“Slumming, Deputy?”

“Didn’t have anything better to do.” She was surprised to see Mia in a long black dress. Mia rarely wore black. The one thing Ripley had to admit, the woman wasn’t often obvious. “Special occasion?”

“As it happens. I don’t have any objections to you being here, if Nell wants you. But don’t interfere.”

“You don’t interest me enough to interfere.”

“Is this argument going to take long?” Nell asked pleasantly. “I was hoping for a glass of wine.”

“I think we’re done. Come in, and welcome. We’ll take the wine with us.”

“With us? Where are we going?”

“To the circle. You’ve brought what I told you?”

“Yes.” Nell patted the large leather pouch she wore.

“Good. I’ll get what I need, then we’ll go.”

Ripley wandered around freely enough while Mia got ready. She had always liked the cliff house. Loved it. The big, crowded rooms, the odd corners, the thick carved doors and glossy floors.

She’d have gotten by happily enough with one room and a cot, but she had to admit Mia’s place had style. And class. As far as atmosphere went, you couldn’t top it.

Class, style, and atmosphere aside, it was always comfortable. A place where you knew you could sink into a chair and put your feet up.

A place, she recalled, where she had once run as free and as welcome as a pet puppy. It was a hell of a note to realize, all at once, how much she’d missed it. Missed it all.

“You still use the gable room?” Ripley asked casually while Mia selected a red wine from the rack.

When Mia glanced back their eyes met. Shared memories. “Yes. Some of your things are still there,” she said as she wrapped three glasses in white linen.

“I don’t want them.”

“They’re still there, in any case. Since you’re here, you can carry this bag.” She gestured, then picked up the second that held the wine and glasses.

She opened the back door, and Isis streaked through. It surprised Nell, as the cat generally couldn’t be bothered to join them.

“It’s a special night.” Mia threw up the hood of the cloak she swirled over her shoulders. Black again, with a lining of deep wine-red. “She knows it. It’s nearly Samhain. Nell needs to practice lighting the balefire.”

Ripley’s head snapped up. “Moving a little fast, aren’t you?”

Mia merely studied the moon as they walked. It was down to a thumbnail and would soon be full dark. Around that sliver of white she could see a haze blacker, thicker than the sky.

“No.”

Annoyed that Mia had made her uneasy yet again, Ripley shrugged. “Halloween. Lifting the dead. The night boils with evil spirits and only the brave or foolish walk in the dark.”