Their actions proved they weren't going to help. LT even assumed they were helping the demons. He knew places like this were filled with corruption. Money was scarce to law enforcement in these parts, and if these demons paid enough, he was sure they would turn.
And last, LT worried about the women.
Commander Jacobs had no exact number. They had been on this case a while now, and they estimated it was dozens. Dozens of women taken! Dozens of women who would never live to have children, to raise their own families.
LT spat on the sidewalk. He looked both ways, beginning to cross, when he heard a faint voice. "Hold up."
LT turned, a bit surprised. He could hear the loud music from inside. Across the parking lot he could hear the boyfriend fighting with his girlfriend, and the woman vomiting while her friends held her hair back. But this voice came from behind him. It had snuck up on him. "You?" LT asked, eyes wide. "Figured you were pissed at me or something."
"No, not pissed," Juana said. "Just . . . understand this, lots of men hit on me."
"I wasn't, though."
"Yes, but still. I'm jaded, okay? Men are a dime a dozen in my book. But I came across as a bitch."
"You did."
She laughed. "Well, maybe so, but I figured out something."
"What's that?"
"You're here for a reason," she said.
"Now, how do you figure such a thing? I'm just passing through. Figured I'd stop for the night, maybe grab a drink, maybe get laid."
"And maybe find some demons?" she asked.
LT froze, his mouth going wide. He looked at her, suspicious at first. Was she working for them? Perhaps she was helping them, and was here to blow his cover wide open. Or, maybe his cover wasn't that good after all. Country doesn't mean stupid, and he needed to remind himself. "What do you mean?" he asked. But she didn't reply. She wouldn't dignify his fakery with a reply. Instead, she put her hands on her hips, cocking her head, waiting for him to fess up. Damn, she looks good, LT thought. "Look," he began, "I was just . . ."
"You're here because of the demons. I know this. What I don't know is, are you here to help?"
LT decided this was it. He'd have to trust her. He'd have to take a chance. "I'm here to help. I can't say who sent me, but they're worried about this town and the entire county. They know about these demons, and if you know how to stop them, please tell me."
"There is a way. It remains here, in town."
"What?"
"I do not know. This town was once filled with relics, but they're gone now. Only the power of our faith protects us. There is a source to all that, though."
"What?" he repeated.
"I told you, I don't know. Something is here that has kept them from taking over. Soon, that will change. The demons are growing stronger. More bold. One day, they'll consume this town."
"Not if I can help it," LT said.
"That's nice, but what can one man do?"
"Juana, I have the full authority of the United States government behind me. Lots can be done.
What we don't know is, how do we do it? How can we kill those things?"
"You must figure that out, not me," she stated. "There is much evil here, and little goodness. Find the source of our goodness in this little speck of a town, and you'll help us. You'll help us all." Then, Juana looked around. There was nothing but shadows in town, but her expression changed. She grew fearful, afraid something was watching her. "I can no longer talk. Not here, not now. Please, just go back to your room. If you choose to stay, find the source of goodness, the one thing that can bring them down."
"How will I do that? I don't even know what I’m looking for, and neither do you."
"It will come to you. God will present it when the time is right," Juana said. Then, she leaned up, kissing him softly on the cheek, turned, and walked away.
C hapter 11
LT tossed in his bed. He had worked up a sweat, despite the air cond itioning blowing at full bore. He dreamed. It had been a long time since he remembered a dream, but
And last, LT worried about the women.
Commander Jacobs had no exact number. They had been on this case a while now, and they estimated it was dozens. Dozens of women taken! Dozens of women who would never live to have children, to raise their own families.
LT spat on the sidewalk. He looked both ways, beginning to cross, when he heard a faint voice. "Hold up."
LT turned, a bit surprised. He could hear the loud music from inside. Across the parking lot he could hear the boyfriend fighting with his girlfriend, and the woman vomiting while her friends held her hair back. But this voice came from behind him. It had snuck up on him. "You?" LT asked, eyes wide. "Figured you were pissed at me or something."
"No, not pissed," Juana said. "Just . . . understand this, lots of men hit on me."
"I wasn't, though."
"Yes, but still. I'm jaded, okay? Men are a dime a dozen in my book. But I came across as a bitch."
"You did."
She laughed. "Well, maybe so, but I figured out something."
"What's that?"
"You're here for a reason," she said.
"Now, how do you figure such a thing? I'm just passing through. Figured I'd stop for the night, maybe grab a drink, maybe get laid."
"And maybe find some demons?" she asked.
LT froze, his mouth going wide. He looked at her, suspicious at first. Was she working for them? Perhaps she was helping them, and was here to blow his cover wide open. Or, maybe his cover wasn't that good after all. Country doesn't mean stupid, and he needed to remind himself. "What do you mean?" he asked. But she didn't reply. She wouldn't dignify his fakery with a reply. Instead, she put her hands on her hips, cocking her head, waiting for him to fess up. Damn, she looks good, LT thought. "Look," he began, "I was just . . ."
"You're here because of the demons. I know this. What I don't know is, are you here to help?"
LT decided this was it. He'd have to trust her. He'd have to take a chance. "I'm here to help. I can't say who sent me, but they're worried about this town and the entire county. They know about these demons, and if you know how to stop them, please tell me."
"There is a way. It remains here, in town."
"What?"
"I do not know. This town was once filled with relics, but they're gone now. Only the power of our faith protects us. There is a source to all that, though."
"What?" he repeated.
"I told you, I don't know. Something is here that has kept them from taking over. Soon, that will change. The demons are growing stronger. More bold. One day, they'll consume this town."
"Not if I can help it," LT said.
"That's nice, but what can one man do?"
"Juana, I have the full authority of the United States government behind me. Lots can be done.
What we don't know is, how do we do it? How can we kill those things?"
"You must figure that out, not me," she stated. "There is much evil here, and little goodness. Find the source of our goodness in this little speck of a town, and you'll help us. You'll help us all." Then, Juana looked around. There was nothing but shadows in town, but her expression changed. She grew fearful, afraid something was watching her. "I can no longer talk. Not here, not now. Please, just go back to your room. If you choose to stay, find the source of goodness, the one thing that can bring them down."
"How will I do that? I don't even know what I’m looking for, and neither do you."
"It will come to you. God will present it when the time is right," Juana said. Then, she leaned up, kissing him softly on the cheek, turned, and walked away.
C hapter 11
LT tossed in his bed. He had worked up a sweat, despite the air cond itioning blowing at full bore. He dreamed. It had been a long time since he remembered a dream, but
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