Read Reign of Evil - 03 for Free Online Page B

Grove, as well as a company called A Celestial Worry LLC.”
    Ian poured Walker and himself another two fingers each. “What do we know about Mr. Van Dyke?”
    “There are two records in California; both seem to be for the same person. Mr. Van Dyke was a movie star during the 1950s and 1960s. His IMDB credits include Ironsides, The Andy Griffith Show, Cannon, and Bonanza . Not a top-tier actor, but no slouch either. He has more than a hundred credits to his name.” She turned to Walker, balanced on one crutch, and shoved out a hand. “Hi, I’m Preeti Jones.” The smile was broad and genuine.
    Walker gave her his hand. “I’m Jack Walker. You’re not any relation to—” He glanced at Trev Jones slouching on the couch and caught his smile. “It appears that you are.” He glanced from her to Trev and back, then shook his head.
    Trev got up and gave Preeti a kiss on her cheek. He spent a moment touching her hair and staring into her almond-shaped eyes; then he gave Walker an apologetic look. “It’s strange how things are so similar. I understand your fiancée worked with your team.”
    “It’s like a fucking Twilight Zone episode,” Walker said as he took a drink. Then he looked up sharply. “Sorry about that.”
    Preeti shook her head. “No worries, Mr. Walker. I’m very sorry for your loss. We’re all torn up about it.” She pushed Trev away.
    Walker looked at her and saw the truth of it. They knew it could have been them. It could have been anyone. The universe is random. Section 9 was much like SEAL Team 666 in that it was a small, close-knit unit that was really a family. Triple Six and Section 9 could have been cousins.
    “How long have you two been together?”
    “Two years, three months, and fourteen days,” she said.
    “You say that like it’s an incarceration,” Trev said, making for the refrigerator.
    Preeti grinned playfully. “Sometimes, dear boy, it feels like it.”
    Trev chuffed but didn’t say anything. He opened the fridge and pulled free a pint. “Anyone else?”
    Everyone shook their heads, but their eyes remained fixed on him. By the time he got to the couch and sat down, he said, “What? Is this a Benny Hill sketch? If it is, I want the girls with boobs ASAP.”
    “And what would you do with them, Trev?” Preeti asked.
    “I’d—” He struggled for something to say, then just put the beer to his face and began drinking.
    Jerry exploded with laughter.
    Even Ian cracked a smile.
    Walker felt the ghost of one at the corners of his own mouth. He knew what Trev Jones was feeling right now and would give anything to feel that way again. He shook the sadness away.
    “So we have an American company that came to England to perform a ceremony designed to bring back the Wild Hunt. Again I ask what’s their motive? ”
    Trev added from the couch, “And is the Red Grove the actual group who performed the ceremony or are they a shell corporation?”
    Jerry joined them at the table. “What do we know about the Bohemian Grove?”
    “Now that’s interesting,” Preeti said, sitting down. She rested her crutches on the edge of the table, grabbed Ian’s glass, and took a small sip of the scotch. She made a face but licked her lips happily. “The Bohemian Grove is quite the place. Imagine a twenty-five-hundred-acre private compound in California’s redwood forest where for two weeks every summer the most powerful men in the world, including our own Tony Blair, go to enjoy themselves.”
    “What sort of things do they do?” Trev Jones asked from the couch.
    “All we’ve found on that is lots of rumor and supposition. The group’s been around since the late 1800s and is a men’s club. There’s talk of cross-dressing and some odd sexual rituals, but mainly it’s some sort of Bilderberg-like group that plans the fate of the world.” She raised a finger. “But there is one thing that stood out. The summer festivities start with an arcane ceremony called the Cremation of Care.