Theodore (Xavier's Hatchlings #2) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,32

appetite for the last few days. All she could think about was how Stanley had looked at her and Pem. Even in the middle of the night, she’d see his eyes staring at her, and she just couldn’t shake the feeling that had she brought her gun with her, he would have tried to kill her.

Of course, her reasonable mind told her she didn’t have to worry about that. There wasn’t much of a chance she’d have gotten it inside. But her mind and heart just couldn’t deal with it. None of it, as a matter of fact.

“Grandma?” She smiled at Pem. “Are you all right? You look a little lost. Come on into the kitchen with me. The women are in there making tea and talking. I think they’re also eating. My goodness, they sure can put the food away. And not gain an ounce.”

“I’m not hungry.” She went with Pem into the kitchen and heard them laughing as soon as she entered. It wasn’t as if she didn’t want anyone to laugh, but MaryBeth just didn’t have much laughter in her today. Cindi pulled her over to where she was sitting and handed her a plate of fudge. “I can’t have this, honey. I’m a diabetic.”

“No, not anymore. Didn’t they tell you that?” They had, but she’d forgotten. “We’re having a debate on the flavors here. By the way, this was made with faerie magic, so you might just get a little bit of that buzz from it. Here, try this one. It’s called peony. I’ve never even heard of that flower until today. Go ahead, try it.”

MaryBeth sat down and picked up the small piece. “Oh, my goodness. It’s just like you’d think one would taste.” She was handed the raspberry one with a bit of honey. “I have always loved the taste of raspberries. This is good too. The little bit of honey makes me think of summer.”

MaryBeth ate what they handed her. It was all in small portions, very tiny little bites that would be just enough for her to answer their questions about whatever it was she was tasting. By the time she was finished with the treats, she realized what they’d done to her. Not sure what to say to them, she let it go. MaryBeth did feel a little better, having eaten something.

“I have to say how glad I am that you said something to that reporter. If you’d not, I certainly would have. He got off easy with you.” MaryBeth asked Wynter, another aunt of Theo’s, what she might have done to him. “He’d not be walking around well, that’s for sure. I just couldn’t believe he was asking you anything, much less about your grandsons, right then.”

“I couldn’t believe it either, to be honest with you. My heart was hurting enough as it was without that thing stuck up in my face.” She looked at Pem when she laughed a little. “Linda told me that she wished she could have been that brave as we were headed from the gravesite. Is there any more information on the others that were hurt?”

“They’re all going to be going home soon. A couple of the officers are going to need home care, and we’ve arranged that for them.” Winnie shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder what the hell this world is coming to. I don’t mean just those boys—something was wrong with the two of them—but people in general. I’m sure the autopsy they’re doing will show something was wrong with them rather than something wrong with the way they were raised. Not that I agree with talking to children when they need a good ass beating, but that’s just me. Kids are too free with the way they treat people if you ask me.”

“I saw a lady in the store yesterday with her two little ones. The older boy was tearing into loaves of bread and tossing the slices all over the store. His mother just stood there, telling him he wasn’t to act that way. That she was going to give him a time out when they got home.” Carson huffed. “I’d have given him a good bop on his ass and then made him clean the mess up.”

“No, you wouldn’t have. Your children wouldn’t have acted that way in the first place.” Grace said none of their kids would have. “It’s not that I’m against talking to your children about things they’re doing wrong. I mean, teaching them the