“I don’t care what those stupid reports say. They’re wrong,” Cody said to Sergeant Henderson. “Tell him, Aaron. Tell him it’s a mistake.”
“I’m sorry, but I have to let him take you in.”
“Why? I didn’t do anything. Don’t you believe me?”
“Right now, that doesn’t matter,” Sergeant Henderson stated. “There’s a mountain of evidence pointing at you, and we can’t ignore it. The fingerprints, the DNA, the body out there, the scriptures highlighted in your Bible.”
Cody furrowed his brow at Aaron. “You told him about that? Why don’t you just tell him about the nightmares too? Maybe about your ex-wife and—”
“Cody, stop it!” Aaron yelled. “I could’ve easily let Sergeant Henderson arrest you and interrogate you at the Sheriff’s Department, but I didn’t.”
“Then do it!” Cody yelled back. “I don’t care anymore. I’m tired of living like this. I’m tired of the nightmares. I’m tired of… of… of everything! So, just do it. Arrest me already.”
Aaron knelt in front of Cody. “Stop it.”
Cody turned to Sergeant Henderson. “Do you want a confession? Fine! I did it. I killed the bastard. I chopped him up into little pieces with an axe. I buried him in the—”
Aaron grabbed Cody’s arm. “Stop talking, damn it!”
“Why? Isn’t that what you wanted? Someone to blame? Be the hero that saved Lost Maples?”
“Aaron, we have a serious problem here.” Sergeant Henderson backed away. “I think I’ll step outside.”
“Why?” Cody said, anger burning in his eyes. “You said you have all that evidence against me, so what does it matter if I tell you I killed the guy. Maybe I killed Randy, too, just to send a message to that fat-ass Peter Slavic.”
Sergeant Henderson reached behind his back and pulled out a set of handcuffs.
“That wasn’t a confession, Scott.” Aaron held his hand out. “He’s upset. He doesn’t know—”
“The hell it isn’t,” Cody said. “I killed them both. I stabbed them and chopped—”
“All right, that’s enough!” Aaron yelled. “Shut your goddamn mouth, Cody!”
Sergeant Henderson stepped towards Cody. “I’m sorry, Aaron. I’ve got to do it.”
“No, you don’t. He’s talking out of his ass.”
“Get up,” Sergeant Henderson grabbed Cody’s left arm and lifted. “I’m placing you under arrest for the murder of Daniel Corbin and Randall Cunningham.”
Cody didn’t resist. He met Aaron’s gaze with a reddened face. His demeanor transformed instantly from anger to anxiety. His eyes filled with moisture.
Aaron grunted a heavy sigh of frustration and clenched his jaw. Sergeant Henderson pulled Cody’s left arm behind his back, but Aaron grabbed the man’s wrist. “That’s not necessary.”
“I’m afraid it is.” Sergeant Henderson said, compassion in his eyes. When Aaron released his grip, Henderson pulled Cody’s other arm behind his back and secured the handcuffs on his wrists. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can’t—”
“He knows his rights, Scott. Now will you give us a minute alone?”
“I’ve got to take him in.”
“Just give me a minute, okay?” Aaron said. “I’m not going to jump into a portal and flee the country with him.”
Henderson pursed his lips. “All right, but he’s riding with me.”
“Fine. Whatever.”
Aaron waited for Sergeant Henderson to step outside and knelt in front of Cody. “Why did you say those things? You just made our lives a living hell.”
“It already was.”
Aaron wiped a tear from Cody’s eye. “I wish you would have listened to me. What were you trying to prove by saying those things? You know they aren’t true.”
“I’m not trying to prove anything. He was going to arrest me anyway.”
“Yeah, but only because he had to. If you would have just shut the hell up, I would have had you back home within a couple of hours. Now that you’ve confessed to murder, we’re going to have to figure out how to convince the judge that you weren’t being serious. And that’s going to be hell, considering the evidence.”
“So, what’s the point? I’m screwed either way.”
Aaron sat on the couch. “We both know you’ve never been in trouble with the law before, so there’s no reason for you to have a record to match your prints from. Someone is trying to frame you for those murders. Why? I don’t know.”
“But they took my fingerprints when I was at Saint Hedwig.”
“That has nothing to do with anything. Those records are sealed and would not have been picked up by a criminal database. The only way we could’ve gotten a match is if we had personally taken your fingerprints and matched them with the ones found at the crime scene. And that didn’t happen.”
Sergeant Henderson opened the door and stepped inside the house. “We’ve got to go.”
“I’m not done talking with him.” Aaron pointed a stern finger towards the door. “We’ll leave when I say we leave.”
Scott pulled out his phone and mumbled something before stepping back outside.
“If I tell you something, do you promise not to tell anyone else?” Cody asked.
Aaron thought about that for a few seconds before agreeing. “I promise. What is it?”
“I…” Cody swallowed. “I saw everything.”
“What do you mean, you saw everything?”
“In a premonition.” Cody winced and moved his arms around. “Can you loosen these handcuffs? They’re hurting my wrists.”
Aaron grabbed his keys from the table by the front door and removed the handcuffs. He gently turned Cody around and asked him about the premonition. “What did you see?”
Cody rubbed his wrists. “I saw what happened to Randy… and that drug dealer guy. Daniel Curben, or whatever his name is.”
“Corbin.” Aaron grabbed hold of Cody’s arm. “When did this happen? These premonitions?”
“Each night before they died. And again the night it happened.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“I was scared, because… because it was like I was watching through the killer’s eyes.”
Aaron’s phone rang. It was Sheriff Donovan. “That son of a bitch.” Aaron glared at Sergeant Henderson, who was seated on a bench on the front porch. Aaron answered the phone. “We’re leaving right now.”
“Is it true Cody confessed?”
“It’s a fluke, Richard. He didn’t mean it.”
“Well, just so you know, that really complicates things.”
“Yeah, I know.” Cody put his arm around his waist. “Um…” Aaron held Cody close to him. “We’ll deal with it when we talk to the judge.”
“That’s the problem. I already spoke with the DA. There ain’t gonna be any bail.”
“What? That’s insane. He’s a minor.”
“Now don’t get yer britches all up in a wad just yet. I’m gonna arrange for Cody to be transferred to the juvenile facility in San Antonio tomorrow morning.”
Sergeant Henderson opened the door again. Aaron pushed him back outside and shut the door, locking it. “Why San Antonio?”
“San Antonio?” Cody said. “They’re sending me to—” Aaron placed his hand over Cody’s mouth.
“You want news vans parked in front of yer house? Since Cody is a minor, we can legally withhold his arrest report from the snoopin’ media.”
“Okay.” Aaron removed his hand from Cody’s mouth. “That still doesn’t explain why we can’t keep him here. We have our own facility.”
“You really haven’t lived in a small town before, have ya?” Sheriff Donovan chuckled. “If we put him in our juvenile facility, I guarantee it won’t be long before someone leaks it to the Record. That nonsense won’t happen if we put him in San Antonio.”
Aaron
sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Or, we could forget Cody said anything at all, and keep this under wraps until we find out who our real suspect is?”
“You know it ain’t that simple.”
“He was blowing off steam, Richard. And the evidence is bullshit.”
“Not according to the DA. We need to prove Cody’s innocence the right way.” There was a slight pause, then Sheriff Donovan said, “I promise he’ll be in good hands. A friend of mine is the chief probation officer in charge of the JDC in San Antonio. He’ll make sure Cody is taken care of while we get this whole mess figured out.”
“And while that’s going on, we’ll still have a killer out there, and my thumb up my ass not doing anything about it… since you took me off the case.”
“Let’s focus on clearing Cody’s name first, and then we’ll get you back on the case. Ain’t nobody in this town that wants this put behind us more than I do. Anyway, the DA just walked in my office, so I’ll see you when you get here.”
“All right, Richard. This whole thing sucks, but I’m going to trust you on this.”
Aaron ended the call and gave Cody a hug.
“I’m sorry,” Cody said, with his arms wrapped around Aaron. “I screwed up big time, didn’t I?”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll get through this.” He ruffled Cody’s hair. “Now, let’s go, before Scott has a conniption for making him wait so long.”
Cody formed a slight smile and grabbed the handcuffs. When they stepped outside, he gave them back to Sergeant Henderson.
“Why isn’t he cuffed?” Scott asked, with the steel bracelets dangling in his hand.
“Just put him in the back seat. I’ll ride shotgun and fill you in on the way back into town.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Witness
Peter fastened the belt of his pants, not bothering to flush the toilet, as he stepped out of the bathroom stall. A little Hispanic kid flushed a nearby urinal and stuffed his shirt in his pants while Peter watched, a mischievous grin forming on his face. Peter adjusted his own shirt and stepped toward the sink. As the boy washed his hands, he glanced up at the mirror. The little Hispanic “fish” kept his eyes on Peter through the mirror while he turned off the water and wiped his hands over his shirt.
Peter blocked the exit and smiled.
The sixth grader tried to go around him, but Peter pushed him back towards the stalls. “Where do you think you’re going, little taco boy?”
“I’m… uh… just going to the cafeteria.”
“You’re new here, ain’t ya?” Peter pushed the scrawny boy towards the open stall he had just come out of. The stench of a freshly deposited load of feces hit the boy’s nose, triggering a grimace on his face. Peter laughed and pushed him into the stall. “You got two choices, Taco.”
The kid frowned. “My name is Jonathan, not Taco.”
Peter grabbed him by the shirt collar and lifted. “Don’t get smart with me, you little shit. You obviously don’t know the rules around here, so let me educate you.” He turned Jonathan around and grabbed hold of the back of his head, pushing it forward. “You see that pile of shit? The last person who didn’t understand my rules got his head dunked. You want that to happen to you? Huh, Taco?”
“No,” he whimpered, squirming.
“Good. So here’s what you’re gonna do.” He reached into Jonathan’s back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and thumbed through a few pictures. There was one of a woman standing behind Jonathan, her arms wrapped around him. Probably his mother. They both had gleaming smiles. “Mama’s boy, huh?” He tore the photo in half and tossed it in the toilet.
“No!”
“Oh, relax. It’s just a stupid photo. I’m sure you’re mommy has more.”
Jonathan reached for his wallet. “Give it back.”
“Let’s see how much dinero you got in here.” Peter kept the wallet out of reach and pulled out a few bills. “That’s it? Four measly bucks?” He stuffed the money in his pocket and dropped the wallet on the floor. “Make sure you have more tomorrow.”
“You’re crazy. I’m not giving you my money.” Jonathan shoved his right knee into Peter’s crotch and pushed past him. He tripped and landed on his chest halfway out of the stall. The impact knocked the breath out of him.
“That was a big fuckin’ mistake.” Peter grabbed one of Jonathan’s legs and pulled him back into the stall. He grabbed a handful of the boy’s hair and pulled his head over the toilet.
Jonathan clamped his hands on the edge of the seat. “No! Hel—“
Peter squeezed his hand around Jonathan’s neck. His eyes grew wide, tears dropping from them as the pressure on his neck tightened. Something sharp drove into Peter’s back, causing him to release his grip on the little Mexican kid’s neck. Peter’s eyes bulged in their sockets as he reached back over his shoulders with both hands. He dropped to his knees, brushing the tips of his fingers across the handle of the knife, but he didn’t have the flexibility to grab hold of it.
A few feet in front of him stood a short, hooded assailant, dressed in a black tunic. Leaning against the restroom counter was a weird-looking axe with a spike and half-moon blade that had three crosses cut into it.
Jonathan snatched his wallet from the floor and ran towards the exit, stumbling past Peter. He tried opening the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He banged on it and yelled for help.
The hooded person stood in the middle of the restroom, motionless.
Peter grabbed the side of the stall and lifted himself up. “You’re gonna pay for that, motherfucker!” He reached into his front pocket and pulled out a pocket knife. He flipped it open, and lunged forward, but missed. The person in the tunic side-stepped and struck Peter in the throat with a stiff hand. Peter dropped the knife and choked from the impact, but it didn’t stop him. He grabbed his assailant’s neck with one hand, lifting him off the floor a few inches, and punched the hooded head with the other. He shoved him against the counter, knocking the axe to the floor, and punched again.
Laughter came from beneath the hood. A boy’s laughter. Peter grabbed the hood and pulled it back. “What the… You?”
“Surprised?” Cody took hold of Peter’s hand, squeezed, and yanked it backward. Peter’s eyes were like saucers as he cried out in pain. “You just don’t learn, do you?”
†
Kevin stood outside the boy’s restroom keeping watch for Peter, as he always did when Peter was about to give a new kid an initiation. His hands were sweaty and he was restless. He checked his watch. What was taking so long?
“Crap!” he murmured through clenched teeth.
Principal Newman was headed towards him. He knelt down and acted like he was tying his shoes. Maybe she was just passing through the halls. But if not, then Peter was on his own. Tough shit. At least Peter hadn’t made any noise in there.
“Hi, Kevin,” Principal Newman greeted.
Damn it. Kevin looked up and gave her a sheepish smile. Oh, great! If that wasn’t the telltale sign of a guilty person. “Um… Hi, Principal Newman.”
“Shouldn’t you be on your way to class?”
“Yeah, I was—uh.” He smiled again. That one felt more genuine. “Just tying my shoe. Stupid laces keep getting loose.”
“You’ve been standing here for the last several minutes.” She gave him a ‘What are you hiding from me?’ glare. “What’s going on, Kevin?”
“Nothing.“
“You certain?”
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat and stood, glancing at the restroom door, and headed down the hall. “Well, I’m off to class now.”
“Wait, before you go, I need to ask you something.”
He stopped and turned around. “Ask me what?”
“Have you thought about what we talked about?”
“About what?”
“About Peter.”
“I’m working on it. It’s just… I don’t know. It’s just not that easy.”
“Kev
in, you need to disassociate yourself from him. You’ve got so much academic potential, but Peter Slavic is just going to hold you back.”
“Yeah, of course. I promise, no more Peter.”
“All right, now get to class. You’re going to be late.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Kevin said, while glancing at the restroom door. “Don’t want that.”
†
Cody’s eyes turned black and his fingernails stretched into claws. The color left Peter’s face as he stared at the talons protruding from Cody’s fingers. Jonathan screamed and pulled on the bathroom door. He banged on it and yelled for help.
“No one can hear you.” The voice was guttural and demonic. He returned his attention to Peter. “Look into my eyes.”
“The fuck is happening?” Peter closed his eyes. “This ain’t real.”
The demon youth twisted Peter’s wrist, the bones cracking. Peter’s eyes shot open as he screamed in agony. Cody pulled the dagger out of Peter’s back and slashed the blade across his chest. Peter cried out again and slouched with his hand over the fresh wound. “That real enough for you?”
Peter cried and coughed. “What do you want from me?”
Cody released his grip on Peter’s hand and set the dagger on the restroom counter. Peter reached for the axe, but stopped short of grabbing hold of it.
“I don’t think so.” Through the reflection in the mirror, Cody smiled as Peter’s eyes widened in shock. He shrieked and clawed at his chest over his heart. Cody retrieved the axe from the floor and pointed. “Get in the stall.”
Peter held his hand over his chest. “Why?”
“I’m going to give you two choices.” Cody formed a crooked smile and glanced at Jonathan, who sat on the floor with his back pressed against the wall near the door. “Stick your face in that shit of yours and flush or—“
“No fuckin way!”
“Or bow down to me and beg forgiveness and redemption.”
Devil's Nightmare: Premonitions (Devil's Nightmare, Book 2) Page 30