Read Online (1995) The Oath by Frank Peretti - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Frank Peretti
Tags: Suspense
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supposed to be today.”
“I could give the coroner a call.”
Steve checked his watch. “Kinda late.”
“I can rouse him, I think.” Marcus approached his next question carefully. “What—how much do you want to know?”
Steve looked down at 318 , regarding the rows of teeth and the long, white claws. “Just enough, Marcus. Just enough to know for sure.”
MIDWAY BETWEEN dusk and dawn, amid the silhouettes of old ruins etched in charcoal against the velvet sky, a lone figure stole silently past the old, teetering walls and crumbling foundations, his black clothing blending with the deep, angular shadows so as to make him invisible. No one would know his business; everyone else was afraid to go near this place.
With silent, feather-light steps, he entered a large ruin, letting its three remaining walls shroud him in their shadows. In the center of the collapsed and rotting structure, he knelt before a large, flat stone and placed his hands on its corners, his gaze fixed upon the stone’s dim, gray image. Then he prayed, muttering his requests in a quiet monotone.
When he had finished, he drew a slip of paper from under his coat, placed it on the rock, and with a large, black pencil scribbled a name, which he repeated over and over, “Margaret Elizabeth . . . Margaret Elizabeth . . . Margaret Elizabeth . . . ”
With the strike of a match, he set the paper on fire. “Time for you to die, Maggie!”
THE THIRD morning after the attack, Steve met Tracy Ellis at the Clark County Medical Center. Evelyn was coherent and recovering. It was time to talk to her about what had happened on Wells Peak.
They paused near the nurses’ station to compare findings. Steve was dressed in casual slacks and shirt. He no longer looked like a grizzled, half-crazed outdoorsman. Tracy was back in her uniform, armed with a notebook and the case folder for the upcoming interview.
Tracy looked troubled. “The team finished combing the area all around the campsite, and the dogs have searched the wider area around Wells Peak.” She shrugged. “They didn’t find anything.”
Steve only sighed. “The autopsy on 318 showed a diet consistent with habituation, but beyond that, there was nothing conclusive.” He handed her a photocopy of his written report, which consisted of just a few paragraphs. “He liked berries, roots, grass, some human garbage, and the doughnuts we put out for him. But that’s all we could find. My report will take about thirty seconds to read.”
“So you haven’t settled on 318 as the culprit?”
Steve only spread his hands. “He really is the only viable candidate, and I’m willing to accept that. I’m just saying that the autopsy couldn’t establish anything one way or the other.”
“Have you seen the autopsy report on your brother?”
“Marcus talked to the coroner last night, but I haven’t seen the report yet. Have you?”
She nodded grimly. “Got a copy this morning.” She hesitated before saying, “The bottom line is, the pathologist thinks it was a bear.”
“Yeah, that’s what the coroner told Marcus, and I guess I can’t argue with that.” Steve looked down momentarily. “Marcus and I have talked about—actually viewing the remains.” He was quick to add, “But I think I’d rather have Marcus do it. I trust his judgment, his powers of observation.”
Tracy thought about it, then nodded. “Have Marcus do it.”
“Come on, let’s see what Evie remembers.”
WHEN THEY entered the room, Evelyn was sitting upright, the mattress raised and several pillows placed behind her back.
“Well,” said Steve, smiling, “you’re looking better.”
“Half vertical, anyway,” Evelyn answered with a slight smile.
“You’ve met Deputy Ellis?”
“I think I met her two days ago.”
Tracy smiled. “You did.”
“Well—hi again.”
“Hi.”
There were two chairs in the room, and Steve and Tracy pulled them close to the bed, then sat down. At first they talked in
“I could give the coroner a call.”
Steve checked his watch. “Kinda late.”
“I can rouse him, I think.” Marcus approached his next question carefully. “What—how much do you want to know?”
Steve looked down at 318 , regarding the rows of teeth and the long, white claws. “Just enough, Marcus. Just enough to know for sure.”
MIDWAY BETWEEN dusk and dawn, amid the silhouettes of old ruins etched in charcoal against the velvet sky, a lone figure stole silently past the old, teetering walls and crumbling foundations, his black clothing blending with the deep, angular shadows so as to make him invisible. No one would know his business; everyone else was afraid to go near this place.
With silent, feather-light steps, he entered a large ruin, letting its three remaining walls shroud him in their shadows. In the center of the collapsed and rotting structure, he knelt before a large, flat stone and placed his hands on its corners, his gaze fixed upon the stone’s dim, gray image. Then he prayed, muttering his requests in a quiet monotone.
When he had finished, he drew a slip of paper from under his coat, placed it on the rock, and with a large, black pencil scribbled a name, which he repeated over and over, “Margaret Elizabeth . . . Margaret Elizabeth . . . Margaret Elizabeth . . . ”
With the strike of a match, he set the paper on fire. “Time for you to die, Maggie!”
THE THIRD morning after the attack, Steve met Tracy Ellis at the Clark County Medical Center. Evelyn was coherent and recovering. It was time to talk to her about what had happened on Wells Peak.
They paused near the nurses’ station to compare findings. Steve was dressed in casual slacks and shirt. He no longer looked like a grizzled, half-crazed outdoorsman. Tracy was back in her uniform, armed with a notebook and the case folder for the upcoming interview.
Tracy looked troubled. “The team finished combing the area all around the campsite, and the dogs have searched the wider area around Wells Peak.” She shrugged. “They didn’t find anything.”
Steve only sighed. “The autopsy on 318 showed a diet consistent with habituation, but beyond that, there was nothing conclusive.” He handed her a photocopy of his written report, which consisted of just a few paragraphs. “He liked berries, roots, grass, some human garbage, and the doughnuts we put out for him. But that’s all we could find. My report will take about thirty seconds to read.”
“So you haven’t settled on 318 as the culprit?”
Steve only spread his hands. “He really is the only viable candidate, and I’m willing to accept that. I’m just saying that the autopsy couldn’t establish anything one way or the other.”
“Have you seen the autopsy report on your brother?”
“Marcus talked to the coroner last night, but I haven’t seen the report yet. Have you?”
She nodded grimly. “Got a copy this morning.” She hesitated before saying, “The bottom line is, the pathologist thinks it was a bear.”
“Yeah, that’s what the coroner told Marcus, and I guess I can’t argue with that.” Steve looked down momentarily. “Marcus and I have talked about—actually viewing the remains.” He was quick to add, “But I think I’d rather have Marcus do it. I trust his judgment, his powers of observation.”
Tracy thought about it, then nodded. “Have Marcus do it.”
“Come on, let’s see what Evie remembers.”
WHEN THEY entered the room, Evelyn was sitting upright, the mattress raised and several pillows placed behind her back.
“Well,” said Steve, smiling, “you’re looking better.”
“Half vertical, anyway,” Evelyn answered with a slight smile.
“You’ve met Deputy Ellis?”
“I think I met her two days ago.”
Tracy smiled. “You did.”
“Well—hi again.”
“Hi.”
There were two chairs in the room, and Steve and Tracy pulled them close to the bed, then sat down. At first they talked in
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