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Beau grinned, a sickly leer. “I hear them.” He tapped his skull. “I hear what those damn vampyr scum are thinking.”
Uncertain looks. A couple of people at the back stood and moved toward the door. Barbara glanced at Rita, who gave a tiny headshake.
Beau stared around. “I hear them,” he repeated, louder. “And I saw them too. Outside my house.”
Barbara frowned. “Sir, are you saying some of the Colony came to your home?”
He turned to her. “They were there. Oh yeah. Aaron and his family. They came back. They’re trying to scare me, punish me. They want me to think I’m losing my mind. But I know it was them.”
“All right!” Rita clapped her hands. “I think it might be time to adjourn our meeting. Reverend?”
“Indeed.” Colleen rose gracefully. “Thank you all for coming—”
“NO!” Beau shouted. “We’re not done here.”
But the mood had shifted. More people rose and shuffled toward the door, eyes cast down in embarrassment. Beau glared at them. “Why won’t you listen?”
Rita walked up to him. “Beau, maybe you should sit down a moment? You don’t look so good.”
“I’m fine!”
But the older man was starting to shiver now. Barbara didn’t like the pallor of his skin. Hypothermia could present with delusions. She stepped down from the altar.
“Sir, did you walk all the way here?”
“It’s not far.”
“Maybe not in good weather, but it’s minus five out there and that wind is like a knife. Here.” She took her coat off, wrapped it around Beau’s shoulders and guided him to a spare seat.
She glanced back at Rita and Colleen. “Someone should drive him home. He’s at risk of hypothermia.”
Rita shook her head. “I lent my truck to Tucker, remember?”
“And I’m afraid I don’t have a vehicle at the moment,” Colleen said.
“Okay.” Barbara sighed. It wasn’t like she was investigating a murder or anything. “Well, if I take Beau back, can you get into town, Rita?”
“Sure. I can catch a lift with someone.”
Barbara smiled at Beau. “Why don’t I drive you home, sir, and make sure you’re okay?”
“I don’t need your help,” Beau grumbled.
“Sir, it’s just a lift. Otherwise I could arrest you for disturbing the peace and take you to the cells instead.”
Beau looked like he was about to refuse. Then he seemed to sag. “Fine.”
Barbara nodded. “Okay.”
She felt a cool hand on her shoulder. She turned. Colleen smiled at her beatifically. “Thank you for doing this, Barbara. You’re a true good Samaritan.”
“Yeah, well, love thy enemy. Isn’t that the motto of the story?” She fixed the Reverend with a hard look. “Maybe a few people round here could try it sometime.”
45
The Lame Horse was an apt name.
Set back from the road, it was a faux hunting lodge inhabited by the type of clientele who looked as if a bar was the last place they should be while also looking like they had absolutely nowhere else to go (except maybe a twelve-step program).
