Page 27 of Dead Evil
Everly wrenched free from Tennyson and ran toward the stage.
Tennyson tried to run after her, but was stopped by a mob of people fleeing up the aisle. He was hit again and again, like a football running back attempting to make a run for the endzone. He managed to side step into an empty row of seats. He looked to the stage where Ronan was giving CPR to Shackleton, while Jude did the same for Barrymore. From where he stood, Ten couldn’t see Everly.
Ten offered a prayer that God would protect his daughter, someway. Somehow.
12
Ronan
Chaos reigned over the auditorium. Ronan shouted to Cantor and Dwight to call 911. Both men broke for the stage door. Ronan had no way of knowing if either man would do what he asked. Pulling out his phone, he texted Fitzgibbon, telling him to send police, fire, and medics.
Who knew how many people would be hurt in the crush to evacuate the arena. Ronan’s focus at the moment was Levi Shackleton, who lay on his side. Ronan rolled him over and checked his carotid artery for a pulse. There was none. He set his hand in front of the fallen preacher’s mouth and didn’t detect air moving in or out of his lungs. He cleared the airway and started chest compressions.
Movement to his right caught Ronan’s attention. He saw Agatha Louise looking as if she were trying to get up. He didn’t want to think what would happen if she managed to make it to her feet. Beyond the doll, Jude was giving CPR to Barrymore.
“No pulse, no breathing!” Jude shouted.
“Same! I texted Fitz to call out the cavalry.” Ronan stopped the compressions to feel for a pulse. There was none. He gave Shackleton two rescue breaths and resumed compressions. He almost giggled over the fact that his lips had been pressed to the homophobic pastor. He wanted Shackleton to live just to see the look on his face when Ronan told him what had been done to save his life.
More movement caught Ronan’s attention. He looked up from Shackleton to see Agatha Louise had managed to turn toward him. She was slowly inching her way across the stage, crawlinglike Everly had when she was little. Where the hell was Everly? And Tennyson?
“Agatha Louise!” Everly cried out from behind Ronan.
He felt pounding footsteps and seconds later, Everly ran past him stopping in front of the doll. Before Ronan could shout out a warning, Everly had scooped the doll into her arms and was rocking her like a baby. A wave of dizziness passed over Ronan. He would never forgive himself if something happened to Everly. This was all his fault. He’d been the one to insist his daughter could come to the auditorium. He was the one who voted for Everly to visit Agatha Louise an hour ago.
Christ, was it only an hour? It felt like three days had passed from the time he’d brought his six-year-old daughter to meet the monster.
“Agatha Louise, please stop hurting the awful men. Yes, they were mean to you, but let them live so they can pay for their mistakes. I promise you, I’llmakethem pay.”
The doll’s hands came up. Everly took one with her hand. “It’s okay. You’re safe. I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you, but you have to promise not to hurt anyone else.”
Only Everly would try to reason with a demon-possessed doll. As she promised the doll it was safe, Shackleton took a gulping breath. From across the stage, Ronan could see Barrymore do the same thing.
“Ronan!” Cisco Jackson shouted as he ran into the auditorium. Fitzgibbon was right behind him.
“Freeze!” Ronan shouted, not wanting either man to come any closer. He’d seen with his own eyes what Agatha Louise was capable of and he didn’t want anyone else to feel her wrath.
Tennyson walked up to the stage. He was whiter than a sheet and looked like he was on the verge of having his own, non-Agatha Louise related heart attack. “Everly, take my hand.”
“Ten, no!” Ronan called out.
“Everyone needs to stop shouting,” Everly said. “You’re scaring Agatha Louise.” She reached for Ten’s hand. Ten set his free hand on the doll.
The room fell dead silent. All eyes were on Ten, Everly, and the doll.
“Abomination!” Shackleton shouted, struggling to sit up.
Without a second thought, Ronan hauled back and punched Shackleton in the face. The man fell back to the stage with a loud thump. “That felt good.”
“It’s okay, Agatha Louise, I’ve got you. I’m right here,” Everly cooed to the doll. As she finished speaking, the doll’s arms fell back to their sides. Everly gasped and jerked backward like she’d gotten an electric shock. She set the doll on the stage and took a step backward. Ten’s hands were over his mouth.
Ronan turned back to the doll and saw what had shocked Ten and Everly. A little girl stood on the stage in singed pink pajamas. He’d never seen a picture of the doll’s first victim, but he knew in an instant it was Poppy Richardson. It struck Ronan that the little girl was the same age as Everly when she died.
“Poppy?” Everly asked, getting to her feet.
“Hi, Everly,” the little girl said.
“Are you okay?” Everly rushed to the girl and hugged her.
