The Demon Trappers: Foretold Read Online Free PDF Page A

tracks. His expression went unreadable in a heartbeat.
    Uh oh.
    The cop took off his sunglasses and tucked them in his shirt pocket. ‘Heard you were back in town,’ he said in a soft drawl much like Beck’s.
    ‘Just got here,’ her fellow trapper replied, setting his backpack down.
    ‘Been to see your momma yet?’
    ‘Headed that way.’
    ‘From what I hear it won’t be long now.’
    ‘I hear the same,’ Beck replied, his jaw tight.
    Hello? Am I invisible here?
    As if the cop had heard her, he shifted his attention in her direction and tapped his hat in respect. ‘I’m Sheriff Tom Donovan.’ He looked over at Beck at this point.
‘Denver and I go way back.’
    Beck chuffed in disgust.
    ‘I’m Riley . . . Blackthorne.’
    ‘You any relation to the master trapper in Atlanta?’ the cop asked.
    ‘He was my dad.’
    The man nodded now that he’d made the connection. ‘Pleased to meet you, Miss Riley. Since Denver here couldn’t be bothered to pick up a phone, I had the pleasure of talking to
your father every now and then.’ Another glance at Beck, then back to her. ‘Sorry to hear of your loss.’
    ‘Thank you.’
    ‘How old are you?’
    ‘What? I’m seventeen. Why?’
    ‘Just checking,’ the man replied. ‘Folks will hear that Denver’s back in town and that he’s got someone with him. He has a history with the local girls, so tongues
will wag. I can shut some of that down by knowing the real story.’
    Beck took a step forward, a clear challenge. ‘Riley’s not one of those. She’s here to help with . . .
her.
’
    Donovan sobered. ‘It won’t scald your tongue to call Sadie your momma.’
    ‘The hell it won’t.’
    The sheriff shook his head and walked to his car. After he opened the door, he looked back at Riley. ‘Welcome to Sadlersville, Miss Riley.’
    ‘Thank you,’ she said, still unsure of what had just happened.
    The cop car pulled out of the parking lot and headed up the road.
    ‘So what was that all about?’ Riley asked.
    Beck dumped his backpack on the truck’s seat.
    ‘Just welcomin’ me home,’ he replied.

Chapter Four

    The centre of Sadlersville was a curious mix of old and new. As Beck cruised along hunting for a parking place, Riley spied a kid with a laptop perched on a park bench, rocking
away to something coming through his headphones. Right behind him was a barber shop with one of the old red-and-white poles. The city’s water tower dominated the air above the town and most
of the buildings were old, mom-and-pop shops rubbing elbows with the occasional chain store. There were none of the mini shops you found in Atlanta’s parking spots. In fact, there were no
parking meters so the street was full of cars and pickups. One had a giant sign in the back window proclaiming that Jesus was returning soon.
    He’s going to be really disappointed.
    Beck noticed her studying the sign. ‘Folks take their religion serious down here.’
    ‘And folks in Atlanta don’t?’ she parried.
    He shrugged, conceding that point. ‘It’s different down here.’
    ‘Already figured that one out.’
    Once they were parked, Beck made a show of locking the truck’s doors, on the alert, like he expected trouble with every step. He waved her up the street and they walked past a busy hair
salon where necks craned to catch a glimpse of them, then a flower shop that still had Valentine’s Day specials in the window and a thrift store.
    Riley caught Beck’s elbow. ‘I need a new jacket. I don’t want to wear my mom’s good one for trapping.’
    He didn’t argue, but followed her inside and waited by the door as she found herself a replacement denim jacket for the one the demon had roasted. As she paid for it, Beck kept his
attention on the street.
    Once her purchase was complete, they returned to the truck so she could switch out her mom’s coat for the new one. It was then she saw the strange little wooden figure tucked underneath a
windshield wiper. It was made of