Free The Wolf's Daughter (The Tala Chronicles 1) by Patricia La Barbera Page A

her brave words, she gulped.
    He looked
pensive for a moment. “You’d be surprised what’s not imagination. The last time
I saw four owls flying into the same tree was the night Jenny Bolton was
killed.”
    “Bolton? You
mean the person Gregory was blamed for killing?”
    “Yes, she’s the
one. So sad…. She had those little children, too. An infant and two toddlers. It
had gotten late, and her husband had paced the floor, waiting for her to get
home from choir practice. He called his neighbor to come and watch the
children. He walked two blocks and saw something that looked like a pile of
clothes on the ground. It was Jenny. She’d been stabbed about fifty times, and bite
marks covered her body.”
    “Okay, now you’re
scaring me, Edgar.” Tala crossed her arms over her chest.  
    “Do you have a
gun?”
    “Are you
kidding? I wouldn’t even know how to use one.”
    “Well, why don’t
I show you? You can keep this one with you tonight.” He reached into his
holster and laid the gun on the table.
    “Edgar, that gun
scares the heck out of me. Please put it back where it came from. But maybe
someday I’ll have the guts to learn how to shoot.”
    “And I’ll be
happy to teach you.” He paused, pursing his lips. “If you need anything
tonight, make sure you call me, Tala. But I still wish you’d take the gun.”
    “I just can’t,
but thanks for offering.”
    Maeve finally
wandered back into the kitchen and jumped on the table. She sniffed Edgar and
then rubbed her head against his arm.
    “This cat has
some strong magic in her,” he said as he petted her.
    “You think so?
She’s just half wild. She even gnaws on my arms and ankles sometimes.”
    “The strain in
her is like the strain in some people.”
    “Tell me more
about that, Edgar.”
    “That is not for
your ears, Tala. I’ve hinted at that before. You must learn it on your own.” Edgar
glanced at the clock and stood up. “I better go. We’ve got to start out early
tomorrow, and we need a lot of rest. I still don’t think it’s a good idea for
you to walk on that foot.”
    “I’ll be fine,
Edgar. I’m wearing the boot, and I’ll put only partial weight on it.” She put
her hand on his arm. “Please, I have to resolve this situation. It’s the only
way.”
    Edgar looked
into her eyes for a while and then finally nodded. Tala followed him to the
front door. “Wait, Edgar. Why are you being so nice to me?”
    “I don’t know.
You probably remind me of my daughter.”
    “Where is your
daughter?”
    Edgar’s eyes
filled with tears, and it took a while before he answered. “My daughter was
Jenny Bolton.”

Chapter Eight
     
    After Edgar left,
Tala sat at the table again, feeling shocked and still very afraid. Poor Edgar,
losing his daughter that way. She’d definitely leave all the lights on that
night. And hoped there wasn’t a blackout.  
    She stayed up as
long as she could, but when she couldn’t fight sleep any longer, she picked up
Maeve and hobbled over to the chair lift. Tala pressed her back against the
chair, and the lift slowly rose. A chill overtook her. Shadows haunted the
second floor as she neared the top. She held Maeve closer.
    Tala climbed
into bed. She should have taken Edgar up on his offer of the gun. But no, she’d
be in even greater danger with it if someone used it against her.
    Her foot hurt
more than usual. Would she be able to walk deep into the forest? Tala had to
admit Edgar was right. It wasn’t a good idea, but at least she didn’t need the
crutches anymore, and she could put partial weight on her foot. Besides, unique
circumstances called for out-of-the-ordinary action.
    Her cell phone
ringing jangled her nerves. She reached for it on the nightstand.
    “Tala?”
    “Vanessa?” She
looked at the clock. “It’s a little late.”  
    “Sorry, but I
just had to tell you. Lock your doors and windows. Lucy just told me Vinnie was
released today.”
    “Believe me,
Vanessa, they’re locked. Oh,