Devil's Throat (The River Book 6) (18 page)

“Yes,” Steven said. “I want to get back to Jason, make sure
he’s OK.”

“He seemed like a nice guy,” Deem said, “though I didn’t
really get to know him.”

“Please come visit us in Seattle sometime,” Steven said,
thinking he wouldn’t mind seeing Deem and Jason hook up. “We’ll take care of
you if you do.”

Deem smiled. “I wouldn’t mind seeing Seattle,” she said. “The
green and the rain – a nice change from here.”

“Eliza, do you want to fly back from Vegas?” Steven asked. “Or
we could go up I-5 and take you home.”

“I’ll ride with you guys,” she said. “Are you thinking of
leaving soon?”

“As soon as Deem can take us back to our car,” Steven said.

“It’ll be hard to fit all four of us in my truck,” Deem said.
“Why don’t I drive you back, Steven, and you can bring your car back here to
pick them up. It’s on your way out.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Steven said.

“A plan I like,” Roy said, pouring himself a refill. “Winn’s
coffee is terrific, the best I’ve had since we left Seattle. I’ll just rest
here and have a few more cups if you don’t mind.”

They heard Winn let out a whoop from inside his trailer as he
took his cold shower. They laughed.

“What’s his story?” Eliza asked Deem.

“His mother raised him,” Deem said. “He was a total fuck up
in school, from what I hear. He got serious about the gift when she died. I
know he’s got several friends, all downwinders, who he works with. He was the
St. Thomas expert; now I suppose that’s all gone. We’ll have to go out there
tomorrow night and see if it shows up or not. I expect it won’t. He’ll have to
find another topic to become an expert on.”

“And how about you?” Eliza asked. “What keeps you occupied?”

“Mines, mostly,” Deem said. “Someone’s always in trouble in a
mine, and people call me. People aren’t smart in mines, they do stupid things.
Some of Winn’s friends know me, and we trade favors.”

“Things seem so different down here,” Eliza said. “So
unpredictable.”

“We’re used to it,” Deem said. “I can see why you’d think
that.”

“I wonder if you came up to Seattle and worked with us for a
while,” Steven said, “if you’d find it dull and boring compared to here.”

“If your ghosts don’t turn into zombighosts,” Deem said, “I
think I’d like that a lot.”

“Don’t let him paint you a picture of tranquility,” Roy said.
“We’ve encountered some nasty ones up there. Ghosts are bad no matter where you
go.”

“I can agree with that!” Winn said, emerging from the trailer
clad only in a towel, loosely wrapped around his waist. He was holding an EM
gun, but everyone was looking at his chest, which was muscular and firm. His
abs trailed down to the top of the towel. Eliza blushed.

“Put something on, for god’s sake,” Deem said.

“Here, Roy,” Winn said, his smile wide and his hand extended
to Roy. “Take it. It’s yours.”

Roy took the EM gun from Winn’s hand and smiled back. “Well,
thank you!” he said, examining it. “Do you think it will work on my ghosts in
Seattle?”

“Only one way to find out!” Winn said, smiling and pouring
himself a mug of coffee. Then he plopped into a white plastic chair with the
others.

“You’re really not going to get dressed?” Deem said, pissed.

“It’s the desert,” Winn said. “Why can’t I air dry?”

“Because there’s people around,” Deem said. “You’re
embarrassing Eliza.”

“Oh,” Eliza said, smiling, “I’m fine, really.”

“See?” Winn said. “She’s fine!” He shot a smile at Eliza and
Eliza smiled back.

“We owe you, Winn,” Steven said. “If there’s ever anything we
can do for you, just call us.”

“You heading out?” he asked.

“I’m going with Deem to get my car from her house,” Steven
said. “Then I’ll come back to pick up Roy and Eliza.”

“Well, at least Roy and Eliza and I can chat for a while
more,” Winn said, scooping up the remainder of the eggs.

“Do you think we should do anything about Michael’s car?” Roy
asked. “Sitting out there at Devil’s Throat?”

“People leave their cars parked there while exploring the
caves,” Deem said. “It won’t raise suspicion for a day or two.”

“I’ll take care of it later today,” Winn said. “I got a buddy
with a tow truck.”

“Alright” Deem said. She turned to Steven. “You ready?”

“Yes,” Steven replied, “let’s go.”

◊

“I meant what I said about Seattle,” Steven said as they rode
back to Mesquite. “You’re welcome anytime. I have an extra room.”

“I might take you up on it,” Deem said. “Is it a long drive?”

“You can do it in a day,” Steven said, “if you start at 6
a.m. you’ll get there by midnight.”

“Thanks for the offer,” she said. “If things lighten up
around here I may take you up on it.”

“Are things busy?” Steven asked.

“All the time,” Deem said. “Something always pops up. I try
to have a normal social life, but it seems like I’m always busy helping
somebody out of a jam.”

“Well,” Steven said, “we’re incredibly grateful for what
you’ve done for us here. We wouldn’t have made it without you. Who knows what
would have happened to Jason.”

“Oh, I was happy to help,” she said. “You’ve been great, and
Roy is so sweet. And he’s tough. I almost thought he was a goner in the mine
when we went for the topaz. But he pulled through.”

Steven made a mental note to ask Roy more about the mine on
their ride back to Seattle. Roy’s original telling of it hadn’t included much
danger on his part, so Steven suspected he was whitewashing things a little.

“Yeah, he’s a tough old guy,” Steven said. “Thanks for
looking out for him.”

“Oh, no problem,” Deem said as she pulled into the driveway
at her house. “I’d do anything for Roy.”

“Can I ask you for a favor?” Steven asked.

“Sure,” Deem said. “What is it?”

“Can you find a way to mark that hidden entrance in Devil’s
Throat?” he asked. “Mark it somehow, in the River, so no gifted exploring the
cave makes the mistake of going in there? I don’t know how you’d mark it, but
there needs to be some kind of warning that wouldn’t draw the attention of
normal people. I hate leaving, thinking others might stumble across the mess we
made.”

“Sure,” Deem said. “I was going to do something along those
lines anyway. Odds are, if someone found it, I’d be the one who got the call to
help. It’s a good proactive move.”

She’s got her shit together,
Steven thought.

“Thanks!” Deem said.

◊

They said their goodbyes to Winn an hour later. He’d changed
into a button down shirt and jeans. Steven noticed Winn hugged Eliza longer
than normal – or was it the other way around? – and then when Winn hugged him,
it seemed longer than normal, too.
Maybe he’s just a hugger,
Steven
thought.
An equal opportunity hugger.

Roy reached for the handle on Steven’s car door and pulled
his hand back quickly. “Christ!” he complained. “The sun’s barely up, and it’s
already hotter than two rabbits screwin’ in a wool sack!”

“Get in the car,” Steven said, “so we can go.”

 After they reached the interstate, Steven turned to Eliza,
who was sitting in the front seat with him. “We’ll have you back home by the
end of the day,” he said. Roy was stretched out in the back seat, asleep.

“You wanted to tell them both about Eximere,” Eliza said,
“didn’t you?”

“You’re always so perceptive,” Steven said. “Yes, I did, but
I thought better of it. We agreed we’d only share it with others if we all
voted. Right now Eximere is kind of special, something just the three of us are
privy to. I’m reticent to change that.”

“Are you going to tell Jason?” Eliza asked.

“I guess at some point we’ll have to,” Steven said.

“You don’t sound very enthusiastic about it.”

“I guess I’m not sure about Jason yet,” Steven said. “I think
Roy and I should work with him for a while, and see how things go.”

“I think that’s wise,” Eliza said. “Wait to tell him until
you’re sure.”

“If I asked for a vote on it today,” Steven said, “how would
you vote?”

“I’d say no. I want to hear from both you and Roy that you’re
one-hundred percent sure it’s the right thing to do, and you’re nowhere near
that yet.”

She’s right,
Steven thought.
We’ll just have to see how things go.

“Would you vote to let Winn or Deem know?” Steven asked.

“No,” Eliza said, “though I think they’re both great people.
I think there has to be a compelling reason to tell someone, not just because
they’re nice, or gifted. The more people know about it, the sooner we’ll lose
it. People will talk, they always do.”

She’s right about that, too,
Steven thought.

They continued to talk, Eliza helping to keep Steven awake
and alert, making sure he didn’t drive off the road. They stopped frequently
for coffee, Roy sleeping though each stop.

They traded places after Bakersfield, with Roy driving and
Steven in the back. He tried to sleep but couldn’t. The drone of the car would
lull him a bit, but then he’d awaken when he heard Roy or Eliza say something
in the front seat.

“Oh, look,” he heard Eliza say. Steven sat up in the back
seat. Up ahead, on the right, was a hitchhiker on the side of the road.

The car began to slow. “Don’t stop,” Steven said.

“It’s not me,” Roy said. “The car is stalling.” Roy moved the
car to the side of the freeway just past the hitchhiker and turned on the
flashers. Steven turned around to look out the back window. The hitchhiker was
walking towards the car. As he approached, Steven knew he’d seen him before,
somewhere. He began to fill with dread.

Cars whizzed by them at eighty miles an hour. When a truck
went by, it caused the car to shake. The hitchhiker opened the back car door
and slid in next to Steven.

“Hello,” the hitchhiker said, turning to look at him.

I’ve heard that voice before,
Steven thought, though he couldn’t
place the man’s face. Steven turned to look at Roy and Eliza, and saw that
their heads were lowered as though they’d fallen asleep.

Aka Manah,
Steven thought.

“This’ll be a short visit,” the man said.

“What have you done to them?” Steven asked.

“They’ll be back, as soon as I’m gone,” the man said. “I came
to see you, at your home. You weren’t there.”

“I had to leave,” Steven said. “I’ve been in Vegas.”

“I find it suspicious,” the man said, his hand sliding back
and forth over his knee, “that the first day after we strike our deal, you
disappear somewhere I can’t find you.”

“My son was in trouble,” Steven said. “It just happened to be
in the downwind area. That wasn’t my doing.”

The man seemed to consider this. “And you’re on your way
home, now?”

“After we drop her off,” Steven said. “She lives on the way.”

“Good,” the man said. “We can finish the conversation when
you get home. I have some things for you. I do hope you intend to honor your
end of our arrangement.”

“I do,” Steven said. “But if my family or friends are at
risk, you can be sure that will take precedent over my searching for your
objects.”

“I’ll remember that,” the man said. “I’ll make sure their
risks coincide with my desires.” Steven heard Roy and Eliza exhale heavily,
then begin to gasp.

“Leave them alone,” Steven said. “That isn’t the way to
motivate me.”

The man smiled. Eliza and Roy gasped more loudly, struggling
for air. He could see Eliza’s skin start to turn blue.

“I told you I’ll do it,” Steven said. “After I get back to
Seattle, you can give me your list and I’ll start looking.”

“Right away,” the man said, “not after some other trip or
excursion?”

“Yes, right away,” Steven said.

Roy and Eliza stopped gasping and Steven could see their
bodies begin to draw in normal breaths.

“Good,” the man said.

“Don’t you forget your end of the deal,” Steven said.
“Torturing my friends like this doesn’t seem much like the protection you
promised.”

“It’s not going to be my fault if your father suddenly stops
breathing in the middle of the night,” the man said. “He’s old. Old people do
that.”

“If anything happens to them,” Steven said, “I’ll make sure
all the objects I know of are destroyed. You’ll never see them.”

“Alright,” the man said. “We’ve both threatened each other,
so that’s that. You understand that I’m serious, don’t you? That was my point.”