Midnight Crossroad (Midnight, Texas #1) by Charlaine Harris Page A

back around to the picnic plan.”
    “That might be a nice outing. I haven’t hiked over there in a long time. Since . . .” His voice trailed off.
    Since before Aubrey left you.
She restrained herself from gritting her teeth and growling. “We ought to do it. That would be nice for the new guy. Manfred.”
    “You like him?” Bobo asked.
    Fiji looked at him uncertainly. Was Bobo teasing her? Did he seriously believe she would enjoy, at twenty-eight, having a crush on the new kid in school?
    After a second, she decided there were no overtones. Bobo was making a casual inquiry . . . at least, she was fairly sure. “He seems okay,” she said. “Unusual job, unusual guy. Lemuel sure took a shine to him.”
    “Really?” Bobo looked surprised. “Huh. That’s good, I guess.”
    She nodded. “I thought so.”
    “Too bad Lem can’t go to the picnic, then.” Bobo appeared to be considering. “Nah, we couldn’t have it at night,” he concluded. “There’s no light out there at all. Even if we went on a full-moon night, it would be too dark to hike out there. Picnics are a daytime thing.”
    “So we just need to pick a day and ask people,” she said. “What about next Monday? A week from yesterday? I’ll ask around.”
    “Sure, great,” Bobo said. He did seem to be a little happier. “I can bring the beer and some soda.” He looked down at his watch. “I better go open the store. Not that anyone hardly ever comes in this early.”
    “Lem still working five nights a week?” Midnight Pawn was open from nine in the morning to six at night, then eight at night until six in the morning, six days a week. It was closed for twenty-four hours on Sunday. On Monday, Teacher took the day and Olivia took the night shift, if it suited them, but more often than not the pawnshop was closed on Monday. That gave Bobo and Lemuel two days and nights off.
    “We’re thinking of hiring someone,” Bobo said. “This piecing Monday together as we go is getting old. We need someone reliable, someone who can maybe come in at other times when we’re busy. But yeah, Lemuel is always there five nights. Sunday and Monday nights off.”
    “I wonder what Lemuel does when he’s not working,” Fiji said. “On his times off.” There was a moment of silence. “Better not to know, I guess.”
    “Yeah. Better not.”
    Fiji hesitated. She wanted to ask,
Did you ever wonder if he knew anything about what might have happened to Aubrey?
But she didn’t speak.
He would have asked Lemuel if the thought had occurred to him, because he’s just that transparent,
she thought.
    After Bobo went back to Midnight Pawn, Fiji propped her feet up again with a sigh, though it was more regretful than contented. In a moment, she’d have to give up her garden and her comfort and get cleaned up for work, but usually work was enjoyable, if not exactly fun. And she had the picnic to look forward to. But her thoughts about Aubrey had stirred up an unpleasant nest of feelings.
    Fiji had not liked Aubrey Hamilton; in fact, she’d loathed her with an intensity almost amounting to hate. Guilt stirred in Fiji’s gut as she remembered all the bad energy she’d sent Aubrey’s way. Had she ever wished Aubrey was gone, never to be heard from again? Sure, many times . . . in fact, every time she’d watched Aubrey cling to Bobo’s arm and rub herself all over him. And then Aubrey had actually done just that. She’d disappeared.
    Because most of the residents of Midnight were quite perceptive, Fiji had never discussed Aubrey with any of them, before or after the vanishing. She knew her dislike would be easy to read . . . if they hadn’t picked up on it already. Instead, she’d cast a spell. If it worked, everyone in Midnight should have been able to perceive Aubrey’s true nature; but if the other Midnighters had suddenly opened their eyes to Aubrey’s awfulness, not one of them had mentioned it.
    And now no one would, because Bobo was