Page 19 of Deadly Lineage
“No.” He cringed. “I probably won’t be able to hold him for long. I, uh… I was coming back from a job when I heard this one.” Boone hooked a thumb in the direction of the lake. “Given what happened with Rebecca’s soul, I probably should have canceled my appointment tonight.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Nope. I’m a trooper like that.” Boone threw me a wink before his grin faded into a frown. “To be completely honest, I’m wiped, Franklin.”
Boone hardly ever used my first name, and hearing it now, spoken in such a vulnerable tone, did something squishy to my insides. “What can we do to help?” I asked, determined to give Boone whatever he needed.
“That’s what I like about you, Detective. You don’t pussyfoot around the issue.” Pointing toward the boat, Boone said, “Have them get ready. I don’t think our victim’s been down there long, but I’m not sure if there’s anything weighting him down. If so, then I may not be able to do much to get him out. But if we getlucky, the guys in the boat will need to be ready to get wet. They better have good constitutions too.”
I stepped away and spoke into my radio, paraphrasing what Boone had said. After a moment, I waved one of the local boys in blue over and said, “See if anyone’s got any candy, soda, or juice on hand. I’ve got a feeling we’re going to need it.”
The officer’s dark-brown eyes blinked once before he nodded and replied, “I’ll see what I can find.”
Clapping him on the shoulder, I added, “Bring whatever you’ve got back to me.” That taken care of, I turned my attention back to Boone. “I think I’m ready on my end. How about you?”
He shrugged. “Ready as I’m going to get.” Cheeks flushed, Boone stammered, “I-if you don’t mind, you might wanna stay close in case…” He waved a hand in the general direction of the nearby ground.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” I stepped closer, hands at the ready. I wouldn’t allow Boone to fall. “I don’t have a problem touching you, if that’s what you’re afraid of.” I’d seen it too many times before. Many were touch-averse when it came to necromancers. I had no idea why, and had never suffered the same idiocy.
Boone’s cheeks flushed further. “That’s good to know, Detective.” His tongue darted out, licking his bottom lip before slipping back inside. My gaze was far too focused on that slight movement.
Eyes slipping closed, Boone’s body stilled. Only the slight tightening around the corners of his eyes betrayed his actions.
“Gotcha,” Boone whispered before his voice grew in cadence. “Phineas Noland, I call on you to—” Boone dropped, fingers tangled in his hair and his chest heaving.
I sprang into action, catching him and easing us both to the ground. Boone’s body was taut, every muscle clenched withtremors. His mouth was pulled into a god-awful mockery of a scream, but his voice was silent.
“Boone!”
He didn’t answer, simply stayed in that rictus position.
I tried shaking him but to no avail. “Boone!” I shouted again.
Still, nothing.
“Erasmus.”
That got me a jerk and an eyelid flutter.
“Let it go. It’s not worth this.” We’d find the damn body on our own. We’d—
Bubbles stirred in the water, quickly followed by an unholy scream cresting the surface.
With Boone still in my arms, I shouted, “There!” while pointing frantically in the direction of the rising body. The sound of the boat motor picking up steam was barely heard over our victim’s continued screams.
Within a matter of seconds, officers pulled the body out of the water and hauled him over the boat edge.
“They’ve got him. Erasmus. They’ve got Noland. Let him go. Let him go now!”
The word “release” ground through Boone’s clenched teeth. And just like that, the screaming stopped, leaving behind Boone’s soft whimpers.
“Boone?” I cradled him, shifting his body into my lap and resting his head against my chest. “Dammit, Boone, talk to me.” My fingers carded through his damp hair, his whole body drenched in sweat. “Fucking hell, I knew this was a bad idea.” My head snapped up, eyes scanning, but not connecting with all the wide eyes staring my direction. “Where’s that damn candy?”
“I’ve got it!” A different officer ran toward me, a plastic bag filled with God only knew what swinging from one hand, two different types of soda gripped in the other. The cans werejostled enough that I’d get a soda volcano in the face when I opened them.
Falling on his knees, the officer held out the bag and cracked open a can of what turned out to be Sprite. As predicted, it sprayed all over, but to his credit the officer just wiped his face and shoved the remnants forward.
I snatched the can and brought it to Boone’s lips, ordering, “Drink.”
