Page 20 of The Night
Hazel sighed.
“That’s a shame! We get lots of people who come to town just to enjoy the day and take pictures,” Dana said.
“My dad takes pictures,” Hazel told her new best friend. “They’re even in magazines. And he’s making a book.”
“That right?” Dana said, cocking her head. “A professional photographer?”
Liam nodded uncomfortably. “I do contract work for a couple of media outlets. You know, background photos, news photos. Nothing major.”
“Shut up. You’re talented as hell.” I wasn’t sure where those words had come from—I sure as heck hadn’t made a conscious decision to say them—but I folded my arms over my chest and stared Liam down because I stood by them.
He’d shown me a few of his pieces back in Vegas, and it was possiblypossiblethat one time in a weak moment, I’d gotten drunk and googled his work, and I could say for certain his modesty was ridiculous.
I had serious issues with Liam as a person and Liam as apartner, but if a two-dimensional picture could make a man likemefeel emotions, it was a fucking exceptional picture.
Liam blinked. “Oh. Well. I—” He swallowed. “Thanks.”
“And do you doportraits?” Dana asked avidly.
“Well. Not usually—”
“But you did portraits of me,” Hazel argued. To Dana, she said, “I was wearing a dress withsilkroses. It’s hanging in ourliving room.”
Dana nodded, suitably impressed.
Liam rubbed the back of his neck. “This isn’t gonna find us a place to stay tonight, unfortunately. Is there another hotel nearby?”
“I mean, there’s the campground,” Dana said dubiously, and for good reason since it was going to freeze again tonight.
“Camping!” Hazel turned wide eyes on her father and then up at me. “I’ve always wanted to go camping!”
“Not in winter,” Liam said in a tone that brooked no argument.
Hazel sighed.
So did I. There weren’t a lot of options left, and I was more than a little annoyed that this had somehow become my problem.
“Motel over in Rushton’s not ideal, but it’ll have to do,” I said. “You can follow me—”
“You can’t!” Dana blurted. “They have a… a rat problem.”
“Rats?” Liam said, looking at me like maybe he’d misunderstood.
“Mmm.Hugeones. With big, sharpteeth.” Dana held up two curved fingers in front of her mouth. “Everybody’sbeen talking about it.”
“Have they?” I narrowed my eyes. “I haven’t heard a word.”
“Well, I mean everybody who’s involved in, ah… lodging and hospitality specifically,” Dana explained.
“Well, I think the secret might have spread to the general public if there weregiant rats—” I began, but Hazel stopped me with a tug on the hem of my jacket.
“Ireallydislike like rats,” she whispered. “I also dislike thepossibilityof rats.”
I looked at Liam, who shook his head. “Yeah, the motel’s a no-go.Someonewill be up all night. And if she’s up, I’ll be up.”
“Shi…Uh.Sugarplums. Well, I don’t know where else.” I frowned.
“Hey, Gideon,” Dana interrupted. “You’ve got that big old house. Don’tyouhave a place your…friendcan stay?”