Free Evil in Hockley by William Buckel

rope.
    Soon as Harry jumped into his car the
light turned green. Horns sounded as he backed up and moved around
Danny’s sedan. Sandy was on his tail. He looked out the rear view
and saw Danny jump into his sedan. It appeared as though he was
having trouble getting mobile. It was Karma with another of her
tricks. Horns sounded in the distance as angry motorists sat behind
Danny’s stalled car.
    Plans don’t always work out the way
they’re supposed to and this one had its share of quirks. To add to
the crap they’d already encountered the two bikers had seen Harry
grab Bobby and were now in pursuit on their Harleys. It didn’t take
them long to weave around obstacles and one was soon at his side.
Harry had anticipated a bike chase, who wouldn’t at a biker’s bar?
It was one scenario where he couldn’t win especially in traffic. In
the empty passenger seat lay a chain. He grabbed it and tossed it
out the window into the front spokes of the Harley beside him. The
bike went ass over tea kettle across three lanes. The other biker
stopped to help his comrade.
    They slowed so as not to attract the
law. They were soon north on Airport Road through Malton. Bobby was
not only stirring he was fighting the ropes trying to break
free.
    “Bobby, you tear a hole in the seat and
I’ll go back there and kick the shit out of you.”
    He stopped fighting his
bonds.
    It was an hour later when they arrived
at the cabin and took Bobby in. Sandy had dropped behind in case
they were being tailed. She called an all clear on Harry’s cell
then drove into the lot. Bobby was already tied to a stout chair in
the cabin’s living room.
    It seemed a strange thing for Karma to
do. She slapped Bobby hard a couple of times, hate in her eyes. She
could have hexed him in a dozen ways. Rage contorted her face and
physical action seemed to appease her.
    She hissed,
    “Tony called you his
friend.”
    Bobby sat staring at the
floor.
    Harry would never want to get this
witch mad.
     
    Harry couldn’t wait and got straight to
the point.
    “You’re going to tell me what you know
about Jarrod’s death or I’ll take you out and shoot
you.”
    Bobby raised his head and
said,
    “Shoot me now then cause I don’t know
squat. You want me to make up something?”
    Karma approached with a candle chanting
words foreign to Harry as she sprinkled a powder on Bobby. Bobby
appeared to freeze and his eyes stopped blinking. Karma lifted the
candle under Bobby’s chin. Harry smelled burning flesh but the man
didn’t move. She removed the candle then asked,
    “Tell us about Jarrod, what you know of
his death.”
    Bobby mumbled,
    “I know he died. Drove his bike in a
ditch.”
    Karma asked more questions but the
conversation still went nowhere.
    Finally she said,
    “I don’t think he knows
anything.”
    Harry was frustrated. It all led
nowhere.
    “What about Shelley?”
    Bobby answered,
    “She’s half dead. Can she answer
questions? I have no idea how far along she is.”
    Harry hissed,
    “This is going nowhere. We can exchange
Bobby for Shelley but will it get us anywhere?”
    Karma said,
    “I can try but know I can’t bring her
back. Like Tony all I can do is send her to the spirit
world.”
    Harry paced then said,
    “Let’s do it. At least it’s a
chance.”
    He’d taken Mercer’s cell and removed
the battery so it couldn’t be tracked. He plugged the battery in
and called Joe Sharky’s number. He didn’t answer but recognized the
voice. It was John Dean.
    “Hello Harry. How are you this fine
day?”
    “No bullshit Dean. I want to trade
Mercer for Shelley if she’s still alive.”
    “She is but what if we don’t want Bobby
back?”
    “Then say so and you’ll hear the shot
that ended his days before you can take another breath.”
    “All right. As much as I hate to do
business with kidnappers Joe wants Bobby returned. Where do we do
the exchange?”
    “Oh no. We do this my way. We make the
exchange at midnight. You get underway and