He pretended to look hurt. “I would hope your incredible orgasm would be enough.”
His fingertips brushed across her breasts. It was all she could do to stop from slamming her body against the side of the car, bolting from his reach. Instead, she sat perfectly still. Don’t think, she told herself. Shut off. But she wanted to scream when his hand fondled her breast, squeezing her nipple, watching and smiling at it growing hard and erect under his touch.
He put out his cigarette and scooted closer so that his other hand could assault her thigh. The stubby fingers slithered up, and she watched as they disappeared under her skirt. She refused to part her thighs for him, and this time he laughed, his breath sour in her face.
“Come on, Christine, relax.”
“I’m just nervous.” Her voice quivered, and he seemed pleased. “Do you have protection?”
“Don’t you use anything?” He shoved his hand between her thighs.
“I haven’t…” It was hard to think with his rough gropes. She wanted to throw up. “I haven’t been with anyone since Bruce.”
“Really?” His fingers poked at her, pulling at her underwear to allow him access. “Well, I don’t use condoms.”
She couldn’t breathe. “I’m afraid we can’t do this if you don’t.”
He obviously mistook her breathlessness for excitement.
“That’s okay,” he said, running the fingertips of his other hand over her lips and pushing his thumb into her mouth. “There’s other things we can do.”
Her stomach lurched Would she throw up? She couldn’t…couldn’t afford to make him angry. He reached down, unzipped his trousers and pulled out his erect penis. It snaked out of his pants, long and thick. He took her hand. She snatched it away. He smiled and took it again, wrapping her fingers around him and squeezing his hand over hers until she could feel the bulging vein throbbing alongside it. He groaned and leaned back.
She couldn’t do this. There was no way she could put her mouth on him.
“Do you really know where Timmy is?” she asked one more time, trying to remind herself of her mission.
He closed his eyes and his breathing rasped. “Oh baby, squeeze and suck me real good, and I’ll tell you anything you want to hear.”
At least his hands were off her. Then she remembered the cigarette in her other hand, the long ash lingering at the end. She took another draw until the end glowed red-hot. She squeezed him, digging her nails into the hard thickness.
“What the fuck!”
His eyes flew open. He grabbed for her hand. She shoved the flaming cigarette into his face. He howled, reeling against the door and swatting at his scorched cheek. She reached around him, grabbing the door handle. His hands snapped around her wrists, immediately letting go when she slammed her knee up into his erect penis. He sucked in for air. She scooped up the beer bottle, and when he grabbed for her again, she cracked it across his head. Another howl, a high-pitched, inhuman screech. She scooted to her side of the seat, anchored her back against her impenetrable door. She brought her knees up, and with all the strength she could gather, slammed her high-heeled feet into his chest. Eddie flew out the door.
He sprawled in the snow and dirt, but was getting to his feet when she pulled his door shut, locking it and checking the other doors. He pounded on the glass as her fingers fumbled with the keys in the ignition. The Chevy sputtered to life with one try.
Eddie climbed onto the hood, screaming at her and kicking at the windshield. A small crack raced across, spreading into a spiderweb. She threw the car into reverse and slammed on the accelerator, sending the car careening backward, almost into the ditch. Eddie flew from the hood. He scrambled to his feet as she shifted into Drive and floored it, skidding recklessly from ditch to ditch, sending gravel spitting.
Then the car plunged down the winding road into a hole of black. The headlights. She grabbed at knobs, sending the wipers swishing and the radio blaring. She looked down for only a second, found the knob and lit up the road, just in time to see the sharp curve. Even with both hands twisting the steering wheel, it wasn’t enough. Both her feet slammed on the brake, and the car screeched as it flew across the snow-filled ditch, through the barbed- wire fence and into a tree.
Chapter 81
Nick watched the dark church in the rearview mirror as the Jeep bounced over the deep tire tracks, the only things identifying the deserted road.
“You sure you didn’t see a light?”
Maggie glanced over the back of the seat. “Maybe it was a reflection. There is a moon out tonight.”
The wood-framed church looked dark and gray, disappearing from the rearview mirror as he took the sharp turn up into the graveyard. Now to his left, he stared at the church again. It was set in the middle of a snow-covered field with tall, brown grass stabbing through the white. The paint had peeled away years ago, leaving raw and rotting wood. All the stained-glass windows had been removed or broken and boarded up. Even the huge front door deteriorated behind thick boards that were haphazardly pounded in at odd diagonals.
“It looked like a light,” Nick said. “In one of the basement windows.”
“Why don’t you check it out. I can wander around here for a while.”
“I only have one flashlight.” He leaned over, careful not to touch her, snapping open the glove compartment.
“That’s okay, I have this.” She shined the tiny penlight into his eyes.
“Oh, yeah. That should show you a lot.”
She smiled, and suddenly he realized how close his hand was to her thigh. He grabbed the flashlight and made a hasty retreat.
“I can leave the headlights on.” Though at this angle they shot into the trees, over the rows of headstones.
“No, that’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t understand why they always build graveyards on hills,” he said, switching off the headlights. They both sat still, neither making an effort to leave the Jeep. There was something more she was thinking about. He’d sensed it ever since they left his office. Was it Albert Stucky? Did this place-this dark- remind her of him?
“You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said too quickly, continuing to stare straight ahead. “Just waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dark.”
A fence surrounded the graveyard, twisted wire held up by bent and leaning steel rods. The gate hung on one hinge, swinging and clicking back and forth though there was no wind. A chill slithered down Nick’s back. He’d hated this place, ever since he was a kid and Jimmy Montgomery dared him to run up and touch the black angel.
It was impossible not to notice the angel, even in the black of night. At this angle, looking up the hill, the tall stone figure hovered above the other tombstones. Its chipped wings only made it more menacing. His memory was of Halloween, almost twenty-five years ago. Then suddenly, he remembered that tomorrow was Halloween. And, although it was silly, he swore he could hear the ghostly groans again. The pained, hollow moans rumored to seep from the tomb the angel guarded.
“Did you hear that?” His eyes darted over the rows. He flashed on the headlights, realized he was being ridiculous and snapped them off. “Sorry,” he mumbled, avoiding Maggie’s eyes, though he could feel them studying him now. Another bubbleheaded move like that and she’d be wondering why she’d invited him along. Thankfully, she said nothing.
As if reading each other’s minds, they reached for the door handles at the same time. Again, hers clicked. “Damn,” he muttered. “I’ve got to get that fixed. Hold on.”
He jumped out and hurried around to open the door for her. Then he stood silently by her side, mesmerized by the spot of moonlight caught on the angel’s face, radiating a glow almost as if from within. “Nick, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” How could she not see that? He pulled his eyes away. “I’ll just go… I’ll check out the
