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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

She sat on the edge of his bed and put a hand on his brow. ‘Feel okay, B. Boy?’

He smiled up at her, enjoying her cool palm on his head. ‘Sure.’

‘Good.’

‘Is Dad sick?’

‘I’m sure he’s fine, Billy. We’ll get him sorted. Don’t worry.’

Billy smiled up at his Mom. She took her hand off his brow and fussed with his comforter. ‘Do you want Bart in here tonight?’

‘No. Not tonight.’

That threw his mother. Billy turning down the offer of having that big ball of fur at the foot of his bed was as likely as him offering to sweep the yard. She was puzzled, but finished her fussing and left him with a kiss, too weary to pursue any more irregularities in the Hunt house. Billy turned over as she switched off the light and half-shut the door. He wanted Bart there of course, but when Billy was the Wolf he preferred to be alone. Just in case.

21

‘Should we stop?’

The tail-back from the roadblock was solid. Horizon-to-horizon solid. A cop was waving Daniel and Craig on through the gap between patrol cars, but the pack of reporters had spotted them and surged forward. They were local. Craig recognized most of them. The networks hadn’t made it yet. But they would.

He sighed. ‘Give me two minutes, then hustle me away. Any excuse.’

Daniel Hawk pulled up on the verge. Craig stepped out and motioned to the two constables holding back the gaggle of storm-jacketed reporters to let them at him. Jesus, but they could go some once they got let off the leash.

‘What’s going on up at the ski area, Officer?’

‘What are you looking for in this roadblock, Staff Sergeant?’

‘Have you heard that an elderly couple were helped from their car back there with the first signs of exposure? Care to comment?’

Craig let them holler and hoot until they stopped, then he took his hand from his pocket and gesticulated up the mountain behind him. ‘I can tell you we have a serious incident up on the hill and we are continuing the block until we’ve cleared all vehicles that may have been in this area at that time.’

Another burst.

‘What’s the nature of the incident?’

‘Is it a murder?’

Then, ‘Was it another cop?’

Craig looked over at the questioner to his right. A tall blonde woman.

‘Ma’am?’

‘Was the death another policeman? I believe you lost one of your detachment on Tuesday.’

Craig’s heart sank. He looked her straight in her pale blue eyes. ‘I can’t at this time divulge the nature of the incident and I have no further comment. You’ll be kept informed. Thank you.’