Devil in the Details

Chapter Twenty Six

Diana had believed Evelyn when most people wouldn't have. She had believed her, Evelyn realized, because Diana knew where Carl Jenkins' body was waiting to be discovered. She had been the one to leave it there. Evelyn had been attacked right after. Her eyes widened and her hands trembled. Her mouth was drier than she thought it ever had been before. Diana was the only person who could have known where she was that night, or she would respond. It was as simple as 'Find My iPhone'. A sudden flurry of movement nearly made her cry out. She halfway closed the laptop and snatched the knife from the rug.

She jumped up as she realized she'd been found and staggered back. The light from the laptop had given her away. She clutched the knife in her fist and stared at Benjamin Walker. He looked wild and unkempt. He was the size of a grizzly bear. She hoped her knife would be enough and her text had been sent.

"Evelyn." He relaxed. She did not share the sentiment.

"Walker." She snarled. He flipped on the light and paused, staring at her and the knife in her hand.

"You don't need that, Evelyn." He said, shaking his head, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Bullshit." Evelyn replied. She pointed a finger in warning. "I will absolutely gut you like a fish, Walker. Don't come any closer."

"No, no." He patted the air between them, moving around the desk to one side. Evelyn moved with him, keeping the heavy piece of furniture between them. "I wouldn't hurt you, Evelyn, I swear it."

"You literally murdered my mother!" Evelyn spat, her voice dripping with venom. Her skin was mottled, her fists clenched. "You killed her in cold blood! Who knows what you would have done to me that night."

"No," he replied. "You're right. I did that. I cut Katrina down... well before she deserved it." He leaned forward. "I told you, Evelyn, your mother was a prophet. She read people like a book, and she told me their sins. She told me about you too, Evelyn."

"Told you what?" Evelyn asked, hissing.

"She told me you would be something like... a great coming." He told her. "She wasn't sure of the details, said that the vision had been fuzzy, but that you would stop the Garret Falls Vampire once and for all." He grinned at her, his eyes dancing in the light. "See," he said with a chuckle, "all this time, I thought she meant me! I thought the two of you meant to stop me! But that's not it, is it?"

"You're crazy, you know that?" Evelyn asked. He ignored her, going on as if she hadn't spoken at all.

"That's not all she told me, Evelyn." He said, bouncing on his toes. He was joyful. "Do you want to know what else she told me?" He was getting closer as he spoke, and they were circling the desk. Evelyn stayed out of his massive reach. She knew she'd never be able to beat him one on one.

"Not really." She replied. Again, he pretended not to hear her.

"She told me you're mine." He said, grinning. She had never noticed before, but his teeth had long ago rotted. They were black and yellow. She imagined it was part of the smell emanating from him. "You're my daughter." He said, as if she hadn't heard him this time. "She told me and... well, that's why I took you."

"Because you think I'm your daughter?" Evelyn asked, bewildered.

"I don't think," he replied, "I know. In fact, you look just like my dear old mom." Evelyn nearly laughed out loud. She'd seen photographs of every single one of the Walkers, and she didn't look like any of them. She was certain of that. He shrugged. "I just wanted to get a good look at you, you know, figure out what I'm supposed to do."

"Supposed to do?" Evelyn demanded, "you were supposed to leave me in my mother and not murder her, you fucking lunatic!"

"Do not speak to me that way!" He roared, clenching his fists. Spit flew from his mouth, landing on his scraggly beard. He pointed a fat finger at her, the tip of it stained with dirt and frost bitten. "I am your father!" Evelyn wanted to scream back at him that she knew better, but she didn't. She hoped keeping him talking would save her life. She lifted her chin defiantly.