The Hollow Read Online Free PDF Page B

beer.
    â€œMoment’s over,” Cybil announced. “Too bad you missed all the excitement.”
    He popped the top. “There’ll be plenty more before it’s over. Doing okay?” he asked Fox.
    â€œYeah. I won’t be pulling out my DVD of The Birds anytime soon, but other than that.”
    â€œCal said Layla wasn’t hurt.”
    â€œNo, she’s good. She’s upstairs changing. Things got a little messy.”
    At Fox’s glance, Cybil shrugged. “Which is my cue to go up and check on her and leave you two to man talk.”
    As she walked out, Gage followed her with his eyes. “Looks good coming or going.” Taking a long pull on the beer, he sat across from Fox. “You looking in that direction?”
    â€œWhat? Oh, Cybil? No.” She’d left a scent in the air, Fox realized, that was both mysterious and appealing. But . . . “No. Are you?”
    â€œLooking’s free. How bad was it today?”
    â€œWe’ve seen a lot worse. Property damage mostly. Maybe some cuts and bruises.” Everything about him hardened, inside and out. “They’d’ve messed her up, Gage, if I hadn’t been there. She couldn’t have gotten inside in time. They weren’t just flying at cars and buildings. They were heading right for her.”
    â€œIt could’ve been any one of us.” Gage pondered on it a moment. “Last month, it went after Quinn when she was alone in the gym.”
    â€œTargeting the women,” Fox said with a nod, “most specifically when one of them is alone. From the viewpoint—the faulty viewpoint—that a woman alone is more vulnerable.”
    â€œNot entirely faulty. We heal, they don’t.” Gage kicked back in his chair. “There’s no way to keep three women under wraps while we try to come up with how to kill a centuries-old and very pissed-off demon. Besides that, we need them.”
    He heard the front door open and close, then shifted in his chair to watch Cal come in with an armload of take-out bags. “Burgers, subs,” Cal announced. He dumped them on the counter as he studied Fox. “You’re okay? Layla’s okay?”
    â€œThe only casualty was my leather jacket. What’s it like out there?”
    Getting out his own beer, Cal sat with his friends. His eyes were a cold and angry gray. “About a dozen broken windows on Main Street, and the three-car pileup at the Square. No serious injuries, this time. The mayor and my father got some people together to clean up the mess. Chief Hawbaker’s taking statements.”
    â€œAnd if it goes as it usually does, in a couple of days, nobody will think any more about it. Maybe it’s better that way. If things like this stuck in people’s minds, the Hollow’d be a ghost town.”
    â€œMaybe it should be. Don’t give me the old hometown cheer,” Gage said to Cal before Cal could speak. “It’s a place. A dot on the map.”
    â€œIt’s people,” Cal corrected, though this argument had gone around before. “It’s families, it’s businesses and homes. And it’s ours, goddamn it. Twisse, or whatever name we want to call it, isn’t going to take it.”
    â€œDoesn’t it occur to you that it would be a hell of a lot easier to take him down if we didn’t have to worry about the three thousand people in the Hollow?” Gage tossed back. “What do we end up doing through most of the Seven, Cal? Trying to keep people from killing themselves or each other, getting people medical help. How do we fight it when we’re busy fighting what it causes?”
    â€œHe’s got a point.” Fox lifted a hand for peace. “I know I’ve wished we could just clear everybody the hell out, have a showdown. Fucking get it done. But you can’t tell three thousand people to leave their homes and businesses for a week. You can’t