Black Cats and Bookshelves by Marski Renne

Author:Marski, Renne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I pulled into the Downes’ driveway a little after 9 pm. The lights were on inside, so I knew Mrs. Downes was home. As I approached, the front porch light flickered on – motion-censored like most houses these days. The ranch-style home had grey brick at the front. A large porch wrapped halfway around it. From the porch ceiling hung potted plants that Mrs. Downes had bought from my mom’s store.

I rang the doorbell, listening to the gonging and hoping she had some idea of what was going on.

When she opened the heavy door, her eyes were red-rimmed. Gone was the confident woman I’d grown up around. She looked a mess, her hair falling out of its perfect bun, her makeup running. She’d been wearing a peach suit with a ruffled white shirt, but the jacket was missing, and the shirt had black streaks of makeup on it. I took her hands and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry on my shoulder for a bit. Then, I led her inside and situated her on the couch, making sure she sat near the crackling fire. “Mrs. Downes, where’s your husband?” I hadn’t been around Mack’s dad much over the years, just for family dinners and such. He’d been quiet, reserved even, and never seemed to have much to say. Mack said he was always like that, just sitting and staring most of the time. Mack had a hard time bonding with him growing up.

“He went to take Donnie’s body back to his mother.” Mrs. Downes sniffled in between words, making them hard to understand. She pressed a handkerchief to her eyes, letting out a couple more sobs. “Poor Patsy. She loved that boy so much.”

“So, they did confirm it was Mack’s cousin?”

She nodded.

“And then they arrested him. Officer Hardy said the girl Mack claims to have met swears she never met him that day. Do you know Gabby Munez?”

Mrs. Downes frowned, pulling the handkerchief away from her face. “Gabby? Of course, I know Gabby. Her mother and I are good friends. We grew up together. She ended up mated to a wolf in another pack, so she moved, but we’ve kept in touch all this time. Gabby and Mack used to play together as children. Why would Gabby lie?” She sounded as confused as I felt.

“When was the last time Mack saw Gabby?” I knew I was grasping at straws, but if I could prove that Mack had met with her, he’d be released. I had three days to get him out of that jail cell so he could confront and fight Mark. Three days before his father had to do it and hopefully not lose.

“Oh, not for years. Gabby went off to college in the big city somewhere up north. She only recently moved back home. I didn’t realize it was her whom Mack had met up with.” Mrs. Downes paused, her face scrunched in confusion. “Why would he meet up with Gabby?”

“Mack said he was trying to see if she’d be a good fit as his Luna.

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