James Eldritch and the Incredibly Awkward Silence: James Eldritch, #4

By Michael Horton

Did you hear that? Neither did anyone else. A scenic trip to Bristol ends in disaster when a fiend no one saw (or heard) coming suddenly appears. James Eldritch discovers that his greatest foe might not be a Herald after all. Will he finally settle things with the man who took Melina’s life?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Horton
• Release date: Jul 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781497746527

Book preview

CHAPTER ZERO: METAPHYSICAL PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS

It was not a day like any other. It was a horrible day hot on the heels of a horrible night, culminating in what was now a standoff between James Eldritch and Jack Blythe. The front door to James’s office was still ajar. There had been no forced entry, no struggle, but the scene told the whole story.

James held his revolver steady, aimed right between Jack’s eyes, and did his best not to sway. He didn’t want to take the shot if he didn’t have to.

Jack held a knife, razor-sharp from base to tip. This should have been a matchup in James’s favor, except Jack held the knife to May O’Dolon’s throat. It had all happened so quickly. She was white as a sheet in that moment, as if she were already dead.

James felt the pressure to act gnawing at his stomach. He was a confident shot most of the time, good under pressure, and he was 99% sure that once he pulled the trigger he’d hit his mark dead center.

But that missing 1% was driving him mad, and he wouldn’t shoot as long as any room for error existed.

I didn’t want it to come to this, James Eldritch. You seem like a decent chap. And trust me, I ain’t done none o’ this to hurt you. Jack’s eyes twitched behind dark, sleepless lids, but his grip across May’s chest remained tight. James kept seeing an image in his mind of the knife slitting her throat, cutting through so clean and killing her so fast that he never had time to react. "The whole afternoon I was in bloody paradise. I didn’t hear anyone, not once! The sun was up, yeah? But I could finally get some sleep! You know what it’s like to be awake as long as I have? They talk to me, talk to me, talk to me, flapping their sick little gums. Gotta kill some bird just to keep them quiet, only long enough to hear myself think about what I’ve gone and done."

James took a deep breath. Just let her go.

Nah, mate. Nah, nah, nah. Not gonna do that. A psychotic grin split Jack’s face. "See, this here is gonna end. The voices, the voices—the bloody fucking voices! But that’s about to change one way or the other. You know it, and I know it."

Let her go! James felt his shoulders tighten. He couldn’t afford to let his arms tremble, couldn’t appear weak, not now.

May whimpered as Jack pulled her closer to his own chest, breathing into her ear.

Just shoot him, James!

I know. James resisted the urge to shut his eyes, even for a second. I know I should, but there must be another way...

C’mon then, James. Jack laughed, pricking May’s supple neck with his knife. A hint of red beneath the blade nearly brought James to a blind rage, but he kept it contained. Somehow kept himself from squeezing six shots into Jack’s face. I kill her, the voices stop. Don’t know how long. Could be a week, a month, a year. He raised his eyebrows and gave a shaky nod. You shoot me? Yeah, that’ll end ‘em right swiftly. Do us all a favor, mate. Just pull that there trigger. It’s win-fuckin’-win.

First let her go, James said again. I have some things I need to ask you. She’s got nothing to do with this.

"Look, Mr. Paranormal Investigator, I’ve already told