William W. Johnstone - Bats by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone [Johnstone, William W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Horror
ISBN: 9780821741900
Google: T79qPgAACAAJ
Amazon: 082174190X
Publisher: Zebra
Published: 1993-06-01T06:00:00+00:00

worry about that. You'll be back. And that's a promise."

When he had them and their gear loaded into Blair's car, he kissed Blair and said, "Don't try to make it back here tonight. Stay a couple of days and help them get settled in. Don't you think that's best?"

"You tryin' to git shet of me, boy?" Blair corn-poned the question with a grin.

"Get out of here!"

He watched the car until it was out of sight, then went back into the house. It seemed very empty. Skipper and June came out of the kids' room and whined at him, looking through accusatory eyes at him.

"Yeah, I know," he said, petting them both. "I'll miss them too."

Johnny stood for a moment in the den, hands on hips. Then he walked around his house again, even though he had inspected it just a few hours earlier. Anything to occupy his mind. He took a chance and let Skipper and June accompany him. But he carried a twelve-gauge shotgun and a bandoleer of shells around his shoulder. He did not feel at all foolish. He went back into the house and fixed a sandwich.

Captain Alden and Sheriff Young drove out the middle of the afternoon. Neither man looked at all happy as they took seats in the den.

"So drop the bad news on me," Johnny called from the kitchen, where he had gone to make a pot of coffee.

"I'm powerless to do anything except obey orders," Alden said. "And my orders are to patrol this parish and keep people out of that contested tract of land." Just as Johnny reentered the den, Tom was mumbling a few obscenities under his breath about federal judges and misguided scientists and big business in general.

Johnny had to laugh at the expression on the man's face. "Oh, hell, Tom. Don't take it so hard. You didn't expect anything else, did you?"

"Well, no. I guess not. It's frustrating, that's all. We're sitting on a powder keg here and nobody besides us seems to understand that."

Phil looked around him. "What happened to Blair and the kids?"

"Gone to Baton Rouge. We both felt it best to get the kids out of harm's way. I asked Blair to consider staying down there herself for a few days."

"It'll surprise me if she does," Phil said.

"Yeah. Me, too."

Tom smiled at Johnny. "At least something good came out of this mess ... you and Blair."

"For a fact." Johnny looked out a window. A few more hours until dark. He looked back at the sheriff and the trooper. They were staring at him. "Drop the other shoe, boys."

Phil shifted in his chair and Captain Alden looked uncomfortable. They glanced at each other. Alden sighed heavily. "You have any stroke left with the government, Johnny?"

"Very little, I'm afraid. Come on, guys. Say it. What's on your minds?"

"That coffee smells good," Tom said, getting to his feet. "I'll pour us some and bring it in. 1 know how you all take it." He left the room.

It was a cue.

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