The Gathering (Darkness Rising 1)

"I'm not hungry," I said. "I'll check on the animals."

SEVENTEEN

IN THE EXCITEMENT OF the cougar attack, then my party, I'd forgotten about the marten, but when I went back into the shed that morning, I couldn't deny that the wound was completely healed. Even the scar was white now, as if the injury were weeks old.

The right thing to do would be to examine her leg, then let her go. But after what happened the last time, it took ten minutes before I could bring myself to touch the marten. When I did, nothing happened. I checked the wound and picked out the stitches. The marten just lay there, calm and patient.

I don't release animals here. That encourages them to stick around. Even with Fitz, I'd let him go on the other side of the park. B

ut he'd found his way back, and after a second relocation failed, I'd given up.

I had a cat carrier for transporting the small animals to their release points. I made sure the cage had been cleaned out last time--I'd learned my lesson after having nearly given a rabbit heart failure by putting it in a carrier filled with fox hair.

Before I reached into the marten's cage, I was so busy trying to mentally distract myself that I'd forgotten to glove up. As my hands went around the marten, the room swirled into darkness. I smelled damp earth and wet grass. Heard the scream of an eagle and my heart beat faster, legs pumping as I ran, the grass lashing me. Then--too late--I smelled it. Humans. I tried to veer for a tree, but something hit my back leg, pain--

I jolted from the vision. As I stumbled back, I looked around frantically, terrified that I'd dropped the marten. But she was still in her cage, head cocked in confusion.

The door opened and a voice said, "Hey."

I spun. Daniel stood silhouetted in the doorway. I glanced at the carrier, then the marten. I waved Daniel back out and followed.

We walked to the porch, where Fitz lay stretched out on the railing. He hopped off and strolled over as we sat down. I said nothing for a moment, my mind still back in the shed.

Daniel cleared his throat. "Your mom said Rafe was here. Proclaiming his innocence?"

"I think he's right."

I tensed for the outrage. Daniel just waited for me to explain. I didn't detail every point but emphasized what I figured would be the best evidence to prove it to a teenage guy--that Rafe hadn't tried anything more than kissing.

"Nothing?" Daniel said.

I shook my head. "It was just kissing. And he asked if I'd been drinking. If I'd said yes, I think he would have stopped."

Again, I waited for the outburst. Was I crazy? Clearly Rafe was the one who dosed me.

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, I think you're right. I don't like the guy, but ..." He shrugged.

"Your bad-guy radar isn't pinging?"

"No," he said, almost regretfully. "I'm not convinced he did this either, and if you agree ..."

"I do. But who else could it have been?"

"Well, I might have an idea, which is why I'm willing to give Rafe the benefit of the doubt, and part of the reason I came over. Nicole stopped by this morning to see if I needed help cleaning up. I think what she really wanted was to tell me something about last night. When I was in the kitchen, getting you a drink, Hayley was hanging around. She could have slipped something in while I was grabbing my beer."

"Nicole said that?"

"Not in so many words. I had to really work to even get her to admit she'd seen Hayley near your drink."

"Didn't want to tattle on her friend."

"Exactly. But when she got to thinking about it, it made sense. Hayley works at the clinic with Nicole sometimes, and she says Hayley has sneaked into the drug room before. Nicole figured she's been getting Ritalin or Demerol, so she kept her mouth shut."

"Only there are other drugs in there, too. Hayley's jealous because Rafe's taking an interest in me. Rafe left the party, so she thought she could slip roofies in my drink and I'd hook up with Brendan. She could tell Rafe about it, and he'd change his mind about me."

"Then Rafe shows up again and it backfires."

I nodded. "Hayley is the most likely suspect, but it's not enough to tell Chief Carling. I just need to keep my eye on her."