The Reviver by Seth Patrick Read Free Book Online Page B

given the way people felt when it was right in front of them. He supposed it was just the same in other parts of life. People were fine with some things as long as they didn’t encounter them.
    He looked down to avoid the stares, but in his head he heard the words spoken by the corpse of Alice Decker, sudden and close: ‘ We see you. ’
    His left hand gripped the side of his seat and squeezed. He tried to slow his breathing, feeling the rising panic in his chest that always preceded his work. It had hit early, brought on by the memory of those hissed words, and it was stronger than usual. He could hear the murmuring of the onlookers grow louder.
    He closed his eyes and concentrated on his breathing, trying to shut out the noise, but it grew relentlessly, an overwhelming drone pounding at his head. Again he heard the words, buried in the din: ‘ We see you. ’ He knew that if he opened his eyes and looked, Alice Decker would be there outside the window, an inch from his face, grinning at him with bloody teeth – torn from his nightmares and thrust into the real world.
    A hand gripped his shoulder. Startled, he looked up to see Never’s concerned face. He realized that the car had stopped.
    ‘You OK?’ asked Never.
    ‘I don’t like crowds,’ he said. ‘Let’s get inside.’

5
    As they approached the house, Detective Bob Crenner came out of the side flap of the forensic tent; paper-suited, hand up in greeting, the sun glinting off his reddening bald patch. He was in his mid-forties and overweight, with a smile in his eyes that Jonah thought looked genuine – not every cop was keen to see the FRS arrive, even when they needed them. Like any snapshot of the population, there were even those with Afterlifer sympathies, especially since that organization had softened their message and their methods. Many cops saw revival as a necessary evil, and it wasn’t unusual for their unease and dislike to be out in the open.
    ‘Mr Geary,’ Crenner said brightly. ‘And Jonah. We’re nearly ready for you. Like the office?’ He gestured at the tent.
    ‘Office?’ said Never. ‘We were wondering if the body had ended up outside the house.’
    ‘No. The CSI unit put it up for some shade. They’ve been having trouble with their equipment sitting in hot vans. It’s one of the only cool places in the vicinity, so make the most of it.’
    Jonah peeked through the entrance flap. Equipment boxes were stacked by the back wall. There were a dozen people inside, and like Bob Crenner, almost everyone was in a paper suit. He nodded at Crenner. ‘You must be cooking in that.’
    ‘Stripped bare underneath.’
    ‘You went commando?’ Never grinned.
    ‘Top half only,’ said Crenner with a smirk. He led them in, and the cool shade was welcome. ‘My partner as of six months ago, Ray Johnson,’ he said, pointing to a young black man in the far corner. ‘He’s supervising the set-up. Ray!’ he called.
    Detective Ray Johnson was speaking to a young woman who was one of the few not wearing protective clothing – also not uniformed, Jonah assumed she was either another detective or with forensics. When Crenner called, Johnson wrapped up the conversation and headed over. The young woman glanced at Jonah and he looked away quickly, then back. She was smiling at him and nodded in greeting. Jonah felt his cheeks redden as she turned and walked out the far side of the tent.
    Johnson reached out his hand to Never. ‘Detective Ray Johnson. It’s Never Geary, right? You’re the revival technician?’
    ‘Reputation precedes me, huh?’ said Never, shaking Johnson’s hand.
    ‘I’ve seen you on another case, but I was in uniform then. This is only the second revival I’ve been involved in since I moved up in the world.’ As he turned to Jonah, his hand was still outstretched ready to shake, but as he spoke he jerked his hand back. ‘And you’re the reviver?’
    Neither Johnson nor Jonah was wearing gloves, a fact that presumably