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“Cash.” Walt stares at her. “Like I’m trusting my money to some bank.”
“What does Clayton look like?”
“Big guy. Dark hair, brown eyes. Not that young, not that old. Hell, we don’t exchange pleasantries.”
There’s something he’s still not telling us. “Come on, Walt.”
After a moment’s hesitation: “He carries a knife. Big ol’ thing with an ugly-ass serrated blade. But he doesn’t keep it tucked away. He wants everyone to see it. He wants you to know.”
“Know what?”
“He’s one of us. Like Jacob. Like I used to be. A mean son of a bitch who makes no apologies. That knife, it’s not just for show. And all those runs to Atlanta with his fancy refrigerated truck... Lots of things you can carry in a rig like that.”
“Where do we find Clayton?” Kimberly asks.
“Around. Like I said, he doesn’t exactly have an address. But sooner or later, he shows up again.”
“How do you get in touch with him when you have a delivery?”
“I don’t. He comes by. Every two weeks. Can’t fault the man for reliability.”
“When is the next pickup?”
“Five days.”
“We don’t have five days, Walt,” I say honestly. “I’m not even sure we have five hours.”
“Name of the tavern where you first met him?” Kimberly presses.
That faint hesitation again. Then a sigh. Long, uneven. It reminds me a bit of a death rattle, but maybe I’m just letting the conversation spook me.
“There’s something I should show you,” Walt says. He stands up, shotgun held before him. Belatedly, Kimberly and I rise to our feet. “You know I talk about the woods. You know what I believe. About the dark. The trees. That all that moaning and shrieking ain’t just the wind ripping through the forest.”
I nod.
“People think I’m crazy, talking like that. I know. I’ve heard them. For years now.” Walt stares at me. “I didn’t save you.”
It’s not a question, so I don’t answer.
“Never saved anyone really. Just inflicted my share of violence, then fathered a boy who did even worse. That’s my legacy. Death and microgreens.”
I still don’t say anything.
“I know why the woods scream at night,” he murmurs. “And if you don’t mind going for a little hike, I can prove it.”
