Demented screams tore from him with no beginning and no end. The screams maniacal until a sting in his arm had the crazed sound slowing until there was nothing but the vacant shell he’d become.
“Ink, get her out of here. Butcher, cuff him to the bed until Ink and Chain get back from dumping her body. I need to get this video uploaded. This one is going to make me more money than the one I let the Count direct to tell me how he wanted Reaper hurt. You sure he’s not going anywhere?”
“You kidding? Fuck, I don’t think he’s even on planet Earth anymore.”
Incognizant of being left alone in the bedroom instead of his cot in the basement, he lay motionless on the bed, not even a faint flicker of reason left or the ability to feel the light wind that had the curtain swaying.
Indistinct music teased at him, trying to ignite the dying, infinitesimal spark that was left within him. The wind blew harder through the window as thunder roared and lightning lit the sky, strengthening the force of the air hitting him. It traveled down his arm and settled on his palm as if a hand was holding his, giving promises he could no longer hear.
“Don’t give up … Endure … You’re not alone … Survive … They’re coming.”
The vacant shell couldn’t hear the promises that the drugs whispered to him. There was nothing left.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ginny 18 / Gavin 31
“Can I get more coffee?”
“Give me a sec.” Tucking her pencil behind her ear, Ginny gave a quick smile to her customer as she rushed behind the counter. Was it just because she was tired or was the diner busier than usual? She was already running on empty after working last night at the theater. Instead of falling asleep when she got home, she had spent half the early morning tossing and turning before managing to fall asleep. There were two more hours on her shift at the diner, then she had to grab a bite to eat before going to her second job.
The job at the theater was moderately better—simply cleaning and getting the place ready for the next day—but it had her days and nights turned around, which sucked.
“You have customers waiting to be seated.” Her coworker gave her a condescending look as Ginny reached past her for the coffee pot.
“I see them.” Staring Carly down, Ginny retorted, “It would help if you would seat the customers after Toby buses the tables, when you’re not busy at the counter.”
“I’m helping prep the orders.”
“Really?” Putting the coffee pot down on the prep table, she reached through the order window and grabbed the hot plate and the ticket. Ginny quickly scanned the order before sliding the ticket into her apron. “I must have missed that.” Grabbing the plate and pot of coffee, she hurried to serve the order, ignoring the nasty look Carly gave her.
The twenty-nine-year-old waitress had the owner in the palm of her hand, and she used it to shirk her share of the work. Normally Ginny ignored her hostile behavior, but the longer she worked at the diner, the harder it was to do.
Carly might have the stronger personality, because of her relationship with the owner—which had her thinking she could say whatever she wanted—but Carly was messing with the wrong girl. Ginny had been forced to live with Lisa’s demands, and there was no way she was going to find herself under someone else’s thumb ever again, no matter how much she needed a job.
Lisa was a lousy foster mother, but she forced Ginny to grow a backbone that could easily withstand another bitch trying to walk all over her.
Refilling the coffee cup and giving a customer his hamburger, she then refilled four other coffee cups before taking the pot back to the coffeemaker. Counting out menus, she hurried to the door to escort the group waiting to be seated, showing Pastor Dean, Willa, and four children to a table for six.
As rushed as Ginny was, she felt for Willa, sensing she was uncomfortable with the town’s busybodies watching them as they took their chairs. She’d heard the rumors circulating around the restaurant about Willa taking in foster children but had no doubt the gentle woman would do better than Lisa had done for her.
Everyone born and raised in Treepoint knew Willa. Ginny knew her casually from church and had met her briefly when she came into the insurance office that Ginny had worked at prior to the diner.
“Do you know what you want, or do you need me to come back?” she asked once Willa, Dean and the children were settled.
“We can order and save you a trip.”
Ginny gave Willa a grateful smile as she started taking their orders. Willa ordered for the two younger ones before letting the older children order for themselves.