Free Don't Read After Dark: Keep the lights on while reading these! (A McCray Horror Collection) by Carolyn McCray

moved them off to the side. “Or, to the ‘trained’ mind?”
    “He just used five different vans.”
    “That’s a helluva lot of vans for any one person. All of the abandoned vans during that period were registered to different people”
    “Ah,” Jake said. “But we didn’t look into their insurance companies.”
    Brad flipped through the files. “But these vans all had different insurance companies.”
    His friend was acting like that was a bad thing. “That’s because Marvin doesn’t want questions about his ever-revolving van collection.”
    Suddenly Brad’s eyes opened, his pupils dilating. “Which means he couldn’t prove previous insurance.”
    Jake nodded. “Now you’re on the path, grasshopper.”
    “So any agent worth his salt is going to want to see the new van that they are being asked to insure… His options are getting limited.” Brad clapped his gloved hands together. “So we pull footage from the last insurance office and compare it to the other insurance offices, and once we get a picture…”
    “We get a name. Then we get financial, phone records,” Jake added. “Then find real estate acquisitions isolated enough to hold a hostage for a week.”
    Brad looked at Jake sideways, then sighed. “You are… an evil, evil genius when you’re not slacking.”
    “Thanks,” Jake said, grateful his pitch had worked. He turned to walk off.
    “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Brad said, grabbing Jake by the sleeve. “Where do you think you’re going? This is a hell of a lot of groundwork to go over.”
    “Do you really think that Starvin’ Marvin just drives along and says, ‘Hey, she’s cute. I think that I’ll take her?’” Brad shook his head. “I’m going to trace Ms. Montgomery’s movements so that I can give you specific traffic corners to check the license numbers you uncover, then trace his movements back to his lair.”
    Brad clapped him on the back. “Damn you and your evil genius.”
     

CHAPTER 9
    Evie stared up at the trap door. It was still solidly closed. The other men were busy practicing with their own weapons. Back looked a little too skilled with that sickle for Evie’s taste. And the sharp clack of Papa’s hedge trimmers filled the dungeon.
    “Come on,” Darion urged the trap door, but it didn’t seem to be listening.
    “Guess your fucking luck isn’t holding, Darion,” Back sneered.
    “Yeah! Take this!” Door said as he shot an arrow into their cell. It missed wildly, then skidded into Andrew’s cell.
    “Hey!” Andrew shouted.
    “Not yet!” Back yelled at Door. “You idiot!”
    Evie looked to Darion. “Why haven’t you gotten a weapon?”
    He seemed too busy trying to make the trap door open with his mind that he didn’t answer. As always, Andrew was more than willing to step into the void.
    “Once in a blue moon, one of us doesn’t get a weapon.”
    “Not right away,” Darion snapped. He looked to Evie. “One will drop.”
    “Before or after you’re sliced up into tiny ribbons is yet to be determined,” Back challenged. Evie hugged herself. Could it be true? Was Darion going to lose today?
    “Random Cell Opening will commence on the count of three.”’
    Well, if he didn’t get a weapon in the next few seconds it looked like it was going to be all over. Back certainly seemed to think so.
    “Maybe I’ll let you live long enough to cut the flesh off your body.”
    “Three.”
    “Inch by square inch,” Back said as he sharpened his sickle.
    “ Two .”
    “You know, your pubes would make a nice trophy.”
    “ One .”
    Evie had to keep herself from hyperventilating. She grabbed Darion by the arm. “Keep him away from me and I’ll make sure you get back in.”
    “Then I’ll tie you to the bed, belly down, so that I can take you whenever the fuck I want.”
    Darion looked to her. “Maybe you’ll be…’grateful?’” Evie frowned. “Maybe just a little?”
    “ Kill him, then we’ll talk.”
    “Bingo.”
    Evie held her