Read Online The Lost: Book Two, The Eddie McCloskey Series (The Unearthed 2) by Evan Ronan - Free Book Online

inside the house hidden from view.
    “See what I mean?” Ana’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.
    Hollis shielded his eyes with a hand to get a better look at them.
    “Better keep the engine running,” Eddie said.
    “Told you.”
    Eddie got out but kept his door between him and Hollis. Ana did the same thing.
    “Mr. Hollis?” Eddie asked.
    “The hell are you?” His intonation was off. It sounded more like a statement than a question. It was like his voice was out of practice.
    The Labrador mimicked its master and stared at them.
    “I’m Eddie. And I think you know Ana here.”
    Hollis looked from him to Ana. She brought her hand up and waved. Squeaked out a hello.
    “Anastasia Lovsky?”
    She nodded and smiled badly.
    Hollis grunted and made it sound like a four-letter word. He looked back at Eddie. “So who the hell are you?”
    “I’m Eddie. It’s nice to meet you.”
    Hollis hawked up a gob of spit, turned his head, and hurled it a good seven feet. Ana’s face turned green.
    Hollis looked at his dog. “Lookee here, Zeus. It’s Eddie.”
    “I wanna leave now,” Ana whispered.             
    Eddie did too. He felt like he’d stumbled upon the Unabomber’s shack in the middle of a bomb-making session.
    Hollis suddenly brought his other hand into view. It clutched a shot gun. He advanced on them and crunched a shell into place.
    Eddie put his hands up, cursing himself for not listening to Ana.
    Hollis stopped about ten feet shy of Ana’s car. “I don’t give a shit what your name is, boy. I asked who the hell you were.”
    Ana crouched behind her door now, her eyes wide with terror. The car was still running. They had doors and a windshield between them and Hollis’s shotgun.
    Eddie moved away from the car and the shotgun followed him. That was good. If things got messy, Ana could jump in the car and get away easier.
    Time to improvise. “I think Tessa Lovsky is trying to tell us something. I think she wants everybody to know what really happened fourteen years ago.”
    Hollis stared at Eddie over the barrel of the shotgun for five or six heartbeats then he lowered his weapon and looked over his shoulder at the dog. The Lab barked and wagged its tail.
    “You think they’re alright?” Hollis said.
    The dog barked again.
    “Mr. Hollis, we just want to talk. Can you put the gun away?” Eddie said.
    “I’m still sick.”
    “I believe you.” Eddie fought to keep his voice calm and neutral.
    “I mean it.”
    “I know.”
    “I wish I weren’t, but I am. I’d trade all the money for my health. Don’t you understand.”
    Eddie decided to play a hunch. “I don’t care about your social security or disability. Do I look like a government stiff?”
    Hollis looked back at the dog again and mumbled something unintelligible.
    “Eddie.” Ana was back in the car.
    Eddie held up his palm to her, not wanting her to move.
    Then Hollis smiled, revealing a mouth of missing and rotting teeth. “It ain’t even loaded.” He held up the shotgun with a maniacal grin on his face. “But I’ll load it as soon as you’re gone, so don’t bother telling no one, Mister Eddie!”
    “I’m not telling anyone, least of all those government people.” Eddie approached the old kook slowly and kept his hands in plain sight. “Mind if we talk for a few minutes?”
    “You can come inside. But that bitch stays in the car.” And without another word, Hollis whirled and marched into the shack. He left the shotgun propped against the wall outside.
    Ana said, “I’m going to kill you. I told you he was missing some files in his computer.”
    Eddie lowered his voice. “You’re right, he’s crackers. But I still gotta talk to him.”
    “You’re not actually going in there.”
    “Keep the motor running.”

Twenty-One
     
    Th e Lab tracked Eddie as he approached the shack.
    “That’s a good boy.”
    The dog didn’t respond, just watched him with knowing eyes.
    The generator blared loud