Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto

Author:Michelle Modesto
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2015-12-07T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Four

From across the room Westie watched Alistair and Nigel argue. Alistair’s face turned red as he maniacally pointed a finger in Nigel’s face.

“He looks mad,” James observed with a hint of amusement.

“I’ll say.”

By the curious looks on the faces around her, Westie could tell the guests wished they could hear what was being said. The band had become the runner-up in entertainment. Westie looked toward the kitchen. While everyone was distracted by the argument, Bena slipped out of the kitchen into the great room, prowling like a cat without anyone noticing.

Westie held her breath as Bena slid her hand into Lavina’s handbag. There was no going back now.

She glanced back as Alistair put his hands down and stalked out of the room. When she looked toward Bena again, she was gone. Westie’s breath burst from her lungs.

After the meal, the dancing resumed. Ignoring the sneering crowd, Westie danced with the Wintu men. They didn’t know any proper dances so they just made it up as they went, and Westie enjoyed trying to keep up with them. She also danced with James twice. Afterward she found the sheriff and was curious about what had happened with Nadia.

He was dancing with his wife when she approached. “May I have this dance?” she asked.

The sheriff muttered a curse. “Must I?”

His wife hit him in the arm. “Don’t be rude,” she scolded. It was clear who the authority was in the relationship.

The sheriff, with the face of a man caught in the rain, took Westie by the hand. As they danced, Westie said, “Have you found anything concerning Nadia’s attacker?”

He looked away from her, toward the crowd. “Not yet.”

“I know you won’t believe me, but there are still cannibals out there, and I think Nadia was attacked by one.”

The sheriff made an exaggerated noise of annoyance. “Not this again.”

Westie held a hand up, trying to sound reasonable instead of nettlesome. “I don’t blame you for not trusting me. Back when I accused that man of being a cannibal, I wasn’t in my right mind. But I’m sober now. You don’t have to believe me, but can you please just keep an eye out?”

“I’ll tell you what. I’ll look further into Nadia’s case as long as you stay out of it.”

“Deal!” Westie kissed his cheek, hardly able to contain her excitement. Perhaps if he pushed Nadia further, she might remember details that would lead the sheriff to Lavina. It was more than she’d expected to get. With a grumble he went back to his wife.

On her way back to the table, Nigel approached her with a man she didn’t recognize.

“Westie,” Nigel said, “I’d like to introduce you to my banker from Sacramento, Amos Little.”

The man had a white slick of hair on his head, a matching mustache, and a stature befitting his name.

“How do you do?” Westie said, still glowing from her conversation with the sheriff.

“Oh, fine,” he said, all smiles until the mayor walked by. The two of them stared each other down like two dogs with their ears pinned back.

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