Page 45 of Prophet
“No sir, I don’t…” Fedor paused as he probably did not want to use the wordthinkagain. “I did not view her speaking.”
Steps again could be heard as Fedor gasped.
“Set him down,” Vi said. “D! Set him down.”
A smack sounded along with a male grunt. Then again shuffling and a smaller thump as Fedor must have been thrown to the floor.
“You idiot,” Deacon said. “Where did you get your fucking doctorate? From Disney World?”
“D—”
“I need people who have some intelligence, Vi,” Deacon cut her off. “Dr. Fedor, you must establish that they have cognizance as in speaking and no disorientation. Then sleep is fine. But not if they have been passed out and stay that way. Do I have to do your job for you?”
A pause.
“No!” Deacon seethed. “Do not speak or I will kill you where you fucking stand.”
I swallowed heavily. I knew he was insane and cold, but he was far more than what I even guessed at. The Walkers had used the word monster when talking about his mother. I now believed he was worse than a monster, a cold, calculating killer who never even hesitated before he used violence. I must have missed the sounds of movement in the room as I experienced a light tapping on my cheek. I did let out a breath and unintentionally moved a bit as I realized it had to be Deacon.
“That’s a good sign, right?” Vi asked. “She moved a little.”
“Maybe?” Deacon replied softly as he again stroked my cheek.
It took all I had to squelch my instinct to shiver. God, I didn’t know if I could do this.
“D,” Vi spoke again. “Why her?”
His fingers left my cheek as he answered, “She is perfect, Vi. I already told you that.”
“She is a stripper, D.”
“Vi, even you can cross a line with me, so do not push me,” he warned her.
“You won’t hurt me and I know this, but you have been too distracted on the plan. Taking that motorcycle guy just for a trade?”
“You know why I did that,” he replied. “It was her plan.”
“Yes, I do and that was the plan, trade him for…” Her voice faded away.
“Vi, don’t cry again,” he spoke softly unlike his usual hard tone. “She’s gone now and we—”
“We what?” Vi retorted as she cut his reply short. “We hadherplan. And you have deviated from that. All for a stripper?”
“Again, do I have to repeat myself?” he asked. “Every stripper here told me she had a vow of abstinence and everything I investigated her on, bears that out. Her parents were religious, her father was a preacher and her mother was a Sunday school teacher.”
“This girl has nothing to do with what we vowed to do,” Vi said in a pleading tone. “Revenge, remember? They killed her and we swore to wipe them out!”
I knew they had to be talking about O. But who was this woman, Vi? I don’t remember the Walkers saying anything about a woman being involved.
“And we will,” Deacon said. “I just needed Jewel before we destroy that fucking ranch. And now I have her.” He paused. “If she makes it?”
“Then what?” Vi asked.
“I fulfil another promise I made to Mother,” Deacon whispered.
What promise?I waited to hear what this was as it could be anything, knowing these crazy people.
“Sir?” a man’s voice called out. “The Walkers and the Rebel Saints are all over the lot. And we haven’t heard anything from Lazlo.”
