Wednesday, November 21
Keegan was back from the sin bin. That meant we could get some good old-fashioned American street violence.
It had been a quiet watch. Wired and tired, I counted down the minutes to its end. Keegs was still unsettled about Tommy Parker's suicide, having mentioned it several times. He couldn't sit still. He fiddled with his pen, went through an entire pouch of chewing tobacco, and made me stop so he could smoke.
I understood the cause of his anxiety. The past few days saw a multiple homicide shooting, a necromancy ceremony, and an old homeless guy with a witch's bottle.
We Drove to Potter Church, hoping to kill the shift in peace. I backed into an opening in the trees, killed the lights, and opened my window. We were across the street from the groundskeeper's house. The lights were on, and a lone street lamp stood in the front yard. The home predated the War of 1812 and was a historical landmark.
<Thursday, November 22 19:06 HOURS Winter had finally arrived. Keegs, Marcello, and a few others had volunteered to work security at an annual private gala. So, I got to ride with Maxine. The aftermath of the Rottweiler shooting found me in a quick round with IAB. Whenever you discharged your weapon, an investigation was forthcoming. They asked about the circumstance, what conflict resolution tactic we used, and questions about the girls. The ER report said Keegan shot the husband in the bicep. Not that anybody cared. Even IAB shrugged it off. I found it odd when they asked what started it. They flirted with my answer, careful not to show why they asked. I only knew what I heard when we entered the house. I told them about witchcraft, Sagacious Inquisitors, and threats against the Coven. Satisfied, at least in the now, they let me go. Max and I slowly cruised the strip, the coms silent as the radio played o
Tuesday, November27th 14:55 Hours Lieutenant Chaney's voice resounded over the loudspeaker as he announced roll call in the Bullpen. I closed my locker and headed to the squad room. They changed the uniform of the day for the winter. Many had broken out the jackets and watch caps that were standard issue. I, however, preferred the sweater with a turtleneck. The coat was too cumbersome, and I was not fond of it. I only used it when it actually turned cold or snowed hard. This was Max and me's first official briefing as husband and wife. When I left the locker room, I saw her chatting with Marcello. I walked behind her, put my arms around her collar, and kissed her cheek. She turned and smiled. Our faces must have looked priceless. I still felt the effects of this morning's lovemaking. I knew Max did as well. If I could, I'd take her back into the locker room. Keegs, of course, noticed, flung his head backward, and sighed
Tuesday, November27th "Roll call in the Bullpen... roll call in the Bullpen," said Lieutenant Chaney over the loudspeaker with his ominousBig Voice. We all filed in for the cold winter's night. Many had broken out the jackets and watch caps which were standard issue for the season. I, however, preferred the sweater with a turtle neck. The jacket was too bulky and I hated it. I only used it when it really got cold or snowed hard. The Bullpen was set up more like a classroom. There were three rows of tables, six tables deep. Each table could sit three. At the front was a podium for the Watch Commander flanked by two tables full of papers, reports, and files. Behind him was a whiteboard that ran the entire length of the wall. It was massive, containing not only a ma
Wednesday, November 28 Wednesday, November 28 The sun had vanished, and it was cold, rainy, and slushy. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and this wasn’t the weather for the holiday. The last time Maxine called in sick was four years ago. The cough had progressed to body aches, chills, sore throat, and a fever of 101.6. This morning during a spasm, she brought up blood with dark yellow phlegm and wheezed. Of course, she didn’t want to see a doctor, which caused an argument. I was concerned that she might have pneumonia. She needed to be seen by a physician for antibiotics and breathing treatments. At one point, I thought I was overreacting from the witchery and threats of spells and curses. I couldn’t shake what the vagrant said on the bridge about pins, urine, and cork. My inner voice replayed his words over and again. The more I heard it, the more I remembered. Take your wife’s urine an
Thursday, November 29 - ThanksgivingShe spent the night in isolation, awaiting results of blood cultures taken by Center for Disease Control. Her parents had gone, forced from the floor, but trying to move me would have been a mistake and they knew it. I just sat there, in uniform, outside a Plexiglas room waiting for some sort of diagnosis or explanation.I'd fallen asleep when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Keegs. His ICU nurse had let him onto the floor. He simply sat next to me, tapped my leg and didn't say a word.For the next five hours, Keegs and I made very little small talk. He brought me up a few cups of Joe and a bagel, but then we would sit quietly, waiting.Finally, at six a.m., the doctor
Friday, November 30Black Friday and second watch were working a double. It's one of the nuttiest days of the year, at least for the day shift, and not in a good way.I pulled into the driveway of the caretaker's house, Potters Church when I got a text from Maxine's mother."She's still in a coma. She's seizing again. They tried to bring her out. Please come quick.""Shit!" I said and rubbed my face in frustration."I need answers. Major Case is not helping. I'll be right there,"I texted back and then got out.The smell of old was very present as I knocked on the thick wooden door. It was ancient, as was the house. Five years ago the city decided to restore it, but that smell
Monday, December 10"Good to see Maxine back, " said Keegs as we pulled into the Super Wawa, past the gas pumps, and into a parking stall right in the front of the store. It was snowing harder now, almost three inches as darkness had fully set in. "I forgot to tell you... You know that nurse I've been with? The ICU nurse?"I nodded, afraid of what he was going to say. I didn't want to hear any more about his sexual conquests."She told me that some woman, kind of strange looking, got admitted to her ward four nights ago. She had a high fever and a massive amount of pain. They can't figure out what's wrong. Know what her name is? Marigje Arriens Crowningshield!"I stared at him. "What? No... You're kidding, ri
Wednesday, December12thAfter roll call, we made our way to the weapons vault to check out our shotguns. While waiting in line Maxine playfully brushed up against me. We were all celebrating a little bit of a victory. Yesterday morning, after I visited Casper at his abode, a Shadow Posse mule was busted with meth, salts, and oxy. At least for now, Casper was out of business.I caught hell and got an official reprimand in my file for confronting Casper, especially since Major Case detectives were staking out his place. They saw the whole thing, my father signing the reprimand himself. On the record he was pissed, but in reality, he was proud."So I was thinking," she said with that playful smile and those alluring eyes. "How about we go u
CHAPTER 4Himiko18:30 HoursIt had already been a long, tedious shift. So far, the only excitement was with the vagrant and urine, Maxine's paranoia, and Keegs’ drunkenness. Since they were both settled, we were back to boredom, at least for now.The deep November chill had set in. The window defogger had become our only heat source because the RMP vents didn’t work.Though we hadn't reached Thanksgiving, the Christmas season was showing. So much of the town already bore the lights and cheer that it brought. Though Christmas was my favorite time of year, it was coming way too soon.Maxine was quiet. She mostly stared out of the window and bit her nails, a habit she had since before I knew her."Central to any unit near Potter Church."The radio broke Maxine from her trance."Not tonight, Kelly. Please
PROLOGUE She came through the door, dropping her bag and rushing into my arms. As soon as we touched, she began to cry. Trembling, she held me tight. Her head pressed firmly against my shoulder. Shushing her quickly, with gentleness, I took her to the couch and held her, caressing her hair, cheek. "Bad day, huh?" I was off for the first time in two weeks, Maxine taking my spot-on watch. "I'm okay… I just don't understand." She began to weep again, wiping her tears. I knew I didn't have to say anything, prod her in any way. I just had to let her know I was here.
Sunday, February 2The phone rang, waking me from a dead sleep. I was having a nightmare,could hear voices through the handset.Blackhawk Actual, Blackhawk Actual, this is Lost Boy 6-1."Kelly... wake up. It's okay."I was in a fog,but I knew the voice. It was her voice.How could I be two places at once?Approximately two-and-a-half clicks from our objective... Break. Requesting permission to engage, how copy."Sweetie, you're home, in your bed, with me... Wake up... You're fine, you're safe."The recei
"Six-three Sergeant, ESU is requesting your presence at 113 Fifth Avenue. A hostage situation, possible shots fired... The suspect is requesting your presence."I had sent The Marine to go get our RMP as it was still running with lights and sirens half a mile down the tracks. I waited for him with Maxine. She was bent over behind her RMP, vomiting again – the third time since the chase ended. I was starting to get worried. Marcello kept giving her water and a towel after every episode. He'd become her brother. I liked him. He would protect her.Still on her knees, with her head down, she finished throwing up and pointed at me. "I'm coming with you," she said as she wiped her mouth and stood up to stretch. I kissed her on the forehead and shook my head. I saw The Marine pull up in our RMP, get out and go to the passenger side. He s
Tuesday, January 28It was 10:00 in the morning and our entire watch had been called into the House. As we filed into the bullpen, we were met by Lieutenant Chaney, Stonewall, and a lieutenant from Emergency Services Unit ESU. He was in full tactical gear, and on the whiteboard behind him were an aerial photograph of East Coast Green and pictures of Casper, Lasses, and a few others. The time had come."Marije Arriens Crowningshield came in at 8:30 this morning and confessed everything in a full statement to MC Detective Stonewall." He turned to the board with his laser pointer in hand. "She gave up her husband Caleb, aka Casper," he put the red dot right in the middle of his forehead. "She also gave up Lasses Birgitta, aka Kool-Aid." The red dot sat in the middle of her throat. "Their Witches Coven
Monday, January 27It was a very long weekend. To stay ahead of the investigation that would surely follow, I emailed all of the photos to Super Nerd at the Town Clerk's office before wiping them from our phones. I gave him explicit instructions to show nobody, tell no one, and keep it to himself until I gave the word. Being a historic site, and what we uncovered, they could definitely be used to our advantage. Especially since it didn't directly involve a crime committed in this century. I was pretty sure any statute of limitations had expired, or that's what I'd tell IAB.Though I was not bothered by what we found, it triggered days of weeping, mood swings, and depression in Max. She slept until well after noon on Saturday. I gave her lunch in bed, held her as she wept, and caressed her as she fell back to sl
Saturday, January 25It was the beginning of our weekend as Maxine dimmed the lights as we pulled into the driveway of Potter Church. She was careful to avoid the sink holes that had been unearthed from the snow. Armed with the map of the Rubik's Cube, we meant to end the mystery once and for all. I felt as though the old man at the church wanted me to do this. He was prompting me, damn near daring me to do it. I had to get to the bottom of this and know what he knew.It was an endless winter that seemed to feed on the darkness in the town. It was bitter cold with a wind chill that was subzero. The tombstones were barely visible as the moon was covered by the storming clouds. It was the first time I'd seen the caretaker's house completely dark. Knowing he was dead, and how he died, made me anxious and a bit sca
Thursday, January 23The Marine and I left the bullpen. He would now be riding with me twice a week. It made sense, being that we were both Marines, combat vets, and were definitely cut from the Keegan Cloth, as I was now calling it. I was going to let him do everything except the driving. He'd have to prove himself for that privilege. I waited for him to get situated in the passenger seat, call us in service, and then we were off to the Super Wawa across the street.It was an overcast day as the snow had not yet begun to melt. It turned black from the filth from the street. To me, it was a sign of how quickly something so pure and beautiful can become so dark and ugly.Maxine was riding with Marcello as they pulled in alongside us against the storefront. The
Tuesday, January 21"Kelly, come here for a minute." Lieutenant Chaney had me follow him to his office as everyone else walked from roll call."Don't sit... This will be quick." He unlocked the filing cabinet behind the desk. It held all of the investigations of traffic fatalities. He handed me a file and told me I had five minutes to look at it while he went to go get some Joe.I opened it and was shocked by the pictures from yesterday's accident. I thought I had remembered how awful it was. But to see the pictures, the child, it was brutal. Then I noticed something as I looked through the file and information. Alex Werner, the husband, who wasn't in the car, lived at One Thirteen, Fifth Avenue. That was almost directly across the street from East Coast Green