Lib Novel Page 66
“You’ve already seen it?” Sonya asked.
“Yeah, but if a film’s only worth watching once, it’s probably not much worth the first time.”
“Sounds like popcorn for dessert. Coffee, beer, Coke?” Cleo asked.
“Coke, thanks.”
“I’m with Trey on that,” Owen said.
“Popcorn, Cokes, and Indy.” Sonya nodded. “Sounds really good, and a little like giving somebody who deserves it a return punch in the face.”
They settled into the cushy seats with the dogs piled up on the floor for naps. Pye sprawled over the back of a seat to take hers.
When the movie ended, Sonya actually clapped. “The end of an era done really well. And such a good way to close out this strange and ultimately excellent day.”
“I’ve got an even better way,” Trey murmured in her ear.
“I sincerely hope so. And she didn’t make a peep.”
They trooped back upstairs to let the animals out for a last round, to deal with movie dishes.
Once more, all together, they walked upstairs. This time stopping on the second floor.
“See you in the morning. Either at three a.m. or,” Sonya added, “hopefully later.”
She waited until she and Trey reached her bedroom before turning to him. “So, what’s this even better way?” Then laughed when he scooped her up.
Sonya slept through the three o’clock hour, and all it brought. Trey saw her, Dobbs, as he’d expected to.
He hadn’t expected to see Owen, Jones beside him, standing on the lawn. Easing the doors open, Trey stepped out on the balcony.
“For fuck’s sake, Owen.”
“Wanted a closer look,” Owen called up, and watched as Dobbs jumped off the wall. “And to test a theory.”
“I’m coming down.”
“Yeah, meet you inside.”
While Sonya slept on, Trey pulled on pants. He went quietly out and down the stairs where Owen stood at a window in the front parlor.
“Looking for another bloody nose, or worse?”
“She didn’t see me. I wondered about that, so I set my phone for quarter to three.”
With a shake of his head, he grinned. “And son of a bitch if Clover didn’t come on with Sinatra’s version of that old song. Anyway. I went outside.”
He turned to Trey. “We’re heading toward a half moon, and you can smell spring. Air’s still got a bite at this hour, but you can smell it.
“I left the front door open, so I heard the clock, heard the piano start. Straight ‘Barbara Allen’ tonight. Then it changed out there.”
He stepped to the window, looked out at the seawall.
“Full moon, and I’d say late summer from the feel of it. There she was, Trey. Just poof, there she was. The way Sonya and Cleo said they saw her.”
“Facing the house.”
“Like that. But she didn’t see me. I’m standing right there, and Jones is growling. We saw her, but she didn’t see us. She turned around, and I heard her say her blood sealed the spell. You called down.”