"Of course. Sleep well, Colonel."

  Chapter 19

  A

  fter her discussion with Knox, Dee exited into the courtyard. The party had grown livelier than before as the alcohol took effect. Dee sought her partner as she scanned the firepit patrons roasting marshmallows. She glanced at her watch, noting their meeting time had passed. Thunder echoed as she expanded her search. She surveyed the partygoers as she stalked the perimeter. Familiar faces emerged once again. Buddy groped a woman half his age as she squirmed nervously between sips of champagne. Denny reclined on the sidelines, smoking, as one of his dogs kept watch. She wouldn't have minded seeing Penny once more, but she was not among the crowd. The concern for her colleague rose in his absence.

  A well-lit foot path exited the courtyard into the manor grounds. As the passage split, Dee went the way leading farthest from the gala. Not too far ahead, another wing of the Mercer Mansion stood strong amid the night. One window glowed against the darkness. Maybe Penny and Ko had found a spot. The clip-clop of her dress pumps against the flagstones sent her into a trance as she considered the information the woman might offer to them. Someone that well connected must be acquainted with more than her mistress of ceremonies persona suggested.

  A growl in the distance echoed, invading her thoughts. She peered into the darkness, turning toward the sound and squinting hard. A faint light in the expanse illuminated a small brown building with an antique box truck parked outside. She lifted the fringe of her velvet dress and grabbed the pistol from her inner thigh holster. As she stepped into the grass toward the noise, a distant echo resonated in her chest. It seemed close. She stopped and raised the weapon, pointing it at the twilight. A crack of thunder and torrential rain pummeled her as she bolted into the east wing of the estate.

  Dee slammed the door behind her, drenched garments dripping water on the entryway floor as she holstered her weapon.

  "Hello?" She called out, removing her dress shoes. "Anyone? It's raining on the party. I'm only a guest!"

  No response.

  "Don't shoot my ass," she whispered.

  A living room and fireplace off the entryway would have welcomed her, but no one occupied the plush furniture. A fire would have been nice. Noises originating from upstairs drew her attention—faint chatter, glasses clinking, and giggling. She turned that way, creeping up the staircase. One stair creaked under her foot. She grimaced, pausing for a moment. The noises shifted into scurrying footsteps as Dee took another step.

  "Dee, is that you?"

  Penny stood on the second-floor landing, hands upon hips, still covered in the sheer white dress. The room light behind lit her slender form.

  "Sorry, Penny, have you seen Ko?"

  "Come on up, don't be shy," Penny said, turning away.

  Dee strode up the stairs two at a time in her stretchy, damp attire. Inside the open bedroom door, Ko reclined in a chair sipping whiskey. A waning flute of champagne sat on a nightstand next to a plush toy. The hostess hiked her sheer white dress up to her hips, hopping on the nearby bed. Penny grabbed the champagne flute and threw her head back to finish. She turned her head to Dee, still standing at the door.

  "I just wanted to play with your boy a little before you got here."

  "Sorry to interrupt," Dee said to Penny before turning to Ko. "I thought we were leaving?"

  Ko held his glass up, inspecting it.

  "We sang, we drank, not in that order. Then Penny wanted to talk about Japan."

  Ko shot Dee a knowing look as he raised his eyebrows. A slight nod from his partner, and Dee caught his meaning. Penny tapped the bed, entreating her to sit.

  "You've been to Japan?" Dee asked.

  She sat as Ko gestured drunkenly to the stuffed toy cat on the bedside table.

  "Yes, many times," Penny said. "Too many."

  "Why too many?"

  "Daddy says I'm good for business," she said, rubbing her thighs. "When he is making his deals. Weapons. Energy. Got to carry your trophies around, right?"

  Penny looked away, glancing at the empty champagne glass. She held her head.

  "Whew. I think I drank too much," she said, giggling. "Ko, can you do me a favor and start a fire downstairs?"

  "I need to dry out these clothes anyway," Dee said.

  Ko hesitated for a moment, but in the end placed the glass down and exited the room. Dee tried to recall if they had encountered Penny in their research. Ko had done it, and while they discovered a little about Knox before the journey, Penny remained a mystery.

  "When were you in Tokyo last?" Dee asked her.

  "I travel so much, don't really remember. A week or two ago with dad. I go wherever his companies send me."

  "His coal production company?"

  "Coal. Weapons. Chemicals. All his companies—plural. Taking another trip tomorrow."

  "Any nuclear power interests in the portfolio?"

  "Daddy doesn't like nuclear, he's a coal man. But you already knew that, I think. Did you say you needed clothes?"

  "I'm not sure we're the same size."

  "My old sweats should work. I'll change, too. Can you lock the door?"

  Dee did so as Penny glided to a chest of drawers, searching through them.

  "Ever have any meetings for dad in DC? Or Arlington?"

  "Of course. Why do you ask?" Penny said as her dress fell to the floor. She bent over, sliding into silk pajama bottoms and a t-shirt with the grace of a dancer. Dee's heart skipped a beat at the sight. The way the woman moved made her squirm. Penny glanced back at her in the mirror's reflection. Dee's long stare betrayed her fascination.

  "Why do you ask? About DC?" Penny said, repeating her earlier question.

  Dee swallowed hard and blinked.

  "No reason, I live near there, you know."

  "Uh huh," Penny said, twisting her red hair into a ponytail before carrying the old sweats over to Dee. "Your turn." A sly grin lit up her face.

  Dee turned toward the bathroom.

  "Nope, right here," Penny said, arms crossed.

  Dee eyeballed her. The ginger temptress moved fast, and though the possibility intrigued her, she might not get another chance to compare stories. So, she put on her serious face.

  "I'm going into your bathroom, and when I come out, I want to ask you some questions."

  "Your boy already asked me questions."

  She reached for Dee's arm.

  "Penny!" Dee barked, jerking backward. "I'll be right back."

  Dee closed the door behind her. As she stripped out of her wet clothes, she inspected her shoulder scar in the mirror—nearly invisible but for the memories and the bullet necklace around her neck. She slipped on the sweats. Although snug, they offered enough room for both her and her weapon. She inspected her hair once before abandoning her garment pile in the corner.

  Entering the bedroom once more, Penny pouted on the bed as she wiped her face. A fresh bottle sat on the nightstand, already cracked open.

  Dee sat in the chair Ko once occupied.

  "If Ko's been asking questions, you realize why we're here. What can you tell me about the attack on Angela Elliot?"

  The belle poured a second drink, handing it to Dee.

  "I didn't know her well, not personally. A cougar attacked her while she was out jogging on the trail."

  "Any other details you'd like to share?"

  "She was in commercial real estate."

  "Did your dad ever do business with her?"

  "Dad? He bought her company as a kindness to Jimmy. But nothing before that. They didn't agree on politics, and she let everyone know about it by sponsoring rallies for political candidates Knox didn't support. Word in the media is she grew tired of backing local candidates who couldn't make meaningful change. So, she planned to run for State House."

  "Funny, Knox spoke kindly about her."

  "He was honoring her memory. Dad's all about pretense and Jimmy is a family friend, even though he's one step from wearing all white and praying to comets."

  "What about the demon?"

  Penny looked away. Partially smeared mascara stained her alabaster cheeks. Pouring a shot from the nearby glass container, her hand shivered. She threw back the whiskey. Her eyes glistened as she rubbed her bare arms.

  "It's just a myth, a story told to keep the kids in line," she said breathlessly as she poured another.

  That precise turn of phrase had become suspicious—purified drivel meant to deflect inquiries, or so Dee figured as she shifted from the chair to the bed.

  "You trust me, right?"

  "Yes, I know you don't work for him."

  "Then why are you afraid to share what you know?"

  As she went to take the drink, Dee took it from her. Penny hugged herself and held her shoulders.

  "Daddy and the boys play games, but there's never any fun for me. I pretend that hosting parties and wearing fancy dresses brings me joy. But being a business prop? They keep everyone's eyes on me instead of the contract details, all while hating who I really am. I'm so exhausted."

  She rested her fingers on Dee's knee, massaging it. An awkward moment passed as they shared a stare. Dee placed Penny's hand back on the bed. Penny hung her head.

  "You need to know. I… I think the demon is real."

  Dee covered her mouth. The first admission that the creature might be more than a legend. That reality on the ground could match the science in the lab. What could it be? Robotic? Animal? Vehicle? Her mind raced.

  "The stories I hear," Penny said. "I can't explain them away with the line they instructed me to repeat."

  "The line?"

  "They made me memorize it. What I just said. 'A myth, a story told to keep the kids in line.' I can't say otherwise, not publicly."

  Penny's face contorted as she wrung her palms, speaking through newly forming tears.

  "They do things to me, Dee. Horrible things to control me."

  Dee's back turned rigid with a new alertness. As her brow scrunched, she reclaimed Penny's hand.

  "You don't cross the Colonel. He will make your life hell. But at least once in my life, being the real me might be nice."

  Penny lifted her other palm, caressing Dee's forearm as before. She gazed with longing eyes.

  "Yes, that would be nice," Dee said.

  "Yes?"

  Penny nodded, beaming, as they exchanged a tearful kiss and embraced each other.

  "Got the fire started," Ko said, knocking on the locked door.

  "Down in a bit, Ko."

  Dee shared a grin with Penny.

  Chapter 20

  T

  he midday sunlight warmed the bedroom through the window, awaking Dee from a restful night. She perched on an elbow and glanced around. The plush toy and empty glasses on the nightstand stared back at her.

  "Penny?"

  Her inquiry went unanswered. She jerked her hand toward her thigh holster. A palm landed on the weapon grip as she sighed.

  "Penny?" She spoke louder as she rose, stumbling to the bathroom. She pulled down her sweatpants, finding the toilet first. As she relieved herself, a headache raged. She pressed the medi-lot on her wrist. She abandoned her old clothes pile and exited the restroom. Vivid daylight fended off the grogginess as she looked out the bedroom window. A plethora of robotic mowers and garbage bots tended to the grounds.

  Jo, are you there?

  Hello, Dee. How can I help?

  I'm not sure you can, but I thought I'd try.

  You don't trust me yet, Dee?

  Ah, using my own words against me, right robot.

  You sound tired.

  I am, so I'm just going to say it. I hooked up last night, but I'm not sure I made the right choice.

  What concerns you about it, Dee?

  Well, we were drinking and on a mission.

  It was consensual?

  Fantastically.

  Do you believe you compromised the mission?

  Well, no, it was all good. I mean, great. Spectacular. I'll have to check with Ko, but I know I learned some nuggets of information that could be useful.

  It all sounds positive, Dee.

  It was, but I don't know why I'm so freaked.

  Were you happy both then and now?

  Yes. Yes, I suppose. No regrets.

  Do you regret feeling happy?

  What? No.

  Do you believe you deserve to be happy, Dee?

  You and your fucking questions.

  If you feel you don't deserve happiness, or believe it may not last, skewed responses could manifest once it arrives. You might sabotage your happiness for the comfort of the familiar. You deserve to live an exciting personal life. One as exciting as the job you hold!

  Not everyone gets what they deserve.

  Not if they don't even try. Let me ask another fucking question, Dee.

  Whoa robot, you curse?

  If it fucking gets through to you. Does being with this person make you happy right now?

  Yes.

  Then that is what matters. You are alive and worthy of happiness. Don't just think you deserve it. You must learn to know it deep down. Know that you deserved it your whole life. If you are only finding it now, count that as a win. Go toward what makes you happy.

  She closed the curtain and sat on the bed.

  I will, Jo. Can I ask another question?

  Of course.

  I think they are abusing her. Physically. Who knows what else?

  I am sorry to hear that, Dee. If you care for someone, then seeing them suffer is especially difficult. What do you want to do about it?

  Get her out of here. Take her far away. But it doesn't seem possible. I feel sorry for her. I know what it's like to grow up in a town where you're different.

  Be careful that pity does not drive your passion. These can appear similar. However, if abuse is present, I encourage you to contact the authorities and get her to safety at once.

  Right. That makes sense. Thanks, Jo. Bye.

  Dee sat on the bed breathing deep for the next minute. Afterwards, she made her way down the creaky stairs. Ko slept on a living room couch by the entryway and the fire had extinguished itself overnight.

  "Ko? Ko, wake up!"

  Rousing quickly, he awkwardly kicked off his covers as he leaped to an unsteady stand. Disheveled hair. Dress shirt. Boxer briefs. He yawned.

  "So, you had fun?" He said.

  They shared a knowing smirk.

  "Seems Penny turned into a pumpkin. Did you get anything out of her before… you know?"

  "She doesn't believe the cougar attack story," he said, wiping his eyes. "She claims Knox doesn't believe in the demon. And no one messes with the Colonel. That's what she said."

  "Jimmy believes. May explain why him and Knox wouldn't get along, and it tracks with the political differences Knox had with the wife." Ko stretched as Dee elaborated, "She told me she thinks the demon is real."

  "Akujin?" Ko spoke with awe from the couch. "Any ideas what it is?"

  "No, but fear paralyzes her. Not only from this thing, but from the people in her life. They're abusive and she seems stuck in it, whatever it is. I believe her father is complicit."

  Ko grimaced, his face turning red as he rubbed his hands.

  "A princess with no power. Castle, yes. Queen, no."

  "Put some pants on. Time to go to church."

  ***

  Later that evening, Ko and Dee arrived in their SUV to Pastor Jimmy's house of worship. More like a warehouse than a chapel, the rectangular, flat-roofed building sported tall windows and faded gray paint. Giant lights in the parking lot meant this had once been a big box store. They parked in the spot labeled for the choir director.

  "At least the church and jail are huge," Ko said sarcastically.

  "And both better funded than that motel we just left."

  As they exited the SUV, their swagger returned. Hearing the music from the parking lot, they walked by a sign for First Holiness of Rappahannock. The message of the week read 'Fear the Lord or Die by Demons.'

  As they entered, Dee marveled at the center stage filled with people dancing as they banged tambourines and cymbals. Pastor Jimmy held snakes as he danced, the reptiles rising and falling in his hands. He laid each over his shoulders, then raised them in the air as he spun. Three worshippers came closer, raising hands and touching him. As his spinning slowed, he staggered, drunk with power instead of booze. He placed the creatures into boxes that others carried away. Approaching the microphone, he raised palms to the sky, sweaty armpits on full display. He looked straight at Dee, eyes narrowing as he spoke.

  "And now hear the benediction. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities," he said, gesturing to Dee. "Against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. But God goes with you. These demons will not harm you. Live without fear. Amen."

  The entire crowd responded with an 'amen' before dispersing. Jimmy walked toward the agents while members of the crowd bade him farewell. Three men stood nearby, looking on as the Pastor came within reach of the outsiders.

  "Not still drunk, are you, Pastor?" Dee said.

  "My sins are cleansed. Are yours?"

  "Fun. Not sin," Ko said.

  Dee said, "Last night you were all about the demon, claiming it would get us. Why so concerned if it's only a bedtime story like everyone claims?"

  "Oh, it's more than a story, but my followers are safe now. The demon cannot touch them. My faith is in the Almighty," Jimmy said, pointing at them. "But you? Your faith is in man."

  "My faith is in me," Dee snapped. "This little demon clan you're running, don't you wish to share more about it? Maybe I want to believe. You might get a couple more followers. Knox said he has quite the knack for it, Ko."

  "I bet he does," Ko said, cracking his knuckles.

  "No worries agents, you are more than welcome to attend my services and learn all about our ways. Some encounters can be exceptionally instructive. Visceral even. Soul searching down to the bone and beyond."

  "You misunderstand, reverend. You're not the one making invitations here," Dee said. "Maybe you can pray your way out of handcuffs back in DC."

 

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