Page 54 of Ancient Obsession

“Yes, smart ass, but getting to and from the venue is more difficult in the rain.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Cody gave him a side-eye. “What else is going on? Oliver in more trouble?”

Dave couldn’t keep from sighing.

“I thought so. Was he arrested yet?”

“No!” Dave made a face. “Not exactly.”

“More questioning.” Cody nodded. “Yeah, that tracks. Lucia did that to Demmy and me all the time before she realized there are actual murderous monsters out there. They locate that missing mummy yet?”

“No. There’s been a second murder now, too, and a third person has gone missing.”

“Damn, Ollie goes all in on the creepy cases.”

“He never does anything halfway. It’s kind of a mess right now, and I don’t know what to do to help him.”

“I do.”

“I’m not leaving him or handing him over to the police, if that’s going to be your suggestion.”

Cody laughed quietly and bumped him again. “Fine, how about my third suggestion. Let’s go to dinner, the four of us. Demmy and I have been through this a lot, as you and Ollie know, and we can try to come up with a plan together.”

“Okay.” Dave considered the idea. “Some outside viewpoints on all of it would be helpful.”

“Great. I’ll talk to Demmy, but I know he’ll be happy to do it. Do you guys have any plans for tonight?”

“Not that I know of. Oliver’s not in class today, but he has a couple of papers due soon. I’ll talk to him when I get back to the apartment.”

“I’m thinking we go to Margie’s, someplace familiar.”

“Can’t go wrong with Margie’s.”

The seemingly ever-present knot between his shoulders loosened a bit. Dinner out and the chance to talk through the mystery with someone open to all potential explanations, spooky or not, might be just the thing they both needed.

Later that day, as Oliver drove them into town to meet Cody and Demetrius for dinner, Dave asked how his papers were coming along. Oliver made a seesaw motion with one hand.

“I’ve managed quite a bit on the assignment for my journalism course, but it needs some more work. I’m still trying to come up with an idea for my communications class.”

“Which one’s due first?”

“The journalism piece is due Wednesday. I need to come up with a social media plan for a struggling small business by Friday for my communications class.”

“Wow, cutting it close before the wedding.”

“I know.” Oliver took his hand and squeezed. “Thanks for agreeing to postponing the honeymoon.”

Dave kissed the back of Oliver’s hand. “Every day spent with you is a honeymoon.”

“Sweet talker.”

Dave’s chest tightened at the pink coloring Oliver’s cheeks. “It’s the truth.”

A spot opened up across the street from Margie’s, in front of a relatively new shop called Cryptid Keepsakes. Oliver slotted the EcoSport in easily, and Dave pushed several quarters into the meter.

“You expecting to be here that long?” Oliver asked as he watched.

“These two are planning our bachelor parties, and we get married the following Saturday. Plus, they want to talk with you about the mummy. Who knows how long it’s going to take.”