Practical Demonkeeping (Pine Cove 1)

Chapter 31-32

31

GOOD GUYS

Augustus Brine, Travis, and Gian Hen Gian were squeezed into the seat of Brine's pickup. As they approached Effrom and Amanda's house, they spotted a beige Dodge parked in the driveway.

"Do you know what kind of car they drive?" Travis asked.

Brine was slowing down. "An old Ford, I think. "

"Don't slow down. Keep going," Travis said.

"But why?"

"I'd bet anything that Dodge is a police car. There's a whip antenna pinned down on the back. "

"So what? You haven't done anything illegal. " Brine wanted to get it over with and get some sleep.

"Keep going. I don't want to answer a lot of questions. We don't know what Catch has been doing. We can come back later, after the police leave. "

The Djinn said, "He has a point, Augustus Brine. "

"All right. " Brine gunned the pickup and sped by.

In a few minutes they were sitting in Jenny's kitchen listening to the answering machine. They had gone in the back way to avoid the burnt, doughy mess in the front yard.

"Well," Travis said, resetting the machine, "that buys us a little time before we have to explain it to Jenny. "

"Do you think Catch will come back here?" Brine asked.

"I hope so," Travis said.

"Can't you concentrate your will on bringing him back until we can find out if Amanda still has the candlesticks?"

"I've been trying. I don't understand this much more than you do. "

"Well, I need a drink," Brine said. "Is there anything in the house?"

"I doubt it. Jenny said she couldn't keep anything in the house or her husband would drink it. She drank all the wine last night. "

"Even some cooking sherry would be fine," Brine said, feeling a little sleazy as he spoke.

Travis began going through the cupboards.

"Should you find a small quantity of salt, I would be most grateful," the Djinn said.

Travis found a box of salt among the spices and was handing it to the Djinn when the phone rang.

They all froze and listened as the machine played Jenny's outgoing message. After the beep there was a pause, then a woman's voice. "Travis, pick up. " It was not Jenny.

Travis looked to Brine. "No one knows I'm here. "

"They do now. Pick it up. "

Travis picked up the phone, and the answering machine clicked off.

"This is Travis. "

Brine watched the color drain out of the demonkeeper's face as he listened. "Is she all right?" Travis said into the phone. "Let me talk to her. Who are you? Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"

Brine couldn't imagine what was going on in the conversation.

Suddenly Travis screamed into the phone, "He's not an Earth spirit  -  he's a demon. How can you be so stupid?"

Travis listened for a moment more, then looked at Augustus Brine and covered the receiver with his hand. "Do you know where there are some caves to the north of town?"

"Yes," Brine said, "the old mushroom farm. "

Travis spoke into the phone, "Yes, I can find it. I'll be there at four. " He sat down hard on one of the kitchen chairs and let the phone fall into its cradle.

"What's going on?" Brine demanded.

Travis was shaking his head. "Some woman is holding Jennifer and Amanda and her husband hostage. Catch is with her and she has the candlesticks. And you were right, there are three invocations. "

"I don't understand," Brine said. "What does she want?"

"She thinks that Catch is some kind of benevolent Earth spirit. She wants his power. "

"Humans are so ignorant," the Djinn said.

"But what does she want with you?" Brine asked. "She has the candlesticks and the invocations. "

"They're in Greek. They want me to translate the invocations or they'll kill Jenny. "

"Let them," the Djinn said. "Perhaps you can bring Catch under control with the woman dead. "

Travis exploded. "They thought of that, you little troll! If I don't show up at four, they'll kill Jenny and destroy the invocation. Then we'll never be able to send Catch back. "

Augustus Brine checked his watch. "We've got exactly an hour and a half to come up with a plan. "

"Let us retire to the saloon and consider our options," the Djinn said.

32

THE HEAD OF THE SLUG

Augustus Brine led the way into the Head of the Slug. Travis followed, and Gian Hen Gian shuffled in last. The saloon was nearly empty: Robert was sitting at the bar, another man sat in the dark at a table in the back, and Mavis was behind the bar. Robert turned as they entered. When he saw Travis, he jumped off the stool.

"You fucking asshole!" Robert screamed. He stormed toward Travis with his fist cocked for a knockout blow. He got four steps before Augustus Brine threw out a massive forearm that caught him in the forehead. There was a flash of tennis shoes flailing in the air as Robert experienced the full dynamic range of the clothesline effect. A second later he lay on the floor unconscious.

"Who is that?" Travis asked.

"Jenny's husband," Brine answered, bending over and inspecting Robert's neck for any jutting vertebrae. "He'll be okay. "

"Maybe we should go somewhere else. "

"There isn't time," Brine said. "Besides, he might be able to help. "

Mavis Sand was standing on a plastic milk box peering over the bar at Robert's supine form. "Nice move, Asbestos," she said. "I like a man that can handle himself. "

Brine ignored the compliment. "Do you have any smelling salts?"

Mavis climbed down from her milk box, rummaged under the bar for a moment, and came up with a gallon bottle of ammonia. "This should do it. " To Travis and the Djinn she said: "You boys want anything?"

Gian Hen Gian stepped up to the bar. "Could I trouble you for a small quantity. . . "

"A salty dog and a draft, please," Travis interrupted.

Brine wrapped one arm under Robert's armpits and dragged him to a table. He propped him up in a chair, retrieved the ammonia bottle from the bar, and waved it under Robert's nose.

Robert came to, gagging.

"Bring this boy a beer, Mavis," Brine said.

"He ain't drinking today. I've been pouring him Cokes since noon. "