Paul had been glad to get out of the hospital, but he had just wished that Roy could have left with him. Now he found himself stuck in Carla’s battered up green truck, his soon to be ex-wife at the wheel, and she looked very unhappy.
"They couldn’t wait one night, could they?" She looked at him, her eyes burning. "You know I was supposed to go on a date with William tonight?"
"William" He hugged his bag closer to his chest, growing more scared of Carla than he had been of Nurse Fitch.
"Yeah, William, your doctor. I was supposed to have dinner with him tonight. It was nice, something to look forward to. Did it happen? No, of course not, because some psychotic cult decided they wanted to kill you tonight." She slammed her palms on the steering wheel then winced.
"Well, I’m sorry they tried to kill me." He kept his eyes on the road. One of them had to. He had already been in one car accident, and he wasn’t looking to repeat that incident.
"It’s not your fault." She rolled down her window, letting the cool night air in the cab of the truck. "For once it isn’t your fault."
He didn’t know how to respond to that last comment. He just sat there, looking straight ahead, his bag gripped against his chest. He could feel the outline of Charles’ journal through the fabric. It took everything in him not to just chuck the book out the window and be done with it.
That was what Nurse Fitch had been after. That’s what the Black Rose Society wanted. Part of him just wanted to give it to them, and then to run as fast as he could out of town, and away from Spirit Lake forever. The other part of him wanted to rip every member of that group limb from limb. They hadn’t just nearly kill him, they nearly killed Roy, and he couldn’t let that go.
"So, you and William?" He needed to change the subject.
"What about him?" Her hands tightened on the wheel.
"He seems nice."
"But?"
"But nothing. He seems nice. And straight." He giggled a little. "A vast improvement over me."
She gave him a quick glance, a sly smile on her face.
When they finally got to the Hub the parking lot was empty. Roy had told him that he was opening late so they could get Paul settled, and that Roxanne would be there to let them in, but when they got to the door they found it look.
Carla started banging on it, her little fists making the door shutter.
"We’re closed." A soft, feminine voice came from inside.
"Roxanne?" Paul got close to the door.
He heard a click, and the door cracked open. A small face covered in streaked make-up peeked out at them. She gave Paul a quick glance, and when her eyes settled on Carla she opened it.
"Sorry, I got a little visitor tonight." Roxanne laughed. "It was a friend of yours Carla."
They all moved into the bar, closing the door, locking it behind them. They didn’t want to take any chances.
"Harvey was here?" Carla took off her jacket and threw it one of the empty tables.
"Yeah, and I have to say, he is one horny bastard." Roxanne crossed her arms over her chest, and looked down at the floor. "I got him though."
"Is he... dead?" Carla put her hand on Roxanne’s shoulder.
Paul looked around. The bar was a wreck. There was broken glass on the floor and chairs and tables were knocked over. There was also a nice sized trail of blood that led from behind the bar, through the main floor, then out the front door.
"I don’t know." She looked Carla in the eyes. "He was really going to hurt me. You weren’t lying when you said he was crazy. He tried to rip my clothes off. His hands were all over me..."
"What did you do?" Paul pulled up a chair, his legs suddenly feeling weak.
"Bit his tongue off." She looked behind the bar. "It’s probably still back there."
"Well, I’m going to take Paul upstairs, but you hang around. I’ll help you clean up." Carla gave Roxanne’s shoulder a firm pat, then she turned to Paul. "You ready?"
He nodded and stood, the weight of his duffle bag making his shoulder ache.
Once they were upstairs, and Roy’s familiar sent filled Paul’s nostrils he could feel his muscles relax. He actually felt safe. He made his way towards the bedroom, sliding his bag under the bed. He sat, wishing Roy was next to him.
He would be soon enough.
"If you need anything I’ll be downstairs." She walked in, giving the room a look. "Just call my cell, okay?"
Paul nodded and laid down. His body ached with every movement. The night was finally getting to him. After Carla left it only took seconds for him to drift off to sleep.
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