Chapter 61
Jack Gregory stepped out of the darkness and into the lighted cave entrance, his weapon locked on a spot in the middle of the Rag Man’s head.
“Freeze!” His command rang through the still night air like the tolling of a church bell.
The Rag Man froze, then turned away from Heather’s limp body, which hung like a rag doll, suspended by her cuffed wrists, chained to the wall in a way that reminded Jack of cramped Al-Qaeda torture cells in the Middle East. Hanging on a meat hook beside her was Harry’s broken body.
“Slowly, now, step away from the girl and drop the knife.”
As the Rag Man completed his slow turn, Jack could see that the tip of the knife rested against the jugular vein on the left side of Heather’s neck. Insanity shone brightly in the depths of the recessed eyes of the Rag Man, his grin revealing teeth so rotten that Jack expected to see flies swarm from the man’s open mouth.
The Rag Man nodded toward Harold’s corpse. “So you must be the one that guy called ‘Ripper.’ You know, I worked long and hard to make that Satan spawn tell me your real name so I could track you down, but he went back to the dark lord’s arms with the secret still clenched in his teeth. But the true Lord’s power is not to be denied. He has seen fit to deliver you to me anyway.”
“Drop the knife.”
“Well, no. I don’t think I will. You see, even if you manage to shoot me, I will cut this young sinner’s throat before your bullet reaches me.”
Jack calculated quickly. “Yes, but if you’re right and God has seen fit to bring me to you, then you will have failed to do what he desires. You will be dead, and I’ll still be alive. Perhaps we can work out a deal.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’ll toss away my gun if you agree to deal with me first, then the girl.”
The Rag Man’s grin widened. “I agree. Toss the gun.”
“Do you swear on the Lord Almighty that you will not hurt that girl again until after you deal with me?”
“I swear it, in the name of the Almighty Father.” The Rag Man’s carnivorous grin widened.
Jack tossed the gun out of the cave.