The Last Man: The Third Thriller in the Devlin Trilogy (Gabe Devlin Thrillers Book 3) by James Carver

Author:James Carver [Carver, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-03-22T16:00:00+00:00

19

Devlin took a Bible class in the church hall and, after the class had dispersed, he loitered for a moment in front of the church. The sexton had closed the gates, and night had fallen. A flurry of snow that wasn't destined to settle drifted down. Devlin gave into the need for a smoke and lit up a cigar. He mulled over the extraordinary events with Sarah and the question hanging over Avery of who exactly had been murdered and buried in the old crypt. Though only a few of the parishioners had broached the subject with Devlin, he sensed it was in the front of their minds and on the tips of their tongues.

Devlin knew that it had happened again. As it was destined to happen. Like it happened in Sag Harbor, and in Halton Springs, and exactly as Lemus had prophesied. Wherever he went evil rose up to meet him.

Here, now, standing in the falling snow under the eaves of the church, he felt shadows creeping in around him. From the body being found to Sarah Wilson's strange experiences, he understood instinctively that something dark had lain dormant here in Avery for some time and that his presence was now stirring that darkness.

With a head light with nicotine and his mouth full of the tang of tobacco, Devlin made his way back to the rectory. When he reached the rectory door, he froze. The door was ajar, and scuffed and splintered where it had been forced open.

There were no lights on inside the house. Devlin threw his cigar to the ground, slipped in through the doorway, and stood motionless in the hall. A strip of moonlight from the door slanted across the wooden floor. It was deadly quiet until from upstairs Devlin heard a floorboard squeak. He crossed the hall and began to climb the stairs. Despite his best efforts to move quietly, the old floorboards gave little moans under the slightest pressure, so by the time Devlin had reached the landing he was pretty sure whoever had broken in knew they had company.

Upstairs only faint light from a large hall window gave minimal illumination. There were three rooms on the second floor; the bathroom, the guest bedroom, and the master bedroom, though only the door to the master bedroom was open. Keeping his movements as light as possible, Devlin sidled up beside the master bedroom door. It was so deathly quiet he could hear rhythmic breaths coming from whoever was in the room. Quick breaths that betrayed a rising panic.

Devlin reached a hand around, feeling for the switch, and flicked it on. As soon as the room lit up the intruder came charging out wielding a tire iron. Devlin ducked the length of iron as it came whistling toward him and missed the chance to block the intruder who had already reached the top of the stairs. There was enough light for Devlin to make out a well-set man of average height wearing a balaclava.

The guy in

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