Demon (The Mike Rawlins Series Book 1)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “The dog found her. We don’t know how and we can’t explain it. Maybe Mr. Corbett’s video will help. Have you checked your cam yet, Mr. Corbett?”

  Steve shrugged. “No. It was so incredible... I’ve been afraid to. No sense in putting off the inevitable though. I can’t stand to look yet so I’ll play it for you all first.”

  Steve held up his video cam so the National Park’s Department representatives could see the view screen. The two men dressed in suits moved forward to get a closer look at the viewer. The teens moved in behind them, peeking around the two at the screen. Janis held up her iPhone, discreetly filming the reactions. Gail’s Father visibly relaxed, listening to the gasps of shock from the men and the happy yelps of enjoyment from the teen stars. Gail was the first to speak.

  “It’s all there, Dad! The ghosts’ outlines are blurry, but there’s no doubt what’s going on. Oh my God… we’re going to be famous!”

  “Calm down, young lady.” The younger looking National Park Service employee gestured at Gail in a placating fashion while exchanging questioning glances with his older companion. “It might be a good idea if we took your cam with us. We’ll get a police department expert to check it over.”

  “Yes… that would be the best way to prevent any misunderstandings about our investigation,” the older man agreed. He held out his hand to Steve. “We’ll get it back to you as quickly as possible.”

  Steve chuckled while stepping back away from the man. He shoved his cam into the case strapped around his neck. “I don’t think so. I’ll bring you a copy of the video as quickly as possible. No one’s touching my cam until I have ten backup flash drives of this rescue in my hands. Who the hell do you think you are, Sir? My daughter and her companions just rescued a child. You should be giving them a medal instead of trying to confiscate my video.”

  “I’m Julius Tobias,” the older man stated, replete with authoritative timber while gesturing at his younger companion. “This is Mark Aldritch. We are assistants to the National Park Service Superintendant in the San Francisco area. I assure you no harm will come to your video equipment.”

  “Not happening, Mr. Tobias,” Steve reiterated. The teens moved over next to him along with Demon who took up a position in between them and Tobias.

  Tobias turned to Ranger Cummings. “Please take charge of the video camera, Ranger Cummings.”

  “I don’t understand any of this, Sir,” Cummings replied. “I can’t speak for Jim, but I’m not taking anything away from these folks. They saved Kelly, and what’s on that video is what they saved her from.”

  “Alice speaks for me too, Sir,” Haddington stated.

  “Arf!” Demon put a comical exclamation on the discussion in humorous fashion.

  Tobias’s lips tightened and his face reddened. Aldritch stepped forward.

  “Listen. We’re all on the same side, but we need to determine the facts of this near disaster before the news media blows this out of proportion.”

  “Sir, I’d bet there are a whole bunch of media people waiting outside the prison right now,” Mike countered. “You can’t win this. I won’t pretend to know what your motives are, but it will surely be a loser if you keep forcing this confrontation.”

  Aldritch tugged Tobias into a quick whispered conference a few paces away from the group. When they finished the two men walked toward cell block C without another word.

  Stan smiled at Mike. “I wonder if that means they’ll have the cops waiting for us on the way out.”

  Janis held up her iPhone. “I just uploaded our disagreement to YouTube and linked it in a submission to SFGate, the Chronicle’s on-line news site. I’m betting if they try to take the cam, it won’t be long before we get outside, and they regret it.”

  “Jim and I will walk out with you right now,” Cummings said. “We’ll go straight to the press if they try anything. I’m sorry for doubting you all. Seeing what happened today makes me want a transfer to anywhere but here. Meeting up with the shades of guys I’ve been talking about for years has put my freak on big time.”

  “I’m staying,” Haddington patted his partner’s shoulder. “I did two tours in Iraq and I don’t think my fear factor ever hit the point it did when those three things walked through the library toward us. C’mon Al, if we get into trouble we’ll just call for the Demon.”

  “Arf!” Demon agreed.

  Chapter 8

  Aftermath

  Life changed for the teens and everyone associated with them in a matter of days. Rawlins Auto Repair became an East Bay pilgrimage when reporters publicized Demon’s companionship and daily appearances at the shop. To Mike’s surprise his Father handled the notoriety with an expertise he had trouble comprehending. Reporters showed up on an hourly basis only to be rebuffed if they had no vehicle to be worked on. Mike’s Mom answered the door with a twelve gauge shotgun on her shoulder and a smiling, dangerous attitude that quickly discouraged return visits. Mike’s sister Joanie observed her Mom’s unshakable aplomb with respectful shock. Demon’s supporting cast and families dealt with the initial deluge of people sneaking around their homes with varying degrees of tolerance. Any question concerning the drawbacks of fame was illustrated in short order.

  Dan planned a barbeque for everyone involved. They were to meet at the Rawlins’ house the Saturday after Demon rescued the little girl at Alcatraz. Dan cautioned them all beforehand to say nothing until they could talk things over at the barbeque. The intervening week passed in a whirlwind of headlines, phone calls, and sometimes humorous interactions between Demon and media people unable to take no for an answer. When approached uninvited, Demon would lift his rear leg and spray with deadly accuracy, regardless of gender, race, or news affiliation. The media quickly shifted focus to the more receptive Gail and her Father, Steve. At Dan’s get together, the others were more than willing to allow the Corbetts to shoulder the media contacts. While Steve marketed their idea and video, everyone agreed having only one voice answering media inquiries would be best. The teens remained together with Joanie and Demon after Steve went home to work on the film editing. The other parents adjourned for a private meeting in the Rawlins’ living room.

  “I have no idea why I thought reality show fame would be fun,” Janis opened the dialogue when they were all seated out on Mike’s backyard patio. “Hell, Steve’s video hasn’t even been released and I have people dogging me everywhere. Our pictures with Demon are all over the Internet, and my little clip of our discussion with the National Park pukes I put up on YouTube went viral after the news articles.”

  “C’mon, Jan, it’s only the people who know us so far,” Stan replied. “Strangers aren’t walking up to us on the street or camping out at our houses. I’m still into it, but I sure like the idea of Steve handling the media. Does he really have to finish editing the video before taking it to his friend, Gail?”

  Gail nodded affirmatively. “Definitely. They want the raw video, but they also want to see a more finished product idea with lighting, dialogue, and action trimmed into a sequence. My Dad loves that stuff so he’s working on it like he said. It takes time.”

  “Mike, did D really hose down the media?”

  “You should have seen him, Connie.” Mike stroked Demon’s attentive head. “My Dad tried to get them to stop blocking the shop door and pestering our customers, but they wouldn’t back off. Demon trotted out front and dispersed them in true Demon fashion. Luckily, my Dad learned from Janis and filmed any incursions with the press.”

  “Just type in Demon in the YouTube search engine, girl,” Janis said. “All the clips Mike uploaded there have views in the hundreds of thousands. He’s already getting advertisers that want to pay for advertising lines on the clips. It seems like if we want out of this, now’s the time to speak up.”

  “I’ve thought about that,” Connie replied. “It doesn’t seem like Demon and Mike even need the rest of us.”

  “I think I can speak for Demon on this. We’re not doing it without
the rest of you, so Janis is right. If anyone wants out, let’s end this now, right Demon?”

  “Arf!” Demon agreed with Mike.

  “If Connie’s in for the duration we’ll have to gag her,” Jerry said. “Her screams nearly blew out my eardrum.”

  Connie laughed, pushing the side of Jerry’s head. “Shut-up. I bet the sound waves gave the ghosts a scare. I’ll think about it. Do you really believe we can make money doing this stuff?”

  “I promised my Dad I wouldn’t say anything.” Gail looked over her shoulder as if she expected Steve to materialize. “He’s already been approached about Demon spending the night on the USS Hornet for the movie company he contracts with. That’s why he needs to get the editing done on the Alcatraz clips. They want to see what he’s got before contracting us to do the Hornet deal. It could mean nationwide exposure and a nice payday.”

  Mike ignored the happy sounds from his friends. “What would they want Demon to do?”

  “The USS Hornet is listed as one of the most haunted places in the country,” Gail explained. “They had three hundred deaths aboard and many of them were suicides.”

  “What would Demon’s part be in it?” The others quieted as Mike asked the follow up question. “If nothing’s missing, this seems more like a publicity stunt than a case.”

  Gail shrugged. “I didn’t say anything about it being a case. Demon might interact with the ghosts purported to be haunting the Hornet in a way we could get on film. It’s worth money and that’s what could get us our own Ghostbusters hangout. We could really use a place for Dad to store all his movie gear and do the film editing. Also we’d have a place for our ghost-busting equipment. My Dad has his eye on some of the foreclosures in the area.”

  “Yeah, Mike,” Stan agreed with enthusiasm. “We could even have uniforms. We also need to get those Nerf Super Soakers for the holy water. I’m thinking a couple of those sleek looking seed throwers for gardens would be perfect for the salt.”

  Mike smiled at the equipment suggestions. “I like the weapon ideas, but the ghosts have to have a demonic edge for the holy water and salt to work. I think maybe we need to test out stun guns. They put out a nice arc. How about it, Demon? You want to go into the ghost-busting business?”

  “Arf!”

  “As long as our Casper eatin’ enforcement arm is in I’m in,” Janis said, getting down to hug Demon. “Thanks to him, this has been the best summer ending of all time. It’s a good thing we’re all schoolin’ in the area. Your Dad must really have the bug to actually be looking for a headquarters, Gail.”

  “That’s why I wasn’t supposed to say anything. He really thinks the Alcatraz video is a can’t miss. If a network like the Sci Fi channel picks it up, the East Bay Production Company he’s affiliated with may be able to get us a steady guest slot when we have something real good. This whole thing may fall through with the fame and fortune part, but we can still go indy with a documentary and sell our services.”

  “It keeps all our options open,” Jerry said. “Are you still going to keep your hand in fighting MMA, Dempsey? This paranormal stuff, along with working at your Dad’s garage, might burn your pilot light out.”

  “I’m not stopping anything right now. My face has healed faster than I figured and I’ve been at the gym every day. They phoned on Thursday wondering if I’d be interested in fighting Terry Santana.”

  Stan traded uneasy glances with Jerry. “That big putz with the spiked red hair and sledge hammer for a right hand?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That guy’s nuts, Mikey,” Jerry said. “He’s hurt a couple guys bad. His striking’s brutal and his ground game is scary. He’s slow to let up when ordered to when he’s pounding a guy, and his submission holds are to kill and maim.”

  “Thanks for the scouting report. What happened to my neat nickname based on ‘The Manassa Mauler’?”

  “You’ll get murdered against Santana. He’ll turn you into a ‘haunt’, Mike,” Stan replied. “We’ll have to have Demon put you down, right D?”

  Demon hunched down with his paws over his eyes, peeking out comically at Mike. Janis busily videoed the incident on her iPad, saved it for other venues of her choosing, and E-mailed everything including the laughter at Demon’s prognosis to Laura. Mike laughed the hardest, his mind taking in Stan’s prediction and Demon’s benediction with enthusiasm, losing track of what Janis was doing. As the group’s laughter slowly ebbed the phone rang inside the house. Mike’s Mom came to the patio door with the portable in hand a few minutes later.

  “It’s Laura, Mike. Someone’s ratting everything you do and say out to her.”

  Mike grimaced, while taking the phone from his Mom through the doorway. He clamped a hand over the transmitter. “Shit! Jan, that’s not funny. When you come to my house again, you’ll have to surrender your iSpy device.”

  Janis laughed. “Not in this lifetime, homeboy.”

  Still clamping one hand over the phone, Mike stared at Demon with a thin slash of agitation forming around his mouth. “D?”

  Demon immediately leapt over in front of Janis, ignoring all quickly waved protestations from her of innocence. The dog’s growling snarl and raised hackles shot through Janis as if she were a ghost in danger of Demon dispersal. The others were laughing too hard to aid the startled iPad user. Janis held her iPad out for Demon with trembling hands.

  “Here… take it, D! Don’t you slobber all over it though!”

  Demon gently clamped the device between his teeth and walked it over to Mike. He then returned to head butt Janis’s knee, before holding up his paw. Janis gulped, looking around at her friends who were in a state of uncontrollable amusement. Janis gripped Demon’s paw with relieved affection.

  “Okay… D… you got me. Don’t you ever do it again.”

  Demon did a great imitation of a shrug, shaking his head and shoulders. “Arf!”

  “Hello?” Mike finally was able to answer.

  “Mike… hi… how are you?”

  “I’m good, Laura. I know Jan sent you a vid of us joking around about my MMA stuff. Don’t think about it. It’s-”

  “Your Mom said you’re starting something with the gang and that blonde named Gail. Demon’s finding the little girl at Alcatraz is all over the Internet, although none of the networks picked it up. I… oh hell, Mike… I miss you.”

  Mike took a deep breath. Everything since Alcatraz had him wound so tight only his nights at the gym training kept him sane. “We all miss you too, Laura. This whole thing with Alcatraz has us all messed up. Yeah, we’re trying to get something going from it but I’ve got nothin’ to tell you about where it’s going. If we-”

  “What about Gail?”

  This time, Mike took a moment to realize where the tone of the conversation was headed. Partly, he was thrilled that Laura didn’t dwell on anything related to his MMA fights or the publicity deal, but he also realized how one sided Laura acted about their friendship. His lips formed a tight grimace of recognition he was being interrogated once again.

  “What about Gail?”

  “I… I mean… ah…”

  “Laura… we’re friends. You’ve made it clear you’re pursuing a career and have a serious boyfriend. As a friend, how can I help? Relationship problems need to be shared with Connie and Janis. I got nothin’, but I’m listening. How can I help?”

  “I…I’m pregnant.”

  Mike’s shock transmitted over the phone in a stuttering attempt at some form of acknowledgement. Laura interrupted him before Mike lost all direction.

  “It’s okay. I know what an idiot I am.”

  “You threw me off balance,” Mike replied, thinking it was more like knocked into next week. “Have you told the Dad?”

  “Yes. He’s an exchange student from Saudi Arabia attending my summer class. I kind of… fell off the deep end with him. He told me it couldn’t be his and accused me of trying to entrap him. I… I’ve never been with anyone else. My aunt and uncle have been gre
at, but they’ve already told me I’d have to go home if I keep the baby.”

  “What about your folks?” Mike’s mind raced into a dead heat with his heart.

  “They’re in shock, but not so shocked they didn’t issue an ultimatum – get an abortion or I’m on my own. I kept trying to build up the nerve to tell you but I…I couldn’t think of a way. Then I saw you with Gail and-”

  “What does Gail have to do with it?”

  “Oh hell, Mike… I don’t know!”

  “Maybe the baby’s Father will come around. He may need a little time to-”

  “Mahmoud left the country a week after I told him. Do you think I should get an abortion?”

  “Your head’s screwed up enough about this without me moralizing. Weigh the pros and cons. Then make a decision. I’m your friend. I’ll be here for you.”

  Laura began to sob, and Mike began to wish he was back on Alcatraz.

  “I… I don’t want to get an abortion, Mike.”

  “I was hoping you felt that way. I’ll do anything I can to help you get settled back here. I’m certain Jan and Connie will help out. So will Stan and Jerry if they have a clue as to how. We’re in the process of getting a location to run our paranormal gig out of. Maybe we can get you set up there temporarily if this goofy idea of ours works. I bet when your folks think about being grandparents their attitude will change.”

  “I doubt that. They hated Mahmoud when I introduced them on a visit they made. Are you sure you want to get involved? I mean this will be a huge mess for a while. Do you think we can keep this quiet?”

  “Yes, I want to help. No, we can’t keep it quiet. If you want to come back here, go to school, and take care of your baby, you’ll have to say goodbye to your private life. I’m in, no matter what. I’ll find out from everyone else if it’s okay with them and call you back.”

  Mike heard Laura sigh, wondering if it was in frustration or relief. “Not what you wanted to hear, huh?”