AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It doesn’t get dark until nearly eight, and I doubt she’d move before then,” I said. “Not after her efforts here today.”
“It might be worth going back down to the farmhouse and making up a brine mixture,” Belle said. “Holy water might amplify the effect, but ordinary water should still work. It’s just a shame I didn’t think to bring the Super Soakers.”
“Brine?” Aiden opened the barn door and ushered us both out.
“We figured if brine could stop the soucouyant from taking back her skin, then it’s possible that it could also be used as a weapon against her.”
“I think there were a couple of backpack pressure sprayers in one of the sheds near the house,” he said. “They’d be more effective than a couple of Super Soakers.”
“Possibly.” I climbed into the truck and slid across the seat to allow Belle room. “We can make up the solution while we’re waiting for Monty.”
He turned the truck around and then made the call to Tala. Once back at the main farmhouse, he unlocked the back door and then went searching for the pressure sprays while we went inside.
Like most of these old places, the laundry led straight into the kitchen. This one was a large kitchen diner, with a pot rack hanging from the ceiling and cabinetry that looked handmade. There was also a large walk-in pantry. I headed in and discovered Mrs. Baker liked buying things in bulk, even when it came to simple things like salt. I gathered a couple of bags then retreated.
“I just googled brine,” Belle said. “Apparently solutions can be anything from 3 percent to twenty-six.”
“I’m thinking the stronger end of that scale would be better.” I dumped the bags on the counter then spun around to get a couple more.
Aiden came in with two pressure sprays. Once we’d filled them with water, we poured in the salt and stirred it up.
“Well, that’ll either stop her or piss her off,” Belle said.
“Let’s hope for the former rather than the latter,” Aiden said evenly. “We’ve already crossed swords with one pissed off soucouyant. I’d really prefer to avoid a second encounter.”
“I’m thinking the chances of that happening are on the wrong side of zero,” I said.
“And on that cheery thought, lets head outside and wait for Tala and Monty.”
We filled in time raiding Aiden’s stash of chocolate and chatting about everything other than the case. None of us, it seemed, wanted to dwell on what might happen if we found the soucouyant in the fishing hut.
Tala and Monty arrived fifteen minutes earlier than Aiden’s estimate, suggesting Tala had pushed the SUV’s limits to get here quickly.
Aiden wound down his window and explained what was going on, then turned his truck around and led the way. We drove through a number of paddocks, our appearance spooking various herds of cattle and sheep. As Belle climbed out to open and then close yet another gate, I said, “How close are we to the reservoir now?”
“I smelled water when Belle opened the door, so we can’t be far.” He motioned toward the top of the paddock’s long hill. “I’d say that building might be the one we’re looking for.”
I leaned forward and studied the building for several seconds. “It’s certainly too small to be any sort of shelter for the cattle, but I’m not getting anything in the way of psychic twinges.”
“Maybe we’re too far away.”
I glanced at him. “Not when it comes to evil. I’ve sensed its presence from miles away, remember.”
“I’d rather not.” He hesitated. “If the soucouyant is there, how close do we dare get?”
“Well, she didn’t actually react to Ba
ker’s presence until he sprayed her with water, so there’s a fair chance she won’t notice ours until it’s too late.”
“And if she does?”
“Then we’re in deep shit.”
“Always nice to know.”
Once Belle had climbed back into the truck, he continued on, taking the direct route up the hill. There was little point in doing anything else—if the soucouyant was going to sense us, she’d do so whether or not we came in straight or from a more roundabout direction.
We pulled up just shy of the building. It was indeed a hut, constructed out of a mix of tin and old timber. There was a window on the side closest to us but nothing that immediately indicated the presence of the soucouyant.
