Page 10 of In the Monster's Wake
“What do you mean?”Leroy asked.
“I don’t think you’ll be able to convince Jasper to come back until he’s ready, but he could still work on this case and find the monster.”
Jasper opened his mouth to tell his mother that he’d never be ready, but it wasn’t worth the fight.It wasn’t like either of his parents would listen to him, anyway.
Jasper expected his father to treat the suggestion like it was ridiculous, but to his surprise and dismay, Leroy seemed to actually think about it.“It’s not a bad idea.Jasper could show the hunters that he still has it, and it’ll make his return easier.”
Leroy never listened, did he?It wasn’t worth the effort.No matter how many times Jasper repeated that he was done with the hunters, his father ignored him.
“What do you think?”his mother asked him.
She was pleading with her gaze.She was trying to keep the peace, and even though saying yes was the last thing Jasper wanted, he also wanted to make his mother happy.Saying yes would get his father off his back for at least a little while.He didn’t even have to do anything.He could tell his father that he was working on it, and once Leroy reached the end of his patience, Jasper would explain that he’d done everything he could but hadn’t been able to catch up with the monster.
There was no way he was fighting that thing again.He’d done so the other night because he’d wanted to save someone, but he wasn’t an idiot.He wouldn’t be putting himself in that kind of danger a second time.There was a reason he’d left the hunters—well, several reasons.He didn’t fancy putting his life in danger again the way he had for years.He’d managed to survive his years as a hunter with all his limbs attached.He was keeping them that way, thank you very much.
“Fine,” he grumbled.“I’ll look into it, but I’m not making promises.That monster was fast and strong.He would’ve killed me if the hunters hadn’t arrived.Besides, if he’s smart, he’s probably already left town.”
“He hasn’t,” Leroy said.
Jasper didn’t know why his father sounded so convinced of that, but unfortunately, he agreed with him.Whatever the monster was up to, Jasper doubted that he was done.
* * * *
THE MOST BORING PARTof every job was the beginning of it when Archibald and Braith had to gather information.It meant spending hours sitting at their desk, making phone calls and reading news articles.It also meant talking to a bunch of people who usually didn’t want to talk to them, which was never fun.
“Kester?”he asked the monster standing in front of him.
She glanced around as if looking for a way to escape.She was twitchy, but Archibald couldn’t tell if it was because of the monster they were talking about or if there was more to it.He didn’t care.He just wanted answers.
She nodded.“You know Kester.He’s the bogeyman.”
Archibald snorted.“We’re monsters.Every one of us is the bogeyman.”
She shook her head.“You don’t understand.There’s us, and then there’s him.He kills because he feels like it.I heard a story once that he killed someone because he didn’t like the color of their shirt.”
To be fair, Archibald sometimes wished he could do the same because some people wore clothes that should never have been made.“And who did you hear that from?Your mother’s cousin’s sister’s best friend?”
She didn’t seem to notice Archibald’s tone.“No, it was my cousin’s boyfriend.He said he was there when it happened.”
And Archibald was the Pope.
He sighed.He needed answers, not stories.Still, there might be something true about this.“What can you tell me about Kester?”
“Nothing.”
“I don’t believe that.”
She shuffled her feet and glanced around again.Maybe she expected this Kester guy to pop up from behind the mountain of trash bags by the door.Archibald wished they could’ve talked anywhere but in the alleyway behind a fast-food joint.The smell alone was enough for him to want to be anywhere but here.
“I’ve heard he has bird feet,” she whispered.“And really long arms that he uses to strangle people and tear them apart.He eats people, too.”
Archibald wasn’t sure anything she was saying was true, but he still took mental notes.It wouldn’t be outlandish to have a monster look the way she described.“So he has fangs?”
“A lot of them.”
“And do you know where we can find this guy?”
She shook her head and took a step back, almost tripping on a soda can.“I’ve never seen him, and I don’t want to.If you see him, you die.”
