Rougarou II

by Judith Ann McDowell

  “Rolan Lybbert, one of the assholes who lives in this goddamn house!”

  “How the hell do you know this?” Fear wound its way into his mind.

  She called him from the house. I hit the redial and it was his voice mail that came back to me.” Donavan reached for a breath that wasn’t there.

  Quickly, Chandra came forward. “You will breathe deep breaths. You will let go of the fear in your mind and heart. You will put your trust in the Holy Ones, Donavan Hays.”

  “Are you all right?” Barbara ran both her hands down the sides of Donavan’s face.”

  “Yeah, I’m all right, now. Had a little trouble catching my breath for a moment.”

  Seelah glanced over at Chandra as she stood by Donavan’s side. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “Jack, my friend just showed up, if you want to come outside.” Jerry motioned him forward.

  “That the man with the dynamite?” Donavan walked towards the door. “Tell him we’ll take every goddamn stick he’s got!”

  “You heard the man,” Jack told him. Then turned his attention to Blain. “Since we know there’s a secret panel in the living room, I want you to take the dogs around every part of this house. That son-of-a-bitch has Jenny, so she could be anywhere.”

  “Are you sure he’d bring her here?” Blain followed behind Magnum. “He’s got to know by now we’re on the grounds.”

  “He probably hasn’t put it together yet `bout Rafael joinin’ the spirit world and Lawrence coolin’ his heels in the county lockup. So, my guess would be he has her hidden behind one of the panels.”

  “Jack,” Seelah touched his arm, “I am going to see what I can find out about Jenny.”

  “Are you sure you’re up to it? I don’t want to have to worry about you, too, babe.”

  “I’ll be all right.” She kissed the tips of her fingers touched her fingers to his cheek. “Chandra is here. She’ll help me. Just as she helped Donavan a few moments ago.”

  “Does she know where Lybbert’s hidin’ Jenny?”

  Seelah turned, her gaze moving across the room. “Chandra, do you know where Jenny is being held?”

  “No, Seelah, I do not.” She looked away unable to meet the other woman’s eyes.

  “What is it you are not telling me, Chandra?”

  “I am being blocked from seeing where Jenny is.” Her voice was filled with fear.

  “How can that be? No one is stronger than you.”

  “There is a very dark entity pitting his strength with mine.”

  “Oh my god, Chandra! Who is it?”

  “Rafael Hindel.”

  “How can that be?”

  “What?” Jack turned her around.

  “Chandra said the one who is blocking her from seeing where Jenny is being hidden is Rafael Hindel.”

  “I’m gonna have to disagree with her this time. I sent that son-of-a-bitch to hell!”

  “Rafael’s spirit is still here. And his evil is even stronger than when he was in body. As with most dark entities, who know what awaits them on the other side, they refuse to leave this plane,” Chandra told her.

  “Call on your guides to transport him over to the dark side, like you did before.”

  “They cannot do anything about Hindel until he tries to do one of us harm.”

  Seelah breathed deeply against a sudden wave of pain starting low in her belly.

  “You must leave here, Seelah and go to the hospital. Your son is ready to make his entrance onto this plane.”

  Seelah responded with a slight shake of her head. Unwilling to admit Chandra was right, she turned her attention back to Jack.

  “Then I guess we’ll start checkin’ for hidden panels with the K9s.”

  “What hidden panels are you talking about, Jack?” Donavan asked, trying to keep his fear, of what might be happening to Jenny, shoved to the back of his mind.

  “Blain said every time he’s been in this house, Magnum keeps hittin’ on this heavy oak bookcase. We checked it and found a control button on the top. If there’s one panel there’s got to be more.”

  “Then let’s get on it.” Donavan walked over to the bookcase, ran his hand over the top until he found the button. Pulling his .44 from its holster, he pushed the button to send the sheet of wood paneling swinging around to uncover a hidden room.

  “Empty!” Jack said.

  Donavan ripped the button from the bookcase, leaving the room open for all to see. “That’s one secret brought into the light.”

  “I think we need to get down to the cave. That’s where all the action in this shithole seems to take place!”

  “Bring your buddy with the dynamite in here,” Donavan called out to Carpenter.

  “He’s right here, Lieutenant.” Carpenter came forward closely followed by a man carrying a wooden crate.

  “I figured this should be enough to do the trick,” the man carrying the crate told them.

  Donavan wiped a hand across an end table sending a lamp and a vase filled with water and fresh flowers flying onto the floor to make room for the crate. “Let’s see what we got here.” He lifted off the top, dropped it beside the end-table. “I’d say this should do the job right smartly.” His hand shot outward. “I’m Donavan Hays.”

  “Glad to know ya, Hays. I’m Rick Stalls. You met my brother, Jerry awhile back at The Gentlemen’s Elite Club? He says you two are a couple of all right cops.” When Donavan nodded, Rick added, “Carpenter tells me you think these assholes grabbed your little girl.”

  “Yeah,” Donavan pulled Barbara into his arms.

  “I wanna tell you somethin’. If we come up against anything that you cops ain’t allowed to do, just let me know.” He clasped a hand on Donavan’s shoulder. “There ain’t nothin’ I’m afraid to do. And very little I can’t get done.”

  “Thanks, Stalls, I appreciate that. And, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Yesterday I would have told you that ain’t the way we do things here. Today? Anyone gets in my way, they might as well kiss their ass goodbye.”

  “Hays, Olivier’,” Hendrickson called out coming into the room, “the dogs are hittin’ all over this house. I’d say we got hidden rooms everywhere.”

  “Then let’s get started on bringin’ them out in the open.” Jack moved forward, then stopped. “Before any of you open a panel, be sure you have your guns drawn. If you find anyone, shoot to kill.”

  “And don’t stop shooting until you’re sure they’re dead,” Donavan added.

  Chapter Forty

  Jenny tried not to show any fear as Rolan Lybbert led her across the floor of the cave.

  “You don’t need to be afraid, Jenny.” He ran a hand down the side of her face. “You know I would never harm you.”

  “I don’t understand what we’re doin’ here. This is a very bad place.”

  “You shouldn’t listen to rumor, Jenny.” He sat down in one of the chairs, motioned for her to seat herself in the chair closest to his.

  “My dad and Uncle Jack say this is a place of darkest evil.” She was beginning to feel sick to her stomach. “I think I’ve changed my mind about talking to you about my problems, Mr. Lybbert. I’m not feeling well and I think I better have you take me back home.”

  “Nonsense, Jenny. You just got here.” He left the chair to walk across the floor. On a tray someone had placed a decanter of water and some ice. Returning to her he handed her a glass filled with cold water. “Drink this. It will settle your stomach.”

  “You still haven’t said why we’re here.” She sipped from the glass.

  “You told me you are very worried about your father. About his health. I have brought you here to talk with someone who can help your father.”

  “A doctor lives here?” Jenny looked at him: Her young face showing her doubt.

  “He isn’t your typical doctor, no. He is what people call a healer.” Lybbert watched her trying to gage how much he could push her into believing him.

  Jenny sat up straight in he
r chair. Her fear of their surroundings easing as she waited to hear more.

  Someone walked from the shadows. “Is this the child whose father is in danger of losing his life?” a tall thin man asked in a clear voice.

  Jenny sat back further on the couch, as the man walked over to seat himself beside her.

  “Yes,” Lybbert answered him. “This is Jenny Hays. Her father is in dire danger of dying soon if he isn’t healed.”

  “Then we must do all we can to see that does not happen.” The man reached for Jenny’s hand. “I have it in my power to heal your father, Jenny.”

  “Yes, please. I love my daddy so much and I can’t think about being without him.” She had begun to cry, her worry over her father silencing her fear.

  “Let me show you what your life will be like if your father is taken from you.”

  Jenny wiped a shaking hand beneath her nose, as the strange man rose to his feet.

  A bright whirling light appeared in front of her. She watched as different colors blended together seeming to merge into one soft yellow orb. For some reason, as she continued to watch, she felt herself feeling very relaxed and somewhat sleepy. She felt someone pick her up then lay her down on a soft couch.

  “Jenny, can you hear me?” she heard the voice of Roland Lybbert asking.

  “Yes, I hear you,” she answered him, her voice sounding as though it came from a long way off.

  “Good, now I want you to watch as you are shown what will be your life if your father is taken from you.”

  As though a movie played out before her eyes she saw her mother and herself sitting on the couch in the living room, holding onto each other as the two of them shared their pain.

  “I can’t believe your father will never walk through that door again, Jenny. But, he was in so much pain, I am almost glad he is gone and no longer suffering.”

  “I can’t stand it! No, he can’t be dead! He just can’t. He was getting better. You said yourself he was getting better.”

  “He was getting better, Jenny. Only, when you left the house to go and meet your teacher, Mr. Lybbert, your father was so frightened for you that it brought on another heart-attack. It’s all your fault your father is dead, Jenny. You are to blame for his suffering. I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive you, Jenny. You destroyed the man who would have given his life for us.”

  “But, I didn’t mean to hurt Daddy. I love my Daddy. You know I love my Daddy.”

  Jenny heard herself repeating over and over how sorry she was.

  “This doesn’t have to be, Jenny. You can change everything that you just witnessed.”

  “How?” she whispered.

  “You can change everything with only a promise.”

  Chapter Forty One

  Donavan stood alone in one of the rooms trying to get a hold of his emotions. He had used the pretense of having to use the bathroom. He knew how terrified Barbara was right now over the abduction of Jenny. She was feeling the same gut-wrenching fear he was. But he was a man and therefore had to stand strong for her.

  “I don’t know if I can be strong,” he spoke his thoughts aloud into the quiet. “I’m so scared right now I feel like I’m going to throw up.” Tears dripped down his face and he didn’t bother to wipe them away. “If I lose Jenny I don’t know what I’ll do.”

  “You don’t have to lose Jenny, Donavan. You can save your daughter anytime you want to.”

  Donavan looked up to see who was speaking to him and what he saw made his heart pound in his chest. “Who the hell are you?” The words came out of his mouth hushed and fearful.

  “Don’t you recognize me, Detective Hays? You should. I have been dead but a short while.”

  Donavan backed up, trying to tell himself what he was seeing couldn’t be real. “Get the hell away from me you evil son of a bitch. Jack killed you.”

  The eyes staring out at him were focused and the diabolical laugh was deep and filled with fury. “How much do you love your daughter, Detective Hays? How much? How far are you willing to go to save her before it is too late?”

  “What the fuck are you talking about too late? You dirty piece of filth if you dare to put your hands on her I will send you straight to hell where you belong.”

  “You can do nothing to me. Your bullets are useless and your threats hold no fire. It is the dark side who is in control now. We are destroying your children one by one, until there will be no one left to repopulate this plane.”

  “You and the rest of the evil mother-fuckers on this estate have no power on the planet. You are only a few pieces of shit! Don’t give yourself more power than you have.”

  “We in this parish are but a few, but our kind walk this plane by the millions. The one we worship has the power to destroy this entire universe!”

  “Go back to hell where you are welcome. We don’t need you here.” He started to walk away when the next words he heard stopped him in mid-stride.

  “Jenny belongs to us now, Detective Hays. You have lost her.”

  Donavan fired all six shots from the .38 directly into the ugliness taunting him. The spirit vanished.

  Jack and some of the other deputies ran into the room closely followed by Barbara and Seelah. “What the hell are you shootin’ at, Donavan?” Jack stood looking around the room. Donavan’s .38 held tightly in his grasp.

  “Taking out the trash.”

  “What trash? What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Rafael Hindel is who I’m talking about. He said Jenny has joined them of her own free will.”

  “Oh my god no!” Barbara screamed.

  “Come on!” Jack whirled. “If he’s sayin’ that then she has to be on this goddamn estate. I don’t think we need to beat our brains tryin’ to figure out where that would be.”

  “She’s in the cave!” Seelah cried.

  They all ran for the kitchen and the stairs at the same time.

  With only a door to separate the cave from the basement Jack jerked it open. “Jenny! Jenny!” he screamed her name.

  Everyone stopped to stare straight ahead. There on a marble slab that looked like an altar they could see Jenny.

  Jack moved to the back of the people standing still and gazing at the horror ahead of them. Being very quiet he fished inside his pocket to bring out his bullets. One by one he filled the cylinder of his .38. Its familiar feel giving him some much needed confidence.

  Seelah could see two dark spirits hovering on each side of the altar. She shuddered as she saw the small body of Jenny laid out in a long white dress.

  “You can stop right there, Lybbert.” Donavan stepped forward, his Magnum aimed and ready for any sudden move the man might choose to make.

  “You are all too late to save this child. She has already given her soul to the dark side.” Rolan Lybbert looked at the people standing in the cave.

  “She is only a child.” Donavan’s hand trembled on the gun. “Come here to Daddy, Jenny.” He walked forward.

  Instantly, Rolan raised a dagger he held in his hand high over the body of the child. “If you move I will kill her. It will not matter. Since she is one of us she will waken to take her place beside the rest of the family on the next full moon.”

  Donavan felt a cold hand clutch his heart. “Before I would allow my baby to become the evil piece of piss you are, I will rip her heart out myself.”

  “What do you think of our power now?” They all looked to the dark spirit standing beside the altar. “When we are finished, there will be no children left in this parish. When we are finished, all that will be left will be the dark side.”

  Chandra materialized, walking towards the man who stood watching them. “Rafael, you have no power here. Your soul is marked for the dark side. Now you will reap what you knew awaited you if you did not turn your face back to God.”

  “Leave here, Chandra. You are not wanted. The child you are trying to protect is already promised to the one who rules this plane. Do you dare to go up against his st
rength?”

  Chandra laughed, her lilting voice bringing a snarl from the dark entities who stood waiting to do their evil. “You and I both know your ruler is no match for the light side.”

  “Satan is ruler of the universe! He is the one who will drink the blood of all your God’s children.” He looked at Rolan Lybbert and gave a slight nod.

  Rolan raised the dagger above his head, then fell back as Donavan and Jack both emptied their guns into Lybbert’s chest. As his body slipped to the floor of the cave, Donavan and Barbara ran forward to embrace their child.

  “Jenny, oh my god, Jenny.” Barbara cried as she rocked her daughter in her arms.

  Jenny did not stir.

  “Donavan, why isn’t she waking up? What have they done to her?”

  “I would guess they have her sedated.” He pulled his keys from his pants pocket, flipped on the small flashlight he kept attached to the key ring. Lifting each eye lid he flicked the light quickly over each eye.” He checked her pulse and was happy to feel the even rhythm. “Jack, you have your cell phone don’t you? I left in such a hurry I forgot mine. Get an ambulance out here.”

  “And tell them to hurry, darling. Your son is tired of waiting to enter this world.” Seelah tried to laugh, but doubled over instead.

  “Ah shit!” Quickly Jack punched in the numbers. “Get an ambulance out to the Hindel Estate right now, for transport of two white females! One of them is about to have my baby!” He ended the call slipping the phone inside his pocket. “Come on,” he picked up Seelah in his arms at the same time Donavan lifted Jenny into his, “Let’s get the hell outta this shithouse and breathe some fresh air.”

  As soon as they walked out of the mansion, Donavon could see color flooding back into Jenny’s face.

  “I’ll lay down the seat and you can lay her inside.” Barbara hastened to the vehicle.

  Donavan sat down on the tailgate of the jeep unable to let Jenny leave his arms. “You’re going to be all right, Baby Girl. I trust in God to bring you through this safely.” He rubbed his face in Jenny’s hair.

  Daddy?”

  “Jenny! Oh my god, Jenny!”

  Barbara pulled Jenny’s hand to her mouth raining kisses over the palm. “You’re going to be just fine, darling I know you are.”