Mona studied the animal with narrow eyes. If the blood on its undercarriage shocked her, she didn’t show it.

“I think you are mistaken, Mr. Logan.” Her yellowed fingers lit a fresh cigarette and she smiled. “I think it was Coodles that brought you to me.”

CHAPTER 8

YOU two gonna stand there gettin’ soaked, or y’all gonna come on up?”

They stepped onto the covered porch. Cole handed Coodles over to Mona, then moved away. Savannah stayed close on his heels. Some twenty more cats wandered the porch all around them, brushing against their legs.

Battered tools and yard equipment littered the area, not unlike Cole’s own porch. A rusted bug zapper hung in a far corner of the overhang. Below it, a faded sofa sat on three legs. Loose springs poked out of its slashed cushions. Overhead, handmade wind chimes built of chicken bones and fishing line clicked in the breeze.

Cole extended a hand. “I suppose I should introduce mys—”

“No need to do that, Cole Logan. I know you well enough. I’m as big a Jackrabbits fan as they come, you know?” She didn’t shake his hand.

“Yeah. I’ve heard. And we’ve always appreciated it.”

“I never miss a game, rain or shine. Already got my ticket for Stanton High tonight.”

“This is Savannah,” Cole said. “Savannah Hickham.”

“Ah, the coach’s daughter? Knew he had one. Didn’t know what she looked like.” Mona leaned forward in her chair. She eyed Savannah the way one might appraise a cut of beef.

Cole sensed Savannah’s reluctance to be there. He, too, had no desire to hang around any longer than necessary. “Well, I hope we didn’t distur—”

“Spit it, boy.”

“Excuse me?” he said, taken aback.

“Say what you came here to say.”

He shared a glance with Savannah, but said nothing.

Mona said, “Why don’t we start by you showing me your hand?”

Cole had been holding his injured hand behind his back. He slowly brought it around and held it out. Mona wasted no time in unwrapping the bloody bandanna, despite Cole’s painful winces as she did it. She looked neither surprised nor repulsed by the sight of his wounds.

“Gotcha good, didn’t they?”

His eyes came up. “Did you see them?”

“See who?”

“The ones who did this.”

“No. Should I have?”

“Well, how did you know that someone—”

“Heard it on the radio. Your fanger loss and all that tomfoolery at the pep rally have been all over the local airwaves for the past hour now. Question is, What are we gonna do about this situation?”

“Cole, I think we should probably go get that looked at now.” Savannah pointedly cocked her head toward the stairs.

“Yeah,” he said. “Maybe I should go get it looked at.”

“It’s getting looked at now, ain’t it?” Mona said.

“I meant that—”