Page 138 of Inbetweeners
“I wondered that too. But the police do need to solve those murders. So maybe Tar has an arrangement of some sort.”
“What did you do upstairs with the holy water?”
Nix picked up the bottle he’d part-used. “Let’s go and see.”
Emmett followed him up the stairs. “I can hardly walk in these jeans, they’re so tight.”
“You’re on eye level with my backside andthat’swhat you’re thinking about?”
“If you were as worried about your balls as I am…”
Nix laughed. He led Emmett to the door on the top floor and hesitated. “There’s a pentagram on the floor. Well, there was. I squirted holy water on it and it started to smoke so I don’t know if it’ll still be there.”
He pushed open the door. The floor was a mess. Part of the outline was still there but most of it had burned up, leaving lines of ash. Emmett walked into the room and stepped inside what remained of the shape, kicking at the ash.
Nix felt as if a hand had closed around his throat.Why is my heart beating so fast?
You fuckhead!
Nix winced. That had been Vin in his head. “Let’s go back downstairs. If Greyson turns up, we need to be waiting for him.”
Emmett nodded and walked back to the door. “I know nothing about this sort of stuff, but I’m guessing a broken pentagram is of no use.”
Back downstairs, Nix took his knife from his pocket. “It’s a good idea to be ready. Get yours out.”
Emmett took his knife from the violin case.
“We should think about what might happen when we open the door,” Nix said quietly. “Is he going to run at us? Away from us? Attack us in some way we don’t expect? He might already have guessed something is wrong if he can’t get hold of Sophie, or if he doesn’t expect the shop to be closed or the door bolted. How about if you stand by the counter so he sees you when he comes in? It should throw him for a few seconds. I’ll hide on the left side of the door and move in behind him once he’s inside.”
Nix could feel a tugging in his head, as if he were getting a headache. He really didn’t want Vin around now.
“Okay. He should be stunned when he sees me.” Emmett grinned.
“I’ll unbolt the door.”
Then they waited. It was dark outside and close to seven before they heard someone at the door. Emmett had his hand on his knife, which was behind him on the counter. Nix had his in his hand. He’d take no risks with Emmett’s safety. He tightened his grip on the weapon.
But it was a blank-eyed teenage boy who stumbled into the shop and Nix put his hand behind his back.
Kill him!Vin said in Nix’s head.
There was a brief moment where Nix was still in control, a split second of awareness that he shouldn’t be doing this, but he still stepped towards the boy.
“No!” Emmett dragged the boy out of the way. “Phoenix, what the fuck are you doing?”
Kill Emmett!
Nix managed to drop the knife but he still moved towards Emmett, unable to stop himself.Fight it, fight it, fight it!
“Nix!” Emmett shouted his name. The second time he’d used the nickname but Nix was lost. He could feel himself sinking, a dark liquid rising to suffocate him, consume him, and there was nothing he could do.
He knocked Emmett’s knife aside, wrapped his arms around him, took his chin in one hand, held the back of his head with the other and twisted hard as he pushed back. Emmett dropped like a stone, his neck broken.
Good! I knew you had it in you.
Nix screamed at Vin inside his head.Fucking bastard.Vin was laughing. Greyson stood by the door. The teenage boy fled past him, freaked out and screaming.
“Where’s Sophie?” Greyson asked.
