been right, because relieving himself of the whole story seemed very cathartic. He told her everything, beginning with the death of his father, all the way up to his odd vision that preceded his awakening. During the whole affair, Evelyn remained at his side, even taking his hands in her own.
When all was said and done, she whistled softly and said, “And I thought I had daddy issues…”
Max laughed a bit too loudly but Evelyn joined in easily enough. “You must think I’m a candidate for a sanitarium.”
“Not really. We all have our vices and oddities.”
Max raised her hands to his lips and kissed them softly. The move surprised them both, but it felt natural, as well. “What are your vices, Evelyn?”
A wicked smile touched her full lips. “Perhaps I’ll tell you about them, Mr. Davies. But now is not the time.”
“Why not?”
“Because, in your little fever dream, you told me to call the airport and have them clear us for flying.”
That brought Max clear of any fantasies he might have been developing. “I did?”
“Yep. We’re supposed to be flying to Kassel, Germany. Wherever that is.” Evelyn shook her head, sending her lovely curls flying. “Do you really have a plane that can fly that far?”
“Yes. A special one. It’s the fastest plane in the world and capable of making several round-the-globe trips without refueling.”
“That’s amazing! Did you invent it?”
“Well, parts of it. A friend of mine named Clark aided with other aspects.” Max smiled at the look of amazement she wore, reaching out to touch her cheek. “But you’re not coming with me. Remember the visions I had about you being in danger? The only way I can see to avoid that is for you to stay here.”
“Absolutely not.” Evelyn’s eyes flashed. “This is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me, Max. And I’m not about to let you cut me out of it.”
“But what if those visions were real?”
“Then I’ll take the experience of being mauled by a mummy and put it into my next performance.”
“You’re the crazy one,” Max laughed.
Evelyn jumped as the phone rang upstairs. Max held a finger to his lips and then moved over to another phone, gently lifting the receiver from its cradle. He heard Nettie’s voice immediately.
“Mr. Davies isn’t in, Sheriff. But I’ll sure enough tell him you called.”
“Make sure you do. Mr. Beauregard Ellis was found shot to death this evening… and next to his body was a small note pad with your employer’s name on it. That makes him a suspect, Nettie… so if you see him, you best let me know… or you’re an accessory.”
Max set the phone back down, not bothering to hear Nettie’s answer. “We have to go. Trench has set me up.” He looked around the storm cellar—his “nest.” Should he burn its contents? Once they found out he was missing, the police would surely search the house.
A spiteful thought came to him. If you’re listening, dad… I’ll leave it to you that no one disturbs this place. If they do, my usefulness to you is over…
Evelyn was brushing back her hair, looking flushed and excited. “So now we’re fugitives, are we?”
“You seem to like that.”
Evelyn shrugged, but the smile never left her face. “I need a fancy name like yours. Maybe Swan? Goes well with Peregrine, I think.”
Max put his mask back into place, wondering just where all this would go in the end. Evelyn seemed to enjoy the danger just a tad too much… but she would certainly keep things interesting, he suspected.
CHAPTER XIII
Winged Devils
“This plane is amazing.”
The Peregrine sat at the controls of his proudest creation, allowing himself the briefest of smiles. During his solitary crusade against evil, Max had missed out on the pleasures of sharing his creations with others. “I call her Nite-Wing. She’s the fastest plane in the world… if I open up the engines all the way we can reach speeds of 340 mph.”
Evelyn’s eyes
When all was said and done, she whistled softly and said, “And I thought I had daddy issues…”
Max laughed a bit too loudly but Evelyn joined in easily enough. “You must think I’m a candidate for a sanitarium.”
“Not really. We all have our vices and oddities.”
Max raised her hands to his lips and kissed them softly. The move surprised them both, but it felt natural, as well. “What are your vices, Evelyn?”
A wicked smile touched her full lips. “Perhaps I’ll tell you about them, Mr. Davies. But now is not the time.”
“Why not?”
“Because, in your little fever dream, you told me to call the airport and have them clear us for flying.”
That brought Max clear of any fantasies he might have been developing. “I did?”
“Yep. We’re supposed to be flying to Kassel, Germany. Wherever that is.” Evelyn shook her head, sending her lovely curls flying. “Do you really have a plane that can fly that far?”
“Yes. A special one. It’s the fastest plane in the world and capable of making several round-the-globe trips without refueling.”
“That’s amazing! Did you invent it?”
“Well, parts of it. A friend of mine named Clark aided with other aspects.” Max smiled at the look of amazement she wore, reaching out to touch her cheek. “But you’re not coming with me. Remember the visions I had about you being in danger? The only way I can see to avoid that is for you to stay here.”
“Absolutely not.” Evelyn’s eyes flashed. “This is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me, Max. And I’m not about to let you cut me out of it.”
“But what if those visions were real?”
“Then I’ll take the experience of being mauled by a mummy and put it into my next performance.”
“You’re the crazy one,” Max laughed.
Evelyn jumped as the phone rang upstairs. Max held a finger to his lips and then moved over to another phone, gently lifting the receiver from its cradle. He heard Nettie’s voice immediately.
“Mr. Davies isn’t in, Sheriff. But I’ll sure enough tell him you called.”
“Make sure you do. Mr. Beauregard Ellis was found shot to death this evening… and next to his body was a small note pad with your employer’s name on it. That makes him a suspect, Nettie… so if you see him, you best let me know… or you’re an accessory.”
Max set the phone back down, not bothering to hear Nettie’s answer. “We have to go. Trench has set me up.” He looked around the storm cellar—his “nest.” Should he burn its contents? Once they found out he was missing, the police would surely search the house.
A spiteful thought came to him. If you’re listening, dad… I’ll leave it to you that no one disturbs this place. If they do, my usefulness to you is over…
Evelyn was brushing back her hair, looking flushed and excited. “So now we’re fugitives, are we?”
“You seem to like that.”
Evelyn shrugged, but the smile never left her face. “I need a fancy name like yours. Maybe Swan? Goes well with Peregrine, I think.”
Max put his mask back into place, wondering just where all this would go in the end. Evelyn seemed to enjoy the danger just a tad too much… but she would certainly keep things interesting, he suspected.
CHAPTER XIII
Winged Devils
“This plane is amazing.”
The Peregrine sat at the controls of his proudest creation, allowing himself the briefest of smiles. During his solitary crusade against evil, Max had missed out on the pleasures of sharing his creations with others. “I call her Nite-Wing. She’s the fastest plane in the world… if I open up the engines all the way we can reach speeds of 340 mph.”
Evelyn’s eyes
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