Demon Hunting with a Dixie Deb - Lexi George Page 0,120
to believe. God knows I’ve missed you, Juke. But why now? Why here?”
“Hannah, my darling. Like it or not, it’s a special place.”
“Hannah.” Mama stared at Junior with a naked longing that made Sassy squirm. “I should have known.”
Bunny rabbits, this was awkward.
Sassy cleared her throat. “Juke?”
“Your mother’s pet name for me.” Junior’s gaze remained fixed on Mama. “It was our little in-joke. I was a classically trained pianist, you see, and your mother loved to dance. She liked to tease me. Said I played Old Dead People music.”
“I haven’t danced since you died.”
“The chicken tender king doesn’t dance?”
“Don’t make fun of Joel. He’s a good man. A little rough around the edges, perhaps, but a good man. He’s made Sassy a wonderful father.”
“I’m Sassy’s father.” Junior gave Mama a smile of profound sadness. “You should have told her about me. You should have told her about herself. It wasn’t fair to keep her in the dark.”
“What was I supposed to do, tell our child she comes from monsters? I did what I had to do to protect her.”
“You were protecting yourself.” Junior held up his hand as Mama started to protest. “I don’t blame you for running, but at least be honest about it.”
Sassy looked at her parents in bewilderment. “What are you talking about?”
“My father thought I was weak because of my music,” Junior said. “He wanted an heir who hunted and fished, a man’s man. He threw me into the saw at the mill. Made Trey watch. He was eight years old.”
“Fran?” Sassy stared at the ghost in sick horror. “He fed you to Fran in front of Trey?”
No wonder Junior refused to talk about his death.
No wonder Trey haunted the mill.
“Stop it.” Mama covered her ears. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“Sassy has a right to know.” Junior turned to Sassy. “Your mother was pregnant with you when I died. My father wanted Trey to himself without ‘womanly’ interference. He blamed my shortcomings on my mother’s influence, you see. He offered Ellie money, but that didn’t fly. Ellie had money of her own.”
Of course she did. Eleanor Jerkins came from pickle royalty.
“My father showed Ellie what he was,” Junior continued. “He started by making himself invisible—a little trick of his. Ellie had no idea demons and demonoids existed. I’d kept it from her, you see.”
A deep shiver racked Mama’s body. “I was terrified.”
“Your grandfather liked to kill things.” Junior stared into space. “Animals, women, his own son—didn’t matter. His talent made it easy to sneak up on his victims.” He shrugged. “He dragged your mother along on a kill and made her watch. And then he told her how he’d killed me. Said he’d do the same to her and Trey—or worse—if she stayed. She ran.”
“You left Trey with that . . . that thing, knowing what he was?” Sassy stared at her mother in disbelief. “How could you?”
“I tried to get your brother to leave with me, but he refused,” Mama cried. “He pitched a fit to stay in Hannah with Blake and Clarice. He didn’t want to leave his school, his friends. Trey didn’t tell me he’d seen your father murdered. How was I to know?”
“My father was a cruel and devious man,” Junior said. “He played you and Trey against each other, Ellie. Trey was terrified of Blake. Blake threatened to kill you if Trey left. He stayed to protect you.”
“No.” Mama wrung her hands. “Oh, my God, what have I done? Get him, Juke. Bring him to me. I need to see him. I need to tell him how sorry I am.”
“He’s here, Ellie.”
Mama looked around in confusion. “Where?”
“The dog.” Sassy pointed to the Dalmatian. “Trey’s a dog, Mama.”
“A dog? H-he’s a dog?”
“’Fraid so,” Junior said. “Prefers this form. Partly because it annoys Meredith, but also because he was a dog when the car hit him.”
“A-a dog?” Mama repeated. “Our son is a dog?”
“Yep,” Junior said. “Good thing he was able to return to his human form before he died. Some demonoids aren’t so lucky. Shifter died last year as a horse, and the family had to bury him in the yard with a backhoe.”
Mama swayed. “I hate this town. I really hate this town.”
With a sigh, she slid off the chair in a faint.
Grim accompanied Evan and the sheriff outside. It was midday, and the azure sky was wisped with clouds, the air redolent with the scents of river and trees. High above, a hawk circled on the breeze.