Page 19 of Woods of the Raven

“I’m getting a car,” Delia announced. “I’ll pick her up. Honestly, even if we weren’t friends, I’d still offer. No one should have to be dropped off in a police SUV.”

Clearly, it was a fate worse than death.

“It doesn’t help that he’s a grouch,” Cass continued. “I mean, he’s not like the beloved small-town police chief from all the Hallmark movies. He’s new here, and people have no idea what to make of him.”

That part was probably true.

“And you’ve met him. You know he’s not great with people. His voice gets sharp sometimes, and because he’s big and he’s got all those muscles, I think he scares them.”

“Does he scare you?”

“What? No.”

I nodded. “And your mother? Did he scare her?”

“Are you kidding? Oh my God, no. She was crazy about him. She used to tell my dad that if she’d met Uncle Lorne first, she would have married him instead.”

I smiled.

“She was kidding, of course, because if you could have seen them, my folks, together, you’d get it. They were relationship goals all the way.”

“Same with mine,” Delia said with a sigh. “They were really in love. It was so embarrassing, but I’m so glad I have lots of videos of them being all lovey-dovey.”

“I’m glad you do,” I told her.

“But yeah, my mom loved Uncle Lorne.”

“So there must be something to the man.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, giving me a faint smile.

“And you already said he takes good care of you and made sure you got the help you needed as soon as you moved here.”

“True.”

“Perhaps,” I said, grinning at her, “what with your mother loving him and him being a good guy, maybe you can try and see beyond the grouchy, growly surface to the man underneath and realize that all that surface stuff is just bluster.”

“Bluster?”

“Yeah. His outer shell is prickly, but inside he’s gooey and soft.”

“There is nothing soft and gooey about Uncle Lorne,” she said firmly.

“And yet.” I gave her a pointed look, and added, “Yes?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Think about your mom the next time you see him.”

She nodded.

“All right,” I said, my focus back on Delia. “So your aunt and uncle got you out of the hospital?”

“Oh yeah,” she said, smiling. “Uncle Troy was breathing fire that day. He got me out and drove to the house of the aunt and uncle I’d been staying with, and Aunt Rita met us there. They got all my stuff, and that was it. We were gone.”

“For good reason.”

“Yeah,” she whispered, and I could tell she was remembering the day and how amazing Rita and Troy had been.