The Curse of Crow Hollow (40 page)

“Buck,” he said. “I need help.”

“Medric, me and John David been looking for you all morning.”

“I know it. Want to turn myself in.”

Bucky wrinkled his nose. “Well, I appreciate the offer, Medric, but there's no need now. Doc here just confessed, so I guess we don't need you.”

“Don't know what Doc's got to do with things,” Medric said, “but I'm the man you need. You just keep me safe, Bucky. I'll let you take me in, but you and John David can't let nobody get me.”

“He's the one you want,” Maris said. She winced as she did. It was like a part of her realized this was a chance to get her husband back, but not before another part said she'd have to sacrifice Medric to do it and still another said that didn't matter right now. “You let Danny go, John David. Turn him loose now.”

John David wouldn't, not yet. “Why you the man we need, Medric?” he asked.

“Because it was me,” Medric told them. “I did it. I helped the witch.”

-9-

In the end, Bucky decided the only thing he could do was go on and arrest them all.

They left the clinic in a line of three cars—Bucky in the lead with Doc Sullivan in the backseat, followed by Maris in their car and John David driving Medric's. John David had said he shouldn't drive Medric's car, specially with Medric so scared he wasn't going anywhere. Bucky said no, that's the way things had to be done now.

The former Marine-slash-criminal and current constable did as Bucky said. I'm guessing John David thought he'd take that time to have a word with Medric, try to figure out what the world the man had done. It didn't work. Medric sat in the backseat and uttered not a word the whole way to town. Ended up, John David just said he'd be praying. Strange thing for him to say; most in the Holler thought going to the Lord was something that boy'd long given up. But I guess in times like that, praying's about all you can do.

They all pulled into town that way, looking like some sad parade that drew folk not to cheer and clap, but condemn. I don't know how word got out of what Wilson and the Reverend had sent Bucky to do. My guess falls to Angela and the way that woman always slobbered for a bit of attention, and I suppose that's right. Cordelia had been so shaken by Hays that Angela had called Belle Ramsay for prayer. Belle, believing there was no better place to seek the Lord than an uncomfortable church pew, ran right out to haul them both back to town. They arrived just as Bucky and the rest entered town, and now Angela stood front and center at the doors of the council building along with about thirty others. Scarlett come running out when she seen John David in Medric's car. Wilson even dared peek out of
his office to watch it all. Belle come down the steps from the church with a worried look on her face. The Reverend followed right behind and nearly tripped.

Bucky got out and told Danny it'd be best if he just stayed in the backseat a minute. He turned to tell Maris the same, but she was already out of her car and running toward Wilson with hell itself in her eyes. Screaming at her brother, telling Wilson he should be ashamed. Believe you me, Wilson was. Fear can do that to you.

What got Maris calm enough to set aside the murder in her heart was the Reverend. He told Maris they'd straighten it all out soon as they talked to Danny, and then he had Scarlett take her on inside. John David brought Medric up. I'd say close to thirty people stood by then, wanting to know what was happening. John David saw no need to cement the idea that Medric had done something wrong. Keeping his back to the man they'd brought in gave the impression Medric could just turn around and walk off if he wanted.

Bucky motioned for the doctor, who got out of the car slow. That crowd pressed in. Angela had in the last minutes managed to squeeze through everybody and stood close enough to smell Danny's sweat as he passed. He went inside to where Maris waited. Medric trailed behind like a lost puppy.

Wilson asked John David, “Medric say anything to you on the way over?”

“No. But he knows something. Bucky says Hays took off.”

“Took off after he broke my girl's heart,” Angela shouted.

Kayann Foster shouted back, “You wait right there, Angela. Hays is guilty of nothing, and you know it.”

Angela spun around. “Don't you give me that. Everybody in this town knows that boy's half crazy, and they know you're the one who turned him that way.” Saying it with venom in
her words. “Bout time you get knocked down a notch, Kayann Foster. That boy got my Cordelia
pregnant
.”

Bucky winced as everybody's jaw dropped. Doc Sullivan bent his head.

“Pregnant?” Landis asked.

“Stop it,” the Reverend said. “Both of you. Landis, if you know where Hays is—”

“I don't know,” Landis said. “Can't you people see that? I don't know where he is. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. He's my son.”

“Son or not, he needs to be found. We just want to talk to him, Landis. That's all.”

“He couldn't've left town,” Bucky said. “Raleigh's got everything blocked.”

“Raleigh took the roadblock off,” Wilson said. “Called me a little bit ago. Said nobody's seen nothing all day, and he was just wasting time he could be spending looking for whoever killed Ruth.”

“Do you think Medric did it?” Angela asked. “Or Danny? They've already confessed to being spies.”

“They confessed?” Kayann asked. “See? Hays is innocent.”

Wilson said, “Right now, nobody's innocent. There's two, there could be more. Bucky, you and John David find Hays. But the first thing you need to do is go out to the Hodge place and bring Chessie back.”

Now believe me when I say that was something Bucky had no mind to do at all, and neither did John David. They'd sooner go to Alvaretta's and drag her to town than try the same with Chessie Hodge. If Hays had found out people were coming, surely Chessie had found out first. So it wasn't with no small measure of gratitude they heard a rumbling come from the other direction just then, and seen Briar's truck making a slow
crawl up the road. He stopped in the middle of the street in front of the council building and got out to open the passenger door. Chessie parted the gathered like Moses through the Red Sea, that red hair of hers wild and her jaw set hard. She walked up to Wilson and offered no fear at all.

“Heard you were looking for me,” she said. “Well, here I am.”

XIII

The Circle. Confessions. Wilson tells his secret. Hays makes a plan.

-1-

Hays could see nothing with the rag tied over his eyes. He gauged that Raleigh had driven nearly twenty minutes, putting them somewhere on the other side of town. They'd been walking at least twenty minutes more. Walking in the woods. He could tell because of the leaves crunching under his feet and the fresh smell of the pines and the way Raleigh kept steering him to the right or left, dodging trees.

The boy showed no fear. There'd been plenty of that back at the roadblock, and I don't think Hays cared much anymore that he hadn't acted brave. I think he would've messed himself on purpose if he'd thought that would've gotten that gun pointed somewhere else other than at him. It'd been some quick thinking, him putting two and two together to figure Raleigh would want the murderer of the woman he'd loved more than he'd want Hays. Then again, maybe it was all the Lord's doing. Hays probably thought that instead, him being born again now.

Either way, didn't take but a few seconds for Hays to go from Raleigh's catch of the day to Raleigh's best friend. He told the principal all about the curse of Alvaretta Graves, and how he'd seen Bucky and Medric running from the funeral home toward the council building the night before and then Medric running back alone a short time later. Hays told him Medric was a demon, and he swore to that truth upon his very salvation.

Raleigh had taken all that in with surprising ease, like he'd suspected something of that about Medric Johnston for a long while. And then he'd asked Hays a curious thing—“How would you like to become part of a secret group of men, son? People like-minded as you and me in battling the demons of this world.”

It was yes from Hays. It was
Praise God, yes
.

Then came the drive and now the long walk through the woods, which was done in silence but for the occasional question of, “Are you sure it was Medric, son?” and “You ain't gonna tell nobody this, are you?” Hays nodded or shook his head from behind the rag, depending on the answer. Raleigh guided him on.

His eyes were covered, but Hays still had his ears and nose. He heard nothing of the forest itself, only their soft steps over the dirt and leaves, but it didn't take long for him to catch a whiff of smoke and feel a comforting fire warm his skin. Raleigh stopped him. He said don't move and don't take off your blindfold, then backed away. Hays turned a bit to one side and then another, like he could feel the presence of others around him.

“You all know this boy,” Raleigh said. “Mayor gave me Hays Foster's name this morning from a list of those suspected of aiding the witch. This boy's here because I say he's innocent. He knows who killed Ruth, and that's why Wilson Bickford wants him. I accuse Wilson Bickford of being in league with the witch, because power craves power.

“Hays Foster says it was Medric Johnston killed Ruth. Says he seen Medric running back to his funeral shop alone after the shots was fired, and Medric wore a demon's face. I accuse Medric Johnston of being in league with the witch, because of the hate in his heart for those unlike hisself.

“The time has come for the good in Crow Holler to beat back the bad. Hays Foster, will you stand with us?”

Hays said, “I will.”

“Will you swear to the Almighty Yahweh that you will keep the secrets you see this day and never divulge them?”

“I will.”

“Will you swear to the blood of your kin to wage holy war on the lesser beasts and those who seek destruction upon our way of life?”

“I will.”

“Then Hays Foster, I say take off your mask.”

Hays did it slow so as not to rile them. His right hand gripped the bottom of the rag around his eyes and lifted it off. He winced. The first fingers of evening had drifted over the woods, but there was light enough from the lowering sun and the wide circle of torches he stood in to make him shield his eyes. Gathered at the circle's edges, fifteen cloaked and hooded men watched in silence.

Raleigh spoke: “Welcome to the Brotherhood of the Circle.”

The men removed their hoods one by one, nodding to Hays as they did. The fire now felt hotter somehow, and farther reaching. Hays began rubbing the thighs of his jeans with his hands, looking ahead and to his sides and the back, watching them close in. Raleigh said, “Greet brother Hays,” and Hays saw their hands outstretched not to shake his own but to grab him. He barreled past the two in his way before they could reach him, screaming as he sought the safety of the thick woods. The men took after him and then stopped when Raleigh called them back, saying there was no time, the boy had given them what they needed.

Hays kept running and did not look back, too fearful of what he might see chasing him. He'd been a fool all along and had nearly paid for it with his life, though I expect his mind paused enough to appreciate the irony. In the end, he knew it had been Alvaretta's curse that had saved him. That was the only way he could've seen the demon faces under all those masks.

-2-

John David went to talk to Medric, and Scarlett to tend to Chessie, but Wilson wanted to speak to his brother-in-law first. Danny was the important one.

He let Maris stay. That wasn't out of any love he had for his sister (of which there was plenty, don't get me wrong), but because Wilson had decided Alvaretta's plan to destroy his family would end there. He wanted Maris to hear it herself. He needed her to know.

Bucky wanted to do the questioning. Wilson said fine. Wouldn't look good to Maris if he did it himself, and why not let our sheriff enjoy this moment? He'd earned it. So much, in fact, that Wilson decided making that man sheriff had been one of the wisest things he'd ever done. He got the Reverend to join them, too, wanting both a witness to whatever Doc would say and someone to keep Maris calm should things get out of hand. I doubt even Bucky thought they would. The look on the doctor's face when they all walked into the little meeting room could only be described as defeat. Danny was ready to talk.

Maris went to the other side of the small table in the middle of the room where her husband sat and hugged him tight. She kissed his forehead and asked if he needed anything. Danny said all he needed was her forgiveness for all this trouble. Wilson, the Reverend, and Bucky took the other chairs. As he always did, David opened with prayer for a wisdom I believe all who gathered there never had.

“Danny,” Bucky said, “just to start things out here, I want you to know it's the truth we're after. That's all I want from you, okay? Now for the mayor's and the Reverend's benefit, I want to ask you again: you been up to Alvaretta's?”

“I have,” Danny said.

“And was it your tire marks I seen up at her cabin on the mountain?”

“I'm guessing so.”

“Danny . . .”

“Well, I don't
know
, Bucky.” It was about as close as Bucky had ever seen Doc to getting mad. “I wasn't there with you when you saw them. But the last time was the day before the kids went up to the mines. So, yeah, I guess. Those were my tire tracks you saw.”

Bucky nodded and took a deep breath, moving on. “Did you kill Ruth Mitchell?”

“Bucky,” Maris said.

“I gotta ask, Maris.”

“No,” Danny said. “I most certainly did not kill Ruth, nor would I even ponder such a horrible thing.”