The Waiting: A Supernatural Thriller(17)

“Jest wandered off, I s’pose. People do that sometimes durin’ a long winter. Get a bit restless, cabin fever an whatnot. Mighta got lost ’n’ froze in the woods, never know.”

“Wasn’t there a search for him?”

“Sure, local sheriff went ta the Fin, had a look around. Seemed that Bob di’n’t have much, if any, family, none that came callin’ anyway.”

Evan frowned and sought out the dark spot on the lake’s surface. “It’s pretty weird.”

“Yeh, life’s tha’ way, weird shit till we die, I s’pose.”

“You can say that again.” Evan reached out and shook Jacob’s hand. “Now I owe you two beers.”

“I’ve got a tally up in the shop.”

Both men laughed, and Jacob headed up the ramp, toward the store. After parking the van and carrying Shaun back to the pontoon, Evan untied them and set off across the lake. His mind wandered as they cruised along, his eyes scanning the woods bordering the lake. Was Bob’s body somewhere out there, a rotting carcass now bloated beyond recognition?

Or is he still in the house?

Evan shivered despite the warmth of the sun, and shook his head to clear it, as the pontoon’s motor labored to bring them closer and closer to the growing mass of land.





8





The afternoon drifted away from them in a humid curl of time.

They spent an hour outside practicing balancing techniques for Shaun, Evan holding his hand firm at first and then less and less, until he stood for a few seconds on his own. The triumph on his small face sent a warm hum deep in Evan’s chest, and he hugged Shaun close before letting him try again.

Later, Evan laid out a blanket on the grass below the house and they practiced flash cards on the iPad, the interspersed shafts of sunlight rippling around them with the movement of the trees above. The program’s odd mechanical voice sounded out of place in the peaceful yard as Shaun touched each object on the screen. When they finished, they lay side by side, listening to the waves on the shore, Evan telling Shaun a story he made up as he went along. They watched for birds in the branches overhead, Evan drawing a laugh from his son each time he exclaimed loudly and caused the birds to take flight, or at least to ruffle their feathers indignantly.

When Shaun fell asleep, Evan picked him up and carried him inside to his bed, tucking him beneath a single sheet. He watched the slow rise and fall of his chest, the twitch of his fingers as he dreamed. Evan wondered what his dreams were like. Were they full of color and peaceful? Could he walk like other children and speak the words that refused to come while awake?

“Someday, buddy, you just wait,” he whispered.

A knock at the front door jolted Evan back to himself, and he stepped out of Shaun’s room, his heart pounding against his breastbone. He moved to the entry trying to recall if he’d heard a boat motor recently. Should he open it? Who could be calling on them?

Bob.

Stop it.

Steadying himself he opened the door to Selena Belgaurd waiting on the stoop, a smile on her pretty face and a pie cradled in her hands.

“Hi, sorry to bother you,” she said.

“Oh, no, that’s okay,” Evan said, trying to find his bearings.

“I wanted to repay you for helping me yesterday. What’s the saying? ‘Up the creek without a paddle’?”

Evan smiled. “Or across the lake.” She laughed. “Sorry, come on in,” he said, stepping aside.

“Oh, I don’t want to intrude, I just wanted to drop this off for you guys.” She held out the pie to him. Evan took it from her hands. “Hope you like blueberry.”

“Love it.” Evan looked from the pie to Selena’s face, a tilting sensation barely balancing within him. The urge to thank her and shut the door was overpowering, but he muscled past it and held out one hand toward the living room.

“Please, come in, you’re not intruding.”

Selena’s eyes pinched a little with her smile, and he noticed again how blue they were, the color of the lake beneath a clear sky.

“Thank you,” she said, and stepped inside.

Evan shut the door and walked past her to the kitchen, placing the pie on the counter before returning. Selena stood in the middle of the living room, taking in the surroundings.

“This is a really beautiful house.”

“Thanks, we’re liking it so far.”

Selena nodded and looked out the window at the lake, then returned her gaze to him. A nervous tension tightened around him, and his mind spun its wheels, trying to gain traction.

“I’m sorry, would you like something to drink? We have water, milk, wine.”

“Actually, a glass of wine sounds wonderful.”

“Perfect.”

Evan strode to the kitchen and took a deep, calming breath, then searched for something to pour the wine into. He flipped open cupboards until he found two dusty wineglasses, and rinsed them off before uncorking one of the bottles of cabernet sauvignon. When he returned to the living room, he found Selena sitting in the middle of the couch. He handed her a glass and sat in a nearby chair.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

After taking a sip, Selena glanced around. “Where’s your little boy?”

“He’s napping,” Evan said, and motioned toward Shaun’s room.