked, pitching his voice low.
    I looked out the window and into the dreary parking lot. My truck looked small compared to Scott’s shiny two ton. A few stray pieces of trash tumbled across the asphalt, swirling around with the dead leaves and wisps of snow.
    I gave a tiny nod. “It’s being handled,” I said finally.
    Scott pursed his lips. He set his cup down on the counter top and reached over to touch my hand.
    “I know you’re doing the best you can, son,” he said.
    I startled. My eyes snapped up to his. My throat tightened painfully and I had to swallow a few times. I blinked rapidly to quell the sudden threat of tears. I drew my hand back and gave him a grateful smile.
    “Thanks,” I said quietly.
    Scott took a deep breath in and then let it out. He picked up his tea, threw it back like it was a shot, and stood up.
    “So you call me, you hear?” he said. He slid his arms back into his coat.
    I looked at him, my eyebrows coming together.
    “For whatever you help you might need,” he clarified.
    “Maybe that’s not... “ I started but he shook his head.
    “Nope,” he said. “There’s no way in hell I’m sitting this out, Ebron. Do you understand? You call me .”
    “Yes, sir,” I said reflexively and he grinned.
    “Good boy. Take care of yourself, son. Thanks for the tea, that was tasty.”
    I smiled back weakly and gave him a little wave as he headed out the door.
     
    Dahlia showed up next, clomping in mid-afternoon, glowering at me and completely ignoring the warning look I gave her. Vaguely I wondered if she and Scott had planned it.
    “No,” she said, pointing a finger at me. “You're gonna talk to me.”
    I hadn't brought her tea this morning, ignoring both her calls and all her texts. Plus Cody hadn't gotten back to me yet and in general I felt like I needed someone to stage an intervention and save me from myself.
    “Just give me a second,” I growled at her, which made her set her jaw and plant her ass more firmly in the chair. I sighed and looked back at the pair of high school girls who couldn't decide if they wanted oolong or rooibos. They’d been poking around the shop for nearly half an hour already, cracking open jars to sniff the herbs and giggling over the bulk mistletoe.
    “You don't have lattes?” one of them asked.
    “Nope,” I deadpanned. She gave me a wary once over and crossed her arms.
    “Do you have hot chocolate?” the other asked.
    I did, but I shook my head no anyway. My left eye inexplicably twitched and the girl grimaced.
    “Have the white pear,” Dahlia told them, the hard line of her mouth