“Why not leave ‘em both and walk? It’s not even a mile.” Ethan closed and locked the back door. It muffled Hank, though.
They walked around the building on the side where the shed was. It was empty, dark, its door wide open. He glanced up at the motion sensing light. They were too close to the cantina to set it off.
“I got this,” Lily said. She walked toward the only plant on the lawn, an overgrown thorn bush. As soon as she got near it, the light came on. “Perfect.” She untied the scarf she’d used to cover her hair while painting and tied it to a thorn-covered branch. The breeze made it dance, which kept the motion detecting light on. “There.”
“So he thinks we’re still here, and doesn’t dare take his stuff before Will gets a chance to look it over,” Ethan said. “Meanwhile, just in case he sees through the ruse, we’re safe over at the Waterin’ Hole.”
“More or less,” she said,
“Maybe your brother isn’t the only genius in the family,” he said.
They went around front to Willow, who was waiting impatiently in her SUV. “Tonight would be nice,” she called.
“We’re fixin’ to walk,” Ethan said. “Such a nice night.”
“Get in, I’ll drive you.”
Ethan put a hand over his heart. “You don’t trust us?”
“Not as far as I can throw you,” Willow replied.
“Here, then.” He pulled out his phone and tapped, causing a whoosh sound. Then a Ping came from inside the SUV.
Willow glanced at her phone, which was in its holder on her dash. “Why’re you sharin’ your location with me?”
“So you can track us. Now, go get your Sherlock Holmes kit and git back here, will you? I want to know who this guy is.”
“I’ll do the best I can. You sure you don’t want me to call this in? Make it official tonight?” Willow asked.
He glanced Lily’s way, met her eyes. They shared a smile. “I’m sure.”
“I hope he’s okay,” Lily said. “Maybe you should check the hospitals and clinics, Willow.”
“Already on it,” she said. Then she looked at the stretch of pavement they’d be walking.
It was the entirety of downtown Mad Bull’s Bend. Just the other side of a one-lane bridge, lay the grocery store, drug store, all the fooderies, a bar, three used car lots, a pair of gas stations, a donut and coffee shop, and a library. It was lit up like a carnival, despite that most businesses were closed for the night. This was the one thing Ethan would change, if he could. He’d like to pick the cantina up and move it somewhere quieter. Like Quinn, and maybe not even in town. Probably wouldn’t get much business, though.
Lily didn’t clasp his hand, so he dropped it to his side and they started walking. He put himself between her and the traffic. Willow backed out of the driveway after they’d gone a ways, heading back in the other direction.
“She really doesn’t trust us,” Lily said.
“Me, not you, I’m sure.”
She looked behind them, then up into his face. “Okay, she’s out of sight. Let’s head back.”
He lowered his head, shaking it slowly. “Actually, I agree with our resident law woman on this. If I’d been thinkin’ straight, I wouldn’t’ve risked it to begin with.”
“Oh?”
They were passing a gas station-convenience store, which was open 24/7, but looked quiet as a tomb. You could see a young man inside with thick, dark hair. He sat behind the counter with his head tipped downward, scrolling his phone.
“So why weren’t you thinking straight, do you think?” Lily asked.
He glanced at her, frowning. “Sorry?”
“You said, if you’d been thinking straight, you wouldn’t’ve risked confronting our squatter. So why weren’t you in your right mind?”
“Oh.” He shrugged. “I don’t…I was uh…” He’d been excited about spending the night with her. But he couldn’t very well say that. “Hey, did I tell you? My manager called. The single’s droppin’ tomorrow.”
