Supernatural: Night Terror by John Passarella Read Free Book Online

’s office, perhaps unwilling to speak negatively about his boss’s daughter.
    “Sticking with her story. Stubborn, like the chief. She was hanging out with Tony Lacosta, who backed up her story. Bullinger was with them earlier. Obviously we never got his statement. But, really, a headless horseman?” He shrugged again. “My first thought was—” he glanced toward the police chief ’s door again and lowered his voice—“controlled substances.”
    “Thanks for your help,” Sam said. “Anything weird happens, keep us in the loop. We oughta get going.”
    “Sure. Right. Didn’t mean to hold you up.”
    As they walked back toward the lobby, Jeffries called after them.
    “You need anything, let me know.”
    “Will do,” Dean said, waving an arm without looking back.
    He exchanged a glance with Sam. “Won’t be stumbling over any police follow-up.”
    “Not anytime soon.”
    Minutes after Dean drove from the municipal parking lot, Sam’s phone rang.
    “Bobby,” Sam said and put the call on speaker.
    “You jokers put Guinness on speed dial?” Bobby said. “In town less than an hour and already you got somebody checking up on you.”
    “Chief Quinn rang the bat phone?” Dean asked.
    “Of course, ya idjit,” Bobby snapped. “Who else would I be flapping about?”
    “Just saying,” Dean replied. “That man has a distrustful soul.”
    “And whatever you two were selling in there,” Bobby continued, “he ain’t exactly inclined to rush to the checkout lane.”
    “But...?” Sam said.
    “What I gather, he’s willing to play out enough rope for you two to hang yourselves.”
    “Well, that’s encouraging.”
    “My advice,” Bobby said, “don’t go too far off the reservation on this one. Or expect a guided tour of county lockup.”
    “Right,” Sam said. “Low profile.”
    “Bobby,” Dean said. “Any luck with the phoenix ash situation?”
    “Besides their place of honor on my mantel?” Bobby said. “Fat lotta good they are when I can’t find hide nor hair of Eve, Mother of All.”
    “Something will turn up,” Sam said.
    “Ain’t you the Pollyanna,” Bobby said and ended the call.
    Sam looked a question at Dean.
    “What? Keeps his mind off Rufus.”
    “Considering one of Eve’s creatures was responsible for Rufus’ death,” Sam said, “not sure that will do the trick.”
    “It’s Bobby. What’s he gonna do? Look the other way?” Dean asked. “Besides, I’d prefer directed anger over grief any day.”
    He parked the Impala on Welker Street near the Mandarin Palace restaurant. He and Sam walked along the side of the restaurant and turned down the alley that ran behind a bunch of storefronts in the business district of Clayton Falls between Welker and Bell Street.
    “Here?”
    Sam nodded. “According to the report.”
    After looking for Gavin Shelburn to no avail at the local homeless shelter, food bank, and soup kitchen—housed in two adjoining buildings—they had decided to visit the site of the alleged giant Gila monster attack.
    “Police never bothered to check the scene,” Sam said. “Figured Shelburn had one too many.”
    “Let’s say Shelburn wasn’t hallucinating. What are we looking for exactly? People around here would notice a giant lizard.”
    “Yeah, but they might not notice this.”
    Sam crouched beside a battered Dumpster with a missing front wheel.
    Dean stood over his shoulder. “Banged-up Dumpster?”
    “Banged up and...” Sam traced his fingers along two sets of deep parallel grooves that scored the blue paint of the trash bin. “...scratched. Dean, Shelburn said he jumped into a Dumpster to escape.”
    Dean nodded, lifted the lid of the trash bin.
    “Score marks on the edge,” he pointed out.
    “Busted that wheel off, too,” a voice said from behind them.
    They turned to face a grizzled man in a misshapen fedora, creased overcoat, threadbare jeans and battered combat boots standing at the entrance to the alley. He kept his distance