Frantic by Mike Dellosso

Author:Mike Dellosso [Dellosso, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, Christian, USA
ISBN: 9781616384807
Google: nZJSU559VvIC
Amazon: 1616384808
Barnesnoble: 1616384808
Goodreads: 12557776
Publisher: Realms
Published: 2012-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 36

AN AUDIENCE OF pale-skinned birch and thick maples encircled the area, standing silent, watching.

The clearing was small, no more than forty by forty. Harold stood in the center, feet spread a little wider than shoulder width, arms hanging loosely at his sides, the duffel bags on the ground next to him. His mouth was bent into something between a grin and a grimace.

Marny released the cooler and straightened his back. He was still breathing heavily, and the brisk air of the higher elevation felt good in his lungs. Esther and William arrived, and he heard their labored breathing behind him. Harold, though, appeared neither wearied nor out of breath. In fact, he appeared so relaxed it seemed abnormal. Something wasn’t right, and it put the hair on Marny’s arms on end.

“This is it.” Harold’s voice was even and low, controlled and professional. A cop voice.

Marny looked around. “Where’s the cabin?”

Harold said nothing. His eyes shifted between Esther and Marny, and he worked his jaw as if chewing on the inside of his cheek. He reminded Marny of an outlaw in the Old West, standing in the middle of the street, trigger finger itching, six-shooter on each hip, begging someone to feel lucky.

Esther came around to the side of Marny, William holding her hand. “Where’s the cabin? You said there was a cabin.” She too must have noticed Harold’s suddenly odd behavior.

“Harold.” Marny took two steps forward, toward the man Esther used to call Daddy. “You said—”

Without a word Harold reached behind his back and retrieved a handgun, swung it around, and pointed it directly at Marny.

Marny stopped and backed up a step, both hands now raised. “Whoa, wait a minute.”

Harold was calm, in police mode. He’d been trained to take charge of a situation, to intimidate, to control. He pointed the gun at William, then motioned to his right. “You, over here.”

Esther jumped in front of her brother. “No. Wait.”

“Out of the way, Esther,” Harold said.

“What are you doing? He’s your son.”

Harold flinched as if someone had sprayed water in his face. “He’s not my son. He’s a freak. A monster.”

“No.”

“Get away from him, Esther. I don’t want you involved in this.” He took a step forward, bringing the pistol that much closer.

Marny was no expert on handguns, but he knew enough to know that big and black wasn’t good.

“No. I’m not leaving him. How can you do this?”

Marny took a step toward Esther. “Maybe—”

“Shut up!” Harold trained the handgun on Marny again. It was as steady as ice. The black hole of the barrel stared at him like a lifeless eye. “This doesn’t concern you, boy.” He motioned to his left. “Get over here and get down on your stomach.”

With both hands still raised, Marny hesitated.

“Now!”

He moved a few steps to his right and lowered himself to the ground.

Harold turned back to Esther and William. “Now, over here.”

Esther held William tightly, not letting go of him. “Whether you want to admit it or not, he’s your son, your own flesh.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.