Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Read Free

of the day, though. I made the coffee and went into my room to dress while it brewed. Pictures from the night before flashed through my mind. I shook my head. That was some dream. Mysterious guy in a suit, creepy bar, job offer to catch a wayward spirit from Hell.
    When I came back into the kitchen I saw the light blinking on the answering machine. Sofi and I had never quite made it to modern technology. We both agreed that if it still worked why bother. My only allowance had been an old second-hand cell phone that had been necessary for my job. I was on the last month of service. Though I wasn’t working, I still carried it around in case the hospital called. I pushed the button on the answering machine and listened.
    “Niki, it’s Karen,” came a sickly sweet voice. I groaned. Karen was Sofi’s niece from Connecticut. “Sweetie, this is only the fourth time I’ve called. I really do need to be kept in the loop here. Please call me back when you get a chance. I’d hate to have to drive all the way down there.”
    “That’s a chilling thought,” I said out loud to the machine as it beeped. I poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. I loved early mornings. Even if I rarely was up this time of day, it was among my favorite things to be up before everyone else. The world seemed so still and quiet. I took a drink of coffee. Could be worse. Could be out of coffee.
    I heard the squeak of the mail slot followed by a heavy thud. I frowned. It was far too early for mail. I walked through the cluttered living room and picked a heavy manila envelope off the floor. I opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Not a sound, not a soul. I stepped back inside and bolted the door. I carried the bundle to the table and examined it. It was bulging with whatever it contained and had packing tape wrapped around it to keep it from falling apart. An envelope was attached outside the several layers of tape. There was no address, just Ms. Slobodian in ornate handwriting. I pulled off the envelope and opened it while walking back to the kitchen, extracting an oddly thick piece of paper with the same frilly handwriting. It read:
    Dearest Niki,
    I so enjoyed our talk last night. Thank you for giving me a chance. You will not regret the service you have agreed to. Enclosed is your fee. I think you will find it is more than sufficient. I have also included a temporary badge that you may use as necessary. I trust you will exercise the utmost discretion in this matter. Also as agreed, I am sending you someone that will no doubt be of great use to you. He is adept in the art of magic and can help you. His name is Robert Gage.
    I look forward to having this small matter cleared up. I have the utmost faith in you. Please do not hesitate to visit me at the Deep Blue Sea when you have finished the job.
    Sincerely,
    Sam.
    Oh, Jesus. I read the letter again, then a third time just to be sure. I staggered on my feet a little, so I sat down quickly at the table. It was real. All of it. Not a dream. I stared at the letter for a long time. I tried to recall all the details of the night before. I shouldn’t have had that second tumbler of whiskey, but Sam had insisted.
    Sam. Who the hell was this guy? He had known everything about me, and there was something vaguely otherworldly about him. And his bar, out in the middle of nowhere. I racked my brain for more information.
    There was a seal or a gate, I remembered. An opening into Hell. Someone had cracked it open and the bigwigs in Hell couldn’t see who it was or what he got out. All they could see was that something had escaped, something dark. I frowned. Not something dark, Sam had called it A Dark. Some kind of spirit that regular people couldn’t see. And I specifically remembered Sam saying it liked to murder things.
    “Christ Almighty,” I said out loud. “What did I agree to do?” I would just have to go back and turn down the job. I sighed. He’d said he could get me off the