Colder Than Ice by MAGGIE SHAYNE Read Free Book Online

and that is the primary mission right now.
    Maybe it should be, he thought. It wasn’t, though. To him, nothing was more important than finding Lizzie, reclaiming her, purifying and redeeming her. He supposed that was yet another symptom of his flawed human form. It was selfish. The will of Spirit must always come first.
    That’s right, Mordecai. You’re a tool. A messenger. A servant. So stay and watch the boy.
    He bowed his head. “I’m sorry. Forgive me my sins. I surrender all, Father. Not my will, but thine, be done. I’m sorry. Forgive me.” His throat felt tight, and his eyes hot and damp.
    Here he comes!
    Mordecai looked up, brushing the moisture from his eyes so he could see as the boy came out of the shop. He went into a couple of others but didn’t stay long anywhere, and finally, with a few bags in his hands, headed to a white pickup truck in the town parking lot. He started it up. Mordecai started his own vehicle, as well, and followed the boy home.
    He lived, apparently, in a Victorian house two miles past Blackberry. The style of the place was similar to the one Mordecai was renting in Bonnie Brook, six miles in the other direction, except that it wasn’t as well kept. It showed signs of neglect, needed paint, and the lawn was a weed patch.
    Mordecai did everything he could to ensure he wouldn’t lose track of the boy. He pulled over and memorized the address, the directions, the license plate number of the pickup truck. It was nearly noon. He whispered, “Can I go and search for Lizzie now?”
    No.
    He swallowed, lowering his head. “The school might have phoned for me. God knows Nancy Stillwater has to be quite ill by now.”
    You have your cell phone.
    â€œThey may have left a message on the machine. If I don’t return the call, they’ll hire someone else.”
    Your lack of faith will be punished, Mordecai!
    Pain—splitting, racking, blinding pain—blazed through his skull. Mordecai slammed his palms to either side of his head, squeezed his eyes shut tight and grated his teeth. Pressure built inside his head as if it were being inflated, until finally it felt as if it would surely burst.
    And then it was gone.
    He lay limp against the seat of the car, panting, trembling, his cheeks damp with tears. “All right. All right. I’ll stay.”’
    Use the cell to check your messages, and keep your eyes on the boy.
    â€œYes, yes. I’ll obey.”

Chapter Three
    Friday
    â€œN o, Bryan, you cannot stay home. I let you slide in the city, but that’s over. You’re going to school. You’re going to register, and you’re going to take classes. This is your senior year. It’s important.”
    Beth couldn’t help but hear Joshua’s raised voice as she stepped up onto the porch to join Maude for their morning tea. The front door was open. The screen door was closed, but sound traveled right through that. Maude looked up, shaking her head sadly. She was in the middle of her morning injection—one before every meal was the routine—and she pulled the hypodermic from her arm and set it on the tray table.
    â€œImportant to you, maybe,” Bryan said. He wasn’t shouting, but he wasn’t quiet, either.
    â€œNo, Bry, it’s important to you. To your future. I told youbefore we left Manhattan, you’d have to register at the high school here.”
    â€œAnd I told you to forget about it.”
    â€œIf you keep letting school slide, Bryan, you’ll never get into a good college.”
    â€œI don’t give a damn about college.”
    â€œSince when?”
    â€œJust leave me alone, okay?”
    Beth went slowly to her chair as Maude poured their tea. “Doesn’t sound like they’re doing too well, Maude.”
    â€œThey aren’t. But it will get better.”
    â€œMaybe we should, uh, close the door. Give ’em a little privacy?” Beth