Shadow Silence (27 page)

His pack was tight-knit, and I wondered how they would feel about us marrying. He'd been married before once, but it'd been an arranged marriage. In fact, I realized Bryan didn't talk much about his family in the present tense.

“You look very far away,” Ellia said, and I realized that she was standing beside me.

“I was just thinking about Bryan's family and how they'll feel about me.”

“If they are traditionally oriented at all, they will accept you right in. The Tierney clan is well entrenched in the service of the Morrígan.” She smiled and her hand moved ever so slightly as if she was thinking of patting my shoulder. But years of practice kept her from doing so. “Everything will
be fine. And for what it's worth, I'm glad he asked you. It's soon, yes, but you two were made for each other. You are destined to be together I think, the same way your mother was destined to be with Avery. Only, we'll make certain your union turns out much happier.”

And with that, she returned to the buffet, and I shook off my doubts and worries. These were my people now, and they accepted me. And Bryan would be my husband, and everything would be okay.

T
he next morning, we all had mild hangovers from the champagne. Peggin headed off to work, as did Bryan. He promised to talk to Peggin's Realtor that day, and I was hoping that we could have matters finished and her out of her contract by nightfall.

I settled in at the table, espresso in hand, making my list for the day. I wanted to buy the tree and pick up some new ornaments to go with the ones I had found in the attic. I also decided to stop by the bakery and pick up an assortment of cookies for tonight. Prepackaged cookies just wouldn't do for a tree-trimming ceremony.

I put a load of clothes in the washer, noting that Peggin had cleaned up the laundry room. She had also taken it upon herself to clean the bathrooms and mop the floors. Agent H rubbed around my feet, purring as I filled the food dishes.

“Yeah, it's kind of nice to have someone else around here, isn't it? Pretty soon, we'll have Bryan around all the time.” All of a sudden I stopped, wondering where we were going
to live. His place or mine? While I liked his estate, it wasn't very cozy.

“Well, we'll just deal with that when it comes, won't we, little guy? We've got a while until the wedding anyway.” I scratched Agent H's head as he started noshing on the food. He let out a loud purr and then shook off my hand so he could concentrate on eating. Daphne and Gabby ran up, nudging him to the side so they could get at the food. I always gave them three bowls but they always gathered around one.
The cat food is always tastier in the other bowl.

After rinsing my cup, I leaned against the counter, staring outside. It had stopped snowing, but it was still cold and the snow had stuck. I had a feeling it was here for a few weeks at least. I had a sudden urge to drive up to Hurricane Ridge. Maybe we should buy snowshoes and take to the backcountry. But before that, I'd have to hit the gym a lot harder. I was in no shape for a long snowshoeing session.

Finally, deciding to get started for the day, I gathered my purse and keys, slipped into my jacket, and headed to my car. As I stared at the dents, I remembered I should stop in at the garage to have Niles see if there'd been any underlying damage that I couldn't see.

“The damned Ankou. It's bad enough dealing with ghosts, let alone the Shadow People.” At least nobody had died recently, and Ellia and I had had, for the most part, a bit of a rest. There were things I needed to do soon, but they could wait until after the holidays.

As I slid into the driver's seat and fastened my seat belt, I realized that I was slowly adapting to life back in Whisper Hollow.

*   *   *

I
headed to the store. I had been debating whether to buy a real tree or an artificial one, but I knew that if I brought a real tree into the house, the cats would go bananas. They would climb it and tip it over, given all three were each at
least eighteen pounds or more. Maine Coons were into everything, and they were smart.

I eased into a parking spot next to the door at Krugels, the local department store. For such a small town, the store was quite large, and they prided themselves on carrying just about anything from fabric to household goods to sports equipment. They had a surprisingly good selection of artificial trees, and I found one that was seven feet tall and looked real. It was American made, much to my surprise and delight. I also found a selection of delicate cat ornaments, twelve to a box. I added those to cart along with some sparkling glittery balls, garland, tinsel, and anything else that caught my eye. I deliberately avoided looking at the prices, not wanting to know how much I was spending.

Grandma Lila's ornaments were all in shades of blue and white and silver, so I decided to keep with the theme. I found little wooden birdhouse ornaments, as well as buri animals. A tiny snow village caught my eye, and then I picked up three boxes of chocolate-covered cherries, a tin of peppermint bark, and some holiday-themed paper plates and cups. For the first time in my life I was nesting, able to make my home feel like a
real
home to me

Of course, when I came to the checkout line, I went into sticker shock, but I handed over my credit card without comment and gratefully accepted help out to my car. My next stop was to pull through the drive-through window at Whidbey's Burgers. I ordered a double large cheeseburger, a mocha shake, and small fries. I was just easing into my driveway when I got a phone call. It was Peggin.

“Kerris, there's a fire! My house is on fire and everything I own is in there! I'm headed over there now. Can you please meet me?” She sounded frantic.

“Of course. I'll be there in five minutes. Don't get out of your car until I get there.” I grabbed a bite of the cheeseburger and a long sip of the shake, then eased back onto the road, wondering how the hell the fire had started. Everything
was wet and covered in snow, and unless somebody had broken in to torch the place, I couldn't figure out what had happened. The furnace was almost new, and the wiring was supposedly in decent condition.

*   *   *

I
arrived at the Foggy Downs subdivision before Peggin. The fire department was already there, and I could see that the house was fully engulfed in flames. I could already tell they wouldn't be able to save it. As I eased out of the car, finishing off my cheeseburger, I could only stare at the brilliant orange glow flickering against the sky. The fire marshal came over to talk to me.

“Are you Peggin Sanderson?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No, but she's on the way. She's been staying at my house the past few days. She just moved in.” I stared at the glowing flames. “We had an inspection done and they said that the furnace was new and the wiring looked pretty good. How did this start?”

“I have no idea; that will take an investigation to figure out. We got the call about fifteen minutes ago. By the time we arrived, the house was already burning at a good clip. My men are trying to control the fire so it doesn't catch into the woods but, honestly, I can't send them in there. Not unless I know there's somebody caught inside.”

I let out a long sigh. “Unless someone snuck in, there shouldn't be. I will say, there are a few ghosts hanging around though.” At his look I said, “I'm the spirit shaman. Kerris Fellwater.” I held out my hand and he shook it.

“I don't know if ghosts can start a fire. That's not my department. But something had to have happened. We haven't had any lightning for a while, and snow doesn't usually cause a fire. Not unless there's some electrical short and the water gets on it. As I said, we'll have to do a thorough investigation. I hope your friend has insurance. Where is she?”

“She works over at the hospital with Dr. Wallace.” I
paused as Peggin's car pulled into the driveway. “There she is now.”

She screeched to a stop and jumped out, running over to me. “Kerris!” She turned to look at the house, which was now fully engulfed in flames. “Oh my gods, I can't believe this.”

The smoke roared into the sky, turning black with soot. The smell of burning fabric and whatever chemicals might have been in the abandoned house drifted past, making my throat ache and my eyes water. The next moment, an explosion filled the air, blasting debris everywhere.

“Hell!” I grabbed Peggin and knelt close to the ground behind my car. The fire marshal joined us. A moment later, we could hear shouting as firemen raced around the house, and in the distance sirens roared, with another engine coming our way.

“What the hell just happened?” My ears were ringing as I struggled to get to my feet. I reached down and helped Peggin stand.

The fire marshal, shaking his head, staggered to his feet as well. “The furnace must have exploded. You need to back your cars out of this driveway before anything else happens.” He motioned for us to move our cars further back down the cul-de-sac.

When we were far enough away to be safe, Peggin and I walked back to where he was standing, staring at the flames that had pretty much incinerated most of the house. As we watched, the roof began to ripple and firemen raced out of the way as the roof imploded in on itself.

Peggin shook her head, speechless as she watched everything she owned vanish, eaten by the fire. “All my pictures and my journals and my desktop computer . . . They're all gone. Everything I own . . . all destroyed.”

I encircled her shoulders, leaning her against me as the flames gobbled what was left of the house, turning it into ash and charcoal. The firemen rushed this way and that, trying to control the burn so that it didn't get out of bounds.

I started to comfort her, to remind her that she was safe and her ferrets were safe, but then I realized that this wasn't the time for that. Peggin was watching everything she had collected and worked for go up in flames, and right now nothing I could say would make it better.

*   *   *

T
wo hours and a dozen conversations later, Peggin and I slowly turned away.

Clinton Brady had come across the street and finally dragged us back to the pub, where he plied us with fresh bread, and brandy. Sophia and the fire marshal joined us. He had been very curious as to why Peggin was staying with me, and I had the feeling we weren't done with him. Unless, of course, he found that it was an accident. Given the age of the house, that could easily be, but somehow things never seemed to work out as simply as we wanted them to.

Jack, Peggin's Realtor, burst through the doors just as we were finishing up our drinks.

“This is going to be a mess to sort out,” he said, staring at Peggin. He raised his voice just enough for the fire marshal to hear. “Especially since you wanted out of the deal. Why you had to sic your friend Bryan on me, I don't know. We could have talked this through.” His voice had a nasty edge. I had a sudden vision of him backstabbing Peggin so he wouldn't be stuck with the cost.

“Do you
really
have to do this now? Right now?
Seriously?
” Hands on my hips, I stood, exasperated with him.

“Yeah, well, now nobody has to deal with the house, but somebody's going to be stuck with the cost. I have the contract right here! You signed an option to buy the house.” He jabbed his finger against his briefcase, staring at her as he ignored me. “I know you wanted out. Well, I can let you off the hook for buying it—as long as you didn't torch it. But you still owe me a year's rent and you forfeit the three thousand.”

“
There's no house to rent.
If I owe you a year's rent, it's got to be on something that I could make use of!” Peggin was getting mad now, and so was I.

The fire marshal cleared his throat. “So she doesn't officially own the house yet?”

Peggin shook her head. “I optioned to buy it, but it's rent-to-own, so I had a year to decide. I already figured out that I didn't want to live there. I called Jack to see if we could work out some arrangement but he told me I couldn't get out of the option fee or the lease for a year.”

“What? Did you hate it so much that you decided to burn the fucking house down?” Yeah, Jack was playing hardball.

“What? I was
at work
when it caught on fire. I've been staying at Kerris's house the past couple days. I moved in Saturday, and that same day, the Lady almost took me down by the pier. So yeah, I decided it wasn't safe to stay there. But burn the house down? What good would that do me?” Peggin leaned across the table, glaring at Jack. I was afraid she was going to smack him across the face.

“Enough.” Sophia stepped in. “Jack, you'd better not make any accusations you aren't prepared to back up. We'll wait for the fire marshal's investigation before deciding anything. So you just keep your temper under control. That goes for you, too, Peggin. I don't want to hear anything about the two of you getting into any brawls or causing any trouble. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes ma'am,” Peggin said, sitting back down in her chair.

Jack just glared at Sophia but then gave her a grudging nod. “I hear you.”

And with that, Peggin and I headed back to my house. As we exited the Fogwhistle Pub's parking lot, we both took one last glance down the cul-de-sac toward the smoldering house. Luckily, no firemen had been hurt during the explosion—a minor miracle in itself. But I really didn't want to think about the cleanup ahead.

*   *   *

A
fter I got Peggin calmed down, which entailed sitting guard beside her while she took a long hot bath, I bundled her into her robe with another brandy, and we curled up on the sofa.

“You don't think I had anything to do with this, do you?” The hurt in her voice told me more than her words.

“Of course I don't. My money's on one of the ghosts. I know this is bad,” I added. “But you and Frith and Folly are safe. And you do have
some
clothes and your laptop. I know it's small consolation, but . . .” My voice died away. I wasn't exactly the best at comforting people.