Darkwater Truth

by Robin Caroll

  He knew he had her father’s blessing—Vincent had told him that much. That the two men spent so much time together and were bonded…well, he wasn’t sure if that was reassuring or annoying to Addy, but it couldn’t be helped. Vincent had stepped in as a surrogate father when Beau’s father had died in the line of duty, and he couldn’t help that he loved the man. The dynamics of their relationship were certain to change once him and Addy…

  Wow, he’d automatically begun to think of him and Addy as a single unit. A pair. A couple.

  “I’m just bustin’ your chops. I know this thing with you and her and Dimitri is…well, complicated.”

  Wasn’t that the understatement of the season? Of his life?

  “That video isn’t downloaded yet?”

  Beau checked the status. “Fifty-two percent.”

  “I can download movies faster than that.” Marcel pulled out his cell. “You know, my reception is low here.” He glanced at the warehouses. “Think we’re getting interference from something?”

  Beau glanced up at the cult’s building a few hundred yards away, remembering that someone in there possessed enough technical savvy enough to remote access music players at the Darkwater Inn. “Or someone.” He put the cruiser in gear. “Let’s test that theory, shall we?”

  He’d barely driven over a block and his cell phone beeped.

  Marcel grabbed it. “Download is complete. Pull over.”

  Beau inched the car to the curb and took his cell. Holding it so his partner could see the screen as well, he tapped the file to open it.

  A black and white video began. A dark sedan with a longer-than-usual body pulled into what looked like an alley. Beside the Darkwater Inn, maybe? Two men got out of the front seat of the car. The sedan’s headlights were off, but the engine was most likely still running since the dashboard lights were reflected in the video.

  The two men spoke for a moment, then one climbed into the back seat, in a smaller seat facing backward. There was a flash of something metallic before the other man shut the door and headed out of the camera’s view.

  The video went all staticky, then slowed as Dimitri Pampalon, an attractive woman, and the other man returned to the screen. The man carried a child carrier with a sleeping child in it.

  “What the…hey, is that woman Zoey Naure? You know, the uh…” Marcel cleared his throat.

  “Yes. I think it is.”

  On the screen, Zoey slid into the back seat, then Dimitri. While they weren’t clearly in focus, an image of the man in the back moved. Again, a flash of metal in his hand.

  “That looks like a gun to me.” Marcel leaned closer to Beau’s cell phone.

  “Me, too.”

  On the video, it looked like Zoey sat in the middle of the seat, sitting almost sideways facing the open door. Dimitri slid in beside her, then reached into his pocket and tossed something toward the man.

  Dimitri grabbed the car door, but turned his face to the camera and mouthed two words. Then he withdrew into the back seat and shut the door. The car’s headlights came on, then it sped away.

  “What did he say?” Marcel asked.

  “I don’t know, but Dimitri knew that camera was there, knew it would be recording, and used it to get a message out. We need a lip reader.”

  “Already on it. Calling one now.” Marcel had his own cell phone in his hand.

  Beau tried Addy’s cell, but it went straight to voice mail. This was it…he could feel it. The case was going to break wide open, one way or another.

  He just hated that in some way, once again, Addy was involved and in danger.

  24

  — Dimitri

  Two men entered into the room where Dimitri and Zoey were being held. One was Moses, the driver who’d brought them here, and the other man, younger, was someone he’d never seen before. Dimitri moved to stand almost in front of Zoey.

  But she was having none of that. She stepped around Dimitri, looking like a wild woman, ready to claw their eyes out. “Isaiah, where is my son? I want to see my son right now.”

  Dimitri held her firmly so she wouldn’t do anything to provoke these men.

  The man Zoey had nearly accosted spoke. “Your son is with his father at the moment. Getting to know one another.”

  Dimitri sized up Isaiah as he pushed Zoey behind him, placing himself between Zoey and the men. Isaiah was late thirties to early forties, but very slight of build. Moses stood off to the side, wearing an expression of indifference and anger. It was a strange mix on a person, but it seemed everything about this night was strange.

  “Why are you doing this? Where’s Solomon? What have you done with him?” Her voice cracked.

  “Zoey, please. I must take you to prepare you for tonight’s ritual.” Isaiah looked tired. Or maybe he was just run-down. Dimitri didn’t know, but it wasn’t boding well for any of them at the moment.

  “Where are Sam and Matt?”

  “You will be with them soon enough. After I prepare you, I promise you, I’ll take you to them both.”

  Dimitri faced her. “I think you have to go with him. To see about Sam.” He hated to encourage their separation from each other, but he remembered he wasn’t part of the original plan or ritual. Whatever they had planned, she would at least get to see Sam again. He glanced back at the two brothers. He would do whatever he could to get away from Moses and save her and Sam. He lowered his voice. “I’ll do my best to find you and get you out of here.”

  She lifted onto her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you. For everything.” Tears shimmered in her eyes.

  “Come along.” Isaiah waited at the door.

  Zoey gave Dimitri a final weak smile, then left with the younger man.

  Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall, propping a foot up, hoping he looked casual and nonthreatening. “So, Moses, it’s just you and me. Are you going to prepare me for the ritual?”

  The older man smirked. “I am.”

  “How, exactly, is this going to work?”

  “As you’ve been told, you’re partially responsible for releasing the demon.” He jerked his head toward the door. “Those three will represent the Cortimiglia family murdered by the originally possessed man back before God struck him down.”

  Dimitri tilted his head. “You know, I’ve been thinking about that since you and Jacob told me. There’s a fatal flaw in your thinking.”

  Moses raised his bushy brows. “Really? I can’t wait to hear this.”

  “Yeah. See, if a demon had possessed a man and God struck the man down with the illness that killed him, as Jacob told me, then that would be the end of the demon. No going through a bloodline to any son. God’s power of striking down that man would have killed the demon as well.” Dimitri straightened. “The Bible is full of accountings of where Jesus himself drove demons out of men.”

  “That’s a lie.” Moses upper lip curled.

  “No, it’s not.” Of this Dimitri spoke with quiet confidence and assuredness. “The whole fifth chapter of Mark is about Jesus restoring a man who was once demon possessed. Matthew, chapter eight, verse sixteen tells of many who were brought to Jesus who drove out demons with a word and healed the sick. There are many instances of this.” He ran a hand over his chin. “If you are a godly man, how do you not know Scripture?”

  Moses’ face turned red. “My father removed every reference to any demon from our Bibles. We would not allow evil an entry into our lives by even reading about demonic possession. We were taught well.”

  “Apparently not.” Who tore out pages of a Bible they didn’t agree with?

  Moses pulled a gun from his pocket. “Enough. My father was instructed on what was important and what he was to do by God himself. You need to stop trying to corrupt my thoughts. I will not sway from my orders.”

  Dimitri held up his hands. Not a good idea to anger the crazy man holding a gun. “So your father’s been having the original Axeman murders copied?”

>   Moses shook his head. “No, my brother Jacob did that. To prove to our father that the demon had been released and action was needed.” He sneered. “Our brother David is the current leader of Cretum Deus, and is somewhat of a pansy. No backbone.” He shook his head. “But Jacob is in line to take over next year.”

  Talk about dysfunctional. And Dimitri thought his family connections between himself, Claude, and Lissette were bad.

  Moses lifted the gun. “Enough trying to distract me from what I need to do now.”

  Again, not to anger the crazy with a handgun. “Okay. So, back to the ritual. Zoey, Sam, and Matt will represent the Cortimiglia family. I guess I’m supposed to represent someone?”

  Moses nodded. “Steve Boca. It’s not ideal that your name isn’t similar, but our father said that was okay as we’ll be driving the demon totally out tonight.”

  “So, Steve Boca was a victim of the Axeman’s?”

  “Yes. You will fill in. Then that just leaves Sarah Laumann and Mike Pepitone.” Moses smiled.

  That expression more than the gun alarmed Dimitri. “Who will represent those two?”

  Moses’s smile widened. “Why none other than that woman who helped you release the demon. And her father.”

  Dimitri’s gut turned inside out. Adelaide and Vincent!

  — Addy

  “That’s the car that took Dimitri and Zoey and Sam.” Addy nodded at the sedan parked almost behind a big house. Well, it was one of the many buildings that had been converted into houses many years ago. “We were right to come in the back alleyway.”

  “We need to wait for the police, Addy.” Geoff’s whisper came out almost like a hiss. “Addy, stop.” He grabbed her hand.

  Addy shook off his hold. “Shh. I’m just going to have a quick look-see. Maybe I’ll be able to see Dimitri or Zoey and that they’re okay.” She kicked off her heels and crept up the back stairs barefoot. Her heart pounded so loudly, she was certain Geoff could hear it as he crept up behind her.

  She inched to the edge of the stairs and looked inside. The interior was dark, only flickers of light bouncing off the walls. Shadows stretched into darkness.

  She turned the knob of the back door. It opened with ease. She held her breath. No alarms went off. No lights flashed. Only the slightest creak as she pushed the door open.

  “No, Addy,” Geoff hissed.

  She ignored him as she crossed the threshold of a cavernous room. She couldn’t make out any movement, but she could hear voices off in the distance. Each step was on tiptoe, but even so, a board would creak every third or fourth step.

  Geoff continued behind her. She could feel his disapproval as tangible and real as the coolness of the floor under her feet.

  Voices got louder and footfalls sounded.

  Addy flattened herself against a wall. Geoff did the same.

  Two men carrying a candle and a rifle passed by. They were both wearing black hooded robes.

  She nearly cried out. These were the same people who had chased her and Beau outside the Square and who had thrown pig’s blood at her feet. The cowards. But they’d attacked her father, too, and set his house on fire.

  Now they’d abducted Dimitri, Zoey, and sweet little Sam.

  The thought of these monsters with that baby… She pushed away the nausea. She couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. Beau would be here soon and save the day, rushing in like the hero he really was.

  Oh, mercy…her heart really had jumped right into Beau’s arms.

  Another group of men with robes and candles passed. The lump in the back of her throat blocked her breathing. She forced herself to breathe in…exhale. Breathe in. Out. Slowly inhale. Let it out.

  She moved into the hall. All clear. She turned in the opposite direction the men had gone. Maybe if she could find where they were, she could open a door or something. She couldn’t think clearly. All she knew was that this was all very wrong and she had to help.

  “Did you hear that Will is going to lead the ritual himself?” Another set of hooded men approached. Their candles cast dancing shadows on the wall of the hallway.

  “I can’t believe it. We are so blessed we get to witness him driving a demon back to hell for the second time in his life.”

  “It is a miracle. Jacob said he’d prepared everything for Will. God must be so very pleased.”

  “We should have blessings raining down on us all as soon as the demon is vanquished. The angels and saints will celebrate. All of Cretum Deus will be rewarded. Moses said so.”

  The men passed Addy and Geoff who hid in the shadows.

  Geoff’s lips were almost touching Addy’s ear. “That’s it. We’re getting out of here and waiting for Beau. These people are certifiable.”

  Addy couldn’t disagree. While she needed to help, maybe the best thing to do was to go find a phone and call Beau and make sure he was on his way to rescue them. She slowly nodded.

  Geoff led the way back down the corridor and into the room they’d come into. He eased the back door leading to the alley open, pausing as a creak sounded. He grabbed Addy’s hand and stepped onto the stairs.

  Addy followed, tiptoeing. She didn’t want to think about all the filth and germs and heaven-only-knew-what-else was all over the bottoms of her feet. She let go of Geoff’s hand. “I’ll just shut the door.”

  He nodded and sprinted across to his car, pulling his keys from his pants pocket as he did. They would make a getaway, then call Beau and get him here ASAP.

  She reached for the door, and just as her fingertips touched the cold metal, a baby cried out.

  Sam!

  Addy looked over her shoulder at Geoff, already unlocking the car. No time.

  She opened the door and went back into the house, heading in the direction of where she heard Sam crying. The direction the men had been going.

  Oh, Lord, help us all.

  25

  — Beau

  “How much longer?” Beau didn’t know how much longer he could wait. He literally felt like jumping out of his skin to get inside the cult’s place and figure out what was going on.

  His cell rang. He jerked it up and glanced at the display before he answered it. “Tracey?”

  “Hey, listen, are you with Addy and Geoff yet?”

  His stomach turned inside out. “No, why?”

  “Didn’t you talk to her?”

  “We talked for a just a minute, then we got disconnected. I’ve tried to call her back, but every call has gone straight to voice mail. What’s going on?” He gripped the steering wheel with his left hand.

  “Her cell phone must have died. Long story short, Dimitri, Zoey, and her son were taken from the Darkwater Inn, we think at gunpoint.”

  “The video.”

  “You saw it, then?”

  “We have a lip reader making out what Dimitri mouthed right now.”

  “We already did that. He says help and cult.”

  Beau tightened his grip on the steering wheel until his knuckles popped. “Are you sure?” If that was correct, no warrant would be required.

  “Positive.”

  They could go in!

  “Beau, Addy refused to stay here. She and Geoff headed over to the address for the cult. Geoff left his phone here at the Darkwater Inn, and her phone was dying, so I have no way to check on them.”

  “What?” Of all the harebrained things she’d done, this was one of the worst.

  “I know. Geoff called the police before they left, but he said he felt like they brushed him off as soon as he gave them the address.”

  Someone was definitely covering for the cult. He’d had enough. “I’ll get them. Thanks.” He ended the call and pocketed his cell. “We’re going in.” He started the car but left the headlights off, and raced up the drive, stopping right in front of the building.

  “We still don’t have confirmation of what Pampalon said.” Marcel opened the passenger door and stepped out, putting on his bulletproof vest.

  “I do. He mou
thed help and cult.” Beau grabbed his vest and slipped it on, pulling his gun out of its holster and checking the safety. “Call for backup. Now.” He clipped his shield onto the vest.

  Marcel grabbed the radio and sent the message, pulled out his service handgun, then pulled his shield out from under the vest.

  They crept up the stairs they’d vacated not long ago. The house looked darker, more ominous than before. Or maybe that was Beau’s fear playing with his mind. “Addy and Geoff Aubois might be inside,” he whispered to his partner.

  “What?”

  Beau quickly and quietly told Marcel what Tracey had said. “So, be extra cautious.” He crouched behind the hedges by the front stairs. “What’s taking backup so long?”

  “Only been a few minutes, man. They’ll be here soon.”

  Protocol demanded that they wait for backup, but Beau itched to get inside. He listened for the sound of a vehicle. Instead he heard voices…singing? No, chanting. Beau held his breath to make out what they were saying.

  Oh, Archangel, St. Michael, leader of the heavenly army, hear our prayer. Defend us, the saints on earth, in the battle against principalities and powers.

  Beau’s gut knotted. These chanting cult members gave him the creeps. He met his partner’s wide-eyed gaze. Marcel shook his head slowly as if in disbelief. Where was their backup?

  Oh, Archangel, St. Michael, leader of the heavenly army, hear our prayer. Defend us, the saints on earth, in the battle against principalities and powers.

  They either were speaking louder and clearer, or more voices joined the chanting. Beau repositioned his gun in his hand, letting his hand mold to the grip in the familiar, comfortable manner.

  A door slammed inside the house. Another. A faint sound of a woman crying.

  Oh, Archangel, St. Michael, leader of the heavenly army, hear our prayer. Defend us, the saints on earth, in the battle against principalities and powers. Oh, Archangel, St. Michael, leader of the heavenly army, hear our prayer. Defend us, the saints on earth, in the battle against principalities and powers.