The Whispering Dead (Gravekeeper #1) - Darcy Coates Page 0,64

ask to keep the cat for one more night, but that was a selfish wish. It would be best for Daisy to move to her new home before she became attached to the cottage. “I don’t have a cat carrier.”

“She seems calm enough that I could probably just carry her.”

Keira nodded and approached the cat. Daisy roused and blinked up at her expectantly. Keira felt numb as she lifted the cat. “C’mon, Daisy. You’re getting a permanent home.”

She turned to give the little black creature to Mason, but she couldn’t bring herself to let go. Instead, she buried her face into Daisy’s fur. Purrs rumbled through her, intensely loud, and the cat licked at Keira’s ear. She finally forced herself to relax her hold. “Take good care of her.”

“I will. I promise.” Mason cradled the cat to his chest as concern clouded his face. “Keira—”

“I’m fine.” That was an atrocious lie. She felt as though her heart were being ripped out. “But you’d better take her now before I change my mind and try to smuggle her into my luggage.”

Mason’s smile was one of the saddest she’d ever seen. He seemed to want to say something. Instead he shook his head and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’ll be there to see you off tomorrow.”

“Thanks.”

She entered the cottage and shut the door but couldn’t stop herself from crossing to the window. Mason had his head bent as he walked toward the cemetery’s entrance. The small black cat peeked over his shoulder. Her ears pricked forward and her eyes stared, unblinking, until Keira had to slide below the window’s frame to escape the cat’s gaze.

Her brain knew she’d made the right choice, but nothing had ever felt so wrong.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Keira gave herself a solid hour to indulge in abject misery as she sat under the window, staring at the ceiling and blinking at threatening tears. Eventually, though, she was forced to admit she could afford only so much moping before becoming thoroughly sick of herself.

There wasn’t much left to clean in the cottage, but she made herself get up and go over the details regardless. She had to be at the train station early the following morning, and the last thing she wanted was to leave a dirty house as her parting gift to Adage. She scrubbed everything that was scrubbable, washed and restacked the dishes, folded the clothes she hadn’t worn, and packed the ones she would be taking into plastic bags. Then she collected her possessions to make sure none of them would be forgotten. Her assets didn’t amount to much: a handful of change left over from her shopping and the mysterious photograph showing the three unfamiliar figures.

At last, there was nothing more to do. She would make the bed the following morning, but the rest of the cottage was as clean as she could get it without investing in bleach and a vacuum.

It feels so empty without Daisy.

Keira slapped her cheeks to shake herself out of the threatening moroseness. C’mon, Keira. We already tried being miserable. It wasn’t very fun, was it? How about we do something productive instead?

That was easier said than done. She peered at the clock on the mantel. Ten thirty. Zoe had said she stayed up most nights, but there was always the risk she would go to bed early after what had happened at the general store. On the other hand, Keira needed to speak to her, and it needed to be at a time when the conversation wouldn’t be easily overheard by anyone else in her house.

Torn by indecision, Keira picked up the mobile Zoe had given her and paced the length of the cottage. She couldn’t afford to risk Zoe not answering. The town’s resident conspiracy theorist was vital to her plan. She crossed her fingers and hunted through the preset numbers. There were three: Mason’s, Constable Sanderson’s, and Zoe’s.

The phone had barely finished its second ring before it was answered by a breathlessly eager voice. “Keira! What happened? Did the men show up again? Government operatives? Aliens?”

“You wish.” Keira found herself laughing. Zoe’s fervor was a welcome relief from the despondency. “I was calling to ask a favor, actually.”

“After what you did to Gavin, I’d follow you to the ends of the earth.”

“Oh, okay. Well, this hopefully won’t be quite as inconvenient. Are you free tonight?”

“Always and forever, my sweet honey muffin.”

“Ew. Please don’t ever call me that again.”

Zoe’s cackling laugh blared over the phone. “Okay then, my