The Appeal of Evil (The Road to Salvation) (13 page)

“Is this your mom?”

Wes stepped forward and looked at the picture. He placed his hand over Katie’s. A sad smile crossed his lips. “Yeah.”

“Who is this with her?”

 “My sister.”

“Your older sister? My mom told me your mom and sister died in childbirth.”

Wes took the picture and placed it back on the shelf. He kept his back toward Katie for a long time, his head hung low. “My mom and sister aren’t dead. They’re someplace safe. Where demons can’t find them. Where they can’t be used to hurt us.”

Katie’s mouth dropped open. “They’re still alive? Well, that’s great! My mom told me you and your dad were so distressed when you…faked their deaths. What are they like? How often do you see them?”

Wes lowered his head and sighed. “Katie, I can’t.”

“Can’t what?”

“I can’t talk about my family. I can’t reveal anything that could potentially put them in danger.”

Katie felt a cold spot settle in her chest. “Don’t you trust me?”

Wes turned slowly, sorrow filled his eyes. “I do trust you, Katie, but…”

That one word caused her breath to catch and the cold to spread to her extremities.

“If Josh captures you again, or any demon, I don’t want them to torture the information out of you.”

Katie lowered her gaze to the floor. Nothing was going to change in their relationship. It was blatantly obvious. He would always be afraid she was going to betray him. He would never allow himself to let her in. Without saying a word, she turned and ran out of his house.

KATIE DIDN’T GO HOME.
Wes would find her there. When she hit the street, she ran. She had no idea where she was going, but she just needed to be alone. Disillusionment and anger surged through her body, pumping her legs faster and faster. Her breathing rasped, giving her something to focus on besides what had just happened. She didn’t want to think about it. How could he not trust her after all these years? What had she ever done to make him think she would betray him? She’d saved his life! She shook her head. Wes needed to be cleared from her system.

Her body finally gave out. Her legs wouldn’t move anymore, her lungs burned for oxygen, and black dots danced in front of her eyes. She collapsed into the sitting position. With her head in her hands, she sucked in ragged breaths until her vision cleared and her breathing slowed. When some energy returned, she took in her surroundings. It took a moment, but she recognized where she was. She sat on the thin patch of grass in the parking lot next to her mom’s work. Her subconscious must have taken her there. She needed someone to talk to, and if she could make anyone understand, it was Mom. Slowly, with shaky legs, she got to her feet and headed into the building.

Mom’s office was on the third floor, and Katie leaned against the wall in the elevator to stay upright. Her body shook with exhaustion. Her mouth had gone dry. Thankfully, she could get a drink from the water cooler at the end of the hall. She downed three cups before heading to her mom’s office. As usual, Mom was at her computer. She turned as Katie entered the room. Her eyes grew wide, she pushed her chair away from the desk and met her half way across the floor, scooping Katie into her arms.

“What happened? What’s wrong?”

Katie wondered how awful she looked for her mom to express so much concern. Without a doubt, her face was red from running, her hair was probably a little disheveled, but she hadn’t been crying, so her eyes wouldn’t have been puffy. Maybe her mom saw the emotional torment under the surface. She didn’t know. She didn’t really care. Katie wrapped her arms around her mom’s waist. It was just nice to be held.

“How well do you really know Wes and Randy?”

Mom pulled away and stared at Katie, concern and fear shrouded her face. “Why? Did they do something to you? Hurt you in some way? Do I need to call the police?”

Katie shook her head. “No, Mom. Nothing like that. I’m just wondering.”

Mom placed her hands on Katie’s cheeks and pulled her close. “Please tell me what’s going on.”

Katie grabbed her wrists and removed her hands. Maybe Mom wasn’t the best person to talk to. She was really starting to frustrate Katie. “Wes and I had a fight. I will tell you about it in a minute. I ran here because I was so upset. Now, please, answer my question and I’ll tell you what’s going on.”

Mom moved toward the chairs in front of her desk, pulling Katie behind her, and sat down. She motioned for Katie to sit next to her, which she happily did. Her knees were just about ready to give out.

“I’m not exactly sure I understand what you’re asking me. How well do I know them?”

Katie nodded. “It’s a pretty straight forward question.”

Mom looked confused. “And one I thought we talked about the other night. I told you, after Randy’s wife died, they shut themselves off from everyone. I don’t know either of them at all anymore.”

“What about before? Did you know them well before?”

Mom shrugged. “I guess. We had dinner with them a few times, but it’s not like we shared secrets.”

“Did you know Randy’s wife really well?”

“Katie, I don’t understand your line of questioning. Will you just tell me what’s going on?”

“After she died,” the word came out of Katie’s mouth strained, “did they have a funeral? Do you know for sure that she was dead?”

The look of confusion on Mom’s face turned into concern. “Of course they had a funeral. For both of them. And I didn’t see the bodies, but I didn’t need to. The look on Randy’s face was enough to convince me.”

Katie leaned forward in her seat. She wanted to tell her mom that they weren’t really dead, that it was all a lie, but she couldn’t get the words out. She couldn’t betray Wes, even if he believed she could.

“Katie, what in the world is going on?”

“Wes and Randy aren’t who you think they are.”

“Katie, you’re making no sense.”

“They’re Praesuls, Mom. They fight demons.” She didn’t feel bad about telling her mom that, it wasn’t like the demons didn’t already know what they were. Besides, she had to tell someone. She needed help figuring out what to do. “Randy wasn’t actually injured in a car accident. He was attacked by a demon.”

Mom pressed her lips into a thin line and stared at Katie.

“I can prove it!” Katie jumped from her seat. “Come with me. Wes and Randy will tell you everything.”

Mom calmly stood from her seat and walked around her desk. Grabbing her purse, she pulled out her keys. Hope surged through Katie. Finally! Someone was actually listening to her. Maybe now she’d finally get some answers instead of more lies.

On the way out, Mom stopped at her boss’s office and told her she had some family business to attend to. Mom told her she would call later with more details. She leaned forward on the desk and lowered her voice. Katie assumed Mom was giving her boss a few details about what was happening and glanced down the hall, anxious to leave. Her boss nodded and told her to take all the time she needed. As Mom walked out of the office, Katie noticed her boss pick up her phone, but thought nothing else of it.

Mom held Katie’s hand in the elevator. Katie shifted from one foot to the other. Couldn’t the dang thing move any faster? She practically ran to the car, pulling her mom behind her. She was half tempted to drive so she could get there quickly, but Mom wouldn’t give her the keys. Katie stared out the window as they headed down the street.

It didn’t take long for Katie to realize they weren’t heading to Wes and Randy’s house. They were going in the opposite direction. Confused, she turned to her mom.

“Where are we going? I thought you wanted to hear the truth.”

Mom’s voice was low, calm. “Katie, I think you might be having some kind of reaction to the dog bite. The doctor said it was possible. Rabies are quite common.”

“Rabies?” Katie’s voice was just below a screech. “I don’t have rabies! I’m not making this up.” She searched frantically for a way out of the car, but Mom was driving too fast. Maybe at the next red light. She leaned forward in her seat, waiting for her chance to get out. Mom reached across the seat and took a hold of her arm.

“It’s going to be fine. The doctors will check you out and give you some medicine.”

Katie tried to get her mom’s hand off her, but she had too tight of a grip. As luck would have it, all the lights stayed green. Katie’s breathing became rapid as they pulled in front of the hospital. This was not how she envisioned this happening. She really needed to get away. As soon as Mom let go to get out of her door, she’d be gone. But Mom didn’t let go. Instead, the nurses were already waiting for her when they pulled up! How did they know she was coming? Katie screamed in frustration. This couldn’t be happening! How could her mom do this to her? The men opened the car door and pulled her out.

“Let me go!” She kicked and wiggled in the man’s grasp. “Let me go!”

Another grabbed her ankles and ushered her into the hospital. They plopped her onto a gurney and held her down. A female nurse approached from her right with a needle in her hand. Katie felt the cool wetness of the alcohol pad on her arm. She increased her efforts to get away, but the men were too strong. Her heart thudded in her chest, panic surged through her veins. She felt a small prick in her arm and liquid burn under her flesh. Within a few seconds, her body went limp, and her voice went silent. She had no fight left. The men released their grips and backed away from her.

“She should be fine now,” the female nurse said. “That tranquilizer will keep her calm for a few hours. Let me grab some paperwork and we’ll get her checked in.”

Mom sat next to Katie on the bed and grabbed her hand. Katie would have jerked it out of her grasp, but she had no control over her muscles. She stroked Katie’s hair. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry, baby. I really am. But I want you to be well.”

Katie would have rolled away from Mom, but she had no energy. Instead, she closed her eyes and tried to pretend she wasn’t there. Katie barely heard her mom talking to the nurse, giving her the vital information to admit her to the hospital. The thought sickened her; the disappointment made Katie’s chest ache. Mom’s voice hitched often as she fought back the tears. Eventually, the nurse left with a squeak of shoes on linoleum.

A while later, Katie had no idea how long, the doctor entered the room. She opened her eyes for that, hoping he would see that she wasn’t really sick, that this was all a misunderstanding. He smiled and held out his hand.

“Mrs. Barrett, it’s nice to see you again.” He nodded toward Katie. “And you too, Katie.” He turned back to her mom. “I appreciate the phone call that you were on your way in. Made it easy to get that sedative ordered, just in case. From what I hear, she needed it.”

Katie’s mind barely comprehended what the doctor was saying. What phone call? Mom never made any call. Slowly, as if emerging from a fog, the vision of her mom’s boss picking up the phone as they left materialized in her mind. Anger flared in her chest. That would explain why the nurses were waiting for her.

The doctor flipped through the pages of the chart, then set them on the bed and unwrapped the bandage on her arm. “Well, I don’t see any signs of infection in the punctures. They look like they’re healing rather nicely.” He picked the chart up again. “You have concerns about rabies?”

Mom nodded. “Yes.” Her voice croaked. “When you stitched her up the other day, you said it was a possibility and to keep my eyes on her. You said if she started acting abnormally I should bring her back right away.”

He folded his hands over the chart and held it to his body. “It is still a distinct possibility. We’ll have to do some blood work and keep her overnight for observation. If that’s all right with you?”

“Yes. Please. I want her to be well.”

The doctor plastered a sympathetic smile onto his face. “Of course. Let me get the paperwork filled out and we’ll set her up in a room.” He turned and left.

Katie wanted to protest, to yell and scream that she was all right, that her mom should call Wes and he would clear everything up, but what was the point? No one would believe her. Why did she think she could say anything to her mom? The one person who should have listened to her didn’t. Where did that leave Katie? Alone. With no one to talk to. She squeezed her eyes shut once again.

The nurse returned later and wheeled Katie from the emergency room. Katie didn’t open her eyes for the trip. She didn’t care where she was going. What difference did it make? It wasn’t like she was going to be able to escape anyway. The drugs kept her perfectly immobile. When they reached their destination, the nurse opened and closed some cupboard doors and placed something on Katie’s feet. She opened her eyes and glanced down. It looked like a gown.

“You’ll need to wear these while you’re here,” the nurse explained. “I’m sure your mom can help you into them.”

“Of course,” her mom answered.

The nurse stepped out of the room, and her mom placed her hands under Katie’s shoulders, helping her into a sitting position.

“C’mon, Katie. Help me out here.”

“Why?” The word croaked out of her mouth. Katie barely recognized the voice as her own.

Mom stopped fussing and sat down. Her face was red, puffy, and tear streaked. Mom looked horrible. If Katie wasn’t so angry, she would have almost felt sorry for her.

“You need to get well, honey. I think you have some major issues. Please. Do it for me. Help me out. You know how I worry about you.”

“And if I’m not sick?” Her tongue felt thick in her mouth, it was hard to move her jaw muscles.

“We’ll worry about that when we need to worry about that.”

Katie snorted and lifted her hands above her head as best as she could. No sense fighting against her mom. It wouldn’t get her anywhere. In fact, it might bring the nurse back in with another shot. She didn’t need that. She needed to bide her time, wait for things to wear off, then make her move.

“Call Wes.” Katie hated that the words came out of her mouth, but he would tell her mom what was going on. He’d clear this whole mess up. He had to. He said he wanted things to change between them.