Condemned by Christopher Renna (iphone ebook reader txt) 📕

to turn him into a scary story, like when kids say a house is haunted or there's a ghost on the country road that causes car accidents. We can't let that happen to him."

Adam agreed. "We need to figure out a way to get people to not talk about him being possessed."

Trevor motioned to a woman and man crossing the parking lot. "Here come some more people. The service is probably about to start. Let's get outta here."

"Yeah, let's go," Conner said.

As the three started to walk, the pretty blonde woman called out to them, "Excuse me. Hellooo."

Pausing their trek to the car, Conner replied, "Can we help you?"

Slightly out of breath, she smiled as she closed in on them. The dark-bearded man held an oversized black umbrella that sheltered them both.

"Yeah. Hello." She stopped directly in front of them, rubbing her hands together. "Oh, it's really cold out here. Are you boys here for the Jared Smith service?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Can we ask you a few questions?"

"Questions? About what?"

"Jared. We're here to cover the story about an alleged possession by a demon."

Conner's eyes widened. "What?!"

"You said you were here for the service. So, you knew him, right? Were the three of you friends of his from school?"

Exasperated, Trevor asked, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You haven't heard the story about Jared and the possession?"

Voice rising, Adam said, "Yeah, we heard. And it's not true."

She flinched as though Adam had said something offensive. "We've already interviewed someone who spoke to the contrary. So, you guys are denying the story, or you just don't know?"

"Who?" Trevor asked. "Who told you that it's true?"

"This is an ongoing investigation," she said. "We can't reveal our sources yet."

Trevor yanked on Adam's and Conner's jackets. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about. Go chase some other stupid made-up story."

Approaching the Camry, he directed the fob and unlocked the car. "Let's get warmed up and get the hell outta here."

Seated in the car, Conner leaned close to the air vent. "One of us needs to tell Mr. Smith about the woman and man asking about Jared."

Trevor opened his door. "I'll be right back. Then we're outta here."

Conner looked at Adam in the back seat. Neither said anything, but Conner detected the sadness and anxiety that radiated from Adam. And like Adam, he wanted to restrain the emotions he felt.

Soon after pulling out of the parking lot, Trevor said, "You know what this means, don't you?"

"The rumor being true?" Adam asked.

"No. Those damn reporters," Trevor gripped the steering wheel more firmly. "There's nothing we can do to stop people from talking. Obviously, someone said something that got them sniffing around. This whole thing is going be a pain in the ass for a while."

"What should we do?" Conner asked. "Still deny everything?"

"We need to think this thing through," Trevor replied. "We can't just wing it. We gotta have a plan and stick to it."

"Okay," Conner said. "Let's hang out at my house and figure it out. Sound good?"

Trevor agreed.

"Uh, huh," Adam said as he slumped in the seat. "Like Coach says, swoop in and maintain the upper hand."

*   *   *

"All right," Lou said as he sauntered into his living room. Dropping down onto the faded and worn sofa, he waved the Jared Smith printout at Dave. "I read it. It's interesting. I searched it online. Looks like we already got some competition trying to get the scoop."

Dave raised his eyebrows. "Really? Know who they are?"

"Yeah. You do too. Wanna take a wild guess?"

"No. Just tell me."

"Stella and Walter."

"Crap. Ball-buster and her sidekick."

Smirking, Lou said, "She's a ball-buster, all right. So, we try to sweet-talk her into going in on the story with us. Or we contact some sources and snatch it away from those pains in the ass."

"Then that means you're interested in the story."

Reclining with his hands behind his head, he said, "You remember that story in Gary, Indiana a few years ago? The one about the family that claimed to encounter demons in their home and then—"

"Oh. Where the kid supposedly walked backward up the wall in front of hospital staff and caseworkers?"

"Yeah. That one. With that story, it sorta blew up with all the details laid out all at once. I mean, there weren't too many new details once it was investigated. But this kid in Connecticut . . . it's not a well-known story yet. It literally just happened. So there's a bit of a mystery to it. We can really develop this story and make it our own."

Dave sat in the recliner and gazed pensively at the ceiling.

Lou knew that contemplative look on Dave's face. His business partner was working out the perfect plan in his head. All Lou had to do was sit back and let Dave devise the best scheme in their favor.

Rising to his feet, Lou said, "I was going to microwave a breakfast sandwich, but I'm feeling pretty good about this possessed–kid story. Let's go grab a bite to eat."

When Dave didn't immediately stand, Lou rolled his eyes. "C'mon. I'll pay, you cheap bastard."

EIGHT

"God says we must have a cheerful heart," Hailey said to Jasmine and Miguel in the cafeteria. "Because of what we saw last night, I don't want to give power to darkness. Faith conquers despair."

Jasmine furrowed her pencil-thin eyebrows. "You're talking about God a lot more than usual."

"Well, hello? The devil walked among us. He seized poor Jared, and now Jared's dead because of him." She shuddered. "It's awful to think about. I've been praying more because of it. And it would do you guys some good to say a prayer or two."

"My family's religious," Miguel said. "So, I've heard all about the power of God and the wicked ways of Satan my whole life. And I definitely prayed last night. Twice actually."

"See?" Hailey eyed Jasmine. "Miguel prayed twice."

"Yeah," he said. "Once, when we saw Jared's bed. And the second time, when I thought we were gonna be arrested."

Jasmine laughed. "I said a little