Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Except on very rare occasions, there’s no Revival on Friday. But that’s when the tourists start coming in if they’re from outside the local area. And most are, but not all. We’ve always had quite a few regulars who come in from Charleston each weekend like clockwork. Like the Revival is their actual church or something.
So Thursday nights are busy around here and though it is mostly a local thing, there’s always a couple dozen strangers milling around the edges of the grounds eating dinner or getting ice cream or whatever.
There is no chance of finding a parking spot so I just go to Rosie’s house and park my truck in her driveway. I don’t go check things out inside. That can wait until I know they are safe. Instead, I walk up the hill to the Revival grounds and see her waiting, panicked look on her face, with an arm wrapped around Cross’s shoulder. He’s nearly as tall as she is, I notice. Which is kinda cute, even though the occasion for me being here is anything but.
“Rosie. You OK?”
She presses her lips together and nods, then makes a little eyeball motion towards Cross, like she hasn’t said anything to him and she doesn’t want me to either.
I respect her wishes and give Cross a playful punch. “What’s up, partner?”
He makes a face. “Absolutely nothin’, since my mother”—he stresses this word and gives Rosie the stink-eye—“came up to the park and pulled me away from my friends like she’s a crazy person.”
“Well, that’s because we’ve got a surprise for you.”
Cross shoots me a suspicious look and his question comes out tentative. “What kind of surprise?”
“You have won yourself a… a… a weekend kinda… camp-like… package deal thing up at my compound.” I smile. That was smooth. “Yeah. You won. And you get to work the dogs, and shoot on the range, and stay at my house tonight.”
His whole face lights up. “Really?” He looks at his mother. “Did you do this?”
“She sure did,” I interrupt. “She wasn’t gonna tell you about it unless you won, but of course you did! So… yeah. Now we’re telling you about it.” I make one of those all-teeth smiles at him. “Come on, let’s go pack you a bag and hit the road so you can help me say goodnight to the dogs.”
“Well, all right!” Cross pumps a fist in the air. “Finally, something cool happens.” Then he takes off running.
Before Rosie can object, I put my fingers in my mouth and crack out a sharp whistle. “Cross Harlow, you were not dismissed. Get your ass back here and stand at attention until you are.”
Cross has turned, his face about to morph into an expression of defiance, but he’s a Revival boy and he’s been playing his part in the show since he was born. So instead, he switches into ‘performer’ mode and straightens his back and snaps off a salute. “Yes, sir.”
Rosie chuckles but I keep a stern face as I bark commands at her boy. “You will walk exactly five paces in front of us and stay in our line of sight the entire way home. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir.” He says it all seriously, but when he turns to start walking, I catch a smile.
We give him five paces and then we take off as well, whispering a little, so as not to catch anyone’s attention with the subject matter of our conversation. “Where was it?” I ask.
“On my bed. A puzzle, just like the others, but a crossword this time. Which worries me because the cross is in that puzzle by default. It was Erol. He was in my house, Amon.” Her voice is a little shaky, and I don’t blame her. It’s a frightening thing to think you’re safe, only to realize—way after the fact—that you aren’t.
It’s not the right time to tell her that it’s not Erol. I’ll break that to her later, once she’s settled.
“We don’t have to stay at your place, though, Amon. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“A strange man was in your house, Rosie. And not to be a dick here, or dramatic or whatever, but this is the very same house where Olive Creed was nearly kidnapped when she was a girl and where Collin Creed blew that man’s head off. So. Yeah. It’s kind of a big fuckin’ deal.”
“Oh. Well, I had kinda forgotten about the history of the house, but thanks for reminding me.”
I chuckle. “I’m not trying to scare you or nothing, Rosie, but it’s much better to be too cautious than it is to be indifferent. I’ve learned that the hard way, take my word on it. So the two of you are gonna pack a bag and stay with me until I feel it’s safe.”
She’s got a hold of my upper arm with both hands and when these words come out, she hugs it a little, pressing her cheek up against my shoulder.