Read Online The Peregrine Omnibus Volume One by Barry Reese - Free Book Online

surprised if he has a few more tricks up his sleeve.” Max shoved his clothes into a small knapsack he’d brought along and strapped it to his back. Now he looked like a wealthy American on vacation, though there were fewer and fewer of those in Germany these days. War was in the air, despite the fact that many liked to believe otherwise. “Trust me,” was all he said in reply to her question.
    Evelyn sighed, but she knew that was enough. If there was one thing she’d learned about Max thus far, it was that he was never at a loss for a plan.

CHAPTER XIV
    Ghostly Visitations
    Nettie looked past the sheriff’s burly form, holding Josh’s gaze. “Mr. Davies isn’t here. Can’t you come back later?”
    The sheriff sighed, pushing his hat back so that it perched atop his balding head at an awkward angle. There were large patches of sweat visible under his arms and around his midsection, soaking right through the shirt he wore. His belly hung over the front of his pants, giving him the look of a pregnant walrus. “Now you know I can’t do that. If your master ain’t home, then I’ll just give myself a look around and wait.”
    “You can’t be doin’ that,” Josh warned. He stepped up next to the sheriff, who regarded him coolly. “This is Mr. Davies’ property.”
    “I’m an agent of the law, boy,” the sheriff warned and the look in his eyes was one that Josh and Nettie recognized all too well. It was the look they got from men and women who regarded them as something less than human… like the same property of which Josh had spoken. “Now if you don’t want your behind thrown in jail, you’re gonna back away from me.”
    Josh did as the sheriff said but there was no fear evident on his face as he did so. He was twice as tall as the lawman and could break him in half easily enough… but Josh also knew how Southern justice would view such a thing. “Mr. Davies ain’t gonna be happy if you mess with his things,” was all Josh said.
    “Yeah, well that’ll be too damned bad, ’cause I don’t work for Mr. Davies.” The sheriff ambled down the hallway, looking into various rooms in the house, his thumbs hooked through the belt loops of his overloaded pants.
    “Hello, Sheriff,” someone said from the doorway to the last room. “Something I can assist you with?”
    The sheriff came up short, looking into the face of a man who resembled Max Davies in more than a few ways… but who was obviously not the same man. He wore a tweed coat and a smart suit, his features those of the cultured elite. “Who are you?” the sheriff asked, intimidated by the upper class air that the man carried with him.
    Behind the sheriff, both Nettie and Josh exchanged confused looks. From their vantage point, it looked like the sheriff was talking to thin air.
    “My name is Warren Davies. I’m Max’s father.”
    “Oh. Well, I have a few questions for your son. Do you know where I can find him?”
    The elder Mr. Davies smiled in a slightly condescending manner. It brought a flush to the sheriff’s face and he slipped into the natural way that he handled all rich people—by completely and totally caving in. “He’s away on business, Sheriff. Is there something I can help you with?”
    “Well… there are questions about a murder…”
    “Surely you don’t suspect my son of being implicated…?”
    “Oh, no! But I have to ask…”
    “I’ve never understood why you have to waste your time with such nonsense. You should be able to focus on truly important matters… like finding the true killer behind Mr. Beauregard’s death.”
    “How did you know—?”
    The elder Mr. Davies leaned in close to him and the sheriff found himself unable to look away from the man’s eyes. They seemed to hold such power… such knowledge… as if their owner had been to Hell and back, returning with truths that the sheriff could never comprehend. “There is nothing to be learned here. You will return to your car, speaking