Page 148 of Blood Moon

It was a sobering thought. He would ponder it. But on some other night. He was taking the rest of this one off.

“John, look! It’s started.” Beth took his hand and dragged him along behind her as she ran through the woods fromthe camo garage to the clearing in front of the fishing cabin. Earth’s shadow had begun to appear on the moon. “It won’t be total for a while yet.”

Looking up, he said, “Wallace got his hoped-for clear night. Too bad the only thing he’ll see overhead is the ceiling of his jail cell.”

As soon as John opened the cabin door, Mutt leaped across the threshold, obviously having urgent business to attend to outside.

John called the nurses’ station on Molly’s ward and was told she’d been soundly sleeping and that her vitals were excellent. “If she wakes up, remind her that she can call me at any time and that I’ll be there first thing in the morning for sure.”

He then called Mitch and started by asking him, “Are you sitting down?”

He gave him a condensed version of everything that had transpired since they’d last seen each other.

When he finished, Mitch was practically speechless. “John, would you have ever thought it? That she was alive, I mean.”

“Honestly, no. Hoped, but you know how these disappearances usually end. Remains are found, sometimes years later. I thought that’s what would happen here.”

“Me too.” Mitch then asked how Molly was doing.

“She was a little weepy when I left her tonight, but she’s as okay as she can be. It’ll take some time and therapy.”

“She’s got you. That’s the main thing.”

“Thank you again for today, Mitch. Actually for all the days I was… not myself.”

“No thanks necessary.”

“No, they are. Thanks for always being there.”

“Are you getting sloppy on me?”

“Hell, no. It’s just that I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

“Okay. Tell you what. We’ll be square if you get me through the christening and after-party without me killing my mother-in-law.”

“Tall order.”

“Tell me.” They laughed, then, after a short silence that spoke volumes, Mitch said, “Later, bro,” and clicked off.

While he’d been on the phone, Beth had uncorked a bottle of wine. With it and two mismatched glasses in her hands, she said, “Do you mind watching?”

“After the buildup it’s had, I wouldn’t miss it.”

He carried two of the game table chairs outside and set them up just beyond the steps. But they only used one of the chairs. He held Beth in his lap as they sipped at their wine—he didn’t have the heart to tell her he wasn’t a big fan of wine. However, it did seem suitable to the occasion.

Mutt lay at John’s feet. They watched the eclipse through its totality when the moon turned into a bright orange disk like the one John had seen on TV. Shortly after, he whispered into Beth’s hair, “I’d rather be looking at you.”

Without any objection from her, he stood and carried her into the house. He ordered Mutt to his bed, then went into his bedroom and shut the door behind them.

They undressed quickly and got between the sheets. Facing each other, he gathered her closer and worked his knee between her thighs. “Gotta be said that this is more comfortable than up against the wall.”

“Hmm,” she hummed. “But that had merit. In fact, it was thrilling.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Your spontaneity was rather… barbaric.”

He arched an eyebrow and gave her a lazy grin. “That good, huh? How good?”