Part 65 (2/2)

Dean wondered why he'd never noticed the predatory curve to it before. No wait; he knew why. ”Uh, Jeff . . .”

She shrugged, and he missed the first few words. ”. .. boat with his dad. Like you can support a family fis.h.i.+ng these days.” Her gaze turned frankly speculative. ”What about you?”

”Me?”

”You got a girl?”

”A girl . . . yes.” Floundering without knowing how he'd gotten caught up by the surf, he clung to the thought of Claire. ”She's around here somewhere.” Which, if somewhere was stretched about as far as it could go, was the absolute truth.

Head c.o.c.ked to one side, Sherri studied his face. ”You know, word was, Dean McIssac couldn't lie to save his life.” The tip of her tongue traced a moist line over her lower lip.

Something warm and soft brushed up against Dean's ankle, and he felt his cheeks begin to burn. ”Listen, there's a, uh, bar down in Portsmouth Village, the, uh . . .” The pressure against his leg increased, moving softly up and down his calf. ”. . . s.h.i.+p to Sh.o.r.e. Bunch of us from home are there most Sat.u.r.days.”

”Talking about when you're going back east?” Her voice had picked up a wistful tone.

”Yeah. That, too. The owner has a load of Black 'a.r.s.e trucked up from home about once a month.”

”Beer and nostalgia, hard to resist.”

The lightest touch against the inside of his knee. Dean's whole body twitched although, crammed into the seat as he was, he couldn't jump back. He was amazed she'd found enough room to maneuver under these tiny tables.

”I'm not remembering you as being this jumpy.”

Smiling like she knew a secret, she stood. ”Sat.u.r.days, eh? Maybe I'll be stopping by, then. I'd like to meet the girl who finally got you.”

More than a little confused, he watched her walk away.

Got me wha . . .

A gentle caress against his other leg.

Sherri had disappeared into the drugstore.

How did she . . . ?

Oh.

Ears on fire, he glanced down at the mirror in his lap. The chicken half of the basilisk was in his hockey bag eating Red River cereal. The lizard part, a long, prehensile, bright green scaly tail, was rubbing up and down his leg.

She must think I'm a total idiot.

Leaning forward, both hands under the table, he gently shoved the tail into the bag.

Claire could never find out about this.

A warm beak investigated his fingers. He pushed it back down toward the cereal.

<script>