The Waiting: A Supernatural Thriller(32)

Larissa Kluge: 1880–1920. Resident of Mill River since 1905. Deceased Wednesday, November 10, 1920, at her home.

Allison Kaufman: 1885–1920. Resident of Mill River since 1885. Deceased Wednesday, November 10, 1920.

“That’s too much of a coincidence, buddy.” He looked at Shaun, only partially seeing him. “Two young people in a small town both die on the same day and another disappears?”

Shaun finished his malt with a loud sucking sound. Evan chuckled.

“Was it good?”

Shaun burped a little and smiled. “Ah.”

Evan laughed harder. “Ah, like you’re satisfied?”

“Ah!” Shaun yelled.

He got up from his chair, still laughing, to kiss him on the forehead.

“You’re a card, buddy.”

“Car.”

“Yep, card.”

Evan sat and shot a quick email off to Jason, covering his ideas about the article he wanted to write. He finished it with the facts about Abel and his wife’s mysterious deaths.

“And now we wait for Uncle Jason to come through again,” he said, shutting his laptop.

Shaun stared at a crow perched on the top of a towering pine behind the café. The crow cocked its ebony head and stared back. Evan watched it for a time before finishing his cooling coffee in a few eager gulps. The sleeplessness of the night before hadn’t caught up with him yet, and he didn’t want it to. After ordering another coffee to go from the waitress, he glanced at the pine tree again as they got up to leave. The crow was gone.

The sun brightened the day further, warming the air into a promise of summer. When they parked the van at Collins Outfitters, Evan’s heart lightened at the thought of his afternoon plans. He carried Shaun into the store and stopped inside the door. A smell of minnows pervaded the air, but other than that, the shop looked clean and tidy, with racks of fishing poles beside coolers, stacks of tackle boxes, and several hangers full of sweatshirts and rain gear.

“Ho! There they be,” Jacob said, as he strode into the main area of the shop from a rear entrance. “Good mornin’ ta ya both.” He shook Shaun’s hand and lightly slapped Evan on the arm.

“Good morning,” Evan said. “Looked like you were busy earlier.”

“Aye, nice fer a change too, been a bit slow round here lately. What are you two fine fellers up ta this mornin’?”


“We came in to have a little coffee and a malt,” Evan said, shifting Shaun to his other hip. “Did the twins give you my message yesterday?”

Jacob scowled for a second, then smiled. “Ah, yes. Sorry, boyo, got home late yesterday evenin’ and thought ’twas too late ta call. Was on me list this mornin’, though.”

Evan nodded. “No problem. Actually, Arnold helped me out quite a bit. I’m working on an article concerning that clock that’s in the basement at the house, and I was looking for some background information on it. I didn’t know if you knew anything else about Abel Kluge and his wife.”

Jacob shook his head. “Those boys would know a fair bit more’n I would, all I ever heard was the man was a recluse, and not a kind one at that. No doubt they mentioned Cecil ta ya?”

“Yeah. She hung up on me when I called her.”

Jacob laughed. “Oh, that’s Cecil all right. She don’t come ta town more’n twice a year. Gets some groceries delivered every few weeks. You’ll be lucky if ya get ’er ta talk.”

Evan knew he was right. Part of him wanted to drive out to the woman’s house right then, bang on her door until she let him in, but that wasn’t how these things were done.

“We’ll see,” Evan said, with a smile. “Anyway, we wanted to do some fishing today, and we’re going to need some bait.”

Jacob’s face lit up. “Oh, that’ll be great. Sure, I’ll setcha up with some minners and crawlers.”

“I’m guessing I’ll need a license too,” Evan said.

“Let’s take care of that first,” Jacob said.

In a matter of minutes he had the small page filled out for Evan, asking him the occasional question. He then bustled around the shop, gathering a couple of small cartons, filling one with dirt and the other with water. When he’d finished, small, dark shapes flitting against the inside of the minnow container.

“Thanks so much,” Evan said.

He tried to walk toward the cash register at the far end of the store, but Jacob tightly held on to the bait and herded them toward the door.

“Get on with ya, can’t carry young Shaun here and the bait all at once.”

“Jacob, I’m going to pay you,” Evan said, reaching for his wallet.

“Three beers,” is all Jacob said, winking at him as he walked with them down to the pontoon.

After filling up the boat with gas, Jacob pointed to a small bay down the shoreline and told them about two other spots on the north side of the lake that were always good for a walleye or two. Evan thanked him and then piloted the craft away from shore, waving once at Jacob, who hurried back up the ramp to his store.

They stopped at the island to grab two fishing rods and then set off, eventually dropping anchor at the first spot Jacob had pointed out. Evan sat behind Shaun, helping him hold his rod and cast into the cool water, shaded by an overhanging birch tree. At first Shaun became frustrated as he tried to crank the reel, but soon he got the hang of it. Evan had to slow down his furious pace, otherwise the bait barely touched the water before the boy had it back in the boat.