by E. A. Copen
“We all have our demons,” Tindall said, placing his hat on his head.
He walked toward the door, pausing only when I called after him. “Tindall, what happened to LeDuc's research files?”
Tindall made a sour face. “Drive was wiped clean by the time we got there, everything downloaded to some secure, off site location. Why? What the hell was he doing out there?”
I closed my eyes. LeDuc and Maria were right. Marcus probably had mined the data. There was no good use for those kinds of experiments. Eventually, I knew I would have to confront Marcus Kelley, but it didn't have to be today. Today, I had to rest and get better.
“Nothing,” I told Tindall.
He turned his head sideways, the pale blue light of the monitor holding his face in profile. “Whatever it is, Black, let it die,” he said to me in a hushed tone. “Please, Take those doubts and tuck them away. There's dangerous people about.” Then, he walked out.
I settled back into my bed, determined to go back to sleep until a nurse came by. Then, I'd pester her about my condition and expected release date and time. As bad as I felt, I was fairly sure there wasn't anything wrong with me that I couldn't treat at home.
A knock on the door jerked me out of my semi-sleep. Not two seconds later, a pair of familiar arms wrapped themselves around my neck. “Mom!”
“Hunter!” I said with both relief and surprise and hugged him back as best I could without bending the IV in my arm. “Are you all right? How's your finger?”
He raised his hand proudly, showing that his pinky finger was one knuckle short. Good. LeDuc hadn't taken the whole thing, then. “The doctors told me I could get a prosthetic to stick on it if I wanted. I think it's kind of cool. Oh, and Valentino, Ed and Leo are fine, too. Valentino told me to tell you to stop by when you get out. He wants to talk.”
I glanced over to the doorway to see Sal leaning against it. He gave me a casual nod and moved away from the door frame to go. “Wait,” I said. “You don't have to go.”
Hunter leaned back away from me finally. “Guess what? Sal let me ride on his motorcycle!”
“Only in the driveway,” Sal was quick to add when I gave him a stern look. “And with a helmet on.” He tucked his hands into his pockets. “You've been in and out for a few days. With Chanter still here, I've been looking out for Hunter.”
“Thank you,” I said and smiled.
“You're welcome.” There was an awkward silence for a moment before he started patting himself down. “Hey, kid, do me a favor. I could use a cup of Joe. Maybe you could sneak one in for your mom, too, huh? I'm sure all they're going to feed her over the next twenty-four is going to be that nasty green Jell-O.”
Hunter made a gagging sound. “I bet that's even worse than your eggplant, mom.”
“Just for that, eggplant Parmesan is the first thing I'm making when we get home.” I ruffled his hair and he wriggled away before I could hug him again. Sal handed him four bucks as he passed by and gave him some quick directions to the cafeteria before sending him on his way. “Thank you,” I said again as soon as Hunter was gone. “I mean it.”
“Not a big deal. Gives me something else to do besides fight with lawyers and insurance companies all damn day.” He paced over and sat on the same stool Tindall had sat on.
“Lawyers and insurance?”
“Yeah. If you ever thought a divorce was a legal mess, try having your ex disappear.” He rubbed his forehead. “Apparently, despite the divorce, I was still the sole beneficiary of her will and life insurance policies. Problem is, with no body, nobody wants to execute her last wishes without an investigation. I’ve been working with them but I have a feeling it’s still going to be months before anybody is satisfied enough to leave me alone. I don’t even want the money. I want to know what happened, you know?” He sighed.
I swallowed and tried not to remember slicing into her. “Sal, I'm sorry.”
“Don't be. The Zoe I knew has been dead a long time.” He gave a bitter chuckle. “You know what's funny? Everyone keeps saying how sorry they are for my loss, as if they expect me to be in mourning. I'm not. Maybe I should be but I'm not. I already grieved over losing her. You know what I felt when they told me she was missing and presumed dead?” He paused as if he was waiting for me to ask. “Relief,” he continued when I didn't. “I was relieved. As if her death was more real than us splitting up ever was. I should be more upset, shouldn't I?”
I understood what he was saying. Sal wasn't saying he wasn't upset or hurt by Zoe's death. He wasn't angry or sad. He was numb to it, the same way I'd gotten used to it, the same way doctors and nurses do. When you saw so much death and pain, it was harder to continue to pretend to feel than to go through the motions. Even back when I lost Alex, I felt the same way. Sure, the first few months were hard. Eventually, it got old, people asking me if I was going to be okay. The way people would smile and ask how I was in gentle, hushed tones, as if I were some sort of fragile soul about to shatter at any second. Every time they asked how I was, I knew what they really meant to ask was whether I was still grieving over the loss of my husband. Alex's death didn't break me. In a lot of ways, it made me stronger.
“No,” I said and reached out to put my hand over his. “If there's one thing I've learned doing this job, Sal, it's to never doubt your gut. Zoe wasn't herself in the end. Whoever she was, it wasn't there anymore.”
“She wasn't a monster,” Sal said, staring at the floor. “Not always. I wish... I mean, they tell me they found a lot of blood at the scene that matches her type. Even if she did take all those kids, and even if she was involved with what happened to the Summers... I wouldn't have wished that on her or the baby, human or no. She used to be a good person. What makes a person change like that?”
I thought of her last words, the last hour of her life. Zoe had redeemed herself in many ways. Hunter and I wouldn't have gotten out of there without her help. I knew that Zoe hadn't died a monster. Desperation had changed her and a loss only a mother could understand. Even still, her last thoughts had been for the welfare of her child, a child that Reed had carried off to only God knew where. I tightened my hands into fists thinking about it. If he had harmed one hair on that child's head, after the Hell I'd put that woman thorough, after the promises I'd made her...
But that was a different matter. I couldn't ever tell Sal what had really happened down there, that it was my fault Zoe was dead. It wasn't my right to decide between Zoe's life and the child's and Zoe wasn't in her right mind. He might never forgive me. Even if he could somehow understand, telling him meant breaking a promise to a dying woman. The world would be a simpler place if he simply believed she died broken, confused and hating him. Zoe had been right about that much.
“I don't know,” I lied. “Some people are born under a bad sign, I guess.” Sal nodded and I cleared my throat before pulling my hand away. “Chanter. How is he?”
Sal seemed relieved by the change in topic. “Off the ventilator. It was hairy for a few days. They pulled three silver slugs out of him. The doctors say...” He trailed off and rubbed his forehead again. I could tell by the way he did that there was bad news.
“What?”
“Cancer,” Sal said quietly. “Stage three lung cancer. They say it's starting to spread into his lymph nodes.” He rubbed his forehead. “And the stubborn bastard is checking himself out against doctor's orders.”
“I don’t understand,” I said. “Werewolves heal.”
“Not from everything. There are some things even we can’t beat.”
Suddenly, how ill Chanter had been in the Way with us made sense. “Sal, I'm sorry. Whatever you need, I'm here. Don't be afraid to talk to me about anything.”
“Says the woman in the hospital for a bump on the head,” he smiled and I knew everything was going to be okay.
I asked about everyone while we were waiting on Hunter. Sal didn't know anything about Reed. The good father had become a shut in over the past few days. Ed's legs didn't heal right and the d
octors had to re-break and reset them. They'd healed mostly by now, though the doctors insisted he get physical therapy and wear a cast for a while to be on the safe side. Daphne was personally looking after Ed to make sure he followed doctors’ orders. Other than the physical trauma that was healing, Ed was shaken but coping according to Sal.
“How's he dealing?” I asked when we came to the subject of Hunter. “Did he say anything about what he saw?”
“No,” said Sal, shaking his head. “I asked. He won't talk about it. Acts like nothing ever happened. That kid worries the hell out of me. You know eventually it's going to hit him, all the hell he went through. When it does...”
“I know.” There was another long pause. “Is he going to be okay? Should I be worried?”
“I'll tell you a secret about pre-teen and teenage boys.” He dropped the blinds he was peering through and turned back around. “Every mother should be worried. If she isn't, she's not doing her job.” He looked like he wanted to say something else but his eyes drifted back toward the door and he stopped himself. “I guess you're popular today.”
I turned to look at the doorway. Gideon Reed was standing there, holding a cup of coffee with his hand on Hunter's shoulder. “Reed,” I said and sat up. I was a little dizzy but not too bad, considering. He was both the first and last person I wanted to speak to. Before everyone went around, congratulating each other on a case well solved, I needed to know exactly what he'd done with Zoe's baby. That wasn't a very priestly thing to do. I needed to deal with all that but I'd hoped to have a full day of consciousness first. One out of two wasn't bad.
But Reed didn't address me. His words were for Sal and they were cold as ice. “I've been asked to inform you that visiting hours are over.”
Sal frowned. “Then why are you here?”
“Those rules don't apply to clergy and immediate family.”
Hunter wriggled free of Reed's grasp and darted into the room, placing the coffee on the ledge of the hand wash sink as he passed it. He put his arms around me and whispered, “I don't like him. He creeps me out.”
Sal took a step closer to me. “You need anything? I can stay awhile if you want, make sure no one bothers you.”
I hugged my son back tightly. “Take care of Hunter. I'll be home soon.”
“But I don't want to go,” Hunter said. “I want to stay here with you. Now that you're awake, you need someone to keep you company. I can read to you. There's a whole shop full of books downstairs.”
“Hunter...” I pulled him away from him and gave him a stern look. “You're old enough to understand that Father Reed and I have some things we need to talk about. Work things.”
“But you're in the hospital. You shouldn't be working.” There was genuine anger and distrust creeping up in Hunter's voice. Even I could tell he was a stone's throw away from turning and growling at the priest. I felt a twinge of pride, knowing I'd raised my boy up well enough to know what Reed did was wrong.
Sal paced around the bed and put a heavy hand on Hunter's shoulder. “Let's give them some space, kiddo. Your mom's a tough lady. I'm pretty sure she can still rattle his clock if she needs to.” He directed Hunter toward the door and mouthed to me that he'd be in the hallway if I needed him.
Reed waited until they were out of sight before closing the door. He didn't come to sit like Sal and Tindall had done but waited by the door, one hand folded over the other, letting the silence grow thick. “You're angry.”
“That's the understatement of the century,” I mumbled and crossed my arms. “What the hell happened back there? I thought this whole case was about saving kids and you turn into a kidnapper? How does that make you any better than Zoe and LeDuc?”
He sighed. “Judah, if I were free to speak I would tell you everything you wanted to know. There are certain truths I am not yet allowed to reveal.”
“Certain truths?” I laughed. “What the hell? Don't feed me that line. After all I've gone through, don't you think I deserve more than a cop out on your part? Where is the baby? Who has her and why?” Reed was silent. “Can you at least promise me she's safe?”
“She is safe,” Reed conceded with a nod. “And no harm will come to her. Please don't ask me anything else. I can't confirm or deny anything more.”
I shook my head. “You're not allowed to pull that plausible deniability crap with me. I work for the government. Plausible deniability is my job. Tell me where you took her and why or I'll get a federal mandate to compel you to do so.”
“The church has very good lawyers for a reason, Judah,” he said and walked over to the window. He stared out it in silence with his arms crossed for a moment. The orange light of the setting sun lit up his profile. For a moment, he looked very pale and very thin, as if he hadn't seen a plate of food or the light of day in all his life.
“Fine. Keep your secrets. If you didn't come down here to sate my curiosity and apologize, then why the hell are you here?”
“To warn you.” He faced me with bright sapphires glowing in his eyes. The light was there a moment and gone when he blinked. I don't know what it was, but it made me sit up and take notice. “There are going to be repercussions.”
“For taking down LeDuc and his operation?”
“For surviving. For succeeding where all the others have failed.” He crossed his arms. “I don't think anyone at the top expected you'd go as far as you did. You've turned Paint Rock on its head. Digging up the old, long decayed corpse of justice in a place that isn't accustomed to it is bound to draw some attention and not all of that attention is going to be good.”
“I thought everyone wanted LeDuc gone? Even Marcus Kelley didn't seem to mind that I was taking out one of his bedfellows.”
“I'm not talking about Marcus.” Father Reed leaned over the bed and placed his lips next to my ear, saying in a barely audible whisper, “Others are watching you, judging your worth. What you've stumbled on is bigger than Paint Rock. It's bigger than all of us.” When he leaned back to look into my eyes, I saw the glimmer of fear in his. “God has a plan for all of us whether we see it or not. Even evil things like Andre LeDuc had his role to play in building the Kingdom.”
I swallowed the gathering dryness in the back of my throat. Whatever Reed was talking about, it terrified him. I'd watched the man survive more serious injuries than anyone in the battle against LeDuc. He should have been in a hospital bed right next to me. Instead, here he was, up walking and talking. Publicly, he'd only admitted to being a pyromancer but, if I was right, Gideon Reed was something far older, something far more dangerous. If he had wanted to, I knew that Gideon Reed could have mopped the floor with me on my best day, judging by his aura. If he was scared of whatever was coming, that wasn't a good sign.
“Who do you work for?” I asked Reed, narrowing my eyes.
He looked as if I'd slapped him. “Heaven,” he said simply.
“Whatever happened to thou shalt not murder and thou shalt not lie and all the other shalt nots?”
“Heaven has need of warriors, too. We all have a purpose.” He looked up at the door and waved a hand. It swung back open of its own accord. Hunter, who had been pressing his ear against it, tumbled into the room. “I suppose it would be presumptuous to assume I would see either of you at mass on Sunday?”
I jerked my arm toward the door and growled, “Get the hell out of my room. Now.”
Reed nodded and went without further prompting. I sat in my bed, glowering after him. “Is everything okay?” Hunter asked after Sal helped him up.
“Yeah,” I said and settled back into bed, getting as comfortable as I could. “I feel like I stepped in the biggest, nastiest, oldest bit of chewing gum in the universe and all I've managed to scrape off is the top layer.” I looked up at Sal. “What the hell is going on in this county, Sal?”
“Wish I knew, Judah,” he said, shaking his head. “I wish I knew.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
A week later, I was standing outside of Valentino's
garage, watching him pace down a line of broken-down cars. “Flat tires,” he said, kicking Chanter's truck. “Busted windows. Frame work.” He walked over to the Prius. “I think I can salvage most of this one. Needs a lot of body work, tires, windshield and a window but I can work with it.” Valentino wiped his thumb and forefinger on either side of his face as he paced over to my Firebird. “This one? Shit, lady. I ain't a miracle worker.”
“All it needs is a starter and an oil change,” I said, crossing my arms. “Maybe a few knobs or odds and ends on the inside.” He looked back at me and raised an eyebrow. Then, he gave the bumper a tap with his shoe and it detached on one side to fall to the pavement with a clang. “Okay and maybe a tune up.”
“Seriously, Judah. I appreciate you saving my boy and pushing through all the paperwork to make him legal and all but these repairs are going to cost you more than the whole car is worth. If I charged you labor, I could probably pay off all of Nina's student loans.”
I frowned. “If you didn't want to fix my car, you shouldn't have made the offer.”
“Valentino will fix your car.” I looked up to see Chanter standing on the front porch, sucking down a cigarette. “And he will fix the Prius and put tires and glass on my truck. Otherwise, he will experience such a rash of bad luck as this world has never seen.”
“Can you do that?” I asked Chanter.
He grinned. “Girl, in my sleep.”
Valentino threw his hands up in defeat. “Fine! Valentino the miracle mechanic at your service. Don't come whining to me when you get my bill for parts.” He walked into the garage, grumbling. “Can throw curses around in his sleep but he doesn't have a spell to fix junk cars. What a hack...” The grumbling continued in Spanish but I stopped listening when Chanter launched into a serious coughing fit.
“You okay?”
“Never better,” he lied and took another drag on the cigarette, as if it were the cure for his cancer. “How about you?”
I walked up the path and sat on the bottom step. Mostly, things had gone back to normal since I'd gotten out of the hospital. I was back at work, back to paying my bills and washing dishes and changing light bulbs. It was nice for what it was worth but I couldn't shut out that nagging feeling that I'd stepped in something big. “Why did you call up Alex's spirit in the Way?”