The max porter box set, p.5
The Max Porter Box Set, page 5
Chapter 6
BY THE TIME MAX AND SANDRA PARKED THEIR CAR at the Friendly Shopping Center in Greensboro, the sun had set. Located off Friendly Avenue, the shopping complex filled enough acreage to build a large housing development upon. People bustled about the various restaurants and stores while a number of cars headed for the multiplex movie theater. The Bog Garden was behind a specialty soap store in the northern corner of the center, across Northline Avenue and surrounded by houses on the other sides.
Max led the way by two dumpsters and down a grassy hill. They crossed the street and walked along the metal fencing that lined the park. The gates closed at dusk, but they were designed to keep cars out, not people. Max and Sandra slipped around the posts that held the gate up and strolled along the well-groomed park.
“Over here,” Leon said, stepping out from behind a group of pine trees. “Follow me.”
At a quick pace, he moved along the dirt path. Soon it became a gravel path and after that wood-shavings marked the way. Finally, they climbed up to a running boardwalk. Wood slats and railings cut through the bog like rails in the forest — a man-made pathway that disturbed the natural beauty of the area while attempting to protect it at the same time.
Max halted. He heard something. Looking back over his shoulder, he squinted into the dark.
“Come on,” Leon said.
“I heard —”
“Squirrels and chipmunks. This park is overrun with the vermin.”
Leon pushed onward and they followed, but Max continued to peek back now and then.
“Where exactly are we going?” Sandra asked.
“The bog opens up into a lake. The body is at the edge.” Leon waved vaguely ahead. “You’re lucky I got here in time. I had to chase off a young guy.”
Max said, “What did he look like? Dark hair, good-looking sort?”
“I wasn’t really worried about that. I figured making sure Mother Hope had something to show you two was more important. Besides, after he ran off, I had to jump under the walk to avoid the park sweep.”
In the dark, Max had difficulty telling for sure, but Leon’s back did look wet. Even if Leon lied about that much, Max suspected the first part to be true. Though he couldn’t prove it, his gut told him that their uninvited guest had to be Edward Wallace.
He glanced back into the darkness once more. Did he see something move? Probably a branch or a small animal. Probably.
Sandra drew his attention back when she nailed a vital question. “How did you find this body, anyway? The first one makes sense. You guys bought the house and stumbled upon the body. But out here?”
Leon walked stiffer. “That’s not important.”
“Actually, it is,” Max said. “We need every bit of the picture in order to do our job properly. I’m sure Mother Hope would want us to be fully-informed, or else we wouldn’t be able to give her what she needs to know.”
“Mother Hope is the one who instructed me to come here, and so I did. I did not question her nor would I ever do so. If you want answers to those questions, you’ll have to ask her yourself. But I’m telling you now, she won’t like it.”
The boardwalk path split off east and west. They took the eastern path which ended in an octagonal viewing station like a fancy end to a dock. Leon climbed over the waist-high railing and splashed below.
Though right in the middle of a heavily populated area, the bog remained dark. Max could hear the steady shushing of cars driving by and the occasional boom of a radio playing music too loud for the speakers to handle well. Through the trees, he could spot the flicker of light from nearby homes. Despite this, he had a sense of cold isolation.
“Come on,” Leon said, adopting a harsh whisper. Perhaps he felt it, too.
Max turned on his flashlight and peered down. “You could’ve warned us to wear some boots or something.”
Leon stood shin-deep in mud. “It’s called the Bog Garden. What did you expect?”
Climbing over the railing, Sandra said, “Let’s get this over with.”
“Fine,” Max said, rolling his shoulders. “But if we have to replace any of our clothes, I’m billing the Magi for it.” He snatched a peek back into the woods — he couldn’t be sure, but he thought he caught a shadow that looked distinctly human in shape. When he stepped closer, he only saw trees with odd-shaped branches.
“Max, quit stalling,” Sandra snapped.
“I’m coming. Sheesh.” He sat on the railing, swung his legs over, and dropped into the mud with a splash.
“Hey!” Leon shook the splattered mud from his arms.
“Sorry.” Scanning the bog with his flashlight, Max said, “Where’s the body?”
“Over here,” Sandra said.
She stood several feet from the boardwalk. A thick growth of low plants blanketed the soggy ground and four tall bushes formed a foliage wall that blocked the body from sight. Max slogged up beside his wife and gazed behind the bushes.
A pine coffin lay half-submerged in the murky water. The surrounding mud piled up its side while other clumps dotted the area in a clear circle as if the coffin had erupted from beneath. Its top had been ripped off and tossed into the heavy bushes. The skeleton inside smiled at them.
Unlike Archibald Henderson, this skeleton had not survived intact. Many of its bones were missing, and those that remained were stained with mud and decay. Where Henderson had been buried with his hat, journal, and musket, this one looked to have been dumped aside. If not for the similar way the coffins appeared to have exploded forth, Max would have seen nothing to connect the two.
Sandra moved first. The depth of the mud varied greatly, making the simple act of walking to the coffin a chore. One step brought her leg down to the knee in mud. The next only went ankle deep. In the darkening night, it was difficult to judge where to place the next step.
“Look here,” she said.
Max sighed and Sandra chuckled. They both knew he wouldn’t be able to walk away — not until he examined the coffin for himself. With tentative steps, he attempted to follow the path Sandra had led while avoiding her missteps along the way. Leon remained by the boardwalk. Hopefully, he guarded the area, keeping alert to any unusual sounds or motions.
“What do you got?” Max asked when he reached her side.
She pointed her flashlight right below the skull. A small bag, probably made of deerskin, had been tied around the neck and now rested against the skeleton’s clavicle. Max reached for the bag but Sandra slapped his hand. “You don’t want to touch that.”
“What is it?”
“A curse, I think. I’ve seen pictures in my books on witchcraft. Bags like that are used for all sorts of magic.”
“Like a juju bag?”
“Sort of. It helps focus the spell and it can also serve as a surrogate circle. Whoever wanted to curse this man either didn’t have the time or the ability to draw a curse into the coffin.”
“And this is the next best thing.”
“Exactly.”
“Which confirms beyond a doubt that there is magic involved in this. I’ll bet we’ll find one of these bags in Archibald Henderson’s coffin, too.”
“More than likely.”
Max used his flashlight to inspect the bones from top to bottom. “Look there,” he said, pointing at the skeleton’s legs. “Both femurs.”
“I guess Leon didn’t have time to steal one.” Sandra leaned closer. “Oh.” She cocked her head to the side. “There’s something written on the right one.”
“Written?”
“Symbols. A few numbers. Definitely witchcraft.”
“Take it.”
Sandra shot bolt upright. “What?”
“We can’t study it here, and I swear we’re being watched. Take the bone and we’ll check it out at the office.”
“There might be two curses on this man, and you want me to just take the bone. Don’t you think that might cause us some problems?”
Max glanced over his shoulder — he could barely see Leon poke a stick in the mud. “Hon, Leon stole the femur from Henderson. That’s not a coincidence.”
“We don’t know it was him.”
“It was somebody. And if we’re going to stay ahead of whatever game Mother Hope and Edward Wallace are playing, we need that bone. Now, you said it might be cursed. Are you not sure?”
“Don’t start that. I admit I’m a novice, but that doesn’t mean I’m an idiot.” She glared at him, but he put on his most-innocent, puppy-dog look. “Okay. I don’t know for sure if these are curses, but there is definite magic involved here, and that means we should be cautious. Very cautious.”
Max nodded. “You got a suggestion?”
Sandra wrinkled her brow. “How about this — we take the bone and bury it someplace secluded. Then we make contact with a witch who would know how to read it, and if she says it’s safe, we’ll dig it up and bring it in.”
“Sounds good.”
She thrust her flashlight at him. “Hold this.” Repositioning closer to the coffin, she reached out toward the bone. Her hands shook, and Max could see the glint of trepidation in her eye like wincing in expectation of a shock. The skeleton smiled upon her, its eye sockets dark voids that watched her nonetheless.
When she touched the leg bone, Max braced himself for an alarm to ring out or flames to engulf them or the skeleton to grab her. But nothing happened. The skeleton continued to stare off into the night, smiling at nothing, seeing only darkness.
Sandra pulled the bone away, and the skeleton shifted, knocking its skull against the side of the coffin. She backed away from the coffin until she bumped into Max. “Got it,” she said.
He kissed her cheek. “Let’s get out of here.”
With large strides, they worked their way back to Leon and the boardwalk. Leon helped boost Sandra up. She, in turn, reached down and helped pull up Max. It took both of them to help Leon up.
Max shined his light in Leon’s face. “Tell Mother Hope she can expect to hear from me in a few days. And I expect some answers.”
A voice called out, “I think I can provide that. Oh, and I’ll be taking the bone of Mr. Johnathan Shoemaker.”
Max turned, already knowing who he would see. After all, he had heard that voice earlier that same day — Edward Wallace.
Chapter 7
FLANKED BY FOUR MEN WEARING HOODED ROBES, Edward blocked the way across the boardwalk. He had slicked his hair back for the evening and wore a dark suit with a clean, white vest. An ornate pendant hung around his neck. Looked rather like a vampire, though Max made sure to keep that thought quiet.
Unless vampires ...
He caught Sandra’s eye. She shook her head slightly and mouthed No such thing. He offered a grin and a wink. To some that might have seemed like he said Of course, I knew that but just as Sandra knew his initial question from a glance, she would know he actually meant Yes, I know we’ve talked about vampires in the past, but I needed the reassurance.
Taking one step forward, Max said, “Edward Wallace, this is my wife Sandra.”
“I already know her name. I do my research, too.”
“Then you probably know Leon Moore, as well.”
With a sneer, the tendons in Edward’s neck pulled taut. “I have no fear of the Magi. Pathetic little group.”
“Aren’t you going to introduce your friends?”
He put out his hand and held it firm — not a trace of fear. “Give me that bone, and you can walk away unharmed.”
Max felt Sandra’s arm brush him as she placed the bone behind her back. He checked Leon — the man clenched his jaw while glowering across at Edward. Not good. With that kind of hatred seething out, things could go bad at any moment.
“Wait a minute,” Max said, forcing levity into his voice. “You said you were going to give us answers first. Since the Magi here won’t tell us anything, we’d like to know what we’ve stumbled into. Because let me tell you something I’ve learned over the years — once we get involved in this stuff, it won’t leave us alone.”
“I’m not surprised in the least.” Edward lowered his hand. “People like Mother Hope want nothing more than to keep control over as many as they can. Especially if you’re gifted.”
“Are you gifted?”
“Aren’t we all?”
Max stepped toward the railing while wagging a finger. “Good point.” He had to keep talking while he searched for a way to get free. He trusted that Sandra also wracked her brain for a solution. Leon, however, continued to throw visual spears at Edward. Max went on, “You seem to know a bit about us. I’m guessing you found out quite a bit about our lives since we moved here.”
“You’re not exactly the quietest people.”
“It’s not our fault. The Magi, the Hulls — these groups keep bringing all of this nonsense to our doorstep. Often, we’re not even given a choice.”
“That’s my exact point. Mother Hope controls you, forces you in a direction that you don’t even understand. That’s why you clamor for answers.”
Rolling his fingers into fists, Leon said, “Stop talking about her.”
Max stepped in front of Leon. “I still haven’t gotten any answers, and you said you would provide them. So, how about it? What’s with all these old skeletons?”
“Abagail. That’s what this is all about.”
“Who is she?”
“I’ve given you the answer because I think it’s terrible the way the Magi play games with you. But you don’t get to keep asking me questions. Now, give me that bone.” Edward thrust his hand out once more.
Through grinding teeth, Leon said, “The Magi and Mother Hope don’t mess with good people. They try to protect the world from bastards like you.”
Edward closed his hand. “Mr. Moore, have you ever considered how old Mother Hope is?”
“Keep your mouth shut about her.”
“No offense intended. I only wanted to make sure you understood the kind of person you work for. I mean she’s old. Over a century. Not all of that time was spent with the Magi.”
“I’m sure she’s made her mistakes, but she’s done more good fighting people like you.”
“You don’t know anything about me. How can you be so sure I’m the bad guy? Mother Hope has been around a long time. Long before the Civil Rights Movement. Long enough, in fact, that her views towards black men may not be all that enlightened. Do you know for a fact she’s not the real enemy?”
Max couldn’t understand why Edward provoked Leon, but he had no doubt it was a mistake. Leon’s face tightened. Max stepped over to Sandra and whispered, “Get to our car and protect that bone.”
They had been through enough together that Sandra didn’t express worry or doubt. Those feelings reverberated through her, but she wouldn’t protest. He only hoped she’d listen.
“Tell me,” Edward went on, “does she call you by name or is just boy?”
“Bastard!” Leon charged forward with more strength than Max would have imagined. A year ago, Leon’s old body had been stooped over and weak. The magic that kept Mother Hope alive for over a century clearly brought with it more than exterior youth. She had given Leon many of his years back, and he threw all those years into his fists as he barreled toward Edward.
The four hooded men rushed forward. This must have been part of their plan all along — they wanted to take out Leon. But from their action, they expected Max and Sandra to stand by, cowering like two pampered suburbanites. They were wrong.
As Leon threw his first punch, landing a solid hit upon the hooded man on the left, Max launched at the hooded man on the far right. A bit of a sucker punch, he fully admitted, but he never worried about fair play when it came to fighting for his life.
Max brought back his arm for a second strike and felt his elbow connect hard with another hooded man. Luck always played a part in a fight, and this time it played a helpful part. He punched forward.
Leon lifted one man into the air and tossed him over the railing. The man yelped, followed by a muddy splash and a dull grunt.
In a flash, Max connected with Sandra. He winked at her. “Ready?” He turned back and shoved Edward aside. Then he sprinted down the boardwalk.
“Get him!”
Max heard a delightful crack in Edward’s voice. But seconds later, the rapid beats of men running on the boardwalk chased him further through the woods. With any luck, Max figured he pulled at least two of the men his way. Leon could handle the rest while Sandra escaped.
Checking behind him, Max failed to see one of the boards missing from the walk. His foot caught on the lip of the exposed board and down he went. He bounced into the hard walk and splinters dug into his hands as he skidded several feet.
He rolled onto his back. The good news — two men plus Edward approached him. The bad news — he didn’t have time to get on his feet.
One man kept his hood drawn. The other shook his off revealing a thick, wide face and an eye patch over his right eye. Edward leaned against the wood railing and watched as his men punched Max in the stomach and kicked him in the sides.
“You know,” Edward said as Eye-patch popped Max in the gut, “I had been told of your brazen stupidity.” Kick! “You take wild risks that should’ve gotten you killed long ago.” Punch! “But you’re quite lucky apparently. Or perhaps you were protected by the Hulls back then.” Kick! “Yet now, the Hulls are gone, and the only one who can protect you is Mother Hope.” Punch! “But we both know that won’t happen.”
Max tried to lift his head but it might as well have been a ball of iron. The beating had stopped, but that only let his body change focus from enduring the hits to noticing the damage. Pain throbbed along his right side.
The hooded man grabbed his arms and yanked him upward. He groaned as they shoved him against the railing opposite Edward. His head had started to lighten, at least. A few clean breaths of air, and he could stand on his own feet.
“You look awful,” Edward said, and Eye-patch laughed in short, grunting bursts. Edward laced his fingers together and cracked his knuckles. He watched Max from the corner of his eye like a predator taking the measure of its prey.
