Pennies for the Ferryman - 01 (45 page)

“You need to be careful. I’m going to be so worried about you!”

“Go have fun in Europe. Enjoy yourself. Vincent’s lending me Amos Sweet and I’ll be fine. Silas is coming along and Pastor Duncan’s lending me his Cadillac.” The loaner came with a string or two attached, but I agreed to a few stops along the way.

“What if you do that thing with the light again? What if no one’s there to help you?”

“I’ve got no intentions of doing that anytime in the near future.”

Jenny shook her head. “That doesn’t sound reassuring.”

She found the need to hug me again. I enjoyed it and whispered in her ear. “Keep this up and people are going to start thinking you’re my girlfriend.”

Jenny laughed and pulled tighter. I leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips.

At least it started as a peck; twenty seconds later she pulled back with the widest eyes I’d ever seen. “Mike! That! We shouldn’t … Mike! What was that all about?”

The poor thing was confused and I’ll freely admit that I was as well, but I definitely got some tongue that time. I smiled roguishly. “I’m not sure. Wanna try it again?”

The eyes got even wider. “No! We can’t! I’m with Carleton.”

“Well then make sure Chaz treats you right.”

She looked even more panicked than the scene in Baltimore. “Mike, I’ve got to go. Bye! Have a safe trip. Email me.”

I appreciated her retreating form with a stupid grin on my face before slowly starting after her. The surprise I felt could’ve easily matched hers, but I was more equipped to roll with the changes.

Humming a bar or two of that REO Speedwagon classic, I headed back to my party. The next day, Amos Sweet, Brother Silas, and I would hit the road. There was probably a bad joke in there somewhere. On the way, I’d swing through Texas to look up Sonya Hodges with the hopes of finding Cassandra there. Between her and the one that snatched my father, that was two Skinwalkers who’d crossed me and I was going to get some payback.