by B. Groves
Simon sat there wagging his tail with his mouth hanging open and his tongue hanging out.
He moved around when Kyle turned over. Kyle guessed he was expecting him to get up.
Kyle couldn’t help it. Despite his pain, he grinned at the friendly dog. He thanked the Lord that Simon liked him because he’d seen those teeth. Whenever a demon was close by the dog turned in less than a heartbeat.
Kyle reached out and patted him on the head.
“Good morning, boy,” Kyle said. “Where’s your mom this morning?”
The dog didn’t react but continued to enjoy the attention.
“Well, at least you guys didn’t take off on me this time.”
Kyle stopped petting Simon long enough to glance at the clock on the bed. It was almost 9:30 AM.
Kyle never slept this late or this much. He went to bed late and was always up at the crack of dawn.
Kyle grunted when he tried to sit up.
“I will do this without your mom’s help,” he said. “If I can’t, can you go get her?”
Simon stepped back while Kyle struggled to sit up on the bed. He grunted and groaned while sweat broke out on his brow.
Kyle was close to giving up when he could finally sit up straight and swing his legs over the bed.
Kyle took some shallow breaths.
“Lord help me,” he muttered as he tried to breathe deeply. He again thought about going to the hospital because he didn’t want to develop pneumonia from the breathing problems he was experiencing, but he brushed it off for now. The best thing for him was to move around somewhat.
Kyle pushed against the bed and stood up. His legs almost gave out, but he caught himself in time on the bedpost.
Using the bedpost as leverage, he stood up straight and made his way over to the bathroom holding onto anything he could, from the bed to the chair and the side of his desk.
Kyle turned on the hot water and washed his face and brushed his teeth. He looked pale from the attack the day before, and when he lifted his shirt he found deep purple bruises around his abdomen.
He didn’t care what he looked like today. He turned to find Simon waiting for him at the bathroom door.
“Did Alison put you up to this? Are you here to babysit me?” He asked with a grin.
Simon wagged his tail. He turned and left the room but re-entered right when Kyle came out of the bathroom. She definitely had her dog watching him, he thought. Simon was the most well-trained dog Kyle ever encountered from K-9s to the military. They were no match for Simon.
Kyle struggled into his jeans and a T-shirt. By the time he finished, it was almost an hour later.
Usually, he could shower and shave within a half an hour, but today he took his time.
Simon stayed with him the whole time, and Kyle was convinced Alison had the dog watching over him, and if something happened, the dog would run to get help.
Kyle kind of appreciated that, but he questioned where Alison had run off to. He thought she would pay him a visit since he was loud enough with his moans of pain.
“Where’s your mom?” Kyle asked, as he stepped into the hallway.
Simon stayed far enough away from Kyle to let him take careful steps.
Kyle walked into the living room and found the front door open with only the screen door closed. He could already feel the heat of the day coming through the front door even with the ceiling fan running.
Kyle looked through his bay window and a few things caught his eye.
First, Olivia was sitting on his porch and it looked like she was playing a game on her iPad.
Kyle’s eyes traveled over to the church. Two construction vehicles sat outside of the church, and that’s when Kyle thought he heard some kind of banging going on.
Kyle also noticed a cleaning truck parked behind Alison’s car.
Kyle had been so caught up with his pain that he hadn’t heard the movement in his basement.
He heard light thumps and then a man with a uniform rounded the corner with a hose in his hand.
Kyle noticed the Chief of Police car sitting in a parking space near the church and near it were three figures.
Alison, Markus, and Miguel.
Kyle needed some coffee—badly. He turned while Simon followed behind him into the kitchen.
“I’d tell your mom she could call you off now, but she looks like she’s busy,” Kyle said with a laugh.
Well, that hurt. No more laughing for a while.
Kyle poured his coffee and took a sip of the strong liquid. The bitterness woke him up. He thought he would take a moment to see how Olivia was doing since he couldn’t move very well.
Kyle walked outside with his new shadow right behind him. The dog stood in front of him and waited for his next move.
“Good morning, Reverend Kyle,” Olivia said from the porch seat.
“Good morning, Olivia. How are you?”
Olivia shrugged. “Okay. Alison said you’re hurt. Are you okay?”
It amazed Kyle at how fast Olivia was healing from her wounds. She was almost back to normal.
“I’m fine. May I sit?”
Olivia scooted over and said, “Yeah.”
Kyle grunted as he sat down and almost spilled his coffee all over the porch.
Olivia eyed him in concern. “Should I get Daddy?”
Kyle shook his head once the discomfort lessened and said, “No. I’m fine. I want to know how you’re doing. You’re the most important person here.”
Olivia’s features were heartbreaking. It was clear to Kyle she was missing her mom.
“Okay, I guess. Daddy says he wants to go back to work soon,” she explained. “He’s waiting for school to start again since Mommy’s not there now.”
Olivia swallowed and turned back to her iPad.
“Your daddy is a brave and strong guy, who would do anything for you,” Kyle said.
“I know, but I miss my mom,” Olivia said. “She was always there and now… she’s not.”
“She’s there, it might not be in body, but she’s always watching out for you,” Kyle said.
Olivia smiled. “That’s what Alison said this morning.”
“Alison is a smart woman,” Kyle said.
Olivia’s grief-stricken face turned into a smile. “I wish Alison could stay forever. I like talking to her.”
“And, she likes talking to you,” Kyle said.
Olivia turned to Kyle and grinned. “I think she likes you.”
Kyle chuckled. “I guess she does. How are you feeling?” He wanted to change the subject.
“I’m okay. Alison said the black thing is like a puppet master and pulled my strings. Do you think that’s true? Because I was trying not to hurt my mom but it wouldn’t let me stop.”
Kyle wrapped his arm around the little girl’s shoulders when he saw her eyes welling with tears.
“You did nothing wrong. Alison is right and if you ever have any doubts, pray to your mom, she’ll answer you. She’ll tell you that none of it was your fault,” Kyle said.
Olivia nodded but one tear ran down her cheek. “My daddy says the black thing will never come back for me.”
“Never. Alison made sure it will never hurt you or your family again.”
Kyle was about to say something else when the man in the cleaning uniform came around the corner.
“Good morning, Reverend,” the man said.
Kyle didn’t recognize the cleaning company. He couldn’t see the license plate on the truck.
Kyle tried to stand but the movement made him dizzy after he let go of Olivia.
“I’m sorry. I had a little accident. What can I help you with?” Kyle said leaning against the chair.
“There’s no need to get up. Your basement is clean and ready for use again. We’ve removed the mattress from the forest and we’ll dispose of it,” the man said.
Kyle shook his head in amazement. Alison was taking care of everything.
“I can’t thank you enough…�
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“Gus Quinn. Drove here this morning from Pigeon Forge. No need for thanks, Reverend. We take care of these little… messes,” Gus said.
If Gus had a white beard, Kyle would have sworn he was looking straight at Santa Claus. The man had a full head of snow-white hair, quite the belly, and a deeply wrinkled face with bright blue eyes.
“Do I owe you anything?” Kyle asked as he turned to fetch his wallet.
Gus laughed and said, “No, sir. My good friend Alison already took care of us.”
Kyle struggled down the porch steps and came face to face with Gus.
“Thank you, Gus. I appreciate this,” Kyle said, his brow furrowing with a question. “So are you a…”
Gus smiled deepened. “A hunter? I’m not, but my son Paul is.”
“Oh,” Kyle said. “I see that’s how Alison knows you.”
“That’s right.” Another younger man came around the corner and stood next to Gus. The younger man was the spitting image of Gus, but with brown hair.
“Paul?” Kyle asked.
Gus chuckled. “No, this is my other son, Kenny. Paul’s somewhere in the Arctic helping some hunters up there.”
“Nice to meet you, Kenny, and thanks for the help,” Kyle said.
Kenny shook Kyle’s hand and Kyle had to struggle to hide his pain.
“Kenny, could you go tell Alison we’re finished, and that Paul said to text him if she needs more help.”
“Sure.”
Kenny walked away leaving him alone with Gus.
“We’re gonna head out after Kenny talks to Alison, but be careful Reverend, these things don’t play around as you know now,” Gus said.
“I got a taste of it,” Kyle said, pointing to his ribs.
“You sure did, the way you’re jerking around,” Gus said. “Now, if you don’t mind, I want to talk to the little lady before I leave.”
Kyle thought Gus meant Alison, turns out he walked right by Simon and right up to Olivia.
Kyle took a few steps back and watched as Gus kneeled and spoke to Olivia in soft tones. He couldn’t hear the conversation but at first, Olivia looked doubtful, and after about a minute she was giggling and in a fit of laughter once Gus stood up and walked back to Kyle.
Kyle was impressed. Olivia had been depressed about her mother a few minutes ago and now she was holding her stomach from laughing so hard.
Gus gave a few pats on the head to Simon and came back down the porch stairs.
He shook Kyle’s hand.
“What did you say to her?” Kyle asked. “She hasn’t been the same since…”
Gus nodded. “I told her a few jokes.”
Kyle thought it had to be more than that, but he decided not to push the issue.
Alison, Kenny, Miguel, and Markus were walking back to the house.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Markus said to Kyle.
Kyle rolled his eyes and watched as Alison spoke to Kenny and Gus. She hugged them and the father and son team waved goodbye before they got into their work van and drove away.
“I thought you would sleep all day,” Alison said after she said a final goodbye to her friends.
“I almost did, but I had a dog slobbering all over me,” Kyle joked.
Alison gave Simon a stern eye. “Did he jump up on the bed? He knows better than that.”
Kyle shook his head and said, “No. I was kidding, but I kind of liked the company.”
“How are you feeling, bud?” Markus asked.
“Like shit,” Kyle said lifting his shirt to show the bruises.
Miguel shook his head. “I should have stuck around.”
Kyle shrugged. “No. It was my stupid decision that caused that.”
Markus took off his hat and rubbed his bald head. “Alison filled me in. Give me the word and I’ll arrest him.”
Kyle scoffed again. “Are you going to arrest me for what I did?”
“Alison said that Clara willingly came with you to paint some pictures, am I right?” Markus asked.
“No, but I guess that will do,” Kyle said.
The guilt about what he did to Clara washed over him. No matter what she still had inside of her, Kyle should have left well enough alone.
“Although her sister called me this morning and wanted to check on her,” Markus said. “Her car is missing.”
Kyle rubbed a hand over his face and turned to Alison. “Do you think she made it out of town?”
A grim look passed over Alison’s face. “No.”
“Dammit,” Kyle whispered.
“Next question,” Markus asked. “Are you pressing charges?”
Kyle turned to Alison. She didn’t have much of a reaction. Her face stayed steady while she waited for Kyle to answer. Kyle thought Miguel would pull a muscle in his neck the way he was nodding. He kept clenching his fists. Miguel was out for blood but not from someone like Clara. He wanted to go right to the source: Samuel Manes.
“If you do it, I want to talk to him,” Alison commented. “That’s if Kyle presses charges.”
“You’ll be his first visitor,” Markus said.
“Why can’t you exorcise him right when you see him?” Miguel asked.
“Because we still don’t know where those missing people are. We don’t know if he’ll hurt Clara,” Alison said. “Believe me, I would love to put my hands on him and get it out, but I need information first.”
Miguel shook his head in anger, and again, Kyle wasn’t liking Alison’s idea either, but he knew she was formulating a plan.
“Besides, while I’m talking to Samuel, don’t you want something to do?” Alison asked with a sweet smile.
“What?” Miguel asked.
Alison turned when she heard her name called. She turned back to the group and said, “I have to take care of these guys, but Kyle, my laptop is on the kitchen table, there’s a map that might help us,” Alison said.
“That door is already fixed,” Markus said in a combination of awe and amusement.
“Thank the Lord for that, because I didn’t know how I’d explain to the elders,” Kyle answered as they turned walked into the house.
“I have to go make an arrest of the town’s mayor, so let’s make this quick,” Markus said. “I hope you realize the shit this will cause me.”
“I know, but if Alison can work her magic, then it’ll be worth it,” Kyle said.
Kyle took the steps slowly and almost fell one time when Miguel caught him.
“Are you sure you’re ready to take a trip, Amigo?”
“Damn, right. Markus, what’s happening with that cabin?”
“Waiting on DNA test results from the evidence. The state detectives are breathing down my fucking neck. Why do you think I’m here right now? They’re talking about contacting the feds because of the missing persons cases, and calling for my head.”
Markus took off his ball cap and ran a hand over his bald head when they stepped into the kitchen. “We need to solve this quick or my ass is on the line.”
Kyle nodded. Miguel went to check on Olivia who was now playing fetch with Simon.
Miguel reentered the house and said, “If we go today, Chief Carter says his wife will watch her.”
Markus grinned. “Don’t be surprised if she spoils Olivia’s supper with candy and treats.”
Kyle sat down in the chair. Pain shot up and down his side, all the way to his foot. He tried taking a deep breath and exhale fully.
“Are you sure you don’t want a hospital?” Markus asked.
“No. I want that evil thing gone,” Kyle said as he opened Alison’s laptop.
Alison must have been working on the area the whole night. A map of Wolfpine lit up the screen.
On top of the map were digital red circles with writing on top. Her work impressed Kyle. She had Samuel’s house circle and labeled. City Hall and Emma’s home were also circled.
She had a notepad opened up and other addresses listed.
Markus bent down closer to look a
t the screen.
“That one place is the old T-shirt factory and storage warehouse,” Markus said. “That other one is the old paper mill.”
Markus listed off all the places Alison had circled. Three in all. Kyle tried not to sigh. He wasn’t feeling up to a ride, but if they could find some clues, then it’d be worth the pain.