Sleuth & Psychic (Keeley & Associates Book 7) by Layla Lawlor

Author:Layla Lawlor [Lawlor, Layla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-09-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

Genna tumbled out of the thicket as a squirrel, only to find herself tangled in something. She rolled over and over, thrashing and fighting with it, trying to bite it, but her teeth glanced off something hard and cold. She shifted back and sat up.

There was a black gemstone in a silver setting lying in her lap. The chain was what she'd been wrapped up in. Genna picked it up, glanced back once at the thrashing canes, and ran to the car and threw herself into the passenger seat. She locked the doors.

James had said to call Oz or Aliette, but she now realized that she didn't have their numbers. The car was ancient and the dashboard was just knobs, no touchscreens or anything, and therefore no hope of finding help that way. She did have the office number in her phone and decided to use that.

There was a hiss of static, a vaguely eerie sense of the hairs on the backs of her arms standing up, and then Dolly's voice said brightly, "Hi, Genna? What's up?"

Genna swallowed and reported as calmly as possible. "I think James is in trouble. I need to call Oz to help us for backup."

"Are you in danger now?" Dolly asked, switching into the cool tones of a 911 dispatcher.

"No. I'm locked in James's car. I don't think there's anything actually after me, just—he went in after the stone and I think there's a problem."

"I'll call Oz," Dolly said. "Please hold."

Genna waited with her knees drawn up to her chest and the phone tucked against her shoulder. Static crackled quietly, along with faint wailing and a general sense of distressing creepiness. Genna wondered if James knew how weird it was talking to Dolly over the phone.

She was still draped in James's jacket, much too big and too hot, especially with the car's top up. But she kept it on, wrapped around her like a form of armor.

"Genna?" Dolly's voice came back on. "I can't get through to Oz or Aliette. I also tried the unicorn, but he isn't answering either."

"So everyone's in trouble?" Genna's voice rose in a squeak.

"We don't know that. They may be busy, or perhaps not on this plane of reality at the moment."

"Oh, not on this plane of reality, perfectly normal."

Dolly laughed softly. "Why don't you stay where you are for a while, or leave for a safer place if you can. I'll send backup as soon as I'm able."

"Thank you," Genna said faintly.

She hung up and stared at her phone. It had been so nice to turn the problem over to a grown-up, but now it was back to her again. She tried to think who else to call. Her brother was the first person that came to mind, but she was old enough now to understand that Peter wasn't the pillar of strength and protection that he had seemed when she was small. Peter was a good big brother, but he was a college student and bat shifter; what could he do to help?

The police, maybe? She looked out the window at the rose canes.

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