Read Online Reapers Mist: Third in the Reaper Trilogy by Justin Gowland by Justin Gowland - Free Book Online

docks. I could see Maddie and Jacob climbing onto the first pleasure boat. They disappeared into the large cabin on the boat. And a few minutes later Maddies hair appeared at the bridge rail and move forward.  Standing on the dock I waited and kept a lookout. I was hoping to hear a cough and start of an engine. Nothing and after a few more minutes Jacob and then Maddie jumped onto the dock.
    I think Maddie could see the question on my face because she said “No keys we looked all over the boat but couldn’t find any.”
    “Ok is there anywhere that might have them?” I asked.
    “I don’t know.” Was the answer she gave.
    I looked at Jacob and he just shrugged his shoulders. I think he was scared to speak. There might have been Reapers nearby and that could have been scaring him.
    “Right we’ll check one more and if it’s the same I’ll go looking for where they might be kept.” I said, turning toward the next pleasure boat.
    As well got closer, what I had thought was a puddle, was a large pool of dried blood. There were drag marks that went to the boat and over the rail.  I held out my hand and motioned that Maddie and Jacob to stay there. I walked up to the boat and carefully stepped on board.
    Another pool of dried blood was on the deck near the rail. Slowly walking into the cabin I scanned the room with my rifle up. It was one of those pleasure boats I had seen in American TV shows. A bar on one side with couch’s and seats scattered around. Taking my time I checked behind the couches and the bar. Not a drop of blood anywhere. I found it strange considering the bloody drag marks came from this boat. Walking toward the front of the boat I came to some steps leading into the dark bowels of the boat. Slowly taking my time I stepped into the darkness. I came to the bottom of the steps and a small corridor went off to either side.
    There were three doors on either side. Turning to the left there was a door opposite each other with the third door facing me. Edging to the door on the right I leaned forward and listened at the door. Not hearing anything I lifted the rifle with one hand and reached for the door handle. Turning it slowly I stepped inside the small cabin. It was big enough for a double bed that had been built into the side of the boat. A small wardrobe occupied the corner behind the door. There was no sign of any blood or struggle. This boat was starting to get stranger by the second.
    Leaving the cabin I went to the door opposite and tried the handle. It was unlocked. Slowly pushing the door, I stepped inside. It was a small bathroom with a corner shower, basin and toilet. All clean like the boat had just come from the builders.
    That left four doors. (And my pulse wasn’t a slow, steady pulse; it was racing like a fucking greyhound.) Turning to the last door on this side of the corridor I listened for any kind of sound, but got nothing. I put my hand on the door handle and turned it.
    The door opened outward toward me. (How the fuck did I miss that.) A body fell into me and sent me sprawling on the floor. I squirmed about with the body lying on top. Its head was flopping around and I got head butted twice. Until I managed to worm from underneath Looking down I could see it was a fair headed man dressed in a white button down shirt and chino trousers with boat shoes. (A fucking yuppie sailor if I had ever seen one.)
    The reason for his death was kind of self explanatory. He had taken the ship’s flare gun and shot himself in the mouth with it. His face was burnt and ruined mess of cooked flesh. His eyes must have burst due to the heat and what remained of one eye hung from its socket.The other had stayed in its socket. The flaps of the eye that were left just hanging and they moved with the slightest tremor in the floor. His nose had burnt and melted into the cavity behind it. The fat from behind the skin had melted and leaked from the cracks of the burnt skin.
    I looked away and saw that he had