The Devil, the Witch and the Whore (The Deal Book 1)

by Amy Cross

  She turns to me, and I swear her eyes are glittering like nothing I've ever seen before. Bright, dazzling colors constantly flickering and bursting, as if panic makes her demon powers burn more clearly. I think maybe this is a good sign. Demons can't hide their fear very well. She knows I'm serious.

  “Don't be scared, Katie,” I continue, stepping toward her. “The demon should be scared, but not you.”

  “Keep back!” she yells, grabbing a chair and holding it up with the legs toward me, as if she thinks she can use it as some kind of weapon. “If you come any closer, I swear to God I'll use this!”

  I can't help smiling.

  “If the real Katie can hear me right now,” I continue. “The good Katie, the sweet Katie, the innocent Katie whose body was taken by this demon, then... I want her to know that I'm coming to rescue her.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” she stammers, still holding the chair up.

  “And as for the demon that lurks in her body,” I add, “well, I know full well that you can definitely hear me. And I think by now you realize that you've met your match. That I'm not just some joker from the street, that I've figured out how to cut you from this poor girl's body. That I have a gift for this.”

  “Hinch, what the hell are you on about?” she gasps. “You're not like this, I know you're not. You're a good guy. You've always been a good guy. Come on, you're a sweet, kind guy, you'd never hurt anyone. Let's just figure this out so we can both go home, okay?”

  “I am home.”

  “This place is a dump! This is the Cane farm!”

  “I know. This is where I grew up.”

  She's really weeping now, but I guess that's the demon's way of seeking sympathy.

  “I'm a very good guy,” I tell her, as I edge closer. “That's why I'm doing this for you. By the time we're finished here tonight, Katie, you'll be free of the demon's influence.”

  “What demon?” she screams. “You're insane!”

  “That's just because you don't understand yet,” I reply. “The demon's clouding your thoughts and -”

  Suddenly she lunges at me, letting out a pained grunt as she tries to hit me with the chair's legs. Momentarily caught off-guard, I stumble back and bump against the wall. She thrusts the chair at me, and for a moment she has me pinned, but then she makes a typical demon mistake and lets the chair fall, choosing instead to run for the door. Demons always opt for self-preservation in its most blunt and obvious forms, and I can't help smiling as I step after her and easily drag her back by the arm.

  She's mine.

  She screams, and it's a scream that seems so human and so terrified, I actually think the demon might have allowed it to come from the real Katie buried deep in this body of flesh and meat. That'd be a pretty typical demon trick, trying to gain my sympathy.

  I have to free the real Katie.

  And to do that, I need to start by destroying the demon's glittering eyes.

  She struggles and struggles, but I have her held real tight now. I kick the chair out of the way as I drag her to the middle of the room, and then I pin her down. She's fighting so hard and screaming so loud, I'm actually rather impressed, but I know her screams will double or even triple in volume once I really get started. That's one of the ways these demons try to fend off their demise. They replicate the cries and screams of terrified humans, hoping to obtain mercy. Maybe that works on some people, but not on me. As far as I'm concerned, the more the demon screams, the more I know I'm on the right path.

  I can harden my heart and focus on what needs doing. That's why I'm special.

  And that's also why, as I continue to hold Katie down, I start slowly driving the knife's blade into her left eye, cutting through the white and immediately bringing out a mess of bursting blood. The eyeball seems almost to pop, as if the demon was filling it with extra pressure.

  Suddenly Katie pushes me back, almost forcing me off.

  Bleeding from her left eye, she screams as she tries to get up, but I slam her back down against the wooden floor. She's begging me, really begging, telling me she'll do anything I want.

  “This is for you!” I shout, gripping her throat tight so that she's held in place. “It's not my fault I have to cut the demon out! I'm saving you!”

  She's still screaming as I dip the knife deeper into her left eye, but at least the glitter has begun to fade. It's a normal eye now, albeit one with blood oozing from its sides, but the surgery is working. Even as she tries to push me away, I force the knife even deeper, until the metal tip starts scraping against the bone at the back of her eye socket.

  Fifty-One

  Sheriff James Kopperud

  “Her friends were expecting to meet her inside,” Lewis explains as he leads me past the Stud, where several bar patrons are watching us from the doorway. They don't look too impressed to have police anywhere near their establishment, but right now they've got no choice. “Someone came out to see if she was around, and that's when they found this.”

  Stopping next to the car, I see a woman's purse on the floor, along with a patch of blood smeared against the side of the vehicle.

  “Have you confirmed that this belongs to Katie?” I ask, turning to Lewis.

  He nods. “We're pretty sure there was some kind of altercation. And that's not all. I took a look at some footage from the gas station over the road, and one of their cameras caught a familiar figure with her.”

  “Hinch,” I whisper.

  “But Hinch isn't a bad guy, is he?” Lewis continues. “I mean, he's one of us. None of this makes any sense.”

  “Hinch's real name is Liam Cane,” I reply. “I checked some old databases and as far as I can tell, he was released from Gordonville earlier this year and he assumed the identity of a child who died many years ago. That's how he was able to join our office without arousing suspicion. I guess it's also why he seemed to have forgotten his birthday.”

  “But you don't think he's got anything to do with what's been going on, do you?”

  I pause for a moment, before turning to him.

  “The girl who died,” he adds, clearly shocked. “The one we found in the forest, all cut up... There's no way Hinch killed Leanne Halperin. I mean, a monster did that. Not Hinch. Hinch was actually helping with the investigation!”

  “I don't think he's been planning very far ahead,” I explain. “He's not some cold, calculating killer. From the outside, he might seem dopey and a little blank, but I think things are far more chaotic in his head. I doubt any of us can truly second guess his thought processes.”

  “But -”

  “We need to find Hinch as quickly as possible,” I continue, interrupting him, “and figure the rest out once we've spoken to him. We also need to find Katie, and I think it's pretty obvious that he's taken her.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “You didn't see the way he's been looking at her,” I continue. “I noticed it a couple of times, he was pining after her like a sick little puppy. I thought he was just being shy, I thought it was kind of cute, but now I think maybe there's more to it. It's part of his madness.”

  “But Hinch would never -”

  “He's not Hinch!” I hiss. “Not really. Stop thinking of him like that! Think of him as Liam Cane, because that's his real identity! We can figure the rest out later, but right now our priority has to be catching Hinch and... I mean, catching Liam and making sure he doesn't hurt Katie.”

  “Who's the girl in your car?” he adds, peering past me.

  Turning, I look back across the parking lot and see Ramsey sitting in the passenger seat.

  “That's my daughter,” I mutter, feeling a shudder pass through my chest as I realize I finally get to say those words again. I hesitate for a moment, before turning back to Lewis. “Call the team at Dodderidge Farm. I think it's Bob and Collins on duty tonight. Tell them to be vigilant, and then call everyone who's off duty and make sure they get here. We need to figure out where Hinch might have taken Katie,
because there's a good chance that she's still alive. Just give me a moment, I'll be back soon.”

  With that, I turn and head over to my car. I know I should try to protect Ramsey from hearing about this, but by the time I climb into the driver's seat I realize there's no point. She's a smart girl, and she probably already understands that something is wrong. Besides, she's already been so much over the past few days. The time for protecting her has been and gone.

  “Has he taken someone else?” Ramsey asks.

  “It looks that way.”

  “Is it the same person who was at the farm?”

  I nod.

  “Is it...” She hesitates. “Is it the same person who killed Leanne?”

  “That's a distinct possibility.”

  “How did he do it?” she asks. “When Leanne died, I mean. Was it at least quick?”

  I turn to her, and I can see the fear in her eyes. “Sweetheart, I don't think now is the right time to be talking about that.”

  “Because it's too horrible for me to know? I'm eighteen years old, Dad. I'm not a little girl.”

  “I know, but -”

  “Can I check something on your phone?”

  I can't help sighing. “Ramsey, what happened to Leanne hasn't been made public, and even if -”

  “That's not what I want to check,” she says firmly. “Please? I lost mine.”

  Figuring that I need to trust her, I unlock my phone and hand it to her. She immediately tilts the screen away from me, so that I can't see what she's searching for, and I turn to look out the window. Lewis is on the phone to someone, but I guess he'll update me if it's anything important. For a moment, I think back to the last time I saw Hinch, and I can't help wondering how the hell I could have missed the fact that he was out of his mind. I've always thought of myself as a good judge of character, but right now I feel as if I've been completely hoodwinked. How could all that insanity have been filling his head, and yet all I saw was a bumbling, slightly awkward guy with a friendly smile?

  I should have been onto him.

  “Okay, I'm done,” Ramsey says suddenly, tossing the phone back onto my lap.

  I turn to her, and I swear there are tears in her eyes. Then again, that shouldn't be too much of a surprise, not after everything she's been through.

  “So are you okay?” she asks.

  “Okay?” I pause for a moment. “I just found out that one of my colleagues, a man I considered to be a friend, was lying to me from the moment we first met. No, I'm not okay.”

  “But apart from that. How's your health?”

  “My -”

  I pause again, trying to figure out how much she knows. In turn, she stares at me as if my answer is vitally important, but I quickly tell myself that she's just bluffing. Looking down at my phone, I check the web browser's history, only to find that it's been cleared. She's a smart girl.

  “I'm in my forties,” I point out cautiously. “Believe me, I've got a few aches and pains.”

  “But that's all?”

  “Sure,” I lie. “Why do you ask?”

  “Why do you think I'm asking?”

  “I don't know,” I tell her. “Why is this even an issue?”

  She stares at me for a moment longer. “No reason,” she says finally. “Just thought I should check.”

  I know I should tell her the truth. I don't have to go into details, but I should at least tell her that I'm sick. After all, she seems to be onto me. Before I can say another word, however, I hear a tap at the window, and I turn to see Lewis leaning down and waving at me. I wind the glass down, and I can immediately tell that something's wrong. In a terrible way, I'm actually glad of the interruption.

  “I just spoke to Bob and Collins,” he explains. “They were both at home, with their feet up.”

  “I thought they were supposed to be at the farm tonight.”

  “They were, but apparently Hinch called them about two hours ago and told them to stand down. He said he'd take the watch duty tonight. Do you think that's where he is?”

  “I think that's exactly where he is,” I reply, feeling a sudden rush of panic as I realize that we might not have long before Katie ends up suffering the same fate as Leanne Halperin. “Get every available unit up there, but have them hold station at the farm's main gate until I join them. We have to be careful, he might hurt her sooner if he gets spooked.”

  “But this is Hinch we're talking about,” he replies, as if he still can't quite believe what's happening. “I mean, he's not a bad person, is he? Not when it really comes down to it.”

  “Let's hope not,” I reply, winding the window back up and turning to Ramsey. “I have to go and -”

  “I heard. I'm coming with you.”

  “Out of the question.”

  “Dad, I've seen him before!”

  “This is going to be dangerous,” I tell her. “Hinch isn't stable, and I can't predict what he might do when he's cornered. There's zero chance that I'm letting you anywhere near that place, not again.”

  “But -”

  “So don't even argue with me,” I add. “Not this time.”

  “Do you believe what I told you?” she asks.

  I open my mouth to tell her that she's been under a lot of stress, and that her tales of witches and devils and someone named Esther are clearly delusional, but I can tell that's not the answer she wants to hear right now.

  “We'll talk about it later,” I stammer. “You -”

  “You don't believe me, do you?”

  “I think people who get lost in that forest often end up with strange ideas,” I tell her. “I think you really believe all of that happened, but I also think there has to be a rational explanation for all of it. And I think we can start digging into that explanation tomorrow, once I've taken Hinch – I mean, taken Liam – into custody and made sure Katie's okay.”

  “Why would I lie to you?” she asks, with tears in her eyes.

  “I don't think you're lying,” I reply, starting the engine, “but you might not be a reliable witness right now. Either way, I'm taking you back to my place and you can wait there until I get back from the farm. Then we can talk all night, and all of tomorrow, and even more after that. But right now, a woman's life is in danger and I have to go help get her back.”

  “I'm not lying about the forest,” she says, as I ease the car out of the parking lot, heading through the darkness toward the main road. “You'll see for yourself eventually. You have to. Everything I told you is true.”

  ***

  By the time I get back to my apartment and open the front door, Ramsey has remained silent for a few minutes. At first, I thought she was sulking because I'm not taking her to the farm, and then I thought she was annoyed because I haven't believed her crazy story about the forest. Now I think maybe she's just sad because I'm having to leave her alone again.

  I wish she understood that I don't have a choice.

  “I'll be back soon,” I tell her, as she steps inside.

  She turns to me.

  “I promise,” I continue. “I might be a while, I might have to deal with some paperwork, but I'll be home as soon as I can and then we'll talk. No more interruptions, I swear.”

  “Are you going to swing by a bar first?” she asks.

  Shocked that she'd even have to ask, I shake my head.

  “I know this is bad timing,” I tell her. “Believe me, I want nothing more than to talk to you and figure everything out, but -”

  “I get it,” she replies, interrupting me. “This Katie woman's life is in danger, and it's your job to go help her. I can hang out here until you get back. I'm not answering the door if Mom knocks, though. I'll hide and wait for her to leave.”

  “That's...” I pause for a moment. “Your relationship with your mother is your business. All I can tell you is that I promise I'll -”

  Before I can finish, I feel a sharp pain in my gut. I try to hide my discomfort, but I can't help letting out a faint grunt as I clutch my belly.


  “Dad?” Ramsey says, stepping closer and putting a hand on my arm. “What's wrong?”

  “Nothing!” I gasp, but I know it's too late to pretend I'm completely fine. “I think I just ate some bad clams.”

  I force a smile, trying to laugh the whole thing off, but from the look in her eyes it's clear that she's not convinced.

  “Just stay put here,” I continue, figuring I need to get on the road before the pain hits again. “I'll be absolutely fine, and we can talk some more after I get back from the farm.”

  I turn to head back out the door, before stopping and glancing back at her.

  “And Ramsey,” I add, “I just wanted to say... I'm really glad you came back. I know I let you down over the years.” I pause, suddenly realizing that although I rehearsed this moment thousands of times in my head, I don't think I ever really believed I'd get a chance to apologize to her face-to-face. “I haven't been a good father,” I continue, “and I can't make it all up to you, but I'm going to try. Just promise you'll wait for me to come home. Promise you won't be gone.”

  I know there's so much more I should say to her, but I can't even begin to get the words out.

  “I promise,” she replies, before stepping closer and putting her arms around me for a moment. “I love you, Dad. Just make sure you make it home safe.”

  Fifty-Two

  Liam Cane

  “It's for your own benefit!” I hiss, leaning closer to Katie's bloodied face as she tries to twist and pull away. “Hold still! I'm not done yet!”

  I try to dab the cloth against her bloodied cheeks, but she's screaming and screaming and she just won't stay still. Because of her constant struggles, I'm covered in blood now, and she's making this whole procedure last much longer than necessary. The demon in her soul is fighting furiously to get free.

  At least her eyes are no longer glittering. They stopped as soon as I cut them out.

  “You're starting to annoy me,” I whisper, leaning close to her bloodied right ear. “This is happening one way or the other. The demon is loose, I just have to finish forcing him from your body and then you'll be free. I have to find the rest of the anchor points and cut them, and then the demon won't ever be able to return. I could be done by now if you'd just accept your fate!”