by Jay Bower
“Noah, it’s ready!” she called out.
Noah came tumbling in. “Thanks, Ma.” He sat opposite Patrick and Meagan set a bowl of hot oatmeal and glass of orange juice in front of him.
“Now be careful, Noah, it’s still really hot.”
The boy nodded.
“Dad! Are you going with us to the Apple Festival? It’s gonna be so much fun!” Noah eagerly waited for his answer.
“Sorry, son.” Patrick glanced down at his coffee. “I have to work,” he said quietly.
Noah frowned. “Aw, Dad. Really? I wanted you to be there! Mom says it was always her favorite thing.”
Patrick looked up. Noah’s eyes shined brightly back at him, so full of life and energy. “Maybe next year, Noah. I’ll be there, but I’ll be working. I told your mom maybe I can catch up with you two for a little bit while you’re there.” Noah cocked his head to the side and stared at Patrick. He seemed like he wanted to say something.
“What is it, son?” he said with a hint of a laugh in his voice.
“Oh, nothing, Dad. I hope we can meet up with you. Maybe we can go on a ride together?” His face lit up in anticipation.
“Maybe, son.” He took the last sip of his coffee and stood, ruffling Noah’s hair. “I gotta go. Bye, son. Love you.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”
Patrick walked behind Meagan as she cleaned the breakfast dishes. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She smelled wonderful, like a warm summer day. He closed his eyes, leaning close to her, and pushed himself into her suggestively. She giggled, and he kissed her neck. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear.
She turned and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, too.”
These moments were rare lately and he didn’t want to let go. She waited for him to move. The warmth of her body dissipated, their closeness gone, but he knew he had to go. “I’ll see you later,” he said. He picked up his keys and left.
***
“MOM?” NOAH SAID after Patrick’s car left the driveway.
“Yes, dear?”
“Mom, is the Apple Festival really fun? Do I need to…you know…do anything?”
She pulled a chair next to him and touched his arm softly. “No, dear, you don’t. It’s not time yet. And remember, it might not be your time. There are always three, but only one is chosen. There will come a time soon, and when it does, you’ll do fine. Just remember what I taught you, okay?”
He smiled back at her. “Okay, Mom, I’ll remember.” His understanding warmed her. The look on his face reminded him so much of Patrick. If he were called, she’d be heartbroken, but she’d stay strong. He’d need her to be.
***
LATER THAT DAY, PATRICK was assigned to canvass the Festival. He walked through the rides and food vendors. As the sun went down, the bright lights of the rides whooshing and whirling in the air made quite a spectacle. The smell of funnel cakes and onions permeated the air. He passed cotton candy stands and barkers trying to entice people out of their money on games they’d never win.
“Come on in, give it a try! Win a big stuffed bear for your girl, there!” he heard in the distance. He walked a few steps farther. “Win big, win now! It’s the easiest game here!” He shook his head and kept walking, scanning the crowd for anything suspicious.
The entire department and the sheriff’s department were out. He knew Benny was here somewhere. He did contact him once by radio, but other than that, he didn’t know where his partner had wandered off to.
Something gripped Patrick tight around his waist.
“Dad!” he heard. Noah clung to him like he’d never seen him before. Meagan walked up slowly behind him wearing a low-cut top. Patrick’s eyes lit up.
“Well hello, son, and hello to you, ma’am.”
Meagan kissed him.
“Hello, Officer. I was wondering if you might help us find my husband. He’s about six-feet-tall, brown hair, and pretty damn good looking.”
Patrick blushed.
“Well, if we can’t find him, maybe I’ll do?” They laughed. Noah squinted at them with a puzzled expression on his face.
“Have you two eaten yet?” Patrick asked. “The smells out here are wonderful. I’m starved.”
“No, not yet. We’ve been riding a few rides. We caught up with Sara and Eric earlier. We’re supposed to meet them in an hour to ride more rides.”
Meagan smiled. “Care to join us, Officer?” Patrick nodded. They set off to find the greasiest, most unhealthy delicacy they could.
As they sat down to enjoy their food, Patrick noticed Benny in the distance. Benny stopped, looked around, and went behind a storage trailer. Patrick stared, trying to see what was going on.
“Hello? Dad?” Noah asked. “Dad, are ya there?” he giggled.
Patrick’s gaze turned to him. “I’m here, son.”
“Dad, can you ride something with me before you go back to work? Please?”
“Sorry, bud. I can’t ride those things. I get sick just thinking about them.”
Noah frowned. “Oh…all right, then.”
Patrick watched for Benny to reappear. He saw Chief Wayne go behind the same trailer, and then old Virgil and Meagan’s dad follow. It seemed an odd meeting place. Patrick wondered why the four men might need to meet covertly.
“Meagan, are your parents here tonight?” Patrick asked.
Meagan swallowed a big bite of her corn dog. “Maybe. I think so. Why?” She tilted her head slightly, looking at Patrick. He scrunched his eyebrows and stroked the stubble on his chin.
“Well, I’m pretty sure I just saw your dad.”
“Oh, great! Maybe we can catch up with him and Mom.”
“I’m not sure, Meagan. Does he know Benny or Virgil or Chief Wayne?”
Meagan set her corn dog down on a napkin. She slowly wiped her hands on her jeans and paused before speaking. “Well yeah, he does. He’s lived here all his life, just like them. He’s not as old, but he knows them. Everyone does. Why do you ask?”
Patrick checked his watch. “Oh dang, I gotta go. I only had a few minutes of downtime. I don’t want to get in trouble with the Chief. He’s a pretty levelheaded guy, but I’ve seen him snap once or twice on some of the other officers. I don’t want any of that.” He stood, leaned down to Meagan, and kissed her on the cheek. “If I see your dad, I’ll tell him to find you.”
Meagan forced a smile. “Sure thing. Love you.”
“Bye, Dad. I’ll see you later!” Noah chimed in.
“Love ya, too, son. Be good for your mom, will ya?”
Noah nodded. “Always, Dad!”
Patrick made his leave and decided to check on the trailer. Something didn’t make sense. As he approached, he heard voices from the other side. He leaned a little closer, listening.
“So, you think the signs are back, do ya?” It was Virgil, his unmistakable voice barely audible over the sounds of the rides and hawkers.
“Yeah, I do. I think it’s time we make the call, gentlemen. I know it’s never easy, but we must do it. You know the consequences,” Benny said.
“Have the three been chosen?” Chief Wayne asked.
“Yes. We will perform the ritual to determine who is the one,” Benny said.
“We’ll convene on the first as tradition dictates. As He dictates. We will need to have the three there. I assume they’re ready?” Virgil asked.
“What do we do about Patty?” Benny asked. Patrick’s heart raced. He looked behind him for an escape to avoid being discovered.
“I think we can deal with him easily enough.” He wasn’t sure, but he thought Al was speaking. “He’s a bit on edge at the moment. I think He has taken a liking to Patrick. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.” Low chuckles followed. His heart slowed a little, realizing they hadn’t seen him.
“I think he’s gonna be harder to deal with than we think,” Virgil said. “I’m not sure Patrick will comply with His wishes. I’m afraid he might ruin it. Or at least try
to. You do remember the last time that happened don’t, you boys?” Virgil asked. No one said a thing.
“I can always deal with him if we need to. I think I’ve got his trust,” Benny said.
“Yeah, but—” Al said when Patrick’s radio sounded off.
“Damn,” Patrick said under his breath. He clicked the button to shut it up. The men went silent.
“Did you hear that?” Benny asked. Patrick backed away. The last thing he needed was to be discovered eavesdropping on their clandestine meeting. The happy screams of riders on a nearby ride provided cover.
Patrick bent over, hands on his knees, eyes closed tight. The joyous sounds of the festival and the lights and smells clashed with his growing knot of fear. What had he overheard? What did they mean about the ritual and “the one,” and who was this person they referred to? By the sound of it, they were all very much afraid of it or him or whatever it was. Was it the shadowy figure he saw in the woods? The thought unsettled Patrick.
“Hey, Patty,” Benny called from across the main walkway. Patrick jolted upright, his face going pale. Perspiration ran down his forehead.
“Hi, Benny,” he replied with a cracked voice.
Benny smiled. “You see anything out of sorts yet?”
Patrick thought a moment, wondering if this was a trap.
“Nope, nothing,” he finally said. Benny smiled and walked on.
“Okay, Patty, catch up with ya later,” he called over his shoulder.
Patrick watched as he strode on, stopping here and there to talk to countless people.
Patrick exhaled deeply. The four men were worth keeping an eye on. Whatever they had planned would go down on the first. The first of October? The New Year? He wasn’t sure. In any case, he needed to be alert. They thought him a threat. Until he could figure out what the hell was going on, he had to keep it that way.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MEAGAN REMAINED OVERLY friendly after the festival, which made his life at home so much better. He actually wanted to come home after work. It was a big step from just a couple weeks ago, yet he still looked at her with a skeptical eye, wondering when the bottom might fall out.
Noah seemed more stressed than before. Patrick chalked it up to him not being homeschooled. The more he watched Noah struggle with his studies and fitting in, the more he wished he’d enrolled him in a formal school from the beginning. He blamed himself. Work was always a priority over his family. Meagan had made all the decisions about their son early on. Thinking back, he realized what a mistake that was. He could have had more of an impact on the boy’s life and outlook on things, but he chose work instead. Not that he felt work trumped his family, but without steady pay coming in, they wouldn’t have anything. Looking back now, Patrick understood his priorities were out of whack.
He still had a tough time connecting with Noah, but he never stopped trying. Noah and Meagan were the loves of his life. Being an only child and without his own parents still living, they were all he had left in this world.
He daydreamed while he and Benny were out on patrol. He stared out the window, pretending to look for anything suspicious, but his mind focused on his family. One day, he hoped he and Noah would have long talks about anything and everything.
“Whatcha thinking about, Patty?” Benny asked. The scent of mint filled the car as they drove along the old dirt roads.
“Huh? Oh, I was thinking about why an old man like you don’t quit the chew. Do you know how disgusting that is?”
Benny smiled, his teeth stained brown. The window went down, and Benny spat.
He looked back at Patrick with one eyebrow raised. “Patty…seriously. What’s going on in that mind of yours? You’ve been awfully quiet these past few weeks. The Chief’s starting to wonder if we got ourselves a nutcase with you. I told him you were fine, but he’s got his doubts.”
I bet he does, Patrick thought. I bet both of you do. I will catch you…all of you.
Since the festival, Patrick watched them carefully. Benny didn’t seem any different and neither did Chief Wayne. He hadn’t really seen Al much, but when he did, he sensed aloofness and detachment. And then there was Virgil. He stopped Patrick twice since he went to the library, both times trying to warn him to be careful and that he might want to visit the library again. He stressed he had something important to tell him, but Patrick wasn’t interested in another history lesson. He didn’t think it worth his while to entertain the old man and his miscellaneous artifacts. Patrick kept his eyes open for any clue about what the men were up to. He still couldn’t shake the strange visions or the horror from the mysterious demon in the woods.
“I’m fine, Benny. Just getting adjusted to things, that’s all. I didn’t think it would be too much of a transition for us, but I was wrong. Even Meagan has had a rough go of it, and she’s from here. I guess she didn’t anticipate it being so different from our life in the city.”
“I’m sure she’ll come around soon enough. Women have a way of sulking before they see the reality, and then they accept it and move on. I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Benny said with sincerity, something he didn’t do very often.
Patrick stared at him. The dark of the moonless night made it hard to read his features. The faint glow of the dashboard lights cast a weird bluish-greenish tint on Benny, but not enough to see his expression.
“Oh, Patty, I almost forgot. I’m taking a couple days off beginning on the first. Chief Wayne thinks you’ll be all right on your own. Think you can handle it, or do I need to get ya a babysitter?” He chuckled and spat out the window.
“You? You’re taking off? What for? I thought you were all about dedication?” Patrick knew why Benny would be off, sort of. A tight pain radiated from his stomach.
“I got things to do, Patty. It’s about the kids.” Patrick nodded. Were Benny’s kids were coming to visit, or was something more sinister? Patrick’s stomach wrenched a bit tighter.
“That’s fine, Benny. I think I can handle it by myself for a couple days.” He wanted to explode. He couldn’t say anything. Not yet.
They fell silent as Benny drove their usual circuit. They approached the outskirts of Brownsville via dimly-lit Main Street and came to a large open field. Patrick knew there were trees at the far end of the field, but in the dark night, they were impossible to see. Patrick saw a faint light bobbing up and down in the distance.
“Hey, Benny, what’s that?” Benny slowed the car and squinted, trying to get a better view.
“Looks like a flashlight, but why is anyone out here at this time of night?”
Patrick called in on the radio that they were going to investigate suspicious activity at Watt’s field. Dispatch confirmed their position and asked if they needed backup. Patrick declined as Benny drove the car along the rough dirt roads toward the light.
“You think there’s a meth lab back there, Benny?” Other than common burglaries, traffic stops, and domestic cases, the meth busts consumed much of their time. One Patrick’s earliest rides with Benny involved a small operation just outside of town. Patrick had seen meth in the city, but not like this. The stuff was everywhere.
“I don’t know. I don’t think we ever spotted anything out here. I guess it could be.”
Whoever held the light didn’t seem to be that smart to Patrick. The car wasn’t particularly quiet in its approach, and the headlights should have given them away early on. The light stopped bobbing and the beam held steady at the car. They drove closer until Patrick could almost make out the figure holding the light. The road ended, forcing them to get out and walk the rest of the way.
The tall grass swished as they walked. The ground was hard, and they could see their breath in the cold air as they walked. Patrick aimed his flashlight beam ahead of them. Benny walked next to him, doing the same.
“Hey, what’s going on out here?” Benny called.
Patrick’s right hand went to his gun, ready for anything. They could be walking into a trap. His finger flicked t
he snap on his holster. Benny gave him a quick glance.
“You think you’re gonna need that out here?” he whispered. Patrick looked at his distorted face, the chew filling his jaw.
“You never know,” Patrick replied quietly, fighting the urge to rub the scar on his chest. The tightening in his stomach threatened to slice him in half. The light in front of them swayed slowly from side to side. Patrick’s senses kicked into hyper mode. Every sound from the crunch of the grass beneath their boots to the owls and coyotes in the distance was amplified. Benny’s labored breathing and the occasional thwick sound as he spat was loud. The swish of their pants along the grass echoed around them. Patrick’s eyes adjusted to the dark and he saw shapes in the blackness.
Within fifty feet of the light, Benny called out again. “I said, who are you and what are you doing out here?” No response. He could see the silhouette of a person. For a moment, Patrick thought it was Noah.
“Benny, it’s a kid, I think,” Patrick said. Benny nodded.
“Hey, kid, it’s the police. We’re gonna come closer, okay? We aren’t going to hurt you; just want to make sure everything is all right,” Benny called out. Still no response. They walked closer until they were just a few feet away. Patrick’s heart threatened to burst through his flesh.
“Eric?” he asked. “Eric, what are you doing out here this time of night? What’s going on?” Patrick asked. Noah’s best friend stood motionless in front of him. He wore a t-shirt and jeans and some old shoes. The boy shivered in their flashlight beams, his breath quick puffs of cold. His pale face was streaked with dirt, his eyes wide open.
“Eric! Are you all right?” Patrick asked as he stepped forward and crouched on one knee to face the boy. His expression was blank. “Eric, it’s me, Patrick. Noah’s dad. Why are you out here all alone?” He put his hands on the boy’s shoulders. They felt cold and rigid. “Benny, call this in. It’s Eric. He’s Noah’s friend. I bet his mom is worried to death.”
Benny stepped away and Patrick heard him talking to dispatch.
“Eric, hey it’s okay. We’re here now. Everything will be fine. What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?” Eric snapped out of his stupor, as though he’d just realized someone was there.
