The Demon Trappers: Foretold (7 page)

Another hassle.

Riley was washing one of the cupboard doors now, up on her tiptoes. For a second he forgot his problems and settled back to admire the view. She really was a fine girl. It was going to be the
worst day of his life when she turned her back on him and walked away.

An hour later the kitchen was tidy, except for the floor and the stove.

‘Make sure I got these in the right piles, OK?’ Beck said, pointing to the mail on the table.

Riley checked through them, her fingertips wrinkled from the water. The tattoos on her palms were stark in their simplicity – black against pale flesh. She saw him staring at them.

‘You got them right,’ she said, handing over envelopes.

‘Good. I’ve been payin’ them for some time so I can usually recognize them.’

‘Why would you pay her bills?’

He blinked at the question. ‘Why not?’

‘Because she hates you?’ Riley ventured.

‘Don’t matter. She’s family. Ya’d do the same.’

Riley opened her mouth to argue and then shut it again. He was right – if her Aunt Esther needed help, she would be there even though she couldn’t stand the woman.

‘I’ll go back to the hospital tonight, check on her,’ Beck said. ‘She won’t stand me bein’ there too long, but at least I can see her for a time.’

‘Do you want me—’

‘No. I’d rather you stay in the truck. Yer not used to her like I am.’

‘OK.’
At least for tonight.
Eventually she’d have to confront the woman again and she’d want to be ready for whatever came out of Sadie’s mouth. Beck’s
mom had worked her over once. The next time it wasn’t going down like that, even if the woman was terminally ill.

Riley yawned, then apologized.

‘Yeah, let’s call it a day,’ Beck said. ‘We’ll start sortin’ through the rest of this stuff tomorrow.’

‘Does she know you’re doin’ this?’

‘I’ll tell her tonight. That’s another reason I don’t want you there. She’s not gonna be happy with this.’

As Beck walked towards the hospital’s main entrance, Riley fired up her phone, pleased there was decent service. In fact, she had more bars here than in some places in
Atlanta.

‘Hey, Riley, how is nowhere land?’ Peter called out.

‘Bizarre, but I had the best hamburger evah at lunch today.’

‘Really? So what’s it like down there?’

‘It’s a tiny version of Atlanta with a lot more y’alls. What’s weird is that everybody knows everybody and what they’re doing. Not like at home. Oh, and most of the
town doesn’t like Beck because, well, they just don’t.’

‘Sounds like a blast. So what are you two doing tonight?’

‘Beck’s visiting his mom right now. He’ll be tired by the time he gets out of there. We’ll probably find food and catch some TV.’

‘
Demonland
is on at eight. You don’t want to miss that.’

‘There’s so much wrong with that show I don’t know where to start.’

‘Then don’t,’ Peter said. ‘Leave my delusions intact, OK? So how are you and Beck doing?’

‘One minute he seems pleased I’m here and then the next he’s being an asshat. I’m cutting him some slack because of his mom – who is a real piece of work, by the
way – but one of these times I’m going to go medieval on him.’

Peter’s chuckle echoed down the phone. ‘Well, you’re missing some epic weirdness up here. Some reverend has announced he’s going to exorcise
every single demon
in
Atlanta, all at the same time. Can you believe that?’

‘I saw that in the paper. All he’s going to do is piss them off and guess who will have to clean up that mess?’
Me and the other trappers.

A figure emerged from the hospital entrance, moving at a brisk pace.

‘Ah, here comes Beck. He’s not looking good. I’d better go.’

‘Hang in there, Riley. Call when you need to vent. Or if you need bail.’

She laughed. ‘I will. Talk to you later.’

Beck climbed into the truck, slammed the door and jammed the keys into the ignition. Then he banged his fist against the wheel. Once, twice, three times.

Riley held her breath.

‘Why do I even bother with her?’ he growled.

‘Want to talk about it?’

‘Hell, no.’

Once back at the motel, Riley followed him into his room, hoping that he did want to talk if given the opportunity. Beck dropped his backpack on the first bed and began
stripping off his clothes like he’d forgotten she was there. Right before his jeans came off, she cleared her throat and that pulled him up short. He retrieved clean clothes out of the bureau
drawer and headed for the bathroom. The door shut, then the shower came on.

Realizing that a heartfelt conversation wasn’t on the menu, Riley retreated to her room. She needed a shower as well. It was as if some thick choking tar had coated her skin since
she’d met Beck’s mother and the house hadn’t helped either.

What would it be like to live with her?
It was a sure bet that nothing anyone did would meet with Sadie’s approval. Maybe that was what had sparked her father’s interest
– the fact that the young man had never had a chance. Now her dad had left Beck in her care, though Backwoods Boy thought it was the other way round.

I promise, Dad, I won’t let him fail, no matter what.

To her relief, the shower had pretty decent water pressure. After she’d dressed, she sat on her bed and towelled her hair dry while Beck wandered around his room, fully clothed. The shower
seemed to have settled him down.

He peered in at her. ‘We can go for pizza if you want.’ He was back to using proper English so he
was
feeling better.

‘That works. I’m really hungry.’

‘I’ll order it ahead so it’s waitin’ for us. Anythin’ you hate?’

‘Green peppers,’ she said. ‘They’re totally vile.’

He dug on the nightstand for the card with the local pizza place’s number and punched it into his cellphone. Then hung up. To her surprise he brought the information to her.

‘Better if you order it,’ he said. ‘Make it
to go
with yer name on the order.’

She wanted to ask why, but his expression did not invite questions. Using her own phone she called the restaurant and put in the order, along with a request for a six-pack of soda.

‘Thanks,’ he said, then stepped outside to make a call, as if he didn’t want her to hear what he said. It was another
I don’t entirely trust you
moment and her
patience was wearing thin.

‘You are so jonesing for it, dude,’ she muttered.

Riley should have seen it coming: Beck gave her the money and sent her in to get the order. After settling the bill, she gathered up the pizza and the plastic bag that held the
soda, and the restaurant’s owner pushed open the door to help her out of the store. Then he spied Beck’s truck.

‘Hell, if I had known it was for that bastard I’d have never taken the order.’

She glared up at him. ‘Why?’

‘Ask him. Maybe he’ll tell you where they are.’

‘They who?’ The door banged shut behind her.

Why won’t anyone say what’s going on?

Riley shifted the hot pizza box on her lap. The smell was driving her crazy. Maybe after they ate, she could quiz Beck about what the pizza guy had meant.

‘Where are we going?’ she asked.

‘Somewhere near the swamp.’

Exactly where Cole had told her not to go with Backwoods Boy.

Paranoid much?

He didn’t choose a picnic spot, but a road out in the middle of nowhere. If this hadn’t been Beck she’d have been way nervous.

‘Where are we?’

‘We’re south of town on one of the roads near the federal park land. Okefenokee’s over that way,’ he said, pointing west towards the setting sun.

‘Why here?’ she said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

‘Because it’s not
in
town,’ he said. ‘I’ve had enough of people starin’ at me for one day.’

Riley could relate. She opened the door and peered down at white sand. That was different. Trusting he knew what he was doing, she waited for him to pull a blanket from behind the seat and then
followed him to the back of the truck. There he fixed up a little place for them to eat on the tailgate.

‘Sort of like a picnic,’ she said, trying to make the most of it.

‘Yeah,’ he replied, but she could tell his heart wasn’t in it.

Riley crawled up on the gate and then eagerly opened the box. Her mouth watered instantly. She scooped up a couple of napkins and then a thick slice of pizza. Beck did the same.

While she chewed, Riley checked out the scenery around them. Tall pine trees stood in the distance and in all directions were these strange plants with spiky leaves. They were about three or
four feet off the ground, curiously uniform in height.

‘What are those?’ she asked, pointing with her free hand. ‘They look like baby palm trees or something.’

‘They’re saw palmetto. They’re all over this part of the country.’

‘Why are they all the same size?’

‘Must have had a fire, burned them all down. Now they’re growin’ back.’

Riley heard skittering in the brush to her right. ‘Are there . . . any alligators around here?’

‘Might be, though they’d rather be closer to the water.’ Beck grinned. ‘Yer such a city girl.’

‘Sure am,’ she retorted, defiant. ‘I like buildings and sidewalks. I like stuff that I can understand. This –’ she did a sweep of her hand – ‘is pretty,
but I feel out of place here.’

‘I like the country,’ he said, softer now. ‘It’s quiet and I can think. The city jams up my mind sometimes.’

She popped open a can of soda and took a long drink. ‘So now that your mind is unjammed, tell me about Cole.’

Instant frown. ‘Why do you want to know about him?’

Riley couldn’t resist. ‘Because he’s totally hot and I want to run off with him and have his babies.’

Beck’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Riley –’

‘Look at you!’ she said, playfully slapping his arm. ‘You’re easy to set off.’

The frown didn’t retreat, but she could tell she’d made her point.

‘You don’t know him like I do,’ he replied.

‘Well, now is the time to fix that. Tell me why you can’t stand him.’

He huffed. ‘When I was in school, I dated a girl named Louisa. Lou and I were real tight. Cole made sure to break us up. He dated her for a few weeks then dumped her – his way of
sayin’ he could steal away any girl I cared for.’

‘OK, so Cole is a total scumbag. I can go there. But that’s a long time ago, Beck. You’re still carrying a grudge?’

‘Yeah, I am,’ he admitted. ‘Lou was special and she was the only good thing in my life at that point. Now he’s eyein’ you and I don’t like that one
bit.’

Yup, he’s jealous.
‘Did you have any other girlfriends?’

‘Why do you wanna know?’

‘Because I’d like to get to know you better?’

He launched off the back of the truck and walked a few paces down the road. ‘Why the hell do ya do this to me?’ he demanded.

‘What?’ Riley asked, startled.

‘Ya can’t be part of my life. When are ya gonna understand that?’

She slammed the soda can down and hopped off the tailgate. This moment had been brewing for a long time and when it was over he’d either accept she was on his side or she was out of
here.

‘You’re the one who keeps moaning about how nobody will give you a break because you’re some hick loser, but just let someone actually
care
about you and you can’t
handle it.’

‘Ya have no idea how bad it can get down here,’ he said, shaking his head.

‘Really?’ she said, advancing on him. ‘As bad as having two dead parents or dealing with the Vatican and their Inquisition Lite? How about that whole Armageddon thing? Just how
bad is this going to be, Beck? Let me know the worst.’

His mouth had dropped open. ‘Ya don’t understand,’ he spluttered.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her boiling emotions. ‘Then tell me the truth. I want to know why everyone hates you and why I had to order the pizza. I want to know why Cole warned
me not to go into the swamp with you.’

‘Just let it go.’

‘Tell me, Beck! What is this black secret that Justine’s uncovered? Did you get some girl pregnant? Or run someone over with your truck when you were drunk? What is it that has you
so worried?’

Beck was silent. Around them birds began to nest in the trees as the sun set.

‘It’s all about trust,’ she said, quieter now. ‘I shared my darkest secret with you. Now it’s time for you to do the same.’

He looked away, both fists clenched.

Come on. Let it out. You want to
–
I can feel it.

Beck’s fists unclenched as his face took on a haunted expression.

‘They all think I . . . killed . . . two boys in the swamp. That I hid their bodies so they’d never be found.’

Oh, God.
That she hadn’t expected.

To buy time Riley retreated to the truck, her stomach churning. Could Beck have killed them?
No.
At least not the man she knew today. What about a young Beck? He’d said he was a hot
head and he’d tried to carve up Mr Walker with a knife.
Could he have . . .