Once Broken (Dove Creek Chronicles) (11 page)

“Night’s not over yet.”

“True. See you in a couple hours. Hopefully not sooner,” he said before we hung up.

Fortunately, Gabe’s hope panned out and we didn’t see each other until just after sunup. Meredith had called Hugo, and he arrived after dropping off their kids at school. It turned out that he had news of his own to share.

“You first,” I said as we got comfortable in the sitting area.

“Maria Vega passed away last night,” Hugo told us.

“The Amasai founder?” Garrett asked.

“Yeah,” Gabe confirmed. “I take it she didn’t die of natural causes?”

Hugo shook his head, grief casting a shadow across his face. He had known Maria much better than the rest of us.

“Suicide, supposedly. Just like David last year,” he said.

“That can’t be coincidence,” I speculated.

“Most likely not. That’s why I want you to call your dad and tell him, Remi,” Hugo said.

I
swallowed hard. He was right – if something was picking off founders, my father was the last on the list. Reaching him was always easier said than done, but I crossed my fingers that I could give him the head’s up without too much delay.

“Of course,” I agreed.

“What is it you had to tell me, Remi?” Hugo asked.

I had almost forgotten about poor Jude Abram.

“Sol called me a few hours ago to take a look at a crime scene.” I related everything I had seen earlier with the detective and my theory that it was somehow connected to our new human enemies. Pulling the rough sketch out of my pocket, I showed it to Hugo. “I don’t recognize it, but I don’t doubt that it’s demonic,” I told him.

He took it from me and examined it for a moment. “I’m not familiar with it, either. You’re probably right . . . We’ll look into it.”

“Sol said he’ll let us know if he finds anything else that might be helpful,” I added.

“Good. Go home and get some sleep. I’ll see what I can dig up on this,” Hugo tapped the paper. “Gabriel, take a night off tonight. I’ll partner with Remi.”

“You got it,” Gabe answered. “Call me if you need anything tonight.”

He said it to the group in general, but gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze as we all stood to go our separate
ways.

Once I got into my jeep to go home, I picked up my phone to call my father. As I had expected, there was no answer at the last cell phone number he had given me. I left a message for him to call me back, then tried his shop. There was no answer there, but as I checked the clock
I realized there wouldn’t be – different time zones. He was three hours behind. I decided I would try again in a few hours after I woke up.

My mom would need fair warning that someone or something was going after Amasai founders, especially if my fears were correct. She answered her phone after a couple of rings.

“Good mornin’, Remi-Jean. I’ve got a bone to pick with you,” she said by way of a greeting.

I cringed. “Hey Mom. What else is new?”

“When were you gonna tell me about Dylan’s job at the pawn shop?”

“He’s a grown man. I figured he’d tell you himself,” I said. My apartment complex came into view, and I pulled into the parking lot.

“Don’t get smart with me. You know what I mean,” she said. “I don’t like it.”

“He needed the work. And I called to tell you something you’ll like even less.”

The silence on the other end of the line was my mother’s way of saying
I’m waiting
.

I parked in my assigned space under the long carport in
front of my building, and settled in to deliver my news. “Do you remember how David turned up dead last year?” I asked. “Well, Maria died last night under similar circumstances. We think it’s only a matter of time before the killers find dad, too.”

“And you’re worried about them comin’ here to look for him,” my mom finished for me.

“Exactly. So I want you to be on your guard. There aren’t enough of us to post guards at your house or anything.”

“There’d be no need for that, anyway, baby girl. I’ve been livin’ with the possibility that somethin’ would come for me ever since John got mixed up in this stuff. And who’s to say another year won’t pass before they come after him?”

“Maybe it will take that long,” I conceded. “All the same, I’d feel better if you’re prepared. There’s some other weird stuff going on, and we haven’t connected all the dots yet.”

“What kind of weird stuff?”

I explained to her about the humans with strange abilities and the ugly murder, though I left out a few key details like the victim’s name. She needed to know what we were up against and why it was vital that she be alert. I didn’t underestimate my mom’s capability of taking care of herself, but I had long thought that she had become jaded toward the danger.

“Dear God, that’s awful,” she said.

“I know. That’s why I’m worried about you and Dylan.”

“I’ll keep my eyes open. And more importantly, Remi-
Jean, help me look after your brother.”

“I will, Mom. I really wish I could tell him what’s going on,” I added.

“You know good and well how I feel about that. He’s safer not knowing.” Her tone went from cooperative to obstinate at warp speed. This wasn’t a new argument.

I yawned and turned my keys in the ignition to shut off the engine, ready to go upstairs and get what sleep I could. Squabbling with my mother over Dylan’s safety wasn’t going to get me anywhere, so I gave up before either of us could really get fired up.

“I’m gonna get some sleep now, Mom. I’ll call you again tomorrow morning,” I told her as I reached my apartment door.

“Okay baby girl, sleep well. Thank you for calling.”

“You’re welcome. I love you.”

“Love you, too. Talk soon,” she said, and we hung up.

Deciding to forego a shower until after I slept, I pulled my curtains closed and undressed. Even at that early hour the heat was sufficient that the air conditioner was running, and a stream of chilled air blew into my bedroom. The cool semi-darkness would be my haven for a few hours. I forced my brain to slow down as I chambered a round in my .45 and slid it under my pillow. I didn’t trust that it would be a
safe
haven.

My thoughts were concentrated on the two people whose lives had come to untimely ends. One death made to look like a suicide and one feat of brutality that I would never be able to unsee. The best we could do for
Jude Abram was to help find him justice, and we would honor Maria as she deserved.

Wondering if they would try to smoke out my father now or in another year, I comforted myself with the thought that he would have warning. I felt the beginnings of a hunch about the Amasai founders at the fringe of my consciousness, but sleep claimed me before the idea could fully form.

chapter seven

I checked the clock. Six-thirty. Exactly eight minutes since the last time I looked.

It had been one of the longest shifts at work that I could remember. Preoccupied with the mysterious murder and the death of Maria Vega, I couldn’t seem to make heads or tails of it all. There were a lot of strange events happening, and whether or not they were all related remained to be seen.

The customer I was helping made the time move even more slowly.

“I just don’t know if he would like a laptop or a tablet,” she told me.

The lady was probably somewhere in her late forties, with frizzy red hair streaked with silver. She had explained that between college tuition for her oldest son and raising two other teenagers, she didn’t have a lot of money to spend. Still, she wanted to send her son off to college with a useful gift. Her predicament was understandable, but I wished she would’ve had a better idea of what she wanted before walking through the door.

“Well, a laptop might be better for taking notes in class,” I suggested.

“But what if something isn’t right with it? I don’t want to send him away with it only to have it crash.”

“All of our electronics come with a thirty-day warranty and the computers have been wiped clean from the previous owners.” I tried to reassure her with my best sales pitch.

“Oh, that’s good.” She went back to eyeing a mid-range laptop.

“That one would get the job done for him. It’s got plenty of memory and speed, but it’s conservative. Not a lot of extra bells and whistles.”

She seemed to be pleased with that. It only took her a few more moments to cease the hemming and hawing before she said, “Okay. I’ll take it.”

I was happy to make the sale but more importantly, I was that much closer to being finished with my shift and getting to headquarters.

As I was ringing up the redheaded lady’s purchase, Dylan came in through the back door. I felt some of the tension ease at seeing my little brother.

“Thank you, ma’am. Have a nice evening.” I bid the lady good-bye with a mannerly smile and wave.

Turning to go find Dylan, I tracked him down just as he was clocking in. Diana hadn’t arrived yet, so he and I were alone for the time being. With the deaths and uncertainty piling up, I had a moment where I was seriously thinking of telling Dylan everything. My face must have reflected my grave thoughts because he interrupted them just in time.

“Heya, Remi. Everything all right?”

I forced a smile – something I seemed to be doing a lot of around my brother lately. “Yeah, fine. Sorry . . . I was just trying to remember if I gave that lady her receipt.” I added a self-deprecating laugh for effect.

“You looked like you were doing long division in your head. Shouldn’t think that hard. It’s not good for you.” Dylan gave a lopsided grin, and I swatted him on the shoulder for his cheekiness.

“How’s your training going?” I asked, changing the subject. I didn’t want to get caught up in another moment of weakness and tell him something I shouldn’t. “You liking the job?”

“It’s great. You were right, the night shift is perfect for me. And Diana is great.”

With flawless timing, Diana breezed through the employee entrance.

“Speak of the devil and she shall appear.” I grinned.

Diana giggled. “Sorry I’m running late,” she said to us. “Gas light came on and I had to stop and fill up on the way.”

I looked at the clock and shrugged. “Two minutes. No worries.”

“You’re a doll.” There was genuine appreciation in her tone. “Dylan, sweetie, you better be telling Remi nice things about me.”

“Actually, I was.” He looked at her with a boyish smile. I wasn’t surprised to see that he had already figured out how to butter her up.

Dylan disappeared into the main part of the shop and Diana beamed at me. “That brother of yours is just too cute.”

“So I hear,” I said. “Is he doing a good job? Fitting in okay?”

“Like a dream. I was just hoping for some decent help, but so far Dylan is as close to perfect as they get.”

I was delighted to hear her gush. “I’m glad. I like having him around.”

With another quick glance at the clock, I saw that I needed to skip the small talk and get going. It wouldn’t be dark for another two hours, but I still needed to go home and change before getting to headquarters.

I bid Diana
goodnight and hugged Dylan on my way out. They were oblivious to the storm raging around us and I decided that I preferred it that way. The fewer people who had to bear the same burdens the Amasai bore, the better.

HUGO, CASEY, AND JOCELYN WERE
already at headquarters when I arrived. I expected Joss to be there as a safety net for Hugo and me, but Casey being there was unexpected. He was looking more like his usual, buoyant self since the last time I’d seen him. There was something different about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

“Hey y’all,” I greeted everyone as I came into the living area. I received a chorus of hellos in return.

“I researched that symbol today and had some luck, if you could call it that,” Hugo said.

“Good.” There was an empty spot on the couch, and I sat. “What did you find out?”

“The symbol is very, very old. I cannot be certain, but I believe it belongs to Apollyon.”

“The Locust King?” I asked, taken aback. I was shocked to learn that such a powerful demon may be at the heart of our trouble. Hugo looked like he didn’t quite believe it himself.

Vampires are the lowest in the order of demons, essentially the pawns used to harass mankind. Then there are the Princes of Hell, the seven that people traditionally know by their names that correspond with the seven cardinal sins. And there are even older, nastier demons that rank just below Lucifer himself: Angels of Hell.

In the book of Revelation, the king of a plague of locusts is named Apollyon. But these aren’t the end times, so his appointed time here on the Mortal Plane hasn’t yet come. If these Triple Six were trying to harness his power to use in a battle against us, the ramifications would be greater than a supernatural war in our little town.

Hugo nodded. “But Apollyon also means The Destroyer. He is the angel of the Pit.”

“So these Triple Six people are trying to set him loose?” Casey asked.

“They’re in cahoots with him to get their extra abilities at the very least,” I said.

“If it is indeed Apollyon, yes,” Hugo agreed.

“We should home in on where these demon worshippers perform their ceremonies and bag them all at once,” Jocelyn suggested. “Before this gets even more out of hand.”

Though I agreed with her, we just didn’t have the manpower for such an attack. We’d get wiped out before we could be effective. Hugo voiced his opposition before I could say so.

“If we had twice our numbers, then perhaps we could do such a thing,” he said. “But as of now, it is too dangerous.”

I looked toward the window and saw the darkening sky. “Hugo, we should get going.”

By the time our leader had his sword sheathed and I had my bow and arrows in hand, Garrett was settled in at his network of computers and ready for the night. Joss and Casey would be there waiting should Hugo and I get into anything we couldn’t get out of, so despite the new development, it didn’t feel as much like we were walking into certain danger. Only
probable
danger.

Vampire activity had been hit or miss to the point that I was utterly uncertain as to what to expect of the night. I never thought I would yearn for the nights of killing
bloodsuckers with consistency, but that was exactly how I felt. At least then, I felt prepared.

The worry for my family was always in the back of my mind. If any of the more cunning vampires had a mind toward revenge for us killing their kin, it would be all too easy for them to find our loved ones and pay us in kind. It was one of the reasons we worked so hard to maintain our anonymity.

Now, though, I had reason to believe that my mother and Dylan would be in the crosshairs if demons came looking for my father. It was unnerving to have that fear t the forefront.

The yellow beams of streetlights flashed across my windshield as I drove through an area in the north side of town. There was a row of small businesses that catered mostly to the locals: A boutique, a catfish restaurant, and a camping supply store, all of which were closed by that hour. An apartment building was a little farther up the street, the only other apartments in Dove Creek besides the complex I lived in.

My windows were down and I heard raised voices not far away. I was instantly on alert and slowed almost to a halt so that I could get a look. Ready to grab my bow and jump out of my jeep, my anticipation began to rise. Then I spotted the source of the commotion.

A man and woman were arguing loudly in the parking lot of the apartment building. Though the way they were yelling at each other was appalling, domestic disputes weren’t in our purview. With a long exhale, I moved on and left them to their disagreement.

I went back to slowly weaving my way up and down the streets, and it wasn’t long before my phone rang. Hugo was on the other end of the line, but he wasn’t just checking in. He delivered news that I had hoped we wouldn’t hear.

“Solomon was called in on another homicide. He said it looks like the one from last night, and he asked that we come see for ourselves.”

“Dammit,” I said. “Where is it?”

“Near the lake. Sixteen oh one Waterway,” Hugo said. “It has been a quiet night so far. I will have Garrett contact us if he hears anything suspicious on the scanners.”

“Works for me. I’ll be right there.”

It only took me a few minutes to drive over to the lake near the fringes of the town. The house was very different from the house on Cotton Terrace. It was smaller, older, with worn siding and mismatched roof shingles. The yard was half mowed and the lawn mower was left to one side, as though the owner had been interrupted in the middle of his task.

This side of Whitewing Lake is older and less ritzy than the Westview side. This house on Waterway wasn’t out of the ordinary.

Solomon’s sedan was parked in the driveway, but I didn’t see Hugo’s truck. I pulled up along the curb and decided to go ahead and go inside. It was the same drill as the night before – yellow police tape on the front porch, Sol meeting me at the door. The scene was gravely familiar.

“Remi, thanks for coming,” the detective said by way of a greeting.

“Sol. Wish I could say I was happy to see you again so soon.”

“Do you want to wait for Hugo or go ahead and take a look?” he asked.

I was in no hurry to go see what I knew was waiting inside that house, but before I could answer, headlights drew our attention. Hugo came to park behind me, and we
waited long enough for him to meet us at the front door. Without much more discussion, he and I followed Solomon into the house.

The journey was significantly shorter than it had been the night before. We walked through a dingy living room with a threadbare couch and outdated television. It was a pier and beam house and the dull
thunk-thunk
of my boots echoed under the pock-marked wood floor. Each step carried us closer to a life that had been taken, and I dreaded each one.

A doorway opened up into a cramped kitchen and the room was made all the more crowded by the body on the table.

“This is Benny Jenkins, fifty-four year old male. From what I’ve been able to gather, he lived alone. The neighbors noticed that he hadn’t come or gone in the last day or so, and called the department,” Solomon explained.

I could see the same words as I had seen at Jude Abram’s carved into the surface of the table: Triple Six.
Hugo leaned forward for a closer examination, but I stayed put. I’d gotten my fill of detail the previous night.

“Is there anything that links this man to Jude Abram?” I
asked.

Sol frowned and shook his head. “Not directly. They’re both single men who lived alone, but that’s the extent of their similarities.”

“This marking is identical to what you showed me before, Remi.” Hugo stated his observation, but looked toward me to confirm. I nodded once. “How long ago was this man killed?” He asked the detective.

“The last time anyone has been able to confirm seeing him was yesterday morning, so about thirty-six hours.”

Hugo explained to Solomon about the symbol and what he’d been able to discern thus far.

“So you’re thinking that these people are using human sacrifice to summon demonic power?” Sol asked.

“That’s exactly what we’re thinking,” I said. “Have you found any normal evidence that might help figure out who these people are?”

“The Crime Scene Unit wasn’t able to lift a single print that wasn’t Jude Abram’s in his house, and we’ll have to hope they find something here. Speaking of, they’ll be here in about half an hour. There was a burglary over in Westview
that they’re wrapping up before they head this way.”