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Back The Trickster Save as PDF
Chapters (74)
  1. The Trickster
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. Contents
  5. Preface to the 20th anniversary edition
  6. Introduction
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. Keep Reading
  70. FURNACE
  71. Acknowledgements
  72. About the Author
  73. ALSO BY THE AUTHOR
  74. About the Publisher

Two saucer-shaped red eyes reflected the light back at the car. A coyote, ripping its way through a trash bag left carelessly at the side of the lot, was glaring at the car, its head as still as stone, ears up like antennae, body poised to fight or flee. Still hanging from its jaws was the remains of a burger, the soggy bun dangling like a stomach lining. Daniel laughed, breathed easy, and pumped the horn. The animal leapt sideways and fled from the headlights like a bad comedian being booed off stage. Hawk was still smiling as he slammed the door shut, started the engine and drove off towards the lodge.

Jeez, but he was getting jumpy if a scavenging coyote could scare him. He smiled to himself, feeling foolish as he bumped the big Ford over frozen ruts of snow. He was still smiling, as high in the pines overhead, the tiny bird that had been watching his every move with glittering eyes watched some more, then settled back into its roost.

20

The logs were hissing in the grate. Sam stared vacantly at the weak tongues of flame that danced impotently around the wet birch bark. Jess curled up on Sam’s lap, her head leaning on his chest while her father’s arms made a secure hoop of flesh round her small chubby body.

Billy was watching TV. Katie was watching her husband.

‘I could have it printed on a T-shirt if that would help.’

Sam looked down at his wife, all legs and woollen sweater as she sat on the floor at his feet beside the hopeless hissing fire.

‘Huh?’

She swallowed a mouthful of coffee from a spotted mug. ‘It’ll say you’re not going mad and you won’t lose your job. You just need a quack check. Save me telling you every time you get that look on your face.’

She won a weak smile in response.

‘Will the T-shirt be wet?’

‘Soaking.’

‘Let’s get this sack of tired bones to bed first. Then you can tell me some more.’

He stood up, Jess still a floppy dead-weight in his arms. Katie leapt to her feet and scooped the girl from him in a practised, fluid movement that didn’t let Jess stir as she was transferred between parents mid-air.

‘Give it here. You relax by this roaring log fire, if you can bear the heat.’

Sam sat down again, heavily. Gratefully.

Katie glided towards the door, stabbing a finger in Billy’s shoulder as she passed.

‘And you get ready too, Billy boy. We don’t forget you’re there just ’cause you’re quiet.’

Billy looked across at Sam. ‘Okay.’

Katie halted in the doorway. ‘Now there’s a result. Take a note of whatever it is I said there, Sam. Sure beats the cattle-prod.’