“And now, a stiff drink’s on the menu,” Decker said, casting a pointed look at Cricket. Safine gave him a sly smile.
Twenty minutes, one drink, and a sprinkle of Safine’s concoction later, Cricket snored in his bed after Decker tucked him in.
“Any luck?” Decker asked, pouring three glasses of liquor and two of sarsaparilla for Laurie and Sister Inez.
Lucy Goosey pattered about, sinking jagged teeth into canvas pants and hissing at Safine’s attempts to catch her. The goose was more trouble than she was worth, but Laurie finally managed to quiet her with his hand dangling under the table.
Willa shook her head. “Searched through the back alleys of Silver Creek. Found where Nathan lived, but no sign of Whitton, or anywhere else he might’ve gone to,” she said grimly.
“You check the church?” Sister Inez’s brow furrowed as she glanced sideways at Willa.
“The church is a church, Inez. Nobody’s hiding anything there.”
The frown settled on Sister Inez’s face as she sipped on her drink, and Safine took over. “We went clear up to Amaretto; nothin’ there. Thought for sure we’d find something in the old mines. Dead end.”
“If he’s sending people into Ender’s Ridge, we have to wait. He’ll slip up,” Decker said. “Nathan knew something was wrong here and Whitton was involved. He won’t be able to stay away for long.”
The old doctor might not be the cause of the fading Blessing, but it was the best lead they had.
“Things will keep getting worse,” Safine muttered. “Next time Cricket brings the law back on his tail and they catch an eyeful of the fae girls at the dance hall, or spot Sitara’s fangs, we’re as good as dead.”
Laurie cast a worried glance at Decker, and he returned it, tapping his ring against his glass as they sat silent in the saloon they’d become complacent in.
Finding Dr. Whitton might not be enough to save their town.
If we ever needed miracles, preacher, now would be the time for one of them.
With Laurie, Decker thought he could believe in miracles.
But Ender’s Ridge was built on a revolving wheel of exploitative tragedy that didn’t take kindly to miracles.
The next morning, when McKinney staggered through the doors, inconsolable and pleading for Safine, Decker knew the wheel turned again.