Witcher Upper - Amy Boyles Page 0,21

“Alas, I wish I did, but I do not.”

What the heck was up with his verbiage? Alas? Where did Rufus think he was from, England and this was high tea?

“Where will you stay?” Malene said.

Rufus pointed to the side of the barn. “From what I understand, there is a wonderful pile of straw just over there.”

Her eyes bugged out. “Near where the body was found?” She glared at me again. If Malene knew about Rufus, she would not have looked at me like that. “No, now I insist that we check you into the bed and breakfast in town. The water isn’t always the hottest, but they’ll do you right.”

Rufus shook his head. “No, no. I don’t have any money. I can’t pay for anything like that.”

“Once Julie discovers your condition, she won’t hear of you staying anywhere else. Besides, we’ll figure it out.” Malene pointed to her car. “Now, you come with me and I’ll get you all settled in. Julie owns a coffee shop downstairs, Bender’s, so after you wake up, you can have a coffee and pastry in her shop.”

“I admit,” he said, a lopsided grin on his face, “that does sound like heaven.”

“It’s all settled then,” Malene said with a smile before giving me the once-over. “The barn! As if you could let someone so discombobulated sleep there.”

“Oh, it wouldn’t have bothered me,” Rufus said jovially.

“Come with me then, Mr., er… I’m afraid that I don’t know what to call you.”

Rufus ran a hand through his hair sheepishly. “I’m afraid that I don’t know, either.”

“How about a nice simple name until you remember who you are? Something like John?”

Rufus said the word as if he were tasting it. “John. Sounds good enough.”

“Then it’s all settled. Clementine, you don’t mind if I take John to Julie’s, do you? That is, unless you have a proper barn you want him to sleep in?” she asked snidely.

“We’ll be right back.” I grabbed Malene by the arm and whisked her down the gravel path. When we were out of earshot, I said harshly, “Listen, Malene. You shouldn’t be nice to him.”

“Why ever not? He seems okay. Doesn’t have a memory. Clem, you’ve got to be kind to people when they’re all out of sorts. You can’t turn your back on them.”

You can if who they are is the worst thing imaginable. Part of me wanted to tell Malene, but that would mean discussing things that would turn Malene’s blue hair the color gray.

Malene patted my hand. “You can’t be helping him right now. You’re in mourning. Let me assist the young man. Besides, he’s quite a looker, isn’t he?”

When my gaze flickered over to him, I saw what Malene meant. Rufus’s strong jaw reflected the moonlight, and his skin looked like marble.

“I, um…I’m not going to answer that.”

Malene waddled away from me and directed her words to Rufus. “It’s all settled, then. You’re coming with me. I’ll drop you off at Julie’s, who’ll take good care of you.”

Rufus took my hand. His warm flesh sent a shock wave ripping up my arm. “Thank you for everything you did tonight.”

With that, Malene whisked him away. First thing in the morning I would check on Rufus and make sure he hadn’t changed in the night.

But something told me I didn’t have to worry, because Rufus—or John, as Malene had dubbed him (how original, right?)—would be the same tomorrow.

I didn’t have to worry about him remembering, but I did have to worry about him changing back. Even though Rufus didn’t know who he was, wouldn’t his old nature shine through? Wouldn’t he, sooner or later, become his old evil self?

Of course he would. Rufus was only being nice right now because he needed help, because he couldn’t remember who he was. But even if he never recalled his name, he couldn’t hide from what he was. A person couldn’t keep that sort of thing buried forever.

He turned around when he reached Malene’s car and waved at me, his eyes full of gratitude. My stomach soured.

Crap. I almost felt bad for thinking the worst of him but shouldn’t. I should feel justified in my emotions.

But then why did I feel so crappy?

“Well, it looks like we’ve got this one figured out.”

I turned to see Sluggs striding like a cowboy toward his deputies.

Was he really going to announce that Sadie had been murdered? That seemed awfully inappropriate.

He smoothed his hair. “It appears that the young lady came out here, tripped and fell in the concrete.