The Hum (16 page)

CHAPTER 26

Awakening to the smell of breakfast, Kevin rolled over and smiled. Father Gregory was seated at the tiny dining table, tearing into what appeared to be ham, eggs, and toast. Noticing the ‘to go’ plate across from him, he said, “Smells amazing. Is that one for me?”

“No, that’s seconds for me. I woke up ravenous.” Father Gregory barely finished the last word before he started laughing.

Smiling, Kevin said, “Lying isn’t your strong suit, Father. Wait a minute, comedy isn’t either. Don’t ever stop being a priest—you might end up starving and living on the street.”

“I guess there aren’t many Catholic comedians out there, are there?”

“Just you, Father. Just you.”

While delving into his portion of breakfast, Kevin paused and said, “I’d like to stop by the hospital and tell Amanda I’m leaving, and then we can head to the airport.” His dream the night prior had left him with the impression that the woods weren’t a threat to him, that it was time to go back.

“And where might you be going?”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said, and I’ve decided to give it a try. Wise, Virginia here I come.”

“Now that’s my boy. I believe this will really help clear your head and move on from your past.” Father Gregory replied happily.

“I hope you’re right, Father, because I’m pretty scared right now. I can’t imagine how I’ll make it off the plane much more step foot back inside that tunnel again.”

“Why don’t I go over with you?”

“What? No, I can’t ask you to do that, Father.” “Why not? I cleared my schedule to come down

here. As long as I’m still in the south, I don’t mind.” Taking a second, Kevin said, “Father, I really appreciate all you’ve done for me. I don’t think I ever would’ve gotten out of that place without your help. I’ll gladly accept your offer to join me on my next trip—I have a feeling I’m going to need you. Say a prayer that I won’t die of a heart attack.”

“Nonsense. You’ll be fine. Now get ready, and go

tell Miss Billingsley goodbye.”

For a brief second, Kevin wondered how Father Gregory knew Amanda’s last name. He couldn’t recall telling it to him. He wrote it off, concluding that the investigator he had looking into the Taos madness must’ve told him.

*         *         *

“If you’re planning on causing more trouble, you might as well stay out, Sheriff Jent.”

“Wow, news sure travels fast in this town. Is the entire town on the Sheriff’s speed dial? Look, I’m just here for some breakfast, and then I’ll be on my way.”

“You’re lucky the Gentry family doesn’t sue you for beating up on their two boys like that, Sheriff. Just because you have a badge, don’t...”

“What is it with you people? Look, just make me three eggs over medium, throw in three pieces of bacon, and two slices of toast. Make it ‘to go’ and you’ll never see me again.”

Reluctantly, the man turned and relayed Russell’s order to the cook in the kitchen. Once he finished, he turned back to him and said, “Why don’t you wait outside, and I’ll bring it to you when it’s ready.”

“Has anyone in this town ever heard of customer service?”

“If you’d like to file a complaint, please fill out a card and drop it in the wooden box next to the counter, on your way out of town. I will do my best to fix whatever the problem is,
Sheriff
.”

“I highly doubt that. No, I think I’ll hang around and look into this lack of friendliness myself.”

Before Russell had a chance to give the man the money for his breakfast, the owner of the restaurant turned and headed back towards the door. Over his shoulder, he said, “Keep your money, Sheriff Jent. Just don’t come back.

After sleeping with the bedbugs the night before, he’d tried telling himself that he didn’t really care what the cook might’ve done to his breakfast, but a small part of Russell couldn’t help but wonder. Tearing into the bacon first, he convinced himself that it tasted too good to worry about a little extra saliva.

Three-quarters of the way through his last egg, Russell thought he saw someone he knew across the street. Setting his food down on the open seat of the bench next to him, he stood up and strained for a closer look.
No way
.

Tossing his food into the garbage, Russell took off running across the street. The man disappeared inside the hospital, so he followed suit. Bursting through the doors, Russell got the same welcome he’d been getting from everyone else in town: a lot of dirty looks, and people mumbling under their breath. He thought he even heard one older gentleman call him a dirty word—something about his mother getting around.

Scanning the area, he failed to see the person in question.

“Can I help you, Sheriff Jent?” The nurse manning the counter asked.

Walking over to her, Russell said, “A man just came in here...which way did he go?”

“Uh, plenty of men come in here, Sheriff. You’ll

have to more specific than that.”

“Mr. Black is his name—Kevin Black.”

“What do you want with him, Sheriff? Did he do something wrong? Did he break the law?”

“Not at all. I met him a long time ago, and I’d like to speak to him.”

“Oh. Well he’s down the hall in 140, in Amanda Billingsley’s room. But you can’t go in there. She’s only allowed to have one guest at a time. It shouldn’t be long though—Mr. Black is leaving Taos for good.”

“What? Look, I really need to speak with him, lady.” Pointing to an open seat in the corner, the nurse said, “Then I suggest you plant yourself in that corner

over there and wait.”

“Are you serious? I don’t have time for this.” Russell said looking at this watch. He knew he had to pick Dean up at the airport at noon, and he wasn’t sure how much time he had left.

“I’ve got to pick someone up in one hour, ma’am. Can’t you please just let me see him? Just this once?” The nurse didn’t speak, she simply pointed to the

waiting area.

“Thanks for nothing!” Russell said, storming out the door.

Fuming, Russell paced back and forth outside. He remained near the front door, so he could catch Mr. Black when he came out. Warning bells were going off inside his head. First, Mr. Ridenour kills Deputy Carlson; second, they find the many connections to Taos and the murders; third, Mr. Black—who was supposed to be in the mental ward—turns back up in his old hometown. A little too convenient, he thought.

*         *         *

Minutes

Earlier

“You again? I thought I told you not to come back here.”

“I just came to say my goodbyes. I’m leaving town for good.” Kevin said to the nurse.

“In that case, you’ve got ten minutes.” The nurse said smiling.

“Looks like you’re going to miss me. I’m sure I’ll tell everyone about how pleasant you were to me during my time here.” Kevin said sarcastically.

“Don’t push your luck. Mr. Black. Eight minutes remaining.”

Hurriedly, Kevin headed to Amanda’s room. He was sweating and a bit nervous about telling her he was leaving her to fend for herself against the wolves of Taos. When he walked in, he was once again taken by surprise. Amanda was sitting in the seat next to the bed, fully dressed and reading a book.

“What are you doing out of bed?” “What are you doing back here?” “I asked first.” Kevin said.

“They’re letting me out of prison in two more hours.” Amanda replied.

“Let me guess: you made them?”

“Not exactly. I simply told them I felt fine and they could either discharge me, or I’d leave without their paperwork.”

“You’ve got to be the most noncompliant patient

I’ve ever seen. Are you sure you’re ready to leave?” “I’m fine. Now it’s your turn. Why are you here?” “Please forgive me, but I’ve got to get away from

here, Amanda. I’m sorry to leave you here alone, but these people are crazy, and I’m afraid of what I might do if I remain in the area.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Kevin. If you came here seeking my permission, then you’ve got it.”

“Why don’t you come with me? Just leave this madness and start a new life somewhere else.” Kevin pleaded.

“If only it were that easy. No, I plan to see this thing through to the end. If you don’t mind my asking, where are you heading?” Amanda asked.

“I’ve got some unfinished business in Virginia that I need to look into. After that, I’m really not too sure. Probably head back up to Michigan and pick back up where I left off.”

“Sure is a long way from New Mexico. What kind of business?” Amanda pried.

“Personal.” Changing the subject, Kevin said, “Can’t you let this thing go, and move on? What if they kill you too? Have you ever thought about that?” “Seriously, Kevin? I think about it all the time, but

I won’t let them get away with murdering Jordan—I

can’t.”

“Suit yourself. Just be careful. Do you have a weapon or something?”

“I plan to get one. You should get going now, Kevin. I’m sure the nurse out there doesn’t like the fact that you’re in here.”

“She gave me ten minutes after I told her I was leaving town. You take care of yourself, Amanda. And please call me, if you need my help.”

CHAPTER 27

Since he had his back to Kevin when he walked out of the hospital, Russell almost missed him. He had his head down, and appeared to be in deep thought.

“Mr. Black? Kevin Black?” Russell asked, jogging to catch up to him.

Turning, Kevin thought he recognized the voice. “Sheriff Jent? What are you doing here?”

“A better question would be what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you still be in the ward?”

“I’ve been out for almost a year now. I came back here to try and find some closure to a few things in my past, but the people here haven’t exactly come to me with open arms.”

“Tell me about it. They’ve been treating me like an outsider from day one. The reason I came here was because a man from this area came to my town and killed one of my deputies. Like you, he claimed this humming sound made him do it.” “

“I’m sorry to hear about your deputy, Sheriff. If you want my opinion, you’re definitely looking in the right spot. There are some weird things going on around this town, and I wish I knew what was behind it all.”

“Weird things? Like what?” Russell said, feigning ignorance.

For one, this humming sound that many of us keep hearing. Second, how unfriendly these people are. It’s almost like they’re trying to keep something secret.” “You got that impression too, huh?”

“They were okay with me, until I sided with Miss Billingsley in there.” Kevin said motioning back to the hospital.

“Tell me about it. A couple of young men tried to pick a fight with me at one of the restaurants because they said I took their seat.”

“At least they didn’t jump you out in the parking lot. If you want my advice Sheriff, I’d tell you to get out of here and bring some backup. One man isn’t enough to stand up against an entire town.”

“Good suggestion. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a team coming in as we speak.”

“Just watch your back, Sheriff. Well if you don’t have anything else, I should get going. Father Gregory is waiting on me.”

“Who? Did you say Father Gregory?” “Yes, do you know him?”

“Sort of. We flew in together. How do you know

him?”

“He helped me get through my time in the ward, as well as getting me a job after I was released. He’s a good man, and I’m thankful to have him as a friend.” “He must really like you, to fly all the way down here from Michigan.”

“Maybe. I think it’s just in his

nature. He genuinely likes to help people.”

“Then you’re lucky to have him in your corner. Is he going with you?”

“He said he’d accompany me to my next destination, just in case I needed help facing down my de mons.”

“Well if you’re going to face some demons, a priest would definitely come in handy. Good luck, Mr. Black. Mind if I ask where you’re heading?”

“Back to your neck of the woods. Father Gregory thinks I’ll find closure in those woods where I first met you. Well I should get going, Sheriff. I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for.”

“Oh, I’ll figure out what’s going down here, even if I have to take this entire town apart piece by piece to do so. Maybe I’ll bump into you again when I get back home, Mr. Black. Take care.”

Kevin headed back to the hotel thinking it a little odd that he’d run into Sheriff Jent in his hometown of all places. He hoped that the townspeople wouldn’t make him disappear like people seemed to do around the area. The Sheriff seemed like a good man, and truth be told, Kevin felt a bond of sorts with him. He was the one that Kevin had confessed all of his crimes to, after all.

*         *         *

It wasn’t two minutes after Kevin left that Russell spotted Father Gregory coming out of one of the buildings across the road. If he wasn’t walking with Sheriff Bowman, he might’ve gone on about his business. But seeing the way the two men were conversing like the best of friends sent his suspicions skyrocketing. He decided to hide behind an older model vehicle parked a few feet from the two men, and listen in on their conversation.

“Don’t worry, Sheriff, it will all work out in the end. We’re leaving for Virginia today. All you’ve got to do is clean out some of the foreigners from town here and send them our way. We will take care of the rest.”

“You’d better be right Clint. I’d hate for everything to fall apart because we let too many outsiders ruin things for us. I don’t like having authorities from other states here.”

“You’re talking to Father Gregory, remember? Rest assured knowing I have a plan.”

“Not only are you the meanest gringo in all of New Mexico, you were always pretty smart too, as I recall.” “The meanness left a long time ago, Sheriff. Now I try to use my head more. Before I leave town, I’d like to see it again.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if your friend comes back?”

“I don’t care. It’s been way too long. I need to see
it.”

Russell watched at a distance as Father Grego
ry walked over to his car which was parked directly behind Sheriff Bowman’s cruiser, and after a brief exchange, the two men separated. Running back to his rental, Russell hopped in and sped to catch up to them. After a series of turns and stops, both cars pulled up to the entrance of a rather large ranch. Russell committed the emblem in the center of the circle to memory for later investigation.

Giving the two vehicles in the lead a few seconds to disappear down the long driveway, Russell drove on by and pulled his vehicle over onto the shoulder about three hundred feet up the road. He wasn’t too comfortable with the fact that the road dead-ended, because if they caught him, he’d be trapped.

Scaling over the small wooden fence, Russell did his best to keep a low profile. The lack of trees didn’t help his stealth one bit. Spotting a veritable forest over to his right, he headed in that direction. Once he was inside the flowering desert willow trees, he breathed a little easier, although he still had a hard time controlling the adrenaline flowing through his body. The bright pink color of the willow trees was great to look at, but it did nothing to ease his pounding heart. He felt naked without his weapon—he just hoped he wouldn’t need one.

Just outside the wood line, Russell spotted Sheriff Bowman and Father Gregory standing on what appeared to be the outer rim of a large circle. The thing spanned a good five hundred feet in diameter, making him wonder what it could be.

*         *         *

Going over to their right, both Sheriff Bowman and Father Gregory bent over at the same time and started searching on the ground for something. “Got it.” Father Gregory said.

Russell looked on as the two men stepped back and a portion of the earth began to flip over onto itself. A small platform suddenly appeared in place of the grass covered spot they’d just stood upon.

“Are you coming?” Father Gregory asked when Sheriff Bowman failed to step onto the platform with him.

“I think I’ll remain up here. It still freaks me out a little.”

“Are you for real? Sheriff Bowman afraid? Get over here with me!”

Hesitantly, the Sheriff joined Father Gregory, and almost immediately the platform started descending down into the earth. After a full five minutes of deftly quietness, Russell saw the thing reappear and flip back over to the grass covering. Even after seeing it with his own eyes, he still didn’t think he’d be able to find the spot where the escalator thingy was. The grass blended in perfectly with the surrounding vegetation, making it look totally undisturbed.

Coming out from the security of the woods, Russell cautiously made his way over to the circle. Looking down into the never-ending pit, he strained to find Father Gregory and company. Nothing stirred and no sounds emanated from the abyss, but all of a sudden he began to feel lightheaded. Before he knew it, blood splattered onto his sneakers. Feeling his nose start to drip like a leaky faucet, Russell quickly reached up and pinched his nostrils. Still staring downward, he noticed a drop of his blood had landed on the nearest wall of the pit. What happened next was still open to debate, but he thought he saw the wall open up and what appeared to be a large mouth with sharp teeth devouring his blood.

Feeling the earth shake underneath him, Russell struggled to maintain his balance. The portion of the rim that he was standing on suddenly started sloping downward, almost as if it was drawing him in. In his mind, he envisioned another giant mouth with razor sharp teeth at the bottom of what was quickly becoming a giant slide. Rolling to his right, he managed to avoid tumbling downward, but he still found it hard to make his way back to the woods. The ground continued to shake, and he began to hear an eerie squeal. Each time he got up near his top speed, the ground would dip or jut upward in front of him, causing him to have to maneuver his way around it all.

Once he made it to the supposed safety of the woodline, Russell slowed a bit to catch his breath. The distance was short, but his heart still beat out of his chest. He began to hear a growl coming from behind him, in the direction of the abyss. Not bothering to wait around, he made a beeline for his car and sped away from the area.

Russell kept checking his rearview mirror for any pursuers, but saw none. For the first time in many years, he felt true fear. Something wasn’t right in Taos, and he was beginning to think it might not be in his best interest to find out what.

Minutes later, Russell started to breathe a little easier. No one was following him, and his heart had finally settled down a bit. Glancing down at his watch caused him to smack his hand against the steering wheel repeatedly. It was already 12:30, which meant he was thirty minutes late picking up Dean at the airport. Flooring the car, he headed in that direction.

Pulling up alongside the arriving flights line, Russell noticed the black hair, medium build of his old friend right away. Other than a few additional streaks of gray, he looked exactly the same. He didn’t appear at all flustered by Russell’s tardiness, as evidenced by the newspaper resting on his crossed legs.