The Lost Door Read Free Page B

near the Fox River by two boys on ATV’s. They’d run prints and taken a mold of his teeth for dental records, but so far nothing had come up. The man, who looked to be in his late thirties, was a mystery.
    Stavic scanned the coroner’s report. Stavic couldn’t imagine the excruciating pain this poor soul felt as he’d been gutted alive. When working in Chicago as a cop he’d never experienced something like this.
    Kinney rapped his knuckle on Stavic’s desk. “Good. Wanted to make sure you got that.”
    Stavic held it up. “Nothing that helps us though.”
    “No,” agreed the slightly heavyset, balding, and generally very serious man.
    Stavic didn’t think he’d ever seen him tell a joke, let alone crack a smile. His shirts were fastidiously pressed, he was always clean shaven, and he held himself straight and tall. He’d become sheriff of River Bend three decades earlier when his predecessor retired. Stavic was indifferent to the man. “I’m thinking I might take a ride back to the scene, see if there’s anything we missed.”
    “Don’t bother. The area was scoured there’s nothing there.”
    “Never say never.” Stavic lifted the folder up, shook it. “Has his car been found? Any idea how he got there?”
    Kinney’s lip curled.
    Dear God. Is he smiling?
    “That’s why you’re going on a little boating expedition.”
    That gave him pause. “Me?”
    “I’m thinking that the body may have been dumped elsewhere and washed downriver. I’ve asked Harold to take you on a little river tour.”
    Stavic’s heart skipped a beat. He hated large bodies of water and tried to stay as far from them as possible. Sitting in a small boat on a river terrified him.
    “But sir—”
    Kinney held up a hand. “I know but, you know, orders. I give them.” As he walked past he patted Stavic on the shoulder. “Harold’s expecting you. Go to his shop and coordinate a time to do this, sooner rather than later. You know why?”
    “Orders,” Stavic said glumly.
    Kinney looked back, made a gun with his finger and fired it at Stavic with a click of his tongue. “Bingo.”
     
    * * *
     
    “You disposed of the body?” DeMarcus asked.
    “As instructed,” said his associate with a broken nose.
    DeMarcus nodded in appreciation. Good. This man—whom he’d known only a few short weeks—was becoming an exceptional asset. So easy to manipulate and control.
    “How’s your nose?”
    “Tender, but I’ll be fine.”
    They’d both been through a beating a few weeks ago. DeMarcus was especially lucky Paul had come to when he did or he might have been killed. He owed him for that.
    He wasn’t sure what had brought Melson Waters snooping around, but it was troubling. The last time he’d seen the man was months ago running for the Wispy Mountains. As far as he knew there was only one way in and it was through this place, so either Melson had sneaked past somehow—unlikely—or there was another door. Regardless, and even more troubling, was how he got past the security entrusted to protect the entrance to this place. His best men were supposed to be guarding it.
    DeMarcus closed his eyes. He must be getting stronger. In the weeks after his confrontation with Lilly and that good for nothing husband of hers, he was no longer able to sense her. But now… now he could. Barely. It was still a good sign though, one that eased his mind. If he’d lost her then he was stuck, and the last place he wanted to be was here. He had a world to get back to, one to rule, and he needed her.
    It was supposed to have been so simple, if only her parents had followed through with their agreement… But that was neither here nor there at this point. They’d been punished for hiding her away and broken to reveal her whereabouts.
    It was a genius move on their part, sending her to the belere . He never would have guessed they would damn their only daughter to the shadow realm.
    Unless they have a way to bring her back.
    That logic was the