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“I know you want to get him out of there,” I said. “Let’s see if he can help us help him. This could be a parting shot.”
“I do want to get him out,” Bryce said slowly. “But I don’t want him to get fucked up in the process, y’know?”
“I understand,” I said, “and we’ll do our damndest to keep it safe for him. But if we don’t help him, he’ll never get out.”
“You’re right,” Bryce said, voice hollow, then sighed and straightened his shoulders. “Here’s the deal. Making that call to his sister was out of bounds. Against Mr. Farouche’s rules. That tells me he’s desperate, and somehow managing to push through the fear. That’s the only reason I think there’s a chance he won’t run straight to Farouche if we contact him.”
“Maybe it has something to do with his talent,” I suggested. “Perhaps the super-calm somehow helps him override the fear?”
Bryce stared at me. “Y’know, that could be it. He’s never been pushed like this without me there.” He nodded. “We’ll need to feel him out. A text from Paul.”
“Right, and if we like what we get, we set up a meeting. I’ll trust your judgment on how to proceed with that.”
“He should be able to receive a message and avoid trouble,” Bryce mused, clearly warming to the plan. “And if we’re right about his state of mind, I don’t think he’d go straight to the boss.”
“It’s possible he might set us up,” I said, “but we’ll be able to sniff out a trap.” I considered the various aspects, then nodded. “If he agrees to meet with us, we grab him and Mzatal will clear Farouche’s influence from him. If he then agrees to be a mole, that’s awesome for us, but even if he doesn’t, he’ll be free.”
“Oh, god,” Bryce said, voice thick. “It’d be wonderful to get him the hell away from there.” Years of pain and doubt swam in his eyes.
I ached for him. He’d saved So
We found Paul yawning on his futon, and quickly filled him in on our desire to get So
Paul’s face brightened instantly. “Awesome! What’s the plan?”
“Let’s start with a simple text that says ‘Hey’ and see what we get back,” I suggested.
Paul tapped at his tablet. “There, sent.” About twenty seconds later, he gri
I smiled. It was a good start. “Um, tell him you’re both okay, and you miss him.”
He did so. It felt like ages for the response to come in, though it was probably more like thirty seconds.
Really miss you two. Hard without you.
I pumped my fist into the air. “Perfect! We know he’s freaking out a bit without you and Bryce there. Now tell him you’d like to meet with him, only him, to see him again. Oh, and don’t let on that we’re going to keep him.”
Paul rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I was going to finish it off with, ‘Hey, So
I maintained a serious expression. “Wow, then it’s a good thing I warned you!” I snorted, gri
Paul laughed and sent, Bryce needs to talk to you, and we both want to see you. We want to meet.
Another eternity of waiting, this one far longer than thirty seconds. Or even a few minutes. Bryce began to look a little antsy, and I struggled not to fidget. Paul finally looked up at Bryce, his face worried and sad.
“Give him a little more time,” Bryce told Paul. “This is a big deal.” Through the tension in his voice I heard the acknowledgement of the other possibility—that So
The instant the words left his mouth the tablet pinged, and Paul lit up again. “Where? When?”
I heaved a big sigh of relief. It didn’t mean he hadn’t warned Farouche, but at least he was still communicating. “Bryce, they probably track the cars, right?” At his nod, I continued, “Where’s someplace he usually goes that wouldn’t raise suspicions?”
“The Beaulac Nature Center,” he said without hesitation. “He goes there to chill and spend time alone.”
It took several more texts to sort the details out since we had to consider what time would be best for So
At long last the plans were set—a nice casual meeting between good friends at the remote Nature Center at four p.m. Nice and friendly. No pressure. Only one slightly dastardly plan to kidnap him.
“Let’s hope he comes through for us,” I said and glanced at my watch. Two hours until the meeting.
Time to start moving our pieces into place.
Chapter 36
Once again our trek through the back woods and over the fence went without a hitch, though this time instead of a rental SUV, the fed boys waited for us in their Impalas. Eilahn muttered something in demon that included kiraknikahl as she passed Ryan’s car on her way to Zack’s, but at least she didn’t snarl. That was progress.
Zack greeted me with a brilliant smile that felt just as much Zakaar’s. “Well, sheriff,” he said in an accent worthy of an old Western movie, “I reckon we better git the posse saddled up and hit the trail.”
I gri
He winked, then slid behind the wheel of his car. “I considered you for the saloon girl part, but you can be a bit bristly at times.”
“Bristly?” I laughed. “Is that what you call it?”
“When I’m being polite,” he replied, and with that we loaded up the two cars and made our way to the rendezvous with So
Thunder rumbled in the distance, as we pulled into the Nature Center’s empty parking lot. The air held the heavy feel of impending rain, lending an ominous atmosphere to our surroundings as we exited the cars and did a careful look-around. Even on the best of days the Beaulac Nature Center—also known as the Crappy Trail Through Mosquito-Infested Swamp and Woods—wasn’t a big draw, but the hot, muggy afternoon coupled with the promise of a thunderstorm added an extra layer of deterrent.
Worked for me. The last thing we wanted was bystanders, though I hoped the rain would hold off until we were finished here.
Eilahn slipped into the woods and was out of view within seconds. Mzatal stood motionless, assessing, then gave me a nod. “No other humans or demons are near,” he assured me.
“Awesome.” I turned and gave Zack and Ryan a thumbs-up.
“Text when you’re done,” Ryan called through the open window, then he and Zack drove off.
I swept my gaze over the Plexiglas-covered map of the trails and the weathered shack that made up the Center. The last time I’d been here was to work the murder scene of one of Tracy Gordon’s victims, sacrificed as a crude means for him to locate a valve in the area. And only a few days later Mzatal and Idris finally managed to summon me to the demon realm.
I’ve changed a teensy bit since then.
I checked my watch. “Forty-five minutes ’til showtime,” I said.
Bryce shook his head. “So
Paul chuckled under his breath. “He’ll never admit it,” he murmured to me as we followed Bryce, “but he actually really enjoys the pla
“And I’m damn glad to let him plan his little heart out,” I replied with a smile.
About a hundred yards in, the trail opened into a clearing with a few decrepit tables and moss-covered concrete barbeque pits. Beyond, the trail continued to an equally poorly kept deck over the swamp.
Bryce and Paul settled at a table they proclaimed to be So