The Vanishing Gary Brown (booksvooks TXT) 📖

confessed at last. “Yes, something is wrong. Very wrong. But we can’t discuss it right now. Not here.”

“What are you talking about?” Sky persisted. “And what has this got to do with Amanda?”

“I’ll explain everything to you after we put Blessing to bed.”

“Why not now?”

“It’s not safe to talk now.”

“Not safe?”

Virgil cupped his wife’s pretty face in his hands. “Listen to me, Sky. Everything’s going to be fine. But you’re going to have to believe what I tell you later, even if it seems, well… crazy. Will you do that for me? Please?”

The frightened look on Sky’s face spoke for her.

“But Virgil…”

Virgil pressed his finger gently against her lips. “Later, Sky. I’ll tell you everything. I promise.”

46

“HE KNOWS,” Fallon said.

“What are you talking about?” Krebeck replied.

“Lutt. He overheard our conversation. He knows you killed Amanda’s parents.”

“How can you be certain? Did you confront him? Did he admit to it?”

“He didn’t have to. Remember the blood I showed you earlier?”

“Yes.”

“Look at his leg. It’s a mess.”

“That doesn’t mean he knows anything. It means he cut his leg.”

“Don’t be a fool, Joseph,” Fallon said, “and don’t speak to me like one. I’m not one of your catatonic followers. I’m the guy who has been keeping your ass out of the gas chamber.”

“You’re not exactly cut from holy cloth yourself,” Krebeck replied. “The woman and the child? Remember?”

Prophet’s words resuscitated fond memories. The musty smell of hay bales stacked high in an old barn… the whinny of horses in the adjoining stalls… the woman, her legs spread, rocking to the hard thrust of him… the chanting of the witnesses during her ceremony of purification and indoctrination. He had forgotten her name. No, wait. Anne. Yes, that was it. Not that it really mattered. He hadn’t wanted to take her brat, too. She was just a toddler, collateral cargo, of no particular use. But the mother had insisted. And with all due respect, she had been an excellent fuck. It was the least he could do.

Finally, he spoke.

“You and I both know this is bullshit, Joseph. Engage their trust, sprinkle in a little God the Father this and Praise the Lord that, then watch them follow like lambs to the slaughter. That was the plan. It’s quite pathetic when you realize the only purpose they really serve is to insulate us from the outside world. ‘Those who can’t be found can’t be prosecuted.’ Isn’t that what you said?”

“You’ve benefited from this as much as I have, Fallon.”

“I’m not denying that. But I’m telling you we have a problem. And his name is Virgil Lutt.”

Prophet paused. “How do you propose we handle this problem?”

Fallon shrugged. “No different from any of the others.”

“Fine. But do it quickly and quietly. Make it look like an accident.”

Fallon nodded. “In two days, Stone and I plan to explore the west ridge of the mountain. I’ll bring Lutt. The path on the cliff side of the ridge is narrow, two feet wide at best. It can be dangerous if you don’t know where you’re going. One wrong step and the fall could be fatal.”

“Spare me the drama,” Prophet replied. “Just get it done, and soon.”

47

“GOODNIGHT, MOMMY.”

“Goodnight, precious girl,” Sky said. She kissed Blessing on her nose, tucked the bed sheets tightly around her, and blew out the bedside lantern. Darkness fell upon the room.

“I love you, sweetie.”

“I love you more, Mommy.”

“Want me to leave the door open?”

“No. You can close it. I’m a big girl now.”

“I know you are. Goodnight.”

As Sky closed the door, Blessing called out nervously. “Mommy?”

“Yes, honey?”

“Maybe leave it open just a little.”

Virgil sat on the edge of the bed; his leg turned toward the pale glow of the lamp. He examined the wound.

“Better let me look at that,” Sky said.

Virgil winced as she pulled away the gauze.

“Not so tough now, are you, big guy?”

Virgil smiled. “Very funny. Truth is, it hurts like hell.”

“You didn’t fall down the stairs, did you?”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because you’re a worse liar than you are a dancer. How did you do this? What really happened?”

Virgil gritted his teeth as Sky patted the gash with a hydrogen peroxide compress she had prepared from the safety kit.

“I was running and fell over a woodpile behind Communion Hall.”

“Running? Why?”

Virgil moved his leg, put his foot on the floor.

“I’m not finished,” Sky said.

“It’s okay,” Virgil smiled. “It feels better already.” He patted the bed. “You’d better sit down. Remember what I said earlier? That what I had to talk to you about might seem a little crazy?”

“Yes.”

“Well, here goes. When I was making my rounds tonight, I overheard an argument coming from Prophet’s room. I couldn’t help but hear what they were saying.”

“They?”

“Prophet, Cassandra and Fallon. Fallon was doing most of the talking. He accused Prophet of… murder.”

“Murder?” Sky replied. “You can’t be serious!”

“I know how it sounds,” Virgil said, “but that’s what I heard. He said Prophet should have killed Amanda when he killed her parents.”

“How did Prophet respond?”

“That’s the thing. He didn’t. Cassandra knows about the murders as well. According to her, he had a right to kill them. It has something to do with Amanda. What exactly, I don’t know. But I know this much. They didn’t come here for our benefit. They came here to hide.”

“What are we going to do?” Sky said. “If what you heard is true, we have to go to the police. And that means we can’t stay here anymore. It’s not safe.”

Virgil put his head in his hands. “I know.”

“We need to leave tonight. Right now, before the sun comes up. I’ll pack what we’ll need. By the time they realize we’re no longer here, we’ll be well on our way. They won’t know where to begin to look for us.”

“There’s one complication,” Virgil said. “Fallon suspects I know their secret. He tracked me earlier. He almost found me, but I got away. He questioned me about my leg before dinner. Asked me if I’d heard or seen anything unusual on my rounds.”

“What