CHAPTER NINETEEN
Talon watched the diner from his truck. The lunch crowd was coming in, and he could see Bianca zipping around, taking orders and chatting with the customers. She was proudly wearing that bright orange apron with the words “Sunset Diner” emblazoned in bold lettering on it. Talon had never seen her look so happy and excited.
Carly and Nelson were good, hardworking people. They had bought Sunset Diner from the previous owner about five years ago and turned the business around.
When Talon saw Carly peering out the window and squinting at him, he sighed and started the engine. He had been sitting in his truck for more than an hour now, and Carly was starting to get suspicious.
He told himself he had nothing to worry about. Bianca was safe here. He would come back at closing time and fetch her home.
Talon reminded himself that he had errands to run. He had to purchase some new tools and equipment, and put the finishing touches to that cabinet. He’d promised to deliver the cabinet to the customer this evening.
Talon drove to the hardware store and went in. After getting everything he needed, he loaded his purchases into the truck. He was just about to get in and drive off when he heard a muffled shout.
Talon pricked his ears and followed the sound to a narrow alleyway.
As he neared the alley, he could make out the unmistakable sounds of a scuffle.
Talon skidded into the alley and saw a ruffian holding a little old lady at knifepoint. “I said, give me your purse!” the thug snarled, pressing the blade against the old woman’s throat.
Talon moved forward but the petite, elderly woman shot him a shrewd glance and shook her head subtly. Talon stopped and stood silently at the entrance of the alleyway to block the thug’s escape.
Talon almost pitied the foolish young man. The rogue didn’t know who he was dealing with. The rogue was probably just passing through Wolves Hollow, and when he saw a little old lady walking alone, he decided that such an easy target was just too good to give up.
But the old woman was no defenseless prey.
Yaya was a very old and powerful witch, one of the oldest witches in Wolves Hollow.
She was also one of Talon’s most loyal customers. Yaya liked to design her own furniture and she would get Talon to make them. Talon had never been inside Yaya’s house, but over the years, he had delivered a bed, some tables and countless chairs and benches to Yaya. It was rumored that no one had ever stepped foot inside Yaya’s house. The thorny, twisting shrubs and vines in Yaya’s overgrown garden would slither into position to stop anyone from going too near the house. Talon usually unloaded all the furniture onto the sidewalk in front of Yaya’s house and left it to Boris to cart everything into the house.
Talon scanned the alley. Where was Boris anyway?
Yaya and Boris were inseparable.
The thug turned and saw Talon. “Stay out of this,” he warned Talon. “This is none of your business. You didn’t see anything.”
Talon didn’t bother responding. He simply folded his arms and waited.
The thug smirked and turned back to Yaya. “He’s not going to help you. So just do as you’re told, and there won’t be any trouble.” He waved the knife in Yaya’s face to emphasize his point.
“Do you want to be turned into a frog?” Yaya asked.
“What?” The thug narrowed his eyes at Yaya. “Are you trying to be funny? Just shut up and...”
“If you don’t want to be turned into a frog—” Yaya spoke slowly, as if explaining something to a small child. “—then put the knife down. Otherwise...”
“I told you to shut up, you stupid old woman!” the thug yelled in frustration and confusion.
“Okay. You made your choice.” Yaya turned to Talon and said defensively, “You heard him. He made the choice of his own free will.”
Talon wisely said nothing.
As the ruffian raised his knife to strike Yaya, the witch muttered something under her breath.
The thug’s face contorted as his rage turned to incomprehension and fear. His eyes bugged.
“Wha...what’s happening to me? I...I can’t move...” he stammered.
The knife clattered to the ground.