The Waiting: A Supernatural Thriller(11)

He walked through the living room. As he neared the windows overlooking the lake, the signal gained another bar, and he hit Jason’s number. It rang only once before there was a click on the other end.

“Make it okay?” Jason said.

Evan heard the murmur of other people in the background. “Yeah. Hey, can you talk right now, or is it not a good time?”

“Sure, I’m good. Just left a board meeting. What’s up?”

Evan paced to the front door and then back again, shooting a look at the kitchen. “Something’s off here.”

“What do you mean, ‘off’?”

“Who was this last guy you had in the house?”

A pause. “Why?”

“Well, for one, he left his watch and a paperback in the guest room, which isn’t a big deal. But the f*cking fridge is full of rotten food, man. When I opened it up the smell about knocked me over.”

“Really? Was it unplugged?”

“No.”

“What the hell? Yeah, I mean, his name was Bob something ... Garrison? Something like that, anyway. He was a normal guy. Single, lived in Colorado before he moved here, did some handyman stuff to get by. Never had a problem with him until this spring.”

“You said he quit—what happened?”

Another pause. “Well, to be honest, he stopped answering my calls—not that I called him all the time. I gave him a ring in late March, and then again in mid-April. When he didn’t get back to me the second time, I had Jacob go out there and check it out. He said that the place was empty and everything was fine, but no sign of Bob. He cashed the last check I sent him in March, so I thought he got sick of being there and jetted.”

Evan chewed at the inside of his cheek. The house looked slightly different now. Not quite as open and bright as before.

“It looks like he up and left everything sitting here, like he just took off. If he left in March, that would explain why the fridge is so nasty. But how the hell did he leave? Both boats are still here.”

“I’m guessing he hoofed it across the lake since it was still frozen in early April.”

Evan shook his head. “Weird.”

A ding of an elevator came from Jason’s end.

“I don’t know what to tell you, my friend, people are loopy. I’m sorry you guys have to deal with the shitbag’s mess. How’s everything else, though? Jacob get you there okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, he was great, didn’t even charge us for the ride.”

“That’s how he is. He was Dad’s best friend, good guy, except he’s Irish.”

“I’m Irish, you *.”

“I know.”

Evan laughed. “I’m sorry, man, I’m not complaining. The house is great and the island is beautiful. Shaun loves it here so far.”

“Good deal. Hey, I gotta run, there’s a client waiting in my office. I’ll give you a ring later.”

“Okay, talk to you then.”

Jason began speaking to someone else a second before the line disconnected, and Evan felt the warm glow he always did when he reflected on their friendship. There wasn’t another person in the world who knew him better. Now that Elle was gone.

He swallowed and sighed before going to check on Shaun again. When he saw that the boy hadn’t moved a muscle, he turned and headed for the kitchen, mentally preparing himself for the cleaning session he was about to endure.

~

It took him an hour to clean the fridge. Somehow, amongst three gagging episodes and two breaks to check on Shaun, he managed to evict all signs of the decaying food from the GE. After tossing two bags of refuse into a large garbage can outside, Evan finished putting away their food and separated Shaun’s clothes into the chest of drawers in his room. It was nearing five in the evening when Shaun awoke, and they sat down to a simple meal of canned soup.

“Wanna go for a walk, buddy?” Evan asked, as he placed their dirty dishes onto the counter.

Shaun nodded, and he smiled at how rested his little face looked. Sleep was his ally, and Evan tried not to wake him if at all possible, no matter the time of day.

They left the house and made their way around the right side of the building, toward the heavy cover of trees, Evan walking backward and holding Shaun’s hands while Shaun tottered along, concentration etched across his features. Evan had him walk until they reached the boundary of the yard, and then picked him up, swinging him high in the air before depositing him on his shoulders. They threaded their way between the massive trunks and a few brambles that were beginning to sprout, into green foliage. A worn path no more than a foot wide appeared and he angled them toward it. The trail looked beaten, whether by animals or humans, he didn’t know. They followed the track as it snaked ever downward, over exposed rocks and roots. Eventually the wavering surface of the lake became visible. A small ring of rocks sat in a clearing above the waterline, the earth permanently black in its center.

“Wow, nice party spot, buddy,” Evan said, holding Shaun’s hands. “Fire ring,” he annunciated, hoping that Shaun would mimic his words.

“Help!”

The cry was loud and came out of nowhere, turning Evan’s guts with icy surprise. He stopped, trying to determine where the call came from.

“Help! I dropped my paddle in the water.”