Unhallowed Ground

by Kristen Gupton

  Deputy Bryant blinked slowly, looking down at the bloody mess on the steps up into the cab. “Where is she?”

  “In the new graveyard beside the church. The van died, so I got Ryan into this thing with me. I shoved her into a hole and...I just...buried her, so she couldn’t get to anyone else. I wasn’t going to let it get into anyone else.” Kelly reached up and wiped his eyes. “After that, I got Ryan here as fast as I could. He couldn’t see what I was doing with Dani. He has no idea...it’s my fault alone, so please don’t go after him.”

  “You’re abso-fucking-lutely sure it isn’t in Ryan?” Dennis asked.

  “Everyone else dies the moment it’s out of them,” Kelly said. “Don’t they?”

  Dennis shrugged and shook his head. “I can’t see why she would come at you with the knife unless getting it into you was the goal.”

  “I don’t know. I just want Ryan to be okay.” Kelly averted his gaze to the side, the lump in his throat worsening. “So, you gotta arrest me for killing Dani, right?”

  Dennis drew in a long breath. “No, I don’t think I will.”

  “Are you going to tell them I did it in self-defense?” Kelly asked, a cautious wave of relief coming over him.

  Dennis pursed his lips for a moment before meeting his gaze. “You think you can keep anyone from digging that hole back out?”

  Kelly knit his brows. “Probably, if I’m going back to work out there.”

  “You better, and you keep that hole from being reopened.” Dennis pulled off his hat and ran a hand down his face. “We’re supposed to get another round of bad snow tonight. It’ll cover up things.”

  “But don’t you have to send someone out there to investigate right now?” Kelly asked. “Ryan’s cut open, for God’s sake.”

  “And who would I send out there?” Dennis asked. “The guy they sent to relieve me is busy processing the scene at Grandma’s house. I’ll write up a report, I’ll cover your ass. I’ll talk to Ryan about it, too. Dani never went out there with you guys. The two of you went out to get that damned phone of yours, and you stumbled upon someone trying to vandalize the equipment again. Crazy bastard attacked you, and you guys ran away. Case closed.”

  “But what about Dani?” Kelly asked.

  “Grandma and I were her only family in town. She freaked out and left. That’s all.” Deputy Bryant shook his head. “If you knew how easy it really is to get away with making someone disappear, Kelly...”

  Kelly snapped his mouth shut and stared at the ER doors as Dennis started walking toward them before disappearing inside.

  He followed shortly thereafter, Dennis nowhere to be seen. With his exhaustion crushing in on him, Kelly collapsed into one of the waiting room chairs, staring up at the ceiling.

  “Kel?”

  He snapped open his eyes, his neck stiff and sore from the awkward position he’d settled into before falling asleep.

  Kelly stood up slowly, Ryan standing before him. “Dude, are you okay?”

  Ryan gave a weak nod, wearing a hospital gown and just his socks. “Physically? Yeah. They wanted me up and moving, so here I am.”

  “What about your stomach?” Kelly asked.

  Ryan frowned. “Eighty-four stitches. It didn’t go all the way through, it was just the skin.”

  “Oh, shit, man, I wasn’t sure you were going to make it,” Kelly admitted, scanning around the otherwise empty waiting area.

  Ryan nodded slowly, dropping his gaze to the side. “It’s over, right?”

  Kelly reached up and scratched the back of his head. “I hope so.”

  “Dennis told me everything once they figured out I was going to be okay,” Ryan said, his voice quiet. “You did what you had to do.”

  “You don’t hate me for it?” Kelly asked.

  “She was dead long before we ever got out there, Kel,” Ryan replied, tears appearing in his eyes.

  “I’m still sorry,” he admitted, hollowness setting into his gut. “I didn’t know what else to do, you know? She would have followed us right back into town, cold be damned. It didn’t seem to bother them.”

  “There was a reason they were burying them alive. You were right.” Ryan glanced toward the doors, hastily wiping his cheeks. “We have to make sure it stays out there.”

  “I know,” Kelly said, though he was sure he never wanted to go out there again. “I’m surprised your folks aren’t here, yet.”

  “Dennis said he’d let them know this morning. He wanted to make it real damned clear to me what the story was we were going to go with before they came along.” Ryan shook his head. “For your sake, Kel, you should probably get that damned backhoe out of the ambulance entrance.”