“You needed to be fattened up.” She leaned forward and cupped her tea in both hands. “But I don’t think you’re here for crisps this time.”

“No, I’m not.” I leaned back in my chair and sat the tea back on the table. “I need to know if you’ve noticed anything odd in town. If any of my old friends are still running around. If anyone has been talking about me.”

“Aye. Johnny said Edgar Herndon was in here asking for you yesterday. I was out for an appointment.” She frowned. “Never cared for Edgar. Even as a boy, you could tell there was something missing in his eyes. Some part of his humanity was gone.”

“Did Johnny say anything else?” I fought my urge to lean forward. I didn’t want to telegraph my unease.

Edgar Herndon was a name from my past I’d rather forget. His mother had ‘worked’ with my mother and we’d moved to the city at the same time. When I’d run with the local crowd he’d hated me. I was his biggest rival in his eyes, but he knew that in a fight I would win. That meant I’d spent years looking over my shoulder, waiting for him to stab me in the back. If he was back in town asking for me, it meant bad things; I just wasn’t sure what those bad things were yet. The last I’d heard of him, he was locked up for assault and petty theft.

“He asked if you’d been in recently.” She looked past my shoulder as she thought. “He had some excuse about wanting to see old friends, but Johnny said he was acting shifty. If he’s looking for you then you don’t want to find him.”

I wasn’t worried about Edgar Herndon himself. I was much more concerned about the fact that he was tangled up in this confusing web. And if he came to this shop looking for answers, it meant that I wouldn’t be visiting again for a while. I couldn’t jeopardize the Abernathy family. They’d been a shining example of normalcy during my childhood and for that I’d do whatever it took to keep them safe.

“Anyone else back in town?” I ran my fingers along the chipped handle of the cup in front of me.

“Marilynn Jones is back in town. Well, I suppose it’s Marilynn White now. She’s married with a little one on the way.” She narrowed her eyes. “But I’m sure that’s not the kind of gossip you’re looking for.”

I wasn’t thinking about Marilynn. Marilynn had ceased to exist years ago for me. It was likely I would pass her in the street and not realize it. “If I asked you for a favor, Mrs. Abernathy, would you help me?”

“Of course, Owen.” She reached across the table and touched my hand. “I’ve always thought of you as one of my own. I won’t speak ill of your mother, but there were many times I wished I could just keep you with me.”

I swallowed to get rid of the lump in my throat before speaking. “Close the shop for the rest of the week. Get out of town and take a break. Holiday somewhere pretty and just relax for a while. I can help you pay for it.”

“Why would you want me to do that? People need their meat. Besides, I just took a long weekend last month.”

“I don’t like that Edgar Herndon came here—to see you—about me. You’re right about him. He’s dangerous and you can’t trust anything that he says.”

“And what about you? Are you leaving town as well?” Her eyes narrowed.

“Don’t worry about me.” I shook my head.

“Then what about your lady?” She looked at Ava who had remained so quiet through the entire conversation I’d almost forgotten she was there. “I’d hate to think of Edgar running into her in town.”

“That won’t happen.” The crisp words exited my mouth in a harsh whisper. If he tried to harm one hair on Ava’s head I would beat him until he couldn’t get up.

“If Edgar is as dangerous as you say—”

“I’m not worried about Herndon.” I let my disguise slip and the beast—the murderer—I kept chained tightly in the back of my mind peered out of my eyes.

“I see.” Her eyes turned sad and she leaned back in my chair. “I wanted so much more for you. After that nasty business with your mother, I’d hoped you would stay on the straight path. Find something that would make you happy. Avenging angels are forever lonely, walking the world with no chance of heaven.”

“I’ll be happy if I know you are safe.” She opened her mouth to say something, but Ava broke her silence.

“Mrs. Abernathy, if Owen is telling you to go I’m sure he has a very good reason for doing so. If he knows you’re safe, then he’ll be able to concentrate on the problem at hand.”

Huh. I looked at Ava and then back to Mrs. Abernathy. Was I really that transparent? No. Just to Ava. She seemed to see so much more than I wanted to show.

“If it means that much to you, I’ll go stay at the family cottage by the coast. I’ll take walks along the beach every morning and tell people the doctor suggested it.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” Ava smiled.

“Are you going to give me any more information? Or do I just tell my boys to take the week off?” She stood up and I followed suit.

“If I had more information I would gladly offer it, but that’s the problem.” I held my palms up to show my hands were empty. “I have nothing that makes sense.”

“It’s settled then. I’ll close the shop for the week and take my grandchildren to the coast. Johnny just had a new one, you know. A little girl. This will give him a chance to spend some quiet time with his wife and wee one.”