Tiny Glitches: A Magical Contemporary Romance Read Online Free PDF

now Hudson thought we could find her in the middle of twelve million people living in and around Los Angeles?
    Hudson studied my face, then my hands, which I relaxed from their white-knuckle grip on my drink. “You sure this is what you want to do? Keeping Kyoko isn’t legal, like Jenny said. We don’t have any idea why she targeted you.” He paused, the unspoken question in his sentence clear, and I shook my head. “We don’t even know how she found you. Do you come by the gallery every Thursday morning?”
    “I was here only because of the burglary. Maybe she followed me.” How had she known where I’d be? I didn’t exactly have a normal routine, but she would have been far more likely to find me at home than at the gallery. If Sofie hadn’t been out of town, I wouldn’t have been at the gallery at all. I pushed the unanswerable question into the bundle of others I’d set aside, like “Why me?” and “Where did Jenny get an elephant?” and “Was Jenny insane?” I met Hudson’s gaze and did my best to look like I had a plan. “I want to keep Kyoko at least for a day.”
    Thick black-rimmed glasses settled on his face. They didn’t give me any insight into the emotions behind his closed-off expression, but the nerd look worked for him. Combined with the sombrero and a slender metal tie constricting around his throat, it was easy to guess Hudson’s feelings were mixed.
    I suppressed a sigh, leaned forward to clutch Hudson’s hand, and said, “I would really appreciate your help.”
    The broadsword glowed iridescent. The tie disappeared. “Then we better get moving, or someone’s going to investigate why that trailer keeps trumpeting. But to where?”
    Guilt and relief sloshed nauseously in my stomach when I stood. “I have an idea.”
    * * *
    Hudson checked the latch on the trailer, then fiddled with the wires and chain around the hitch. I didn’t ask if he knew what he was doing. I didn’t want to hear a no.
    I checked on Kyoko. She looked a great deal smaller now that I wasn’t caged in the trailer with her. Not so much frightening as pitiful. I stretched a hand through the high slats of the trailer and tentatively rubbed the top of the trunk she stretched toward me. She ran the firm tip up my arm, then lowered her trunk and shuffled to the middle of the trailer.
    “The keys are in the truck,” Hudson said from behind me. He’d retrieved sunglasses from somewhere. They were sporty and mirrored to hide his eyes. “Can I borrow your cell phone? Mine died and I need to check in with my boss.”
    “I lost it.” The lie rolled off my tongue, primed and ready from regular use. I’d found people accepted a lost cell phone lie more readily than a confession of never having owned a cell phone.
    “Seriously? Never mind. That fits with today’s luck.”
    The truck’s interior emanated the sweet chemical odor of new seats, new plastic, and new carpet. I tossed my dusty bag on the immaculate floorboards and hopped inside, straightening my skirt before pulling on the seat belt. A rigid Scottish terrier stood on Hudson’s lap, made completely out of shiny silver. It faced the window, like it was ready to put its head out. If it were real.
    I pulled my eyes from Hudson’s crotch just when he looked at me.
    “Where to?”
    “Santa Monica.” I plucked my starlet-style sunglasses from my bag and slid them on, hoping I wasn’t blushing as bright as it felt.
    Hudson pulled out into traffic and headed for the 10. I’d never been in a truck pulling a trailer, but it was a lot like riding the bus: slow off the line, slow around the corners, and slow to stop. Every so often, the whole vehicle and trailer lurched—I assumed it corresponded with Kyoko’s movements—and since Hudson made no comment, I hoped it was normal.
    “What’s in Santa Monica?” Hudson asked.
    “My aunt.”
    “S. Sterling?”
    “Aunt Sofie to me. She’s got a house with a yard. Very private.” I glanced at the clock. Her