Lake Thirteen

by Greg Herren

  I turned and saw the man, and my heart lurched.

  If Robert looked like me, and Albert like Marc, the man on the path carrying the shovel was a dead ringer for Mr. Krueger.

  My stomach twisted into a knot of horror.

  But somehow, I’d always known.

  He was a big man, thickly built from hard work cutting down trees and swinging an ax or a hammer. His arms were thick, his shoulders were thick, and so was his neck. I’d never realized before just how big Mr. Krueger was. He was wearing suspenders holding up his black wool trousers and a red and black flannel shirt, and his face was twisted in anger and rage.

  “Take your foul sinner’s hands off my son!” he shouted, and frightened birds took off in droves from the trees around the clearing.

  Robert and Albert sprang apart.

  “I wanted to believe the little slut was a liar,” he went on as he came into the clearing, his grip on the shovel with his left hand tightening so that his knuckles turned white. “I didn’t want to believe that any son of mine could be so twisted, so sick, so perverted. But here you are, with your arms around a man, acting like a woman. Is that what I raised, another girl child?”

  Albert stepped forward, his chin going up in the air. “Papa, it’s not what you think—it’s not a sin. I love him.”

  The slap sent Albert sprawling on his back, and Robert stepped forward, in between the son and his angry father.

  “Don’t hurt him,” Robert said softly. “I am to blame. Don’t punish him for the sin I led him into.”

  Albert was getting to his feet as his father lifted the shovel and swung it.

  The sound of Robert’s skull cracking echoed through the woods as his body went down, a trickle of blood coming out of his mouth.

  “He’s not dead,” Albert said, almost drunkenly, his face white in shock as he staggered over to where Robert’s lifeless body lay. “No, he can’t be dead, I don’t believe it. He’s not dead.”

  And he looked up at his father, his face twisted in hatred. “Murderer! You’ll hang for this!” He got to his feet. “If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll see you hang! I hate you! I hate you!”

  And then his face changed, and he ran. He ran through the bushes, down the path heading to where the beaver pond was, running as quickly as he could, terrified because he knew now that his father had crossed the line, had gone completely insane, and was going to kill him, he was no longer his father’s son but some kind of monster that needed to be destroyed, and so he ran, his heart in his throat even as he sobbed while he ran, the shock and horror that Robert was dead, his father had killed Robert and he hated, oh, how he hated.

  He stumbled and fell, and looked up to see his father, carrying the shovel stained with Robert’s blood, the evil glint in his father’s eyes as he raised the shovel and brought it down on his son’s head.

  Bertie.

  And as his body died, as his soul separated from his flesh, he saw Robert, on the other bank. And then he faded away.

  And the light began to fade and I felt Albert slipping away from me, slipping away from me like he was dying all over again, a hundred and six years later he was dying again, and as my eyes began to focus and I could see the flame of the candle, and I knew I was weeping, there were tears coming out of my eyes, and I knew—I knew as surely as I knew my name was Scotty Thompson, I knew what this had all been about, all along, there had always been more going on here just as Carson had suspected, but we’d always been wrong.

  And I blinked, and he was gone from my mind as if he’d never been there, and I let go of Rachel’s and Teresa’s hands and wiped at my eyes.

  “Mr. Tyler killed them both,” I said as they all stared at me, their eyes wide open and their faces pale. “I don’t understand it all, I don’t understand how it works, the spirit world or whatever you want to call it, but they’ve been waiting all these years.” I turned and looked at the well. “Mr. Tyler threw Robert’s body down the well, along with the shovel he used to kill them both. He wrecked the well so no one would ever know that was really where Robert Shelby was. He lied and spent the rest of his life making sure that in death they remained apart. They truly loved each other.”

  I got up and grabbed the flashlight and walked over to the well. I picked up a rock and smashed away at the rotting boards a murderer had used to seal the well. Once the hole was big enough, I pointed the flashlight down the well.

  And there, on the dried bottom, a skull grinned back up at me.

  I turned to the others. “I think we now know what Albert wanted us to know, all along.”

  I felt an enormous relief, like the forest emitted a big sigh.

  And it seemed, out of the corner of my eye, I saw them again—Albert and Robert—putting their arms around each other.

  You know what you have to do.

  I got up and ran away from the clearing. I could hear the others calling after me, but I couldn’t stop. I had to get back to the lodge, back to the game room where the Wi-Fi was so my phone would work.

  Marc was in danger.

  That was what it had all been about, from the very beginning.

  History repeating itself.

  His father took his phone. His father’s crazy, he always has been, there’s always been something wrong with him.

  I remembered the joy I’d felt that first night in the cemetery and now knew it for what it was—joy and relief that finally the cycle could be broken, that I was there and the two of them somehow could reach me.

  My emotions were out of control as I reached the fork in the trail and turned toward the lodge. I could hear the others coming after me as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I kept running, tears running down the side of my face.

  In my head I was getting flashes of it.

  I was inside the Krueger house. I could smell something cooking—lasagna, maybe, and garlic. I saw him sitting at his worktable in the basement. Marc’s phone was there, open and on, and I could see text messages. I could see the anger and fury and madness in Mr. Krueger’s eyes as he opened the desk drawer and pulled out a gun, checking the chamber for bullets.

  I ran faster, my lungs contracting and tears streaming out of my eyes, a pain stabbing through me in the side, but I couldn’t stop running, I had to be able to get Marc on the phone and warn him to get out of the house—

  Mr. Krueger was climbing the stairs, the gun in his hand.

  I burst out of the woods and ran across the parking lot. I pulled open the door and saw Annie Bartlett staring as I ran across the carpet. I heard my mother call my name, but I ignored her as I saw the blessed bars finally show up on my screen.

  I stopped, gasping for air, as I pulled up Marc’s entry in my address book. Sweat and tears rolled down the sides of my face as my trembling finger pushed his home number, and I slapped the phone to the side of my face.

  Marc answered on the third ring. “Hello?”

  “Marc—” I could barely talk, I was breathing so hard. I tried to catch my breath, form the words.

  “Scotty? Are you all right?”

  “You…need to get out of the house, now!”

  “Dad?” There was a clatter as the phone dropped, and I could hear everything in the background.

  “No!” I heard Mrs. Krueger scream.

  I heard a gunshot and sank to my knees.

  A scream.

  My entire body went numb.

  I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  “Scotty?’” Marc said.

  “Marc?”

  He sounded strange. “I have to hang up.” His voice was weirdly monosyllabic. “My dad…my mom…he was going to kill me…”

  “What happened?”

  “Have to call 911.”

  The call was disconnected.

  “Is he okay?” Teresa asked.

  I looked up at my friends. Their faces were white, their eyes wide.

  I nodded.

  And everything went black.

  Epilogue

&
nbsp; The airport in Albany was a small one, with only a few gates, so despite the fact we were all going in different directions we were able to sit together until the flights started boarding.

  “It’ll be okay.” Rachel gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Marc and his mom will be fine, you’ll see.”

  Mrs. Krueger had gotten between her husband and her son when he’d come upstairs with the gun, murder on his mind. She’d fought him for the gun, and it had gone off, killing him. She hadn’t been charged with anything yet, Marc had told me, but he felt guilty. He was blaming himself for everything, no matter how much I’d tried to explain to him it wasn’t his fault.

  But it was hard to do over the phone or through text messages. I hoped I could make him understand everything better face to face.

  I hoped.

  They called our flight, and my parents moved toward the gate to board.

  I turned to my friends for one last good-bye.

  Since the séance, the week had been kind of crazy.

  The discovery of the skeleton had been a bit of a nine days’ wonder in North Hollow. We’d been interviewed by the police, of course, and they’d found a waterproof satchel with the whole skeleton down there.

  It was Robert Shelby.

  I hugged everyone in turn and said good-bye.

  “Tell Marc we can’t wait to meet him,” Teresa whispered in my ear.

  “I will.” I smiled back at her.

  Carson walked with me to the gate. We hugged one last time, and I said, “You know, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

  He raised his eyebrows.

  “I mean, I get it—you know, that Albert was tied to the place because he died violently, and had the time to hate his father…but Robert? Why was Robert still there, calling for Albert? I mean, he died violently, but…”

  Carson took his glasses off and rubbed them with his T-shirt. He cleared his throat. “I don’t pretend to know all the answers, Scotty…and my theory is kind of, I don’t know, kind of sentimental.” He put his glasses back on. “But how could Robert rest as long as Albert wasn’t?” His eyes filled with tears. “If it was you, and it was Marc, could you? Or would you spend however long it took, calling him? Wanting him to come with you?”

  I wiped at my own eyes and hugged him.

  I boarded the plane.

  Rest in peace, Albert and Robert.

  About the Author

  Greg Herren is a New Orleans-based author and editor. Former editor of Lambda Book Report, he is also a co-founder of the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival, which takes place in New Orleans every May. He is the author of ten novels, including the Lambda Literary Award winning Murder in the Rue Chartres, called by the New Orleans Times-Picayune “the most honest depiction of life in post-Katrina New Orleans published thus far.” He co-edited Love, Bourbon Street: Reflections on New Orleans, which also won the Lambda Literary Award. He has published over fifty short stories in markets as varied as Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine to the critically acclaimed anthology New Orleans Noir to various websites, literary magazines, and anthologies.

  A long-time resident of New Orleans, Greg was a fitness columnist and book reviewer for Window Media for over four years, publishing in the LGBT newspapers IMPACT News, Southern Voice, and Houston Voice. He served a term on the Board of Directors for the National Stonewall Democrats, and served on the founding committee of the Louisiana Stonewall Democrats. He is currently employed as a public health researcher for the NO/AIDS Task Force.

  Reviewers Love Greg Herren’s Mysteries

  “Herren, a loyal New Orleans resident, paints a brilliant portrait of the recovering city, including insights into its tight-knit gay community. This latest installment in a powerful series is sure to delight old fans and attract new ones.”—Publishers Weekly

  “Fast-moving and entertaining, evoking the Quarter and its gay scene in a sweet, funny, action-packed way.”—New Orleans Times-Picayune

  “Herren does a fine job of moving the story along, deftly juggling the murder investigation and the intricate relationships while maintaining several running subjects.”—Echo Magazine

  “An entertaining read.”—OutSmart Magazine

  “A pleasant addition to your beach bag.”—Bay Windows

  “Greg Herren gives readers a tantalizing glimpse of New Orleans.”—Midwest Book Review

  “Herren’s characters, dialogue and setting make the book seem absolutely real.”—The Houston Voice

  “So much fun it should be thrown from Mardi Gras floats!”—New Orleans Times-Picayune

  “Greg Herren just keeps getting better.”—Lambda Book Report

  Praise for Greg Herren’s YA novels

  “Herren is to be lauded, not just for his contributions to the mystery genre, but for his prolific nature and the genuinely high quality of his output. It seems no matter what he tries, he finds success. Try Sara and see if you don’t agree.”—Jerry Wheeler, Out in Print

  Timothy “is a sure and confident classic Herren page-turner and I can’t image anyone not enjoying it late past their bedtime.”—Lambda Literary

  “Greg Herren is a master storyteller, and his latest book is no exception. [Sleeping Angel] is a beautifully crafted mystery, geared to a young adult audience, with a focus on family and peer relationships and a valuable lesson about tolerance. It’s strongly recommended reading for teens…5 stars out of 5 stars”—Bob Lind, Echo Magazine

  “This fast-paced mystery is skillfully crafted. Red herrings abound and will keep readers on their toes until the very end. Before the accident, few readers would care about Eric, but his loss of memory gives him a chance to experience dramatic growth, and the end result is a sympathetic character embroiled in a dangerous quest for truth.”—VOYA

  Sleeping Angel “will probably be put on the young adult (YA) shelf, but the fact is that it’s a cracking good mystery that general readers will enjoy as well. It just happens to be about teens…A unique viewpoint, a solid mystery and good characterization all conspire to make Sleeping Angel a welcome addition to any shelf, no matter where the bookstores stock it.”—Jerry Wheeler, Out in Print

  Other Greg Herren Titles Available Via Amazon

  Other Bold Strokes Books Titles You Might Also Like Available Via Amazon

  Soliloquy Titles From Bold Strokes Books

  Lake Thirteen by Greg Herren. A visit to an old cemetery seems like fun to a group of five teenagers, who soon learn that sometimes it’s best to leave old ghosts alone. (978-1-60282-894-0)

  The Road to Her by KE Payne. Sparks fly when actress Holly Croft, star of UK soap Portobello Road, meets her new on-screen love interest, the enigmatic and sexy Elise Manford. (978-1-60282-887-2)

  Kings of Ruin by Sam Cameron. High school student Danny Kelly and loner Kevin Clark must team up to defeat a top-secret alien intelligence that likes to wreak havoc with fiery car, truck, and train accidents. (978-1-60282-864-3)

  Swans & Klons by Nora Olsen. In a future world where there are no males, sixteen-year-old Rubric and her girlfriend Salmon Jo must fight to survive when everything they believed in turns out to be a lie. (978-1-60282-874-2)

  The You Know Who Girls by Annameekee Hesik. As they begin freshman year, Abbey Brooks and her best friend, Kate, pinky swear they’ll keep away from the lesbians in Gila High, but Abbey already suspects she’s one of those you-know-who girls herself and slowly learns who her true friends really are. (978-1-60282-754-7)

  In Stone by Jeremy Jordan King. A young New Yorker is rescued from a hate crime by a mysterious someone who turns out to be more of a something. (978-1-60282-761-5)

  Wonderland by David-Matthew Barnes. After her mother’s sudden death, Destiny Moore is sent to live with her two gay uncles on Avalon Cove, a mysterious island on which she uncovers a secret place called Wonderland, where love and magic prove to be real. (978-1-60282-788-2)

  Another 365 Days by KE Payne. Clemmie Atkins is back, and her life is more complicated than ever! Stil
l madly in love with her girlfriend, Clemmie suddenly finds her life turned upside down with distractions, confessions, and the return of a familiar face… (978-1-60282-775-2)

  The Secret of Othello by Sam Cameron. Florida teen detectives Steven and Denny risk their lives to search for a sunken NASA satellite—but under the waves, no one can hear you scream… (978-1-60282-742-4)

  Andy Squared by Jennifer Lavoie. Andrew never thought anyone could come between him and his twin sister, Andrea…until Ryder rode into town. (978-1-60282-743-1)

  Sara by Greg Herren. A mysterious and beautiful new student at Southern Heights High School stirs things up when students start dying. (978-1-60282-674-8)

  Boys of Summer, edited by Steve Berman. Stories of young love and adventure, when the sky’s ceiling is a bright blue marvel, when another boy’s laughter at the beach can distract from dull summer jobs. (978-1-60282-663-2)

  Street Dreams by Tama Wise. Tyson Rua has more than his fair share of problems growing up in New Zealand—he’s gay, he’s falling in love, and he’s run afoul of the local hip-hop crew leader just as he’s trying to make it as a graffiti artist. (978-1-60282-650-2)

  me@you.com by KE Payne. Is it possible to fall in love with someone you’ve never met? Imogen Summers thinks so because it’s happened to her. (978-1-60282-592-5)

  Swimming to Chicago by David-Matthew Barnes. As the lives of the adults around them unravel, high school students Alex and Robby form an unbreakable bond, vowing to do anything to stay together—even if it means leaving everything behind. (978-1-60282-572-7)