Tempting the Light: Legends and Myths Police Squad (L.A.M.P.S. Book 1) (17 page)

Chapter 25

River picked up a half dozen fresh donuts and two cups of vanilla cappuccino on his way to the pet store. He reached over and rubbed Hercules’s soft tan fur. “Ready to go visit Abby, big guy?” The huge dog’s tail wagged and banged against the dashboard of the squad car. He hung his massive head out the passenger window, drool spattering across the side of the vehicle.

The sun shone brighter than usual with brilliant oranges and pink hues. River suspected it was because he was on his way to visit Abby.

The night before, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He loved that she wore no makeup. Her natural beauty was undeniable. He loved the way she used her fork to poke at her food before she ate, as if she were testing it to make sure it wasn’t alive. He loved how when he’d ask her a question that flustered her, she always blinked several times before she swiped her lip balm across her lips. The aroma of cherries was his new favorite smell.

He pulled the squad car into a parking spot in front of the store. When he entered, Abby was working the cash register, waiting on a woman and small child who held a medium-sized wriggling black puppy. River plastered on his pleasant, friendly smile as they walked by.

“I see another puppy found a home.” River set the box of donuts on the front counter along with the coffee. “I’ll be right back.” He went back to the car to retrieve Hercules.

Hercules jumped on the glass shop window, leaving a jowl full of doggy slime smeared across it before River could get the door open. Hercules ran inside, his tail a weapon, smacking anything in three-foot-high radius, knocked some of the collars off a display.

Abby reached down and scratched him behind his big, dark floppy ears. “Hey, Hercules. Have you talked your daddy into buying you another new toy?”

A large pink tongue licked her across the face. River pulled back on the leash to control the mastiff.

“That’s enough, big guy. She doesn’t need a bath.” He glanced over at the drool trail on Abby’s chin. “I’m sorry. He gets so excited when we come in here.” Grabbing a tissue off the counter, he wiped her face.

“That’s okay. It’s just doggy kisses.” Abby flashed a love-is-puppies smile and gave Hercules a kiss on his massive head.

“I brought donuts and coffee. Would you like some?” He opened the box of donuts and handed her a paper cup with steam pouring out of the slit in the plastic lid.

“This is great. Thank you.” She picked out a chocolate frosted cake donut from the box and took a bite. Brown frosting smeared on her cheek.

More than anything, River wanted to lick the frosting from her face, but wouldn’t dare try. He pointed to his cheek in the spot that mirrored the smudge. “You have some frosting right here.”

She blushed a pinkish flush, pulled out a napkin, and wiped off the frosting. “Oh jeez, I swear, I wear more food than I get in my mouth.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “I think it’s cute.”

Big brown eyes blinked three times at him, and he thought he caught a glimmer of affection deep inside. As fast as the gleam appeared, it disappeared. She broke the contact when she looked away to the door and stared at nothing.

“So, what new toy would you suggest I buy for this guy?”

“We got in some new indestructible toys.” She strolled down the dog toy aisle, pointing at different rubber and rope ensembles. “This one is made from a fire hose with a plastic bottle inside so when he bites down it makes crunch noises.” She squeezed the red and black toy to demonstrate, then passed it to River to try.

Hercules’s ears perked when he heard the crinkle noise. The massive dog leaped up and placed his paws on River’s chest. “Do you want this one?”

The long tail swished back and forth like a whip.

“I guess we’ll take it.” He pushed the dog off his chest with gentle hands and patted the large pup’s back end. He handed the toy back to Abby.

“Great. Do you want me to take it out of the package?”

“That would be great. Thank you.”

With her scissors, she cut the plastic threads that held the cardboard on top. “It seems these packages are getting harder and harder to open.

“Here, let me try.” He took the dull scissors and freed the toy.

Hercules bounced up and snatched his treasure from his hands then ran to the back of the shop to give it a test.

“Looks like he couldn’t wait.” Abby let out a musical laugh that struck a song in River’s heart.

He loved her laugh. It reminded him of Tinkerbell, and he wished he could hear it more often. “Listen, I really want to make this work.” He leaned in closer and lifted a curl away from her eyelashes.

He could practically see the question marks appear on her face.

“Us work,” he said, to clarify his earlier statement. He inhaled a big deep breath.

One shake of her head. “I don’t think so. Not right now.” A saddened tone tinged her words, but the last part was firm. Her fingers shook just a bit before she grabbed the counter.

“I want to protect you, but I can’t without being close to you.” He sounded like a lovesick ninny.

“I can protect myself. So can Pepper.” She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her chin upward. That was his Abby. Full of spunk and fire, but stubborn as a swamp beast.

“It won’t be long before we catch the Gnome and the Jersey Devil,” he reassured her.

Her face dropped its pinkish hue and turned a pasty white.
Was she scared?

“Either Ottar or I will be staying at the barn until we do.” More reassurance. River observed her body language. That didn’t seem to satisfy her whatsoever.

She backed away from him and touched her lips, then puckered them to the side for a moment. “Pepper said you plan to kill them. Is that true?”

“No. We still have to capture the Gnome but have orders to kill the Jersey Devil.” He stepped closer to Abby.

“B—but the Jersey Devil hasn’t hurt anyone.” She backed up three more steps and rubbed her nose, then swatted some stray hairs from her face.

River crossed his arms. “We don’t know that for sure. We haven’t seen any evidence of the Devil in the area, so the creature may have moved on. Be assured, if it shows up—we’ll get the beast.”

She gave one small dismissing nod. “Thank you for the coffee and donuts but I have a lot to do today. I told Pepper I would start inventory today.” Fright and sadness was all River could pull from her voice. She wouldn’t even look at him now. What the heck was up with her?

There was a lot more to Abby Fitzpatrick, and he wanted to tunnel through the rock-encrusted barriers she had carefully constructed and fortified. He wanted to dig deep into her soul so he could help heal what had been eating at her since the time he’d first met the woman.

He eased forward, laid his hand upon hers, and gazed into her warm brown eyes. “I can help you. You just have to let me in.” River cued his voice to tender and gentle so as not to alarm her.

Abby slipped her hand out from under his. “I’m sorry. I really must get this work done.” Hercules galloped to her from the back of the store. She hugged him around the neck. “Bye, you, big lug,” she said and walked behind the counter.

The dog had been his best investment yet. Not only was Hercules helping break down Abby’s walls, he was a great watch dog and companion.

“Come on, let’s get to work and go catch some monsters.”

The last thing Abby wanted to hear was how determined River was about capturing the Jersey Devil. Oh, she didn’t doubt he would succeed, but she didn’t need to hear about it.

She threw up a little in her mouth.

She ran to the back of the store to brush her teeth and use the bathroom. That’s when she knew all the stress had taken a toll on her body. Her cycle had begun.

Early.

A cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and her hands turned sticky and clammy. The chocolate donut twisted and churned in her stomach. Why couldn’t her period wait a couple more days?

She dashed to her phone. Thank goodness Pepper was on speed dial, because her fingers wouldn’t be able to punch the right numbers. Tonight would be the night she’d depend on Pepper to distract the men.

“Pepper. Oh God,” she blurted out when the ringing stopped.

“Hey. What’s-up, girlfriend?” Pepper’s playful demeanor came across with her answer.

“I got it. I got my period.” She paced up and down the aisles and then in circles.

Pepper whistled with her exhale. “Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said it could happen at any time.”

“Stress.” The evil of life, the accelerator of bad things, and early periods.

“Okay. First, calm down. I can practically hear you shaking and vibrating over the phone. Do you have your collar?”

She swallowed hard to clear the lump the size of a guinea pig stuck in her throat. “Yes.” The word sounded pitiful and weak when it escaped from her lips.

“Good. Put it on before you come home and make sure you have
plenty
of time before nightfall. You can leave early if you need to.”

“I will. How are you going to distract the guys?”

Pepper clucked her tongue. “I’ll think of something. Be safe, little buddy.”

Abby counted on Pepper to come through with a distraction, but she had no idea where to go for the turning event. Finding a place deep in the forest so the guys wouldn’t find her when she turned into the monster would be tough.

Stupid curse.

Stupid genie.

The package containing her grandmother’s journal should be on its way and arriving tomorrow. One day too late. And one day that certainly might seal her doom.

Abby sat behind the counter watching the second hand on the clock click around in the circle. The inventory had only taken her a fraction of the time she thought, and hardly anyone came in the store.

Only fifteen minutes more until closing time.

The door opened and in walked a husband and wife that were in their twenties. They held hands and nuzzled each other. She guessed them to be newlyweds.

“Good evening. How can I help you tonight?” She snuck another peek at the clock hoping whatever they needed wouldn’t take very long.

“We’re here to adopt a puppy. My wife came in a couple days ago and fell in love with one. Is the black and white poodle mix still available?” The husband wrapped his arm around the pretty brown haired woman’s waist.

“Yes, she’s still here. Have you filled out the adoption application yet? Adopting a puppy is a big responsibility.” Abby didn’t want to change their minds, but she needed them to understand adopting a dog was for the life of the dog, and not until they grew tired of it.

“I didn’t know we had to apply.” The wife answered. Her brows pinched together.

Abby pulled out the three page typed application and a pen from under the counter. “You just need to fill in all the blanks. Please take your time and make sure you answer all the questions. Pepper, the owner of the store, will call your references and the vet you listed to check them before the application is approved.”

The couple shot a leery look at each other.

“It’s for the puppy’s safety, and to make sure she’ll fit into your lifestyle.”

“I understand,” the woman replied, reaching for the papers.

“Great. Here’s a pen.” Abby handed over a pen hoping the couple would hurry through the paperwork.

The clock’s second hand ticked and ticked and ticked. It was almost eight in the evening. The sun would set in less than an hour.

The couple finally finished after numerous cell phone checks for reference phone numbers. Excitement filled their expressions when they handed the application back to her.

“Have you thought of a name yet?” She asked, to be friendly.

“We thought about Coco, but wanted to see more of her personality first,” the man said.

“Coco is a wonderful name.” She herded the couple closer to the door.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

“Can we see her tonight?”
Of course they had to ask.

“Yes, but I have an appointment. I need to get going soon, so you’ll have to keep it short.”

Fifteen precious minutes went by before she could usher them out the door and flip the closed sign.

Abby draped the pink camera collar around her neck. The rectangular box which contained the camera hung an inch above her breasts, allowing plenty of room for her neck to grow when she turned into the Jersey Devil. Surprised at the light weight, she pulled at the clasp to make sure the contraption was secure. She grabbed her purse and keys and bolted out the door. She turned the key in her Chevy Cavalier’s ignition and the vehicle cranked. And cranked.

And cranked.

Damn.

A light green mist disappeared into the front grille of the car. The hair on her back performed the wave. The last time she thought she saw a green mist, that freaking genie appeared.

Only twenty minutes until sundown and the moon rises.

She called Pepper. No answer.

Double damn.

She tried a taxi company. The only taxi company in the area said it would be over a half-hour before they could pick her up.

The thick bitter taste of stomach acid seeped up her throat. A twenty-minute walk was her only choice. The only good thing was she would have to walk past the forest on her way home. She could change in somewhere deep in the woods if she ran out of time.