Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(22)

Shawn, knowing you could get more flies with honey, smiled. Normally, his smile alone could put people at ease, but when her expression didn’t

relax, he cast a minuscule spell, settling the woman’s nerves.

“I totally understand, Mrs. Crow. And I promise to be quick. Do you have an office? Maybe you’d like to sit down.”

She nodded. “But quick.”

“I promise.” A minute later, he had the elderly woman settled behind her desk. She spotted a photo that held an image of her and a man.

Concern filled her eyes. She touched the frame and appeared to say a silent prayer.

Shawn got her a drink of water and dropped into the chair across the desk.

Between sips of water, she told him what occurred. Honesty resonated from her voice. Or it had until she answered his question of who all had

been working in the store at the time of the robbery.

That’s when her tone shot up an octave higher, and she glanced away from him to the left.

Shawn, envious of his fellow vampire agents’ ability to detect a lie, had made a mission of studying human behavior to recognize a mistruth.

While his method wasn’t as reliable as hearing someone’s heart rate, he seldom missed a falsehood. Why was this old lady lying?

“Can I go now?” She stared back at the picture.

“Mrs. Crow. Look at me.” Her eyes met his. “I’ll let you go as soon as you tell me why you’re lying to me.”

*

Holiday, the school leader, came walking into the hospital room at the same time Della shot out. Miranda hadn’t even set her phone down after

calling Burnett and telling him about the armadillo when Holiday started asking questions.

“What’s the deal with the armadillo?” Holiday pressed. The redhead was soft-spoken and caring, but when she asked something, she wanted

answers.

“The witch had one chained up. Miranda freed it,” Tabitha answered.

Another crease of worry etched in Holiday’s forehead.

“I don’t think it wants to hurt us,” Miranda blurted out.

“We don’t know that for sure,” Tabitha said.

“I do. Kind of,” Miranda added. “It was the armadillo who woke me up when the smoke was coming right at us. And when things started

happening in the room, the armadillo scurried to the door and then just stood there, like … trying to say we needed to go.”

“So you don’t think it was a real armadillo?” Tabitha asked.

“Why would she chain a real armadillo?” Miranda asked.

“To keep it from running away,” Tabitha offered, but her tone said she didn’t believe it.

“What do you think the armadillo wants?” Holiday asked Miranda.

“I don’t know,” Miranda said.

The room went silent. Miranda’s thoughts traveled back to Perry … in danger. She looked at Holiday. “What’s going on with Perry?”

The fae frowned. “I … I don’t know…” Guilt pulled at her expression. “Everything.”

“What do you know? Is he hurt?”

Holiday twisted her hair as if considering her answer. “I don’t know if I’m allowed … You should ask Burnett.”

That made it sound bad. “Is he on a mission or something? Burnett told me Perry was with his parents.”

The fae’s expression flinched. “He was.”

“Then why would Kylie and Della need to check on him?”

The door slammed open. Burnett walked in.

“Did you find it?” Tabitha asked.

“No.” Frustration tightened the man’s eyes. “We’ve checked everywhere. It got away.” He groaned. “You didn’t see it in here at all?”

“No,” Miranda and Tabitha said at the same time.

“How could it have gotten away without being seen?” Holiday asked.

“Hell if I know,” Burnett answered. “There’re three exits out of the hospital and we had them covered immediately. Armadillos aren’t what

you would call fast!”

“Maybe it’s a shape-shifter,” Tabitha said, then stiffened a little as if Burnett’s presence scared her. Miranda understood. Burnett, tall,

dark, and slightly gruff, could be intimidating—if you didn’t know him.

The vampire stood like a rock, as if considering her statement. His presence seemed too loud for the small room. He finally let go of a low

growl. Holiday walked to her husband and offered him a touch, no doubt to calm him.

He turned his focus on Miranda. “If it was a shifter how could it have been imprisoned at that house like you thought it was?”

“A curse maybe?” Tabitha offered the obvious that wouldn’t be obvious to a vampire.

Burnett swiped a hand over his eyes, eyes bright gold with frustration. “But if it could shift to get out of here, why not shift into

something less noticeable while it was here walking around the hospital?”

Miranda looked at Tabitha to see if she might offer some insight. Her sister appeared as clueless as Miranda felt.

Burnett let go of a puff of air.

Holiday spoke up again. “Miranda thinks it’s possible that the armadillo saved their lives. She doesn’t think it’s trying to hurt them.”