Part 25 (1/2)
”It's completely dishonest!” Roy said. ”But what's more important, saving yourself and your mom? Or maintaining integrity with some ghost buried out in the desert?”
”I suppose you're right.”
”Of course I'm right.”
”It just never occurred to me to lie.”
”That's one of the things I like about you, Deem. Despite that potty mouth you've got, you're one of the most innocent and nave people I've ever met. People lie all the time to get what they want. I don't advocate it with humans, unless they're p.r.i.c.ks. But I do what I have to when ghosts are involved.”
”I understand,” Deem said. ”It makes sense.”
”Of course it makes sense.”
”I guess I'll give that a try.”
”Deem, listen to me. You be careful. Some ghosts get angry if they figure out you've lied to them. And down your way, angry ghosts are deadly.”
”Oh, great.”
”Not all ghosts. The stupid ones rarely figure it out. He sounds stupid.”
”He is, kinda. But I can't tell if he's really stupid or just wrapped up in his pattern.”
”Does he say the same things over and over again?”
”Yeah.”
”You've got a good shot, then. Go for it.”
”If he's going to be flesh for a moment, after drinking from the blood river, I really could give him the shot. It might make him feel better. And then he wouldn't think I was lying.”
”That's up to you. You've just got to get him to say his brother's name during the process.”
”Thanks, Roy. I was at my wit's end.”
”Well, don't lose your wits! Stay sharp until it's all over. We want you and Winn to come up and visit, and that'll be hard to do if you get ripped up by some zombighost or what not.”
”I will. Thanks again Roy. Bye.”
”Goodbye.”
She slipped her phone into her pocket and turned to Winn. ”OK, let's head back to town. I think I know what to do.”
Winn and Deem split up for the rest of the morning. Deem needed to round down a friend of hers who was allergic to bee stings and see if she could borrow one of her injection kits since they weren't available over the counter. She wanted to have the epinephrine in hand when she went back to talk to Evan. Winn said he had a few things to take care of, and that he would contact Awan for the exact location of the blood river. If the shot was enough to lure Evan to go with them, they wanted to go directly to the blood river and get it over with. They agreed to meet up just after lunch and go back out to the mining shack.
The friend Deem contacted worked at a uniform supply story in Mesquite. She hadn't seen Molly since graduating from high school, and they were only acquaintances, so Deem wasn't sure Molly would hand over her EpiPen just because Deem asked for it. So, Deem made up a story about a friend from out of town needing one to go camping with her, and that her old one had expired, and she was unable to get one locally for insurance reasons.
”They want almost five hundred dollars at Walgreens!” Deem said. ”I remembered you were allergic and was wondering if you could help us out so we could go camping.”
”Sure, I have one in the car,” Molly said, standing behind the counter at the shop. ”I have to pay about $50 for mine, can you pay me that?”
”Sure,” Deem said. She fished out her wallet, hoping she had the cash on her. ”Oh, it just occurred to me, if I take this one, what if you get stung?”
”No problem,” Molly said. ”I have another at home. I doubt I'll get stung between now and then.”
”But if you did?” Deem said. ”I'd feel horrible.”
”I live five blocks down the road,” Molly said. ”My mom would have it here in two minutes. It won't happen.”
”OK,” Deem said, guilt was.h.i.+ng over her. Not only had she lied to Molly, now she felt she was putting her at risk.
Molly walked out from behind the counter. ”Keep an eye on things, will you? I'm the only one running the store at the moment.”
”Will do,” Deem said. Molly stepped out from behind a gla.s.s case counter, and walked out of the store. Deem examined the items in the case. She was surprised to see colored handcuffs. They looked hard and soft at the same time.
Molly returned with the injection kit and handed it to Deem. Deem gave Molly the fifty dollars and opened the kit.
”Just for my own benefit,” Deem said, ”in case I need to use it on my friend, how does this work?”
”It's simple,” Molly said, taking the EpiPen from Deem. ”You remove this cap. Then you aim this end at the thigh. Don't hit an artery, you could kill them. Just go for the fles.h.i.+est part. Push it down hard and hold it for ten seconds. That's all there is to it.”
”Have you ever had to use it?” Deem asked.
”Once,” Molly said. ”Thank G.o.d I had it. I thought I was going to suffocate.” She handed it back to Deem.
”I was wondering,” Deem said. ”About these handcuffs in the case?”
”Oh, you saw those?” Molly asked. ”Smith and Wesson.”
”How much are they?” Deem asked. ”The colored ones.”
”Thirty plus tax,” Molly said.
”I'll take one!” Deem said, surprising herself. She had no idea what she would do with a pair of handcuffs, but she enjoyed the thrill her impulse buy gave her.
Molly looked at her and smiled. ”The pink ones?”
”Oh, G.o.d no,” Deem said. She hated pink. ”Let's go with the orange ones.”
Molly opened the case and removed the handcuffs for Deem. She inspected them and said, ”Ring me up!”
Evan? Deem said, within her trance, searching the empty mining shack. Evan? Are you here? It's me again.
Deem heard a faint sound that began to slowly grow louder the hornets. They were buzzing around her by the hundreds. She fought an impulse to run.
Evan? Evan? I have your shot! I have the EpiPen!
Evan's body materialized on the floor of the shack, lying face down, as she'd seen him before.