Unspoken (Shadow Falls: After Dark #3)(59)

“Please,” Steve spit out. “I’m not ignorant enough to believe any deal I make with you could influence Della. And I respect her enough to not even try. She’ll make up her own mind who she wants to be with. You have no control over her decisions. And if you think you do, that just goes to show you don’t even know her.”

The words and the insinuation hit hard. “And you’ll respect her decision when she chooses me?” Chase asked.

“I’ll accept it. Just as I’m sure you will when she chooses me.”

“Nope.” Chase shook his head. “That’s where I differ from you. I’ll never stop fighting for her. You can believe it’s because I don’t respect her, but I think it’s because I love her more. Because I know with every cell of my being that she belongs with me.”

They stared at each other for several long, tense seconds, then Steve turned for the door. That’s when Chase realized Steve had never told him what he wanted. And damn it, he really didn’t like being beholden.

“If how I can repay you isn’t about Della, then what is it? Owing people’s not my thing.”

Steve took another step toward the door, then turned around. The remnants of anger still tightening his eyes told Chase that whatever the shape-shifter wanted, he wanted it badly—if not, he would have left.

“The ointment,” Steve said. “The one Della said her uncle invented. Would he be so inclined to share what’s in it?”

Chase felt his shoulders relax. “I’ll ask, but knowing Eddie, if he thinks it will save lives, he’ll say yes. It might be a while. At least until this mess is over.”

Steve looked ready to leave, but then spoke again, “You know, your opinion of Della’s uncle is higher than hers.”

“She doesn’t know him,” Chase said. “When she does, she’ll see.”

Steve shrugged. “For Della’s sake, I hope you’re right.”

As the guy walked out, Chase said, “Thank you.”

Steve kept walking but Chase heard his words. “You’re welcome. But I still don’t like your ass.”

*

“Perry feels terrible,” Miranda told Della as she dropped down on Della’s bed. Della had come back from Chase’s to read the DA’s file over and over. Hoping to find something that would help get her father off. Miranda’s footsteps on the porch had woken her from a dead sleep—only to face the dead.

Della could feel the fingers of cold getting closer.

“Did his cousin tell Burnett anything?” Della asked, looking around and hoping she was wrong.

“Perry said that Burnett hadn’t finished talking to him. He was called away on another case.”

Della tried to pay attention to the witch, but it was hard. She could hear Mrs. Chi in the living room. Here, kitty, kitty.

Socks came hauling butt into the room and jumped onto the bed.

“What’s wrong?” Miranda asked the cat and picked her up.

“Be careful,” Della warned. “She has sharp claws.”

“Don’t make her feel bad,” Miranda said. “She only scratched you because the dog was here.”

“Yeah,” Della said. “But she obviously doesn’t like ghosts either.”

Miranda’s hazel eyes widened. “Is there a ghost … here? Now?”

Della wanted to lie, for Miranda’s sake, but she saw the girl shiver. From the cold as well as fear, so she nodded.

“Oh, crap.” Miranda put the cat down.

Kitty. Kitty. Mrs. Chi’s voice echoed again. The eeriness of it caused fear to tiptoe down Della’s spine.

“Is it your aunt?” Miranda asked, and the witch’s breath sent a wisp of fog.

A thud sounded from the living room.

Socks flew off the mattress, hit the wall with a thump, twisted midair, then scrambled under Della’s bed.

If Della hadn’t been embarrassed, she’d have followed the cat.

Another thud sounded and Della turned her gaze to the door just as a bloody basketball rolled into the room.

Then Mrs. Chi appeared, looking lost and pathetic. Guilt chased away Della’s sense of fear. She’d been so worried about Chase and the DA’s file, she’d put her elderly neighbor out of her mind.

Mrs. Chi’s sad gaze met Della’s. Where’s Chester?

“That’s not Chester.”

“Who’s Chester,” Miranda asked.

“A cat,” Della answered, but didn’t take her eyes or heart away from Mrs. Chi.

“Your ghost is a cat?” Miranda hugged herself from the cold. “This is getting freakier and freakier.”

They did it again, Mrs. Chi said.

“Who did what again?” Della asked.

“Are you talking to a dead cat?” Miranda asked.

They hurt someone.

“Who did they hurt?” When the spirit didn’t answer, Della threw out another question. “Do you know the names of the guys who are doing this?” Della motioned for Miranda to be quiet.

No. The old woman looked down at the basketball. But I showed you.

“What did you show me?” Della asked.

You saw.

“What did I see?” Della stood up. “I didn’t see enough to help me stop these creeps.”