Page 80 of It's a Wonderful Knife

“Poor thing is freezing. Follow me.” Mona started toward the stairs. “I’ll get her situated.”

Royce met my gaze. “Stay here with Hermina. I’ll be back in a second.”

“Okay.” I smiled politely at Hermina, and we settled on the couch to wait.

I stared at the dying fire as Mary Puppins growled low in her throat, watching me like a hawk. I was sleepy and grateful Royce was calling it a night. I’d used up what little energy I had left chasing Gianna through the rain.

“I must say, you picked a bad year to try Giggly Elves Farm, Dr. Thornton.” Hermina sighed. “I’m beginning to think we’ll all be lucky if we get home alive.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

“I hope so,” she said softly. “It sure is scary to think one of us is a murderer.”

I shrugged. “There are murderers everywhere.”

“I guess.” She shuddered. “Do you think Gianna is a killer?”

“I don’t know.”

“But what do your instincts tell you?”

“Instincts?” I turned to address her, and Mary Puppins bared her teeth. Why did that rat-dog hate me so much? I’d never done a thing to it. I’d never once even tried to pet it. “I don’tthinkGianna killed Santiago, but that means nothing.”

“I don’t think she did it either. She’s emotionally unstable, but I don’t think she’s a murderer.”

Surprised at her observations, I smiled. “I agree. She is emotionally unstable. I think she’s desperate for love.”

Sighing, Hermina said, “I’m glad I’m past that nonsense.” She kissed Mary Puppins’s nose, and the dog stopped growling for a few seconds. “I had a wonderful husband, but he’s been gone two years now.”

“I’m sorry.”

She lifted one shoulder. “I’m okay now. To be honest, it was pretty rough the first year.” She glanced down at her dog. “Then I found Mary Puppins in the rosebushes behind my house one day.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “I don’t know how she ended up there.” She laughed. “Sometimes I think Harold dropped her down from Heaven just to keep me company.”

Not sure how to respond, I gave an awkward laugh. My parents had always said once you were gone, you were gone. But I liked the idea of loving someone so much, even in death you couldn’t let go. If I died before Royce, I’d still want to watch over him. I’d want to always be by his side, protecting him. Comforting him.

My father would roll over in his grave if he knew how sentimental I was these days.

“I put up posters to see if her owners wanted to claim her. No one ever did.” Hermina ruffled the dog’s ears. “So now it’s just the two against the world.”

“I’m glad you found each other.”

“Me too.”

Royce and Mona returned to the room, and I stood. Naturally, that set Mary Puppins off. But for some reason, it didn’t bug me this time. Knowing what a comfort that little rat-dog was to Hermina softened me.

“Ready?” I asked Royce.

“Yep.” He gave a tired smile. “See you in the morning, Hermina.”

“Okay.” She stood and moved over to Mona.

Royce and I grabbed umbrellas as we left the house. It was still raining, although it was lighter than it had been. Maybe the rain would be completely gone by tomorrow and we could figure out a way to contact the authorities. Maybe Morse code or something. If nothing else, once the rain stopped, the river would hopefully go down.

“I assume Gianna was upset when you left her?” I asked.