A Fistful of Demons

by Lily Harper Hart

  “You mean when she was threatening us for attacking her kid? Yeah, I watched her.”

  “That’s not why she was threatening us. She was threatening us for invading her space. She was threatening us for money. She didn’t care about Logan. Heck, she wouldn’t even make eye contact with him.”

  Boone shifted, his gaze intense. “Wait ... go back. Tell me exactly what happened from the moment you entered the house until the moment we dragged Logan away. I didn’t get a chance to question you yesterday. I want to hear all of it now.”

  “There’s more than just what happened yesterday, too,” Cooper interjected. “The demon we exorcised returned last night. It was in Hannah’s apartment.”

  Jackie jerked up her head, surprised. “You’re kidding. It’s not dead?”

  “No, but it’s badly injured,” Hannah replied. “He didn’t attack me or anything. I’m okay. He was really angry, though, and he said I didn’t know what I was talking about. He almost reminded me of a frustrated teacher or something. It was kind of odd.”

  “Demons lie,” Becky volunteered, speaking for the first time. “They never tell the truth. That’s part of who and what they are.” She fell into silence for a moment and then continued speaking. “Is that why you were up there together? You didn’t want to leave her alone in case she was afraid ... or the demon came back. I get it.”

  Hannah didn’t miss the wistful way Becky stared at Cooper. It made her feel guilty, which was enough to make her feel angry, at herself. Becky was a nice enough woman, but she didn’t owe her anything. Besides, Cooper hadn’t shown as much as five seconds of interest in Becky. There was nothing to feel guilty about.

  “I stayed with Hannah because we’re together and we’re going to be spending a lot of nights together,” Cooper replied without hesitation, glaring when Tyler let loose a low wolf whistle. “I’m seriously going to kill you.”

  “Knock it off.” Boone was like a cranky father as he rubbed his forehead. “I need you to tell me exactly what you saw. We’ll deal with the demon after. Right now, I want to know what happened at the house.”

  Rather than questioning why Boone needed the information, Hannah launched into the tale. She wasn’t afraid to add her stray observations to the mix. When she was done, Boone was even more pensive than when she started.

  “What’s wrong?” Cooper asked, his hand automatically moving to Hannah’s back to soothe her. She seemed agitated after relating all the information to him.

  “I don’t know,” Boone replied, rolling his neck. “I just ... things seem off. I don’t know how else to describe it. Hannah’s right, though, that’s not the normal way for a mother to react. Why didn’t she call for help right away? Why didn’t she go to her child? I think we need to talk to her and Patrick again.”

  “Can we do that?” Cooper queried. “I would think the state police would shut off our access to them.”

  “Actually, it’s the exact opposite. I told them we might need to follow-up for the investigation out here and they’re more than happy to give us access to Lindsey and Patrick. Logan is another story. When I asked if we could talk to him they shut me down.”

  “He’s a minor,” Cooper pointed out. “There are different rules for minors and adults.”

  “There are,” Boone agreed. “They were almost gleeful when they were shutting me down, though. It doesn’t matter. Lindsey and Patrick are at their house and I’m allowed to talk to them.”

  “Maybe I should go with you to make sure all the questions get answered this time.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  Hannah stirred. “Maybe I should go with you, too.”

  Boone immediately started shaking his head. “Absolutely not. Lindsey is going to melt down if she sees you. We can’t risk that. If we’re going to get answers, it has to be Cooper and me. Even then I’m not sure she’ll cooperate. She looked to be in shock yesterday.”

  “Maybe she’ll be better today after everything has settled,” Tyler suggested. “I mean ... it could work out.”

  “We won’t know until we get there,” Cooper replied. “I think we should have breakfast and then head out. After that, we need to come up with a plan to deal with the demon that keeps letting himself into Hannah’s apartment. I’m not comfortable with that arrangement.”

  “I’m hitting the books right after breakfast,” Jackie offered. “I thought for sure we killed him ... or at least scared him away. I can’t for the life of me figure out why he would possibly come back.”

  “That makes two of us. I want answers, though. I don’t like that Hannah is vulnerable in the one place she should always be safe.”

  “I’m on it,” Jackie reassured him. “I’ll figure it out.”

  “We’ll all figure it out together,” Boone corrected. “We’re a unit and we won’t stop until we’ve handled every stray detail. That’s our only option.. It’s going to be a long day.”

  PATRICK WAS THE ONE WHO opened the door when Cooper and Boone came calling. He didn’t look surprised in the least to see them.

  “My mom is in the kitchen,” he announced, stepping away from the door. “She’s in a bad mood.”

  Cooper’s heart went out to the boy. He was in an untenable situation. By all accounts, his father was a disagreeable man. He was prone to horrific outbursts and constantly yelled at his children. He was still his father, though.

  Now his brother was sitting in a cell, charged with murder and other horrible acts of violence, and his mother was a morose mess. How much was the kid supposed to take?

  “I’m sorry we have to bug you again,” Boone offered, sincere. “We have some questions, though.”

  “You want to know about the thing inside my brother.”

  Boone swallowed hard and nodded. “We do. How long were you aware that there was something wrong with him?”

  “There’s always been something wrong with him.” Patrick remained hovering in the hallway, seemingly afraid to lead Boone and Cooper to his mother. Because he was sympathetic, Boone allowed the boy to move at his own pace.

  “What do you mean by that?” Cooper queried. “He must’ve been a normal kid at some point.”

  “No. He’s never been normal.”

  Cooper assumed that was normal sibling rivalry speaking. “What about when he was a baby? I’m sure he was annoying, crying all the time and stealing your parents’ attention, but that’s fairly normal.”

  “He didn’t cry.”

  Boone was taken aback. “Never?”

  “No. Not that I remember at least. He was a quiet baby. That’s what my mother always said. She expected him to be more like me. If you believe her, all I ever did was cry and make things hard for her.”

  If Cooper didn’t already dislike the boy’s mother, he would’ve switched his opinion based on that comment alone. “I don’t understand,” he said finally. “Babies cry. That’s what they do.”

  “Not Logan. He never cried as a baby. When he got older and started school, he never cried then either. When adults ordered him to take a nap, he didn’t do it. He did lie down and stare at the ceiling for hours, though. He was always up at night, but he learned to keep quiet while running around so as not to tick off Dad.”

  Slowly, Boone slid his eyes to Cooper. He was legitimately confused. “Did your mother ever get him tested?”

  “Tested for what?” The new voice was decidedly female and Cooper cringed when he turned to the hallway on the opposite side of the room and found Lindsey watching them.

  “Tested for any neurological or psychiatric problems,” Boone continued, not missing a beat. He didn’t look surprised at Lindsey’s sudden arrival. The way he flicked his eyes toward her drink — which looked to be bourbon on the rocks — told Cooper there would be trouble before the visit was over.

  “There is nothing wrong with Logan,” she snapped. “He’s a normal boy. I know what you guys are thinking but none of the things he’s accused of are true. You’re just trying to cover
up for your blond friend on the mountain. You’re trying to protect her.”

  “Hannah didn’t do anything wrong,” Cooper shot back. “She’s a good person.”

  “You mean you’re hot to trot for her.” Lindsey sipped her drink, her narrowed eyes bouncing between faces. “Why are you even here? You’ve won, by the way. I don’t have the money to fight what you’re throwing at me. My attorney says winning a civil suit against your girlfriend is going to be difficult anyway.”

  “You’re still going to try, though, right?” Cooper challenged.

  Lindsey shrugged, noncommittal. “I haven’t decided yet. My husband is dead. Someone should have to pay for that.”

  “I believe your son is going to pay for that,” Boone pointed out. “He’s the one we want to talk about.”

  Frustration clouded Lindsey’s already twisted features. “Logan is a good boy. He’s not capable of doing the things they’re saying. I mean ... he’s ten. He’s a child.”

  “That’s what we want to talk to you about.” Boone chose his words carefully. “We’re trying to ascertain when it was that Logan changed. It might be helpful for his court case if we can pinpoint what was happening in his life when he started acting out.”

  “That’s what I’m telling you,” Lindsey spat. “He doesn’t act out. He’s never acted out. I mean ... if you look up the term ‘perfect child’ in the dictionary, you find his face.”

  Cooper immediately started shaking his head, annoyance bubbling up. “You don’t believe that. The kid might not have found regular trouble, but that doesn’t mean he was an angel in human clothing. I’m willing to bet the opposite.” Expectantly, he turned his gaze to Patrick. “You said he never cried. It sounds like he never slept either. Was it always like that? He must’ve slept as a baby.”

  “What have you been telling them, Patrick?” Lindsey’s voice was tinged with accusatory distaste. “You shouldn’t even be talking to them.”

  “They asked,” Patrick replied. “Besides ... I want to help them. They’re the ones who helped me.”

  “I’m your mother. All I’ve ever done is help you.”

  “No, Mom, that’s not true.” Patrick gripped his hands into fists at his sides, his temper on full display. “You always put Logan ahead of me ... and Dad. You never saw the truth about either of them.”

  “And what truth should I have seen?” Lindsey protested. “Your father was a good man, a good provider. Our lives are going to be much worse without him.”

  “Dad might’ve been a good provider, which basically means he went to work on time every day and did his job, but he wasn’t a good father. He yelled at us all the time. He threatened us. You should’ve heard the things he said to Logan. Oh, who am I kidding? You heard. You just ignored everything he said because you were lazy.”

  Lindsey’s eyes flashed. “You take that back. Your father was a good man.”

  “He was a jerk.”

  Boone held up his hand before Lindsey could explode and unleash a pile of vitriol on her son. “I want to hear what he has to say.”

  “It’s all lies.”

  “I don’t happen to believe that.” Boone gestured toward the couch. “Patrick, I know this is difficult for you, but I want to hear everything you can tell me about your father ... and your brother.”

  “See, this is just about them trying to get more dirt on Logan,” Lindsey hissed. “We’re not going to allow that. We’re not going to tell you anything.”

  “What do you want to know?” Patrick asked, legitimately curious. “My dad wasn’t a good guy. He was mean to Logan all the time, to the point where I felt sorry for Logan ... and that wasn’t easy to do because Logan was evil, too.”

  Cooper cleared his throat to get the boy’s attention. “You must have stories about your brother. We want to hear them.”

  “Which ones?”

  “Any that stand out in your head. We’re especially interested in when he changed, or at least when you noticed there was something wrong with him. It could be important down the line.”

  “How?” Lindsey asked, suspicious. “How is any of this important now? It’s already over.”

  “Logan is in a home, not prison,” Boone countered. “He’s a minor. They’re not going to put him in prison with hardened adults. They’ll keep him in a home until he’s eighteen, maybe even twenty-one. After that ... there are a variety of things that could happen. Logan’s life doesn’t have to be over.”

  “We need information, though,” Cooper insisted. “The more information, the better. We need everything you can give us.”

  Patrick let out a sigh and nodded. “Okay, but remember, you asked for it. I have a lot of stories.”

  “And we want to hear all of them.”

  17

  Seventeen

  Since Jackie, Becky, and Danielle were busy doing research — something Hannah felt she was ill-equipped to help with — she decided to take Jinx for a walk. The dog was antsy after the exploits of the previous night and eager to hit the great outdoors.

  To Hannah’s surprise, Becky followed her out.

  “Is something wrong?” Hannah asked when she realized the woman was trailing her.

  “No.” Becky shook her head, unsure. “It’s just ... are you and Cooper really dating?”

  In hindsight, Hannah realized she should’ve expected the question. Becky’s crush on Cooper was obvious ... and a little sad. Still, now was not the time for this conversation. “Perhaps you should ask him that,” she suggested. “It would be best if you waited until after we dealt with the demon.”

  Becky frowned. “I’m not trying to be difficult.”

  “I didn’t say you were.”

  “But you’re acting as if it’s a ridiculous question.”

  Hannah sighed. Apparently they were having this conversation after all. “I don’t know what you want me to say,” she said finally, internally debating about which tack she wanted to take. “I get that you think you have feelings for Cooper.”

  “I don’t think,” Becky shot back, cutting Hannah off with a brutal glare. “I’ve known Cooper a long time. I’ve been here for years. I used to have a summer job in Casper Creek when I was a teenager. Did you know that?”

  Hannah shook her head. “I didn’t.”

  “I spent a lot of time with your grandmother, something you can’t claim.”

  Irritation, sharp and hard, punched Hannah in the stomach. “I didn’t get a chance to know my grandmother,” she snapped. “There were things ... things that happened. I was kept away from her. I would give anything to be able to fix that, but I can’t.”

  Perhaps sensing that she’d overstepped her bounds, Becky held up her hands to soften her previous comments. “I didn’t mean to jump all over you like that. I understand that you didn’t really have a choice in the matter with Abigail. I don’t know why I said that.”

  Hannah had a few guesses. “You’re upset that Cooper spent the night with me.” It was a statement, not a question.

  “It’s just ... I’ve always felt this pull toward him.” Suddenly, Becky looked like a vulnerable young woman struggling under the weight of emotions she couldn’t understand. “When he was dating Astra, I knew they wouldn’t last. It was like she was a temporary placeholder or something.

  “It’s not that I stalked them or anything,” she continued. “I don’t want you to think that. I watched them, though, and neither one of them seemed that ... enamored ... with one another. They spent time together, but they both had other things that were more important.”

  Hannah felt caught. “I don’t understand why you’re telling me this.”

  “Because he’s not that way with you.” Becky suddenly turned pitiful. “He listens when you talk. He’s always watching you, even when you’re not saying anything. He’s hyper-aware of how you react to things.”

  “And you don’t like that,” Hannah surmised.

  “I don’t,” Becky agreed without hesitation. “If you guys actual
ly get involved I don’t think there’s ever going to be room in his life for anybody else.”

  “Meaning you don’t think you’ll ever get the chance with him you feel as if you deserve.”

  “You probably think I’m a selfish wretch.” Becky was rueful. “If our positions were reversed, I would want to beat the crap out of you. I know you think it’s just a crush, but it’s more than that.”

  Hannah tilted her head, considering. In truth, she was more convinced than ever that what Becky felt for Cooper was a crush. The girl couldn’t see it because youth obscured her vision. Eventually she would realize that she was acting like an idiot. Until then, though, she would continue to obsess about a man that was never going to feel the same way about her as she felt about him.

  “Listen, I don’t want to demean what you’re feeling,” she started, grasping for the correct thing to say and coming up short. “You should probably talk to Cooper about this, though. It doesn’t have anything to do with me.”

  Becky frowned. “I can’t talk to him about this. It’s embarrassing.”

  “Trust me. He already knows.” It was a haphazard comment but the way Becky’s face flooded with color told Hannah she’d said the exact wrong thing. “I just mean that ... um ... well ... .”

  “What do you mean he already knows?” Becky grew unnaturally pale. “How is that possible?”

  Hannah opted for the truth. “You’re not exactly subtle with the comments and digs. It’s obvious you dislike me ... and why. Now, I’ll admit that men don’t always catch on to these types of things, but Cooper isn’t an idiot. He sees what’s going on and he struggles with it because he’s a good guy.”

  “You’re assuming that he’s going to shut me down. You don’t know that. He might be open to the suggestion.”

  To Hannah’s mind, Becky was acting delusional. She didn’t want to point that out, though. “You should do what you think is right. I’m not the person to discuss this with, though. You need to talk to Cooper.”

  “Well ... maybe I will.”

  “I think that’s best for everybody.”