Evil in Hockley by William Buckel Page B

pulled away.
    He said,
    “I can’t tell you why but I know Jarrod
was murdered. You’re right, it’s way beyond what I intended but I
had no control over that. Ask yourself why you’re here?”
    Harry was silent for a moment then
said,
    “If you want to leave then I won’t even
try to stop you, either of you. As a matter of fact you should both
go.”
    He turned to Sandy.
    “You killed a man last night. I’m
sorry.”
    Sandy raised her brow.
    “If I hadn’t we’d all be dead or like
Shelley. Not for me. I might have left finger prints on the
pitchfork handle though.”
    Karma said,
    “No, I wiped the handle
clean.”
    Harry kept watch while Sandy slept then
they changed places. Karma chanted trying to keep Shelley alive but
life seemed to slowly drain from the woman.
    “I’m attempting to keep Shelley alive
and Lenea is attempting to kill her. I can feel my sister’s
energy.”
    Harry eyed Shelley and saw a greying in
her skin he’d not seen before.
    “Is there anything we can do? Anything
you can think of?”
    “My mother Marie knows more than I do.
She wouldn’t teach Lenea everything. Wouldn’t trust her. That’s why
Voodoo magic has lost power over the years as less and less is
passed onto the next generation. A lack of trust issue.”
    “Where is your mother now?”
    “New Orleans.”
    “Could you ask her to come
here?”
    “I could but she would never come,
never leave the environment she feels comfortable in. She’s the
Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Lenea calls herself the Voodoo Queen
of everywhere else.”
    “And John Dean’s the mystery
man?”
    “Yup. You finally got it.”
    “Not really. How exactly do you fit
in?”
    “I’m the disloyal daughter. Left the
family behind and became a whore.”
    “You have power.”
    “I have a witch’s power. I could never
put Shelley or Tony in a trance the way Lenea did.”
    “We need a passport for Shelley if
we’re going to cross the border.”
    “She kept some paperwork at Tony’s
place. In a basement shelf. I don’t think they’d suspect you of
going there.”
    “But if I go there I have to leave you
two women alone.”
    “Only for a couple of hours at the
most. We’ll handle ourselves. Sandy’s no wallflower and neither am
I.”
    “I’ll be back in two hours then. Get
Shelley ready to leave.”
    Harry started his Cuda and left the
lane then drove northeast to Tony’s place. He arrived in half an
hour and parked his car in front of Tony’s house, or what used to
be his house before Harry and the women buried him in the woods. He
rummaged through cabinets in the basement and soon found one full
of papers. He found Shelley’s passport and as a first stroke of
luck it was up to date.
    When Harry came up the cellar steps he
was face to face with John Dean. But then he had been before in
this house and the man disappeared. Was he real?
    “Hello Harry. Long time no see. You and
Shelley taking a trip? I see you have her passport.”
    “Now that she’s better I thought me and
Sandy would take her to Disneyland.”
    “Hah, you’re a laugh. Why don’t you
give me the passport, Harry. I don’t think she’ll need it after
today.”
    “Then why do you want it? Tell me John
old buddy. Why the fuck are we doing this dance? You say nobody
knows shit.”
    “We’re doing this because you think Joe
Sharky killed your brother and I’m doing it because I’m being paid.
Now give me the passport.”
    “Fuck you.”
    Harry shoved John Dean on the way out
of the door. He felt Dean’s hand on his shoulder and the next thing
Harry knew he was tumbling down the front steps. Dean was strong.
Harry felt a boot hit his stomach and another hit him square in the
face. He rolled trying to get away from Dean, straight to his car.
He rolled under the Cuda and lay on his back. Dean’s boot caught
him in the right rib cage. Harry twisted his way out from under the
car holding his Beretta.
    He shot Dean three times.
    One in the head, one in the chest