Killing the Dead (Season 2 | Book 2): Dark and Deadly Land by Richard Murray Page B

to have four wheels and required fuel. Instead, I crossed to the main house in search of breakfast. I was ready to admit that Lily had been right and the old couple were trustworthy.
    Cass and Becky were seated at the table talking animatedly with Mary. She had dark rings beneath her eyes and her hair appeared greyer than I recalled from the previous night. I’d misjudged her age and in the full light of day, I realised she must be well into her sixties.
    “Good morning dear,” she said as she noticed my arrival. “Would you like some breakfast?”
    “That would be most pleasant, thank you.”
    “Come sit with us,” Becky said with a cheeky grin. “She was just explaining to Cass about what she should expect when she has the baby.”
    “Oh? That sounds quite interesting,” I said as I seated myself opposite Cass. She looked a little nauseous and I wondered if it was from the pregnancy or just hearing about what she had to face. I added it to the list of things I needed to ask.
    “You’re not bothered by that talk?” Becky asked. She sounded almost put out. “Pat listened for a few minutes and then went outside.”
    “Why would I be bothered?” I asked and nodded thanks to Mary as she placed a plate piled high with scrambled eggs on the table before me.
    “Typical that you wouldn’t be,” Becky said with an eye roll and a look shared with Cass that undoubtedly meant something.
    I tried to pay attention to the chatter as I ate the eggs but was soon distracted by something warm and damp pressed against my leg. I looked down to see a black furred canine staring up at me as it rested its muzzle against my leg.
    “Go away,” I said but was ignored. “Shoo?”
    “Made a new friend?” Becky asked with a laugh.
    “It seems to want to touch me,” I said. “How do I make it move?”
    Mary leant over to look down and her eyebrows raised in surprise. She smiled and patted my hand for some reason.
    “That’s Jinx,” she said with what I took to be a fond smile at the animal. “She was the runt of the litter. I’m surprised to be honest, she normally doesn’t take to people. She must like you.”
    “Why?” I asked at the same time as Becky who guffawed for some reason.
    “What breed is she?” Cass asked as she reached over to scratch the hound behind its ears.
    “German Shepherd,” Mary said as the dog growled and Cass snatched her hand away. “Be careful dear, Jinx really doesn’t like people.”
    “Says a lot about you then,” Becky said to me and had to hide her giggle behind her hand as I glared.
    “Try stroking her,” Mary suggested. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen her respond to, well, anyone.”
    “Why would I stroke it?” I asked. “Animals tend to avoid me normally and I’m fine with that.”
    “Just stroke her,” Cass said with a tone startlingly close to the one Lily used when I was refusing to do as she asked.
    With a heavy sigh, I reached down one hand to tentatively touch the thick, dark fur of its head. Big brown eyes looked up at me and when no growl issued forth, I moved my hand down its back, letting my fingers move through the soft fur. It wasn’t too unpleasant, not that I’d admit that to anyone.
    “Well that’s remarkable,” Mary said. “I’ve never seen anyone stroke her before. Even our other dogs avoid her.”
    “They do?” Becky asked with a look of pure mischief crossing her face as she turned to me. “Looks like we’ve found the doggie version of you Ryan.”
    “How do I make her go away?” I asked.
    “You don’t,” Cass admonished before speaking to Mary. “I’ve never seen one with an all black coat before.”
    “Oh you can get several varieties,” Mary said warming to the topic. “Her mother was bred to a friend of ours dog and all three of her pups had the same colouring, black with a reddish tinge.”
    “Is she trained?” Cass asked while Becky giggled at my fruitless attempt to wave the animal away.
    “Oh yes,” the older