Hollow Beasts by Valdés Alisa Lynn

Author:Valdés, Alisa Lynn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2023-04-01T00:00:00+00:00

As Jodi told Ashley, as discreetly as she could, what she knew about the Zebulon Boys, Lyle Daggett nursed his second whiskey, neat, Jameson. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop through the fireplace, but his years in the military had made him acutely aware of all the conversations around him at any given time, and what they said interested him—as did the older of the two women, herself. He indulged in a third glass, and once he heard that the to-go order Jodi placed was ready, and then the scooting of the women’s chairs across the floor as they stood up to end their meeting, he pulled out a fifty and left it on the counter. Topping himself with his hat, and lowering it in such a way that no one would be tempted to try to stop and chat with him, he followed them to the door. As Jodi held it open for the deputy, she noticed him just behind her, shrugging into his jacket. He acted surprised to see her too.

“Wish I’d known I was going to see you,” she said. “I saved some backstrap and tenderloin for you, deer I got on the job. A thank-you for the veggies, which were great. Have you met the new deputy?”

“I haven’t had the pleasure,” he said, removing his hat again, in the vestibule. Jodi introduced them, and they shook hands. Ashley was just getting called out on a car accident and apologized for rushing, but she had to leave. Lyle stepped forward and took Jodi’s place holding the door as the rain came down outside.

“Before you head out,” he said, “I wanted to see if you had some time to spare, to stop by my place real quick.”

She eyed him suspiciously, like maybe he’d suggested something untoward. “How much have you had to drink, exactly, Lyle?”

“Not enough to do something as stupid as you think I’m doing,” he said. He looked outside to make sure Ashley was gone, and when her cruiser drove past, he came closer. “I overheard you two talking about the Zebulon Boys. I think I have one of them trapped up at my place.”

Jodi’s eyes widened. “You what, now?” she asked.

“I can keep him as long as you like, but I think it might be nice if you came and had a chat with him.”

Jodi looked at the white plastic bag of takeout and sighed. “I need to get this back to my kid and my brother before it gets cold,” she said. “But if you’re sure you can hang on to him, I could swing by in the morning.”

“That’s fine,” he said. “He was wearing out his welcome, though. It’s why I ended up here. But I’m glad I did.”

Jodi gave him a strange look. “When you say you have him trapped, what do you mean, exactly?”

Lyle capped himself with his hat again, grinned in a charming sort of way, and turned the collar of his jacket up against the rain he was about to walk into, without an umbrella.

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