Gorgon

by Mary Ann Poll

  The heavy aroma of chocolate and coffee drifted through the air. He took the cup and a big sip, then handed it back to Kat. “Get in the truck.”

  Kat shook the empty cup in Ken’s face. “You could have left me some,” she said and headed out the door.

  Kat tossed her windbreaker onto a coat hook. “Hey, Gram, we had another weird thing happen tonight.”

  Alese Bricken wiped her hands down her apron before pulling her granddaughter close. “You can tell me all about it at dinner.”

  Kat rushed to the table. “I’m famished.”

  Alese squeezed Ken’s arm. “When you’re married, you better make sure she eats.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Grandma cupped Bart’s head in her hands. “Glad to see you, sweet man.”

  “Hope you guys aren’t hungry. I think there’s just enough for me.” Kat stabbed a large chunk of moose roast and deposited it on bright yellow plate.

  “I’d better get to the table before there’s none left.” Bart sat down across from Kat.

  “Katrina, wait for the others.”

  “Sorry,” Kat said through a full mouth.

  “While one of us is quiet for a moment, let me tell you what Paul said.”

  A muffled, “Funny,” escaped Kat’s full mouth.

  “Even food doesn’t stop your tongue,” Grandma laughed and shook her head.

  “Paul said he remembered something about the box at the antique store. When he commented on the color of the stones, Annie told him it was new to her collection—she told Paul Russian antiques are her passion.”

  Kat set her fork on the table and looked at Josiah. “Did Wendy ever get back with you on what might have happened to it?”

  “Yes. Mandy told Wendy she knew where it was. It was her mistake, and she found it.”

  “She actually called Wendy?”

  “No, Katrina. Wendy called her.”

  “She’s hiding something.”

  “You are being cynical again, child. She may just be confused. Mandy’s had several shocks lately.”

  “Maybe—but she’s been…” Kat’s voice trailed off.

  A loud quack, quack burst into the room. Alese Bricken’s eyes centered on Ken’s pocket.

  Ken responded with a sheepish grin. “Guess my new ring isn’t working.” He yanked the cell phone from his pocket.

  “Guess not,” Kat replied.

  “Be right there.”

  “Now what?” Kat asked.

  “Detective Dayton’s been attacked at the Ravens Cove Inn.”

  Kat yanked her windbreaker off the hook. “I’m coming.”

  “You,” Ken pointed his finger at Kat, “stay here.”

  “Why?”

  Ken took hold of Kat’s shoulders. “Because I don’t know what we’re walking into. Because it’s a crime scene. Because I need to know you are out of harm’s way so I can concentrate on my job.” He dropped his hands to his side.

  Kat chewed her bottom lip. “If you put it like that…call me?”

  “Bet on it.”

  Bart pulled in close to the curb behind a smoke-black Audi. “Doc made good time, I see.”

  The inn’s owner burst through the mahogany-red doors and pointed a shaky finger toward the second floor. “Room 210.”

  Ken took the stairs two at a time. Room 210’s door stood ajar. “Doc?”

  “In here,” Doctor Billings answered.

  “Looks like a war zone,” Bart said. The desk chair and the hotel-issue lamp were on their sides. A painting in hues of oranges and yellows hung sideways above the bed.

  Billings looked over his shoulder at Ken and Bart. “He has a nasty wound on his neck and arm. Whoever did this was intent on doing major damage.”

  “Is he conscious?”

  “Yes, I’m conscious. Searing pain tends to keep me awake.”

  “You still have some fight in you, I see. You’ll be okay.”

  “I’ll be better when you find the creep whose sole aim was to make this my last day on earth.”

  “How’d the attacker get in?”

  “I went down the hall for ice and left the door open. My mistake. Thought this was a safe town,” Dayton said.

  “Looks can be deceiving.”

  “Tell me something I don’t know! I came back and shut the door. Someone snags me from behind, and pain shoots up my arm. I reached over my shoulder, got hold of a handful of hair, and snatched out a bunch. Didn’t even phase the son-of-a-jackal! Instead, the freak latched on like some overgrown leech.”

  “Get a look at him?”

  “Who said it was a man?”

  “At whomever it was?”

  “I never got to turn around. Lucky for me the innkeeper heard the noise and banged on the door. The creep spun me around, shoved me at the door and took a nosedive out the window.”

  Ken leaned over the sill. “Long drop. The bushes don’t even look disturbed.”

  “I saw what I saw.”

  Ken whispered to Bart, “if I hadn’t seen a tree mend itself and walk earlier, I’d say this guy had gone over the edge.”

  Bart nodded. He shined his flashlight onto the bushes below. “Could have broken the fall, I guess.”

  “Could have—or, the lowlife’s not human,” Ken’s said loud enough for Dayton hear.

  Dayton shouted, “Is this whole town crazy? First, Kat Tovslosky and later Mandy Thomas report someone’s broken into their houses and left presents. Now, the one person I thought was rational thinks some other-dimensional leech attacked me?” Dayton caught hold of the headboard and pulled himself to a sitting position.

  “Lie down, detective. You’re not strong enough to move yet.”

  “I’ll get strong! I’ve got to get away from this town before I’m sucked into this mass hallucination.” Dayton stood and smiled when his legs held. He took a step forward and crumpled to the floor.

  “Dayton, you haven’t seen half of what I have. If you had been here—”

  Bart rammed Ken in the side and hissed, “shut up, Melbourne, before we both land in the psych ward of Clayton’s tiny hospital.”

  Ken doubled his fist, then relaxed it. “Let’s talk about you, Dayton. How bad is he, Doc?”

  “Suffice it to say, if the owner hadn’t shown up, I’d be autopsying another corpse. So all in all, he’s doing great.”

  “Hear that, Dayton. Today is your lucky day.”

  “If you want to get well, Detective Dayton, heed what I’m about to say. You are going to have to recuperate in Ravens Cove—”

  “Not on your life!” Dayton tried to stand up and crumpled back to the floor.

  “As I was saying, you’re going to have to stay here for a while. You’ve lost too much blood. You’re obviously too weak to drive, or even fly, to Anchorage. You need rest and a possible blood transfusion—at the hospital.”

  “No one’s putting me a hospital! I’ll never get home.”

  “You need a hospital.”

  “I’m not going to any hospital and that’s final.”

  “There may be another solution,” Bart said.

  “Which is?” Doc Billings asked.

  “Grandma Bricken’s.”

  Doc Billings looked at Dayton, then back to Bart. “That’s a viable option.”

  Bart turned to the Detective. “Don’t worry, Dayton. We have ways to heal people here. You’ll be back on your feet in no time.”

  “Just what I want—to be a sitting duck in Podunk, Alaska.”

  “Hey, watch what you say about this town! We’re proud of the Cove.”

  “Well, you’re just as nuts as the rest of them. Thought you had a little more sense to you.”

  “As I said, looks can be deceiving.” Ken jerked a notepad from his pocket. “It’s time for me to interview the owner.”

  “Good plan. I’ll stay with our friend here.”

  Ken jogged down the stairs. Why am I so mad at him? I’ve said the same thing since I came to the Cove. A small voice w
hispered, But this is my town now.

  The owner rounded the reservation desk. “I don’t know how the attacker got in here. I was only in the back for a couple of minutes. I always hear the door.”

  “This isn’t your fault, Mister…?

  “Timmons. Ed Timmons.” He held out his hand.

  Ken shook it. “I never got your name when I stayed here before. Sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about. Innkeepers are invisible by nature. At least the good ones.” Mr. Timmons smiled with pride.

  “Good to know,” Ken replied. “So, did you see anything at all?”

  “Well, when I came out from the back,” the owner pointed behind him at a curtained doorway, “I saw the hem of a tan-colored pair of slacks at the top of the stairs. I thought it was one of the guests.”

  “Nothing else?”

  “Like what?”

  “Was it was a man or woman? Did you see a hat? The color of the skin? Hair color maybe?”

  “Nope. Only the pants.”

  Of course it can’t be easy. Ken put a card in the innkeeper’s hand. “Call me if you remember anything—day or night.

  Ed Timmons looked at the card. “FBI, huh? The guy in 210 must be important.”

  “I’m not here on FBI business. The cell phone on the card is my number.”

  “I see.” Ed Timmons stuffed the card in his pocket. “I’ll call if I remember anything.”

  Ken started toward the staircase. He turned back to the innkeeper. “Mr. Timmons?”

  “Yes.”

  “Until we find this guy, stay vigilant.”

  The owner flashed a .38 revolver at Ken. “Always am.”

  Ken shook his head and jogged back up the steps. “Does everyone in this town own a gun?”

  “Most everybody. Small town. Big animals.”

  “Well, maybe we should rethink that.” Ken felt sure, if given a chance, the owner of the Ravens Cove Inn would take a potshot at anyone in tan-colored slacks.

  “Not in this town’s lifetime. Besides, with this kind of stuff happening, the hardware store’s going to see an increase of gun sales, not a decrease.”

  “Great.” Ken looked at Dayton. “What are we going to do about him? He can’t stay here. Don’t want a sitting duck now, do we?”

  “I’m just fine right here.”

  “You’re in my town, and I won’t be responsible for another attack.” Ken turned back to Bart. “So what do we do with him?”

  “I called Gram. She offered to keep him, of course. Second to the Inn she’s housed more strangers than anyone else in this town.”

  “You’re really taking me to some old lady’s house? How’s some senior citizen supposed to prevent another attack?”

  “You’d be surprised. By the way, don’t you ever call her an old lady again. You will show her the utmost respect. Or you’ll deal with me, and it won’t be pleasant,” Bart growled.

  Dayton raised his eyebrows. “Won’t happen again.”

  “Get him settled in the truck. Then come back and talk to me,” Doc Billings said.

  Ken and Bart met Billings in the inn’s lobby. “I didn’t want to say this in front of Dayton. These puncture wounds are clean and deep. Not jagged edges like I’d expect when a human tries to tear out someone’s jugular. And there’s something else.”

  “Good news, maybe?”

  “Unfortunately, no. Those wounds atrophied before I arrived. I had to cut away the rotted skin before I sewed him up. Last, he didn’t even need a local anesthetic—the area around the wound was numb.”

  “Nice. A thoughtful vampire.”

  “I don’t know what we’ve got here. But this is nothing I’ve ever seen before. And it was strong. Dayton weighs at least 230 pounds. Not to mention he’s a trained police officer. It would have been hard to hold onto him.”

  A shiver marched up Ken’s spine. “Do me a favor, Doc. Call me when you get to your place. Don’t need to lose one of the Cove’s finest.”

  “Fine. Talk later.” Doc Billings climbed into his black Audi and pulled off into the night.

  Chapter 14

  Bloodsuckers and Boxes

  “Which of you horrid abominations let my servant attack before she was ordered to?” Lilith growled at Nihilist.

  “I swear, my queen, we kept her in the caves. We stood guard at the doors.” Nihilist clip-clopped away from the swirling apparition of wrinkled flesh.

  “Fools! I made her like me! She can change form; she can walk through a wall.”Nihilist bowed his head and murmured, “you didn’t tell us.”

  Lilith flew off the bridge, latched onto Nihilist’s sinewy neck and dragged him to eye level. “Tell me why I should not eat my fill of your lifeblood right now?” She leaned toward the throbbing vein in Nihilist’s neck.

  Cloven hooves ran in midair. “Because I am the only one who can give you the information you need to defeat Pet and the demons.”

  Lilith calmed. “What you say is unfortunate but true. Do you have the box to contain my servant?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you have the key?”

  “No.”

  Lilith dropped the Kumrande and returned to the darkness under the bridge. “Get it or you die.”

  “What makes this box and its key so important? Both you and the demons wish possession.”

  “It is the twin of my prison. They were made by the evil ones to contain me forever.” Lilith smiled. “I guess they wanted a backup in case the first was somehow destroyed. They so fear me. Anyway, the box is the only thing strong enough to contain my servant. I suggest you find it. If the demons get it first, I will have no choice but to tell them of our alliance.”

  Nihilist’s yellow eyes widened with fear. “It is done.” He bowed and ran into the forest.

  “This must be Detective Dayton.” Josiah held the door open for Bart and Ken. They guided their charge into the entry hall.

  “My, oh, my! You do look a little green around the gills,” Grandma commented on her way down the stairs. She motioned to Bart and Ken. “Bring him to the living room.”

  The hall ended where a large room began. A small oak desk greeted them. Tidy stacks of correspondence lined its backboard; a pen and paper sat in the middle of the gleaming wood. Black and white photos adorned the top shelf of the writing table.

  “You had to leave this one out, Gram!” Kat pointed at the picture of a petite child with dark ringlets and bright eyes.

  “Kat! How’d you get in without me hearing you?” Gram smiled.

  “You know I’m sneaky when I want to be—wow, you don’t look so good, Detective Dayton. Let’s get you in bed.” Kat pushed Bart, then Ken to the side and guided Dayton to the sofa. She let go of his arm long enough to fold back the dark-blue quilt and light blue sheet covering the overstuffed couch.

  “He’s been through quite a battle.” Bart shot a knowing look to Josiah.

  “Oh, I see.” Josiah came over to the detective. “You’re fortunate.”

  Dayton pointed at his bandaged neck.

  “Do I look like I’ve fallen into some great luck here?”

  “You are breathing and can speak—you’re not only fortunate, you’re blessed.”

  “If you say so. And you are?”

  “Josiah Williams, at your service.”

  “I’ll keep it in mind.” Dayton turned his attention to the woman Kat called Gram. Her brown skin was weathered but her eyes sparkled with youth. This is no old woman—no matter what her age. He looked at Kat. Her eyes mirrored those of the older woman.

  “This must be your mother.” Dayton fumbled his words.

  Alese chuckled. “I am her grandmother, but I thank you for the compliment.”

  A red flush crept up Dayton’s neck to his cheeks. He hung his head. “Welcome,” he mumbled. The words slurred to make it hard to understand.

  Alese crossed her arms. “Has this man been drinking?”

  “No, Gram. Doc Billings gave him a mild sedative,” Bart said.<
br />
  “Oh, I see. Well, you just rest here. When you wake I’ll fix you a big plate of moose liver and onions. Best thing to start rebuilding your blood.” Alese left the room.

  “I’ll help you, Gram.” Kat looked at Dayton. “Make yourself comfortable, and see if you can get some sleep.”

  Dayton settled onto the couch, his head on the softest pillow he ever remembered. “Doubt I’ll be sleeping,” he mumbled as he drifted off.

  “Welcome to Grandma’s nest,” Bart said.

  Familiar footsteps caught Kat’s attention right before Ken gripped her arm. “I’d like to know why you are here.”

  Kat steadied the teacup in her right hand. “Careful. You almost scalded us both!”

  “Don’t change the subject. Why are you here?” Ken’s voice shook with anger.

  “Why am I at my grandmother’s house?”

  “No. Why are you walking the streets of the Cove in full dark when there are creatures just waiting for the cover of night so they can kill?”

  “What wants to kill me? This thing likes men—Arnie, Dayton—men.”

  “The Kumrande don’t care about gender.”

  Kat set the teacup on the counter. “I forgot about them.”

  “What if you’d been critically injured? Worse, what if you’d been killed? I need you to…” An ear-splitting bark drowned out Ken’s last word.

  “If you ever had any doubt, be assured you are my best friend in the world,” Wendy yelled from the hall. “I would not tolerate this creature for anyone else.” Wendy dropped the leash and glared at Kat. “This animal doesn’t ever shut up! Jo isn’t speaking to me because it ran off a couple of her late night customers before they got in the bakery, and I’m not sure Horace from the hardware store is talking to me either!”

  “Carnelian!” The dog ran to Kat, sat, and looked her in the eye. Kat cradled the dog’s head in her hands and kissed its forehead. “She’s a wonderful dog, Winsome. Look how gentle.”

  “Sure, now she is.” Wendy whirled and stalked out the door.

  “Since when did you name the beast?” Ken asked.

  “Just now.”

  Grandma shook her head. “Oh, dear. You’ve let yourself become attached to this noisy angel.”

  “Here’s the other beast.” BC leapt to the ground, trotted to Kat, and sat down beside Carnelian.