Dark Arts (33 page)

“Big Wreck? You’re kidding,” Bernie
laughed.

“Couldn’t make it up, mate. Drew the sign on
a quarter, threw it on the ground and the Shard moved it in the
right direction. Her son’s spirit’s trapped there, who knows why,
but I bet bringing his mother for a visit will jostle it free. Then
their happy reunion will get them clear of the Dawn Shard, on to
the other side at last. That’s if it’s like last time. Good way to
spend my Halloween.”

“I wish I could see that, man,” Bernie said.
“I guess you found out what the shard’s good for.”

“Maybe, I’m pretty sure that’s not why it
was made, but maybe I can make this more of a regular thing, give
me another reason to crisscross the continent. How’s the farm?”
Maxwell asked, bracing himself for bad news.

“Mixed news, man. Things are quiet here,
having a little Samhain thing. Got a call from the record company.
Raw Dog has officially been bought by S&K records. They’re
reissuing our album, apparently people are looking for copies
thanks to everything that happened last summer. They want us to go
along with it, are asking if we can get another tour together.”

“You told them our lead singer is six feet
under?” Maxwell asked without thinking.

“Well, yeah, they want to set us up with
some guy who looks and sounds like Zack.”

“Bloody vultures,” Maxwell said.

“I’m thinking about it,” Bernie said. “Not
with the new singer, fuck them, but they say we can make
appearances in record stores, sign some records. Maybe something
good can come out of the band’s reputation, I could meet you in a
few cities, they’ll pay.”

“If we don’t have to dance behind some new
wanker they put in front of us to sing our songs, then yeah. Guess
it’s a good way to stop asking for handouts so I can keep gas in
the tank.”

“That’s what I was thinking.”

“And I’ll get some living company on the
road for a while,” Maxwell said. “I’m fine out here, mate, but it
would be good to see someone breathe in the passenger seat.” He did
his best to suppress his excitement at seeing his long time friend
again. “Just wondering, how many they pressing?”

“They say fifty thousand plus another twenty
thousand if we do the record store thing,” Bernie. “We’re getting
radio play in the States because of our new dark reputation, so
they’re sure they can move the records. It’s a lot of money.”

“I’ll believe it when we’re signing albums
in a store,” Maxwell said. “But, yeah, let’s do it. Scottie?”

“He won’t be going with us. Taking care of
April.”

“Good, that’s where he wants to be,” Maxwell
said. “In the main house?”

“The two bedroom cabin,” Bernie replied.
“Think I heard April laugh for the first time since they moved in
yesterday. She’s come out a few times since she got a mask for her
mouth. They were able to save most of her nose, so I think she’s
going to come through this.”

“See Miranda this week?” Maxwell asked.

“Yesterday, and Wednesday,” Bernie said. “I
have good news and bad news. The hospital guard who saw it all go
down is in Algoma Sanitarium. The Crown is still looking to
prosecute, but they offered her a deal. Second degree murder
instead of first degree, and fifteen years, but someone high up
pulled some strings when they got new information, nothing was
signed yet.”

“What new information? No one’s talking,
everyone expects a trial,” Maxwell said, bracing himself for the
worst.

“Max, she’s pregnant. They’re dropping it
down to the minimum, ten years,” Bernie said.

“What? She’s pregnant?” Maxwell asked.

“You’re going to be a dad,” Bernie said.
“Man, she needs you to say something, especially now. I know this
is a lot to take, but write her a letter. We can set up a telephone
call too, just say the word.”

“I will,” Maxwell said. He squeezed his eyes
shut, clamped his jaws together. “Fuck, she must hate me.”

“Not in this lifetime, brother,” Bernie
said.

“She will. I can’t put the Shard down. This
thing, it’s doing something to me, Bernie. What I can see, the
things that turn their heads when I drive through a town, I can’t
pass it on. I need to ask you and her something, I’ll write her
about it myself, but I have to ask you to be a father. At least
until I can come home, at least until we can find a grave that can
hold this thing.”

“Max, you know I’d do anything for you,”
Bernie said. “Is it really that bad?”

“It’s a part of me, mate. Can’t let anyone
else near it, especially someone I give a shit about. I pass it on,
and it’ll stay connected to me anyway for years longer. I can’t be
around kids with what follows me, with or without the Shard.”

“I’ll take care of your kid while you’re out
there, no problem,” Bernie said.

“No, I’m asking you to get on the birth
certificate. That way I’ll know no one can take that kid away, and
it’ll always be in a good place. I’ll make it sound right to
Miranda, I know she’ll agree. I won’t have my kid grow up with a
rainy day dad.”

“You’re sure?” Bernie asked. “I love you
man, and Miranda, I’ll do this for you, because I know where you’re
coming from, but if you have any doubt.”

“I want to be there,” Maxwell said, pulling
the shard from his pocket and looking at it. “It’s not good for the
kid, though. I need you for this, brother, though I’ve no right to
ask.”

“I can do this for you, Max,” Bernie said.
“Yeah, I’ll do it.”

“Don’t let her get lost like I did,” Maxwell
said. He hung up the phone.

The gas attendant met him on the way to the
car. “Six ninety-three,” he said.

Maxwell pulled a ten from his jacket pocket
and handed it to him. “No change, mate.” He got into the driver’s
seat and looked to the sun visor, where the Polaroid of him and
Miranda on his motorcycle was pinned. He stared at the photo for a
moment before wiping a tear away and starting the engine.

“Only a few more miles now, Miss McCullen,”
he told his spectral passenger.