Under the Moon (Goddesses Rising) - By Natalie J. Damschroder Page 0,71
she set his dog on fire.”
Chloe gasped.
“Don’t worry,” Quinn said. “It didn’t touch the dog. But since the dog sounded like he was roaring something like, ‘Leave her alone or the wrath of Khan will crash upon you!’ it was quite effective.”
“I didn’t know you were so much fun!” Chloe reached to spear a slice of pineapple from a plate. “Tell me more.”
They swapped stories for hours, laughing until they cried. At dinnertime, they ordered pizza for a late lunch and sat in chaise recliners on the back porch to wait for the delivery.
“In your e-mail, you said something weird happened,” Quinn reminded Chloe. It had been in the back of her mind all day, but they’d both needed the interlude, and she’d instinctively known asking would ruin their happiness, however momentary it was. She was sorry to bring it up now, especially when a frown replaced Chloe’s relaxed expression.
“A security team came to interview me after I was leeched. A few times. I guess as they compiled more information, there was always more to find.”
“That’s logical,” Quinn said.
“Yeah, but the last time, a few days ago, they sent one guy to talk to me, and he asked a bunch of questions about you.”
Quinn wished she felt more surprised. The dread their interlude had held at bay came creeping back.
“What kind of questions?” Sam asked.
“Weird ones. Like, how long have I known you, have I met your family, do you have a boyfriend, stuff that made no sense.”
Sam looked grim. Quinn figured he was thinking the same thing she was—the Society’s suspicions went beyond “family ties.” It sounded like they thought she’d created the leech. Had they sent the security team after her yet? They’d been on the road, and therefore hard to find. She had to get to Maine before they caught up to her. She checked her watch, a little shocked at how many hours had passed. They hadn’t heard from Nick all day.
A horn honked out front, and Sam got up. “I’ll go pay the driver.”
“You’re so lucky,” Chloe said as he rounded the corner of the house. “He’s so devoted to you.”
Quinn nodded sadly. “I know.”
Chloe leaned forward and put her hand on Quinn’s arm. “Sweetie, I’m sorry. I said something wrong, didn’t I?”
“Not really. It’s true.”
“But there’s Nick.”
Quinn sighed. “There’s always Nick.”
“Always, and yet never.”
“That about sums it up.” She stared out over the water. Amazing how she’d thought her feelings for Nick were buried so deep no one else could ever have discerned them, yet everyone she talked to nailed their relationship in a few words.
“You know, not to put any blame on you or anything, but being jealous of you and Nick was part of the reason I hooked up with Adrian in the first place.”
Quinn jolted with recognition. “Adrian?” Ned said Marley was with a guy whose name began with an A.
“The leech. I have no idea if that’s his real name.”
“And you were—”
“Jealous of you and Nick, yeah.”
Quinn stifled a quick burst of resentment. From inside, she couldn’t see what there was to be jealous of. But someone on the outside might only see the friendship and assume it was more. And as complicated and painful as things were right now, it beat being betrayed and damaged by someone you cared about.
“I saw you at the last board meeting,” Chloe continued. “July, right, in Chicago? It was new moon, and he was with you. And you guys just work together. I was feeling lonely and spiteful and when this guy came up to me in the hotel bar—”
“Wait. You met him in the bar?” Quinn sat up, her feet hitting the floor. “At a Society board meeting?”
“Yeah. I saw him about once every two weeks after that, for a couple of days. He said he had to travel for work.”
Sam’s heavy tread sounded from the side of the cottage. As soon as he appeared, Quinn said, “Did you hear that?”
“Part of it.” He set the two boxes on the small, square plastic table between the two chaises. “Paper plates?”
“Cabinet next to the fridge, with the napkins. Thanks, doll.” Chloe flipped the first lid and the spicy aroma wafted out. She pried out a wedge of the broccoli-chicken pizza.
Sam went inside and came out a minute later with all the supplies. “So he was scouting at the meeting,” he said to Quinn. “I wonder if he’s been to other meetings. Chapters, maybe.”
“Might have been. Did you see him with anyone else?”