Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(117)

“So I’m just supposed to believe you.” Jax poured himself another shot. “Perry, Perry, Perry. I’ve got three of my best men after Caleb,

they haven’t gotten shit. You waltz in here, a greenhorn, and expect me to believe you’ve done it.”

“I figured you’d send someone for the proof. I don’t particularly like toting around body parts.”

“Yeah, and now you’re going to tell us his body is halfway across Texas.”

“No. It’s less than a mile away.” He recited the address and mentioned the oak tree. Jax appeared doubtful. “If I send my man over there

and it’s gone, I’m gonna be pissed. If it’s not Caleb and you messed his face up just to try to fool me, I’m gonna be furious. You’ll end

up with a price on your head.” His smile was a threat.

Perry leaned back. “And if it’s there, and it’s him. What are you going to be?”

Jax stared. “I’ll be impressed. Then I’ll put you in charge of another job.”

*

Thursday evening Miranda sat at the kitchen table with Kylie and Della. She’d spent the last few days studying and learning to fight—without

her tattoo groove on—and clinging to the inner peace she’d found at the falls. She’d considered going back, but she hadn’t been called. So

she waited, albeit impatiently—with a mix of dread and anticipation—for the armadillo’s words to come true.

She would be told when to run.

Run away from everyone who made her feel safe. At times, she wanted to question this. Really, really wanted to question it.

She looked up. While she studied, her friends went through the books searching for a clue about tattooed witches with “mojo” as Della

described it.

Miranda considered how they’d feel when she ran away. They were going to be so mad. And Burnett. She didn’t even want to think about him. Or

Perry. He’d be devastated.

Her sinuses stung. Swallowing the need to cry, she spoke up. “I’ve finished the math section.” She nudged the SAT study guide away. Right

now she wished they offered one on faith, because she felt weak on it.

“You want me to question you over it?” Della asked.

“No. I’m done.” Miranda hesitated. “Can I ask something?”

“I’ve already explained this. A boy has a ding-a-ling, the girl a vajayjay,” Della teased.

Miranda rolled her eyes, not in the mood for humor. She had to find a way to ask it vaguely without saying too much. “If you get a message, or

a feeling, from the falls, could it be bad?”

“Sometimes what they tell you hurts,” Kylie said. “But generally it’s—”

“No, I don’t mean bad like sad. I mean bad advice.”

“No,” Kylie said, empathy painting her words. “You ready to talk about what happened in the falls?”

“No. Still mulling things over.”

“If that was me mulling, you’d get pissed,” Della said.

“Sorry.” Miranda stood. “I should get ready.”

“For what?” Della asked. “Is Perry coming again?”

“Yeah. I want to shower.” And talk to Tabitha.

The armadillo hadn’t defined which talents she got from the mystic side. But since Tabitha’s text seemed to imply she could hear her,

Miranda, counting on it, had been talking to her every thirty minutes or so.

Miranda spoke to her sister as if she were sitting beside her. Promising that she would come there soon.

As she stepped into the shower, a wisp of steam rose, and Miranda couldn’t help but think of the ghost and bloody messages. Fear traveled up

her spine like a spider. She stood naked and determined, holding on to her last bit of courage. The last message had saved Anthony. If the

ghost needed Miranda to help save anyone else, she’d hear her out.

*

At six o’clock on Thursday evening, Perry walked through the Shadow Falls gate. Burnett and Holiday were both there in her office.

“What happened?” Burnett asked, already waiting for him.

Nodding at Holiday, who was positioned behind her desk while Burnett sat on the edge of it, Perry walked into the office and shut the door.

They both stared with eyes round with worry.

“Did something go wrong?” Burnett spoke first.

“Not really,” he said. But then there was the fact that he’d had to see Caleb’s severed head tossed on Jax’s table. And in Perry’s mind,

the image kept appearing. He looked at the dirty pillowcase he held, not knowing where to start.

“Then what is it?” Holiday asked. “You’re upset, I can feel it.”

“Two things,” Perry said. “Jax gave me another job.”

Burnett stood up from the desk. “You got Tabitha’s whereabouts?”

“No, I tried. He wasn’t opening up about that. He wants me to find his son.”

“He’s not getting him!” Holiday seethed.

Perry looked at her. “I’d die before letting that happen. But just because he put me on this case, doesn’t mean he won’t put others on it.