Chapter 23

The storm had arrived, thunder rolled, and lightning flashed. Outside the abandoned farmhouse, a car door slammed, and a motor whined. Ed squinted through the grimy living room window and watched as the white van headed down the long driveway and onto the highway.

His expression grew smug as a sneer crossed his narrow lips, and he recalled how easy it had been to move the boy from Wayne’s house.

Those stupid rangers drove right past us. Now the brat is safely tucked away in the basement, and with the sleeping pills I put in his soda, he should sleep for a couple more hours yet… And I don’t have to listen to him crying for his mommy.

Lightning flashed again, turning the whole world purple. In its glare, Ed saw something standing a few yards from the house, looking at him. He blinked and looked again… the lightning was gone, and with it, the something.

It was nothing… a trick of the light.

Ed drew the curtains against the approaching darkness. A lantern sat on the sideboard across from