“The aunt lost control of them?” Caroline asked.
“If she ever had it,” Barb replied. “But she did do something after that, because the disappearances stopped. Well, let me amend that. They stopped nearby Kelsie’s farm. They began again a few months later to the north, then stopped, then began again further north.” She pulled up a diagram on paper. “These points all show at least one unexplained disappearance.”
“They were on the move, but to find what?” Caroline asked.
Barb spread her arms wide. “This island.” She shifted her feet. “The Husterman, or hustrman, as it’s pronounced by native Czech, is not a force for good. It’s a force for evil, a water sprite that feeds on souls. It must stay wet to live, so it sticks close to water.”
“But these things were made in a forest,” Caroline persisted. “You said they were made to protect a girl, not hurt her. They don’t fit with the legend.”
“Maybe not at first,” Barb argued. “But their behavior has changed.” She pointed at the house. “What better place for evil soul eaters who like water than an island mansion already infamous for its death toll?”
“Bullshit,” Helter pronounced. “Why would they come all the way here? And how could they be made to come, if they’d gone wild?”
“There is an old saying,” Barb said slowly. “Evil draws evil.”
“I thought that was a Stephen King saying,” Helter quipped. “An evil house draws evil men.”
“But these aren’t men, are they?” Caroline interjected softly. “At least, not anymore.”
The conversation halted.
“Whatever they are,” Barb said finally. “They’ve come over from the mainland.”
“How do you know?”
“I saw their tracks leading across the ice very early this morning, towards Latham’s Landing.”
“Footprints?”
“No,” she said, visibly nervous. “More like dragging scrape marks, and what resembles partial footprints.”
“Partial? Like they were blurry?”
“Like only part of a foot was there,” Barb admitted. “I’ve been tracking these things for a month now. The prints and partials aren’t regular, even when the things walk across deep mud. How much was there varied. Once in a while, there were full feet for a couple of steps, before partial prints reappeared.”
“Which means?”
“I think how much is substantial about these creatures varies,” Barb said with excitement. “Sometimes they are just shadows and leave no trail. Other times, they are real enough to leave lasting marks of their passing.”
“Real enough to kill, you mean,” Helter added.
“I’m after evidence,” Barb said defensively. “I want to prove these things exist.”
“Why is it so important to risk your life, coming here?” Caroline said.
“Why would they hurt me?” Barb asked, shocked. “I’m here to bring attention to them, which is what Latham’s Landing seems to want.”
“How is that responsible, to do that?” Helter commented sarcastically. “You’re leading people to their doom by their curiosity. This island doesn’t want visitors, it wants victims—”
“I never made anyone do anything,” Barb countered defensively.
“You play up the scare factor, while making it seem perfectly safe to go to places that are anything but,” Helter said judgmentally. “That’s what you paranormal investigators do. That isn’t any better than my commander sending me into a hot spot with no warning back in the war—”
“Enough!” Caroline yelled. She turned to Barb. “What I want to know is why you’re here.”
“Because the things, these Hustermen, they hurt people,” Barb admitted. “One of them was my brother. He was hunting one day pre-dawn and strayed into some land these things were on, and these Hustermen got him. But no one believes me that it wasn’t an accident.”
“Weren’t there claw marks or something on the body?” Helter said sarcastically.
“There was no body,” Barb whispered. “Just some blood, and a gun. The gun stock was cracked, like something heavy hit it.”
Because her brother was now a Husterman, too…Stop it, Caro, you’re falling for this wacky chick’s line of BS. “And nobody investigated his disappearance, even with blood being found?” Caroline said skeptically.
“There was no body,” Barb repeated angrily. “My brother wasn’t the best person, okay. I know that. He had a lot of debt, and was going to have to declare bankruptcy. The police think he faked his death to leave for a new start somewhere else. But I know he wouldn’t do that and not tell me.”
“Fine,” Helter said curtly. “You want to see if these things are here, so you must be staying the night. Good luck with that. But she’s leaving—”
There was a sharp bark. Cooper was staring toward the back of the house. He took off at a dead run, straight into thick underbrush, and was quickly lost from sight.
“Cooper!” Barb shouted. She ran after him. “Cooper!” She also disappeared from sight.
Caroline looked at Helter. He looked straight back. “I hope you’re not going to suggest we go after her,” he said.
“I’m thinking we should take her boat,” Caroline said, then laughed. “Well, I would suggest that, but if the cops are coming, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea. Do you think she actually called them?”
“Bowman,” Lease said, stopping in the hall as he went past the office door. “There’s a call for you.”
Please let it not be an emergency, not on a Friday afternoon, Bowman thought. Please let it be a reminder from the dentist, or some other bullshit. He picked up the phone and hit the blinking light on his telephone. “Yes?”
“This is the Schuyler County Police Department,” a male voice said. “I understand you’re working a homicide case involving a triple murder of Mr. and Mrs. Stone?”
“Yes,” Bowman said. “But it’s pretty much closed. We have the murderers, and they both already confessed.”
“Well, I have a vehicle registered to a Mr. Steven Stone that was found abandoned on the shore near a local island, Latham’s Landing. When I called in to check the VIN, dispatch said to talk to you, as you’re investigating a murder.”
Latham’s Landing. Why does that name sound familiar? “You’re a little quick,” Bowman said slowly, wondering if this was some kind of prank call. “A vehicle is only abandoned after forty-eight hours…and only then is it removed and checked to see if it was stolen.”
“We don’t waste time screwing around here,” the voice said coldly. “People who go missing up here tend to stay missing…or get found dead.”
“Who is this?” Bowman growled. “Is this some kind of trick?”
“This is Police Chief Bob Stahl,” the voice growled back. “And this isn’t a trick. You should know that. We had another of your locals found dead here last spring, some soon-to- be college kid who was fishing with his friends on Spring Break. I think his name was Robert something—”
A cold feeling hit Bowman’s gut. Rob, Caroline Stone’s boyfriend. That’s where he’d heard the name of the island. Rob had drowned near Latham’s Landing last spring, in some kind of boating accident. After the additional shock of losing her parents this past summer, had Caroline gotten depressed and gone there to end her life? “Did you find any sign of foul play—?”
“If you want to inspect the vehicle, get here in the next 24hours.” Click.
“Hardass son of a bitch,” Bowman said in surprise as he put the phone down.
Picking it back up, he called his partner, Drake.
The man answered after a dozen rings. “What the hell is it?” Drake asked grumpily. “You know it’s my day off—”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Bowman interrupted. “Feel like a road trip?”
“Cooper!” Barb called breathlessly, pushing through the long tall weeds. “Cooper!”
A series of barks sounded from somewhere ahead of her. But the grass was long, almost to her w
aist, and very thick. It was constantly moving in the steady brisk wind, making it impossible to see where her dog was, or find his trail.
Barb pushed on, muttering to herself. Then she stopped suddenly, turning to look back. She could see nothing but trees now. What if Caroline and that man took her boat? They could tell the police she’d left. Silly, your car is right there with her SUV, parked on the shore. She can’t tell them that you left with it right there in plain sight. And you have the keys in your pocket. Yeah, they were acting weird, but they probably just had a bad night out here. The guy is clearly someone she knows, they were fighting like lovers. Stop being paranoid.
She turned around and headed back after Cooper.
“You can’t plant the charges with Barb here,” Caroline said for the seventh straight time. “You know that, Helter. So what’s the plan?”
“Don’t pretend you know me,” he said gruffly, as he got out his supplies, and began making a sandwich. “Don’t think I won’t blow that lady up with the rest of the ghouls here. If she’s jerk enough to bring a dog here, she’s probably going to be dead before I’m done eating this sandwich.”
“You don’t have a good opinion of women,” Caroline quipped.
“I don’t have a good opinion of fools,” Helter amended. “Now if you want some lunch, come dig in. I didn’t bring a cooler, so this meat will probably spoil by tonight if we don’t eat it.”
“It’s got to be seventy out here,” Caroline said, wiping her brow with her hand and stripping off her jacket. “How long can this last?”
“Long enough to fuck us up,” Helter swore, stuffing his face with a sandwich. “You’re right, in that I’m probably going to have to abort. The bitch of it is, I don’t dare take the explosives with me off the island in case the police are there waiting for us and I don’t dare leave them here for someone to find.” He finished his sandwich, then began making another.
“Why not blow up the sunken part of the main house?” Caroline said, as she finished creating her own sandwich and took a bite. “That part at least you could do safely. And no one would be the wiser.”
Helter looked over at her curiously.
“What?” she asked, taking another bite.
“What part of the house is sunken?” Helter asked.
“There’s some part on the side, I think,” Caroline said, craning her neck to look at the house. “I think it must be on the opposite side. There’s also a long bridge of stone to a glass house they call the Sea Room.” She took another bite. “Supposedly that’s off the back of the house, so we can’t see it from here.”
Helter stared at her, saying nothing.
“You’re freaking me out,” Caroline said finally. “What?”
“What is this house supposed to look like?” he asked.
“A main house with three floors, one side sunken, grand staircase leading to a room with a large carved fireplace,” Caroline said, thinking back to her research. “One girl who’d been here said there was an odd balcony on the third floor that was on either side of the house and at the back, so you could see a view from every direction. But getting to each was confusing, because all three looked the same…and doors sometimes led to another balcony instead of leading out.”
“Go on.”
“Let’s see…there was a boathouse. Or maybe it was a garage? I think a boat was stored there, and also gas. This was supposed to be right near that stone bridge I told you about, so the car could be used to drive on it to get to the Sea Room. Apparently the stone bridge is a few miles long.” Caroline took another bite, chewing, then swallowed. “And there was a short staircase that led to the back of the house, and also a walkway of stone that led up from the shore, with a landing in between, made of red granite. Most of the house is made of the stuff, supposedly.” Caroline shaded her eyes, taking another look at the house. “Though to me the house and the stairs look white, not pink or red. So maybe that part isn’t true.” She took another bite, then looked over at Helter. “Why did you want to know?”
A sudden scream sounded from below, making them look down to the shore.
“Cooper!” Barb yelled. She pushed her way out of the trees into a small weedy lot, then tiredly made her way to a rough stone bench, sinking down on the seat. God, why had she brought the stupid dog? He was supposed to be staying close to protect her, not running off on his own chasing rabbits. So much for women’s best friend.
The light suddenly darkened. Barb looked up at the sun, which was obscured by a cloud. Then she checked her watch. It was close to two already. Damn it, she had to get that dog and get back to the boat. Amateur ghost hunter or not, she did not want to be here on this island overnight.
There was a rustling noise, of something in the tall grass behind her. She turned, but there was only the rustling tall grass, waving back and forth in the wind.
There was a sudden bark from behind her. Barb turned to see Cooper above her near an elaborate stone fountain. He was looking in her direction, and growling.
“It’s okay,” Barb said soothingly, coming closer. “Come on, Cooper. It’s okay. It’s just me.”
Cooper bared his teeth at her, snarling. His hackles were all the way up. She’d never seen him so ferocious. He feinted, as if to lunge at her, then barked again, ending in a low growl of warning.
What if he bit her? Barb pushed the thought away, moving slowly and carefully closer, until she was within ten feet of Cooper. He was still snarling and growling. It was only when Barb moved off to the side, fumbling in her pocket for a biscuit, that she realized he wasn’t trying to menace her. Cooper’s eyes were locked ahead of him, his defensive stance still facing the brush.
Barb whirled with a gasp. There was a small shape just above the weeds. A humanoid head with two gleaming yellow eyes was looking out at her. As she stared frozen in fear, the head slowly sank down, until it was lost again from view.
The dog barked a final time, then turned to his owner with a plaintive whine. Barb grabbed Cooper’s collar, dragging him up a long cracked walkway of paving stones.
No way I’m going back through that long grass, Barb thought. “We’ll have to go the long route around, Cooper.”
She headed up the path, her dog trotting jauntily at her side.
Caroline and Helter jumped to their feet, then hurried down to the shore. There was no one there.
“Who screamed?” Caroline ventured, looking back and forth. “We both heard it.”
“Maybe the acoustics are out of whack here along with everything else,” Helter said. He produced a cell phone, punching in some numbers, then lowered it. “This doesn’t work out here. I didn’t think it would.”
“Wasn’t there a phone here?” Caroline asked. “I read accounts of the one survivor this place had, some girl named Tina. She said it worked intermittently.”
“If there was, its long been turned off,” Helter said. “People stopped coming here ten years ago, except for the caretaker. And he’s been gone a full two years.” He turned to her. “What else did Tina say?”
Caroline looked at Helter. What if he weren’t real? Ghosts could seem real in this place real enough to masquerade as the living. But his food had been real enough last night, and so had his tent.
Helter turned, then caught her looking at him. He slid his hand down over his gun. “You never did show me your snowmobile.”
“It sank,” Caroline said drolly. “But I’ll show you where.” She set off, walking along the shore. Helter grabbed his backpack, and the remains of his last sandwich, and followed her.
Mac rose into the air, the joy of being free for the rest of the weekend sinking into him, making him feel like anything were possible. He leveled out, then cranked the rock music, glorying in the open sky all around him, and the feeling of being on vacation for the next entire week.
The best part, the VERY best part, was he’d been given an extra girl for transport by his boss. Turned out she’d tried to turn witness, and contact a cop. Good for
Collins—and everyone else with him, like Mac—she’d been caught before she could escape with one of the shop’s books under her arm, detailing all of the cash deals for the last six months.
This girl, Chung Lai….she was healthy. She was a fighter. Maybe other guys didn’t like that in a woman, but Mac did. He was ecstatic.
She was going to last at least a few days on the island. He’d bet on it. So far, no girl had lasted a full night on Latham’s Landing.
Mac glanced behind him at Chung Lai’s furious eyes glaring at him, even gagged and hogtied like she was. He smiled at her. “We’re going to have fun tonight,” he said happily.
The other girl let out a terrified moan, but Chung Lai just stared back at him, with a look that said she was going to take his balls for a trophy.
It was going to be a real party…
His radio went off. “Mac, do you copy?”
“Prick fuck, you had better not think I’m coming back to work,” Mac swore, then clicked on the transmitter. “I’m here, pal. What’s up?”
“There are a couple of cops here that want to go to the island. That one you fly over regularly, what’s it called?”
A bolt of fear went through Mac, the first one he could remember in a long time. Why did the cops want to go there? “Latham’s Landing. They got a missing person or something?”
“Roger that. They say it’s an emergency. Someone was snowmobiling and fell through the ice.”
“Bull,” Mac said easily, before he thought. “That ice is thick. I see fishermen there all the time in the winter, especially in January.”
“Well, not this January,” came the snickering reply. “There was some kind of weird thaw last night. The ice is all gone. It’s like seventy degrees there or something.”
Momentary panic flooded Mac. Warm weather meant there might be people in boats on the lake. He had to be careful going to the island in summer, because of the fisherman. But they can’t come too close to the island. If they do, they sink.
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