Dark City

41.

The wind filled the streets with ghastly howls. The gray clouds smothered the sun. Windows were dark and deserted with blinds drawn.

Nathan was heading up the steps of his front porch, resisting a nicotine craving, when he heard a sound like drum cymbals behind him. He turned to see Tom taking out the garbage. Their eyes met only an instant before Tom acted like they didn't. Nathan called out to his friend, "Are you avoiding me?"

Tom stopped halfway up the driveway. "No."

"Come here."

Tom shrugged. He crossed the street with his head hanging low like an admonished child.

"What's going on with you?" Nathan asked. He folded his arms. "You still think I had something to do with Lacey leaving?"

"Yeah. I do," Tom said, unsure of anything else he could say to justify himself anymore.

"Look," Nathan said. "I didn't want to tell you this because I wanted to spare your feelings, but she was cheating on you. I went to your house, let myself in with the spare key and chased a guy out of there. Lacey left soon after."

Tom folded his arms, mirroring Nathan. 

Nathan shrugged. "If I can't convince you, what's the fucking point—?"

"There's something you should know," Tom said, as serious as ever. Nathan didn't like this. Tom was almost never serious. "Something happened to Alex on Halloween."

Nathan held his breath, waiting for Tom's explanation. When Tom clammed up, Nathan said, "I thought you hardly saw her on Halloween."

"I might have smudged the truth."

"What happened?"

"We found the pagans who wear the seal of Solomon, followed them out to this cabin in the woods. Alex and I were both really drunk. She'd taken every drug under the sun so I tried to look after her. But I lost track of her at the cabin. She wandered into this room where people were having an orgy. I tried going after her, but someone—I think it was this guy Liam—choked me out and the next thing I knew I was on the side of the road. I went back for her as soon as I could."

"And? What happened when you got there?"

Tom shook his head helplessly. "Liam had her in his greenhouse, and she had the seal of Solomon inked in henna on her back."

"Fuck me," Nathan hissed. He ran lopsidedly toward his car. As he was warming up the engine, Tom took shotgun and buckled his seatbelt. With heat shooting out of the dashboard vents, the frosty windshield cleared.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked.

"I need to see her," Nathan said.

Nathan backed out of his driveway and they made the journey to Alex's house. Nathan filled Tom in on what he knew about Liam as they drove.

"His real name is Sam Preston. I talked to this woman in Red Bank. She filed charges against him ten years ago for statutory rape. He's a manipulator scumbag."

"God damn, dude."

They pulled up in front of Alex's house. Nathan rang the bell incessantly until Lillian Stockton answered the door.

"Where is she?" Nathan demanded.

"You," her mother snarled.

"I need to see her."

"I know it was you who gave her that black eye! I won't hesitate to call the police on you."

"Would you like my father's private line?" Tom asked.