Chapter 26 Mason
Mason
It was all my fault. Just like Dreyven had said.
I saw the Devereaux family collecting in the Emergency Department waiting area in the early morning hours, and I knew they were there because of me.
While I’d told Lee part of what happened at the Community Center last night, I hadn’t—couldn’t have—told him everything. Maybe if I had, his brothers wouldn’t be fighting for their lives right now.
The night had started out okay. When Lee dropped me off, I’d entered the building.
It looked like new construction, but I realized the building had once been a school that had an addition added.
Most of the building still had that sweaty child smell that all schools seemed to develop over time.
I wandered the halls until I heard people talking nearby.
As I rounded the corner, I spotted two men standing together chatting in the hallway.
“Um, hi?” I said as I approached them.
One of the men smiled at me in a way that made me feel vaguely like a rat who had been dumped in a snake’s den and I slowed my steps.
“Well, hello there, young man! You must be Mr.… Cameron!” He said, hesitating a moment on my name as he stuck a hand out. “I’m William Conyers. Call me Bill!” He insisted. “Our church is sponsoring the event this evening,” he explained.
“Good to see you made it! Did you come alone?” Conyers asked, glancing up and down the hallway.
“Um, yes, a friend of mine, Lee Devereaux, dropped me off,” I explained.
I shook hands with both men, and I felt a frisson of uncertainty run through me.
Did Conyers hold my hand just a moment too long?
Did the smile that lit his face as we were introduced fail to reach his eyes?
I shook my head and refused to let my fears run roughshod over me.
This wasn’t rational, and I wasn’t going to let it stop me from keeping my commitment here tonight. Lizzie and Zem were counting on me.
Conyers gave me a brief tour of the building and explained they were turning an old school into a community center for disadvantaged youths.
I let his words lull my fears. I knew that Lizzie wouldn’t book me anyplace that I’d be unwelcome, so I pushed my worries to the side and tried to focus on the event.
No, they’d “welcomed” me, all right.
Conyers led me down a hallway through a confusing warren of what looked like classrooms and office doors. I was mentally rehearsing my new presentation as we walked, so I wasn’t really paying much attention as we stopped outside an unmarked door.
“One moment, please,” he said, gesturing for me to wait in the hallway. I heard low voices speaking for a moment before he came back out in the hallway.
“Mr. Cameron, our Pastor would like to meet you before the event,” he said. I nodded and put my game face on as I stepped through the door.
The office was richly furnished, in contrast to the rest of the building.
A large mahogany desk dominated the room.
I saw two men, a woman and a teenager standing in one corner of the room.
It took me a minute to realize the two men were holding the struggling teenager by the arms and another before I recognized him. It was Jeri’s boyfriend, Tobi.
I never saw the blow that knocked me to the ground, just staggered and fell, my hands automatically going out to cushion my fall.
“Whaaa…?” I began, my ears ringing from the blow.
I heard cars starting outside and people…
singing…? That had to be wrong. I shook my head as I tried to get to my feet.
I knew all the worst things happened to you if you were on the ground.
Anxiety chased through my muddled head, confused by the suddenness of the attack.
I'd just made my feet, head still swimming and had started backing away toward one of the doors that led outside when I felt a strong arm grab me and force me face forward against a wall.
“Not so fast, you little whore…” a voice rang in my ear and I froze. That voice… I knew that voice.
“…Dreyven…” I whispered, then everything went dark.