The witching hours, p.26
The Witching Hours, page 26
“Why would I do that?” Skye asked him.
“Because I’ll shoot Ben right in the heart if you don’t.”
She looked at Ben, and she prayed that her instincts were right …
And that her Oh-So-Special-Agent partner would know how to play it when he did rush to the scene.
Zach walked slowly and carefully through the woods.
He’d made some major-league mistakes so far that morning, and he knew he couldn’t afford another one.
Maybe not mistakes that were … that were … Well, his only real mistake was worrying about a child, about believing Ben Chambers when he called so frantically. At the house down the road, there had been no answer.
Protocol or not—he could have always thought of a viable excuse—he had broken down the door.
That had turned out to be a good decision. He found the homeowner bound and gagged in his closet.
Of course, the man had given him a panicked story about a wicked witch who had come at him with a gun and forced him there. And no, it hadn’t been that recently; it had been a few hours before Zach had found him.
It had been a mistake to leave Skye. A mistake to assume that anyone associated with Gavin had to be a good person. It had even been a mistake, perhaps, to completely disavow the possibility that Gavin was involved.
With that thought, Zach had called Jackson with his latest discovery. He’d quickly explained he thought the best way to move forward was carefully. He wanted agents from the closest local office to come and see to Mr. Benchley, the homeowner, and he wanted agents out on the road across from the café. He didn’t want anyone bursting wildly into the forest, or any local involvement; he needed to find the witch in the woods himself.
And it was morning.
This kind of canopy of trees always afforded a certain darkness. Deep in the trees, it was easy to feel as if the world only existed here in a surreal atmosphere of deep green. The smell of the earth was so redolent, the rustle of leaves could whisper of danger at every turn.
Thankfully, he’d always liked the woods.
There was only one thing that he didn’t know now.
But, of course, it was an all-important thing.
Was Ben Chambers in on what was going on? Or had he been forced to make the call to Zach? The shrewd witch had known from the beginning that most people would be instantly concerned about the welfare of a child. That a person, especially one in law enforcement, would respond when the welfare of a child was at stake.
Especially when the child might hold the answers they needed.
Zach stood still for a minute, feeling the air and listening.
He came first to the place where he had left Skye. He knew she wouldn’t be there, and knew there would have been another lure for her.
But which way, and …
He frowned as he stared at the brush. There was something that caught just a bit of a glint of the sun beneath a heavy pile of brush by one of the huge old oaks.
He walked over and picked it up.
Officer Ben Chambers’s phone!
He held it. Closed his eyes.
And he knew.
And he could only pray that Skye’s instincts would kick in and she would know the truth as well.
“Where the hell is the kid?” Vince demanded, frowning as he realized that little Jeremy was gone.
“Well, I guess I got most of the rope sawed through before you stopped me,” Skye said. She had thrown her Glock to him as he’d ordered. She could still be wrong, of course, but she had seen the fear in Ben’s eyes when the witch had aimed his weapon at him—automatic fire at that distance and the tree might die as well.
Fear? Or all part of an act?
She needed to see! But under her circumstances …
“All right,” Vince said, holding his AK-47 on them both, “there’s more rope to the right side of the tree there. Tie yourself up—not to the tree. I know your kind! You’d get behind it and try to disappear. I’d just as soon not shoot the two of you—not yet!”
“What do you want me to do?” Skye demanded.
“Tie yourself to Ben. And do it right and do it tightly. I’m watching!”
“You go ahead and watch. I will do it tightly. And I will do it right. But you really need to listen to me. I may not be the most brilliant tech person on earth, but I work with a few people who are just about geniuses when it comes to the world of computers and artificial intelligence, keys, controls, and so on and so on. They know what you’re planning. And you’ll never get away with it.”
“I will—unless they want to kill about twenty women and kids, along with a couple of pathetic drug addicts who believe this whole thing, that we are saved only by getting rid of the people—such as yourself—who are truly the ones in league with the devil! You and your boy toy, all this time—so cool, so professional, and so special! Well, sorry, but …”
“I’m tying myself, I’m tying myself! I was just trying to warn you!” Skye said quickly. She worked as he had ordered her.
With just a bit of an exception. Down on the ground the way that she was, she could do some twisting and turning and …
She closed her eyes for a minute. And she held on to Ben Chambers’s shoulder.
“Come on! Finish up!” Vince ordered.
“I am! I am!” Skye cried.
She prayed that her plan would work. And when she finished, she was seated on the forest floor, tied to Ben Chambers, with their backs to the giant oak.
Vince walked a few steps closer to them and smiled.
“Well, well, well.” Vince laughed. “So, so sad! You see, poor Officer Chambers was such a caring guy, so happy when he thought he’d found me—the missing detective who was wounded in the woods! Then, of course, he learned the truth. Good guy, of course. He would do anything when I promised to put a bullet between Jeremy’s eyes if he didn’t!”
“You really think you’re incredibly clever,” Skye said. “What if Zach realizes that Ben didn’t call him from whatever house you invaded? What if he has an army coming out here for you?”
Vince laughed. “No problem. I shoot the two of you, and the good old wicked witch disappears. You see, witches know how to do that out here! Time to watch Mr. Superhero come for you!” he proclaimed.
Then a voice broke out of the woods.
“Mr. Superhero, eh? I’m deeply complimented, thank you,” Zach announced. “Drop it, Cason! I’m a damned good shot. I could try to disarm you, or … well, your head is in perfect range for me!”
Vince turned, instantly spraying the woods with gunfire, seeking to take out the man who had spoken.
But to Skye’s incredible relief, she had been right in her faith in the man at her side.
She had slipped her knife into Officer Ben Chambers’s hands as she had tied herself. He was free, and he had freed her, and together they fell flat to the ground as bullets spewed into the forest and …
And Zach proved his words.
A single shot took Vince Cason directly in his right shoulder. He screamed in agony, fell to the ground, and his weapon went dead silent as it flew into the brush near his side.
“Oh, thank God, thank God!” Ben breathed to Skye. “Thank you! Thank you for believing in me!”
They helped one another to their feet as Zach appeared, stepping out from behind the trees and walking over to the man on the ground.
Vince was howling worse than any five-year-old. But Skye could see why he was doing so. His shoulder and arm were destroyed, bloodied with bits of bone sticking out here and there.
“He’ll live,” Zach said, looking at Skye and Ben. “I’m sorry if my method was unnerving for the two of you; but I knew if I challenged him, he’d try to take me out first. And I did avoid his head; we need him to tell us where he’s keeping the kids, the people.”
“Help!” Vince screamed from the ground. “I need medical attention! Now!”
Zach hunkered down by him. “You do. You definitely do. If you don’t get help soon, you’ll lose that arm and shoulder. Or worse”—he shrugged—“you could bleed to death.”
“You’re a Fed! I’ll see your ass fired if you don’t act like a professional—”
“A Fed and a nice guy, usually,” Zach said. “But where are the kids? Sorry, I’d rather see you die than them.”
“Call someone!” Vince thundered. “It will take time!”
“So you need to be quick. Hm. For me, living in prison for life without an arm and a shoulder? I might choose death,” Zach said thoughtfully.
“They’re in the tunnels beneath the abandoned store off the main road, right off there, not even a mile from the café. Now—”
He didn’t need to finish. Zach already had his phone out; his call went through immediately. They were in the woods, but apparently close enough to the road.
And Skye quickly realized he’d had people at the ready.
He hunkered by Vince, staring at him, shaking his head. “Help will be here in seconds. So we have seconds, just seconds. And you’ve got us. Want to give this all a big flourish? Then talk! Tell us! Why? Figured you, but … the why. That’s what I can’t figure out in my head, with any kind of reason!”
Vince laughed, then choked in agony at the pain his laughter had caused him. “Why? The better question, why not? And it’s entertaining. The human mind is as messed up as it’s ever been. Blame others, find evil when the world isn’t going your way, and then it’s just … Ah, man! The power. The power of manipulating your fellow humans and knowing that, through your own control, you yourself will be where and how you want to be, as long as you shall live!”
“Got it,” Zach said dryly. “Simple greed and selfishness. No great ideal, no attempt to fix the world around you—”
“No one can fix any part of the world!” Vince snapped.
Zach stepped away.
They heard a massive rustling; then agents and EMTs came running into the clearing within minutes.
Zach looked at Skye and Ben.
“Well, it’s down to the paperwork for us. And … sorry! A moment’s license here if I may …”
He gave Ben a quick hug.
Then he pulled Skye into his arms, and for a long moment, he held her tightly.
EPILOGUE
Skye clapped enthusiastically at the performance.
It might have seemed a bit bizarre to someone else, but—once the children and the missing adults had been found; the innocents returned to their families; the addicts and mentally challenged were referred to the proper treatment centers, before a few who had fallen completely under Vince Cason’s control might face charges—Skye and Zach had wanted to enjoy Salem.
And so they had come to Derby Street to watch an excellent performance of Cry Innocent. That afternoon, they’d spent time at the Peabody Essex Museum, the Witch Museum, and the New England Pirate Museum.
The day before, they’d headed to the House of the Seven Gables, the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, the Rebecca Nurse Homestead, and a slew of shops and places they loved, on and near Essex Street: Crow Haven Corner, Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery, and more.
They’d found the Bewitched statue of Elizabeth Montgomery and stood out on Revere Beach.
Leaving the performance, Zach grinned at Skye.
“You do know, some people might have opted for a few days in the Bahamas or some such break. Maybe Bermuda.”
She laughed softly. They were holding hands, swinging their arms as they walked down the street.
“Yeah. That would have been nice, too. But I have always loved this city—”
“Me too. And we got to see all the things we love so much. Maybe next time, the Bahamas!” Zach said.
She smiled. She was certain they would both like a “next time.”
But at that moment …
“Back to our quarters,” Zach said.
And she smiled. “Oh, yes, back to our quarters,” she agreed.
Because this was their night.
“Tomorrow we’re due at a different kind of ‘quarters,’” Zach said.
And they were. They were due at Krewe headquarters in the DC area—the plane was being sent for them at noon.
And the night …
The nights were beautiful.
They’d spent time doing things …
And time just being together.
And back in their rooms, they spent the time that they had. They learned to talk, really talk, lying together, sharing all the good things, the bad things, and the strange things from their pasts.
Skye had never been so happy. Sex was amazing, but just lying next to him, feeling his heat, his touch upon her …
She had never imagined she might have such a complete relationship, loving everything about someone, being able to talk with absolute honesty to that someone, and to share thoughts so completely.
Yes … The night was truly a magnificent kind of … magic!
In the morning, they weren’t awakened by an alarm. Rather a phone call.
Zach answered the ring, and after a greeting, he listened, and slowly arched his brow in surprise.
“Sure. Great. No problem!” he said, hanging up.
He looked at Skye, bemused.
“Well?”
“Looks like Lieutenant Gavin Bruns is going to be coming with us. He isn’t going to be Lieutenant Bruns anymore. He’s going to enter the academy.”
“Ah! A candidate for …”
“For whatever we are,” Zach said. “I heard a rumor that they’re starting to call us The Crows, because it was Jackson Crow who brought us all together. And it’s good, because …”
“Because there will always be another devil in the woods?” she asked softly.
He nodded, then drew her into his arms.
More deadly situations would arise, and they would work them. They would always do anything they could to save innocent lives from the “witches” and the “devils” who lurked in human form around the world.
But for now …
They had a few hours before the plane was due to leave.
And the beautiful hours could be precious indeed.
Turn the page for a sneak peek at These Ancient Bones by Heather Graham!
THESE ANCIENT BONES
The Crows
New York Times Bestselling Author
Heather Graham
* * *
In this suspenseful tale of dark magic and modern murder set against the backdrop of a historic Florida city, a series of extraordinary crimes requires a team of investigators with unusual gifts …
The case is sensational. Whistle-blower investigative journalist George Maynard has been killed in his St. Augustine home, his body so badly burned the morgue is needed to verify his identity. Paranormal investigator Shelly Mahoney has been transferred to a special unit to help law enforcement. Off the books, the unit is called the Krewe of Hunters and deals with “strange” cases.
At the murder scene with federal agent Grant Markham, Shelly makes an odd discovery: a stone etched with what appears to be a curse that invokes flames. If Shelly can use her ability to summon the dead—providing they have remained behind—she may unearth what happened.
Grant, too, has an unique ability. By holding the hand of the recently deceased, he can see what has happened to them. Yet in this case, neither of their gifts is of any help. As they set out to question those who might have had a motive, they also study ancient “curse tablets”—often used in the Greco-Roman world to cause death or warfare.
What ensues is a shocking discovery by the medical examiner and a search that takes the team to Italy where a similar murder may reveal the creators of the mystical tablets—made deadly with a little human assistance. But soon, the danger is closer than ever—because the target is Shelly …
Heather Graham, The Witching Hours
