The sisters and Ash were waiting at Burdock Farm.
"You and Mark can sit in the front with me," MaryLynnette told Jade, not looking at Ash. "But I don't think you'd better bring the cat."
"The cat goes," Jade said firmly, getting in. "OrI don't."
Mary-Lynnette put the car in gear and pulled out.
As they came in sight of the small duster of buildings on Main Street, Mark said, "And there it is, downtown Briar Creek in all its glory. A typical Friday afternoon, with absolutely nobody on the streets."
He didn't say it with his usual bitterness. MaryLynnette glanced at him and saw that it was Jade he was talking to. And Jade was looking around with genuine interest, despite the cat's claws embedded in her neck.
"Somebody'son the streets," she said cheerfully. "It's that. boy Vic. And that other one, Todd.
And grown-ups."
Mary-Lynnette slowed as she passed the sheriff'soffice but didn't stop until she reached the gas station at the opposite corner. Then she got out and looked casually across the street.
Todd Akers was there with his father, the sheriff and Vic Kimble was there with his father. Mr. Kimble had a farm east of town. They were all getting into the sheriff's car, and they all seemed very excited.
Bunny Marten was standing on the sidewalk watching as they left.
Mary-Lynnette felt a twinge of fear. This is what it's like when you have a terrible secret, she thought.
You worry about everything that happens, and wonder if it's got something to do with you, if it's going to get you caught.
"Hey, Bunnyl" she called. "What's going on?"
Bunny looked back. "Oh, hi, Mare." She walkedunhurriedly-Bunny never hurried-,acrossthe street.
"How're you doing? They're just going to check out that horse thing."
"What horse thing?"
"Oh. . .didn't you hear?" Bunny was looking behind Mary-Lynnette now, at Mark and the four strangers who were getting out of the station wagon. Suddenly her blue eyes got rounder and she reached up to fluff her soft blond hair.
Now, I wonder who she's just seen, Mary-Lynnettethought ironically. Who could it be?
"Hi" Ash said.
"We didn't hear about the horse thing," MaryLynnette said, gently prompting.
"Oh... um, one of Mr. Kimble's horses cut his throat on barbed wire last night. That's what everybody was sayingthis morning. But just now Mr.Kimble came into town and said that he didn't think it was barbed wire after all. He thinks ... somebody did it on purpose. Slashed its throat and left it todie."
She hunched her shoulders in a tiny shiver.. Theatrically, Mary-Lynnette thought.
"You see?" Jade said. "That's why I'm keeping my eye on Tiggy."
Mary-Lynnette noticed Bunny eyeing Jade. "Thanks,Bun."
"I've got to get back to the store," Bunny said,but she didn't move. Now she was looking at Kestreland Rowan.
"I'll walk you there," Ash said gallantly. Withwhat, Mary-Lynnette thought, must be his usual putting-the-moves-on manner. "After all, we don't know what could be lurking around here."
"It's broad daylight," Kestrel said disgustedly, but Ash was already walking Bunny away.
MaryLynnette decided she was glad to get rid of him.
"Who was that girl?" Rowan asked, and something in her voice was odd.
Mary-Lynnette glanced at her in surprise. "Bunny Marten. I know her from school.What's wrong?"
"She was staring at us," Rowan said softly.
"She was staring at Ash. Oh, and probably youthree, too. You're new and you're pretty, so she's probably wondering which boys you'll take fromher."
"I see."But Rowan still looked preoccupied.
"Rowan, what is it?"
"It's nothing. I'm sure it's nothing. It's just thatshe's gota lamia name."
" Bunny?"
" Well." Rowan smiled. "Lamia are traditionallynamed after natural things--gems andanimalsand flowers and trees. So Bunny' would be a lamianame-and isn't a marten a kind of weasel?"
Something was tugging at the edges of Mary-Lynnette's consciousness again. Something about Bunny ...
about Bunny and ... wood ...
It was gone. She couldn't remember. To Rowan she said,"But-can you sense something suspiciousabout her or anything? I mean, does she seemlike one of you? Because otherwise I just can't see Bunny as a vampire. I'm sorry; I just can't."
Rowan smiled. "No, I don't sense anything. And I'm sure you'reright-humans can have names likeours, too. Sometimes it gets confusing."
For some bizarre reason Mary-Lynnette's mind wasstill on wood. "You know, I don't see why you name yourselves after trees. I thought wood was dangerous for you."
"It is-,and that makes it powerful. Tree names are supposed to be some of the most powerful nameswe have."
Ash was coming out of the general store. Immediately Mary-Lynnette turned around and looked for Jeremy.
She didn't see him in the empty gas station, butshe heard something-something she realized she'dbeen hearing for several minutes. Hammering.
"Come on, let's go around back," she said, alreadywalking, not waiting for Ash to reach them.
Kestreland Rowan went with her.
Jeremy was around back. He was hammering a long board across a broken window. There wereshards of thick, greenish-tinted glass all over the ground. Light brown hair wasfalling in his eyes ashe struggled to hold the board steady.
" What happened?" Mary-Lynnettesaid. She moved automatically to hold the right end of the board in place for him.
He glanced up at her, making a grimace of reliefas he let go of the board. "Mary-Lynnette-thanks. Hang on a sec."