Page 66 of Coven of Corpses

“Don’t call me that,” Demmy said, shooting Cody a smirk.

Cody smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

True to form, Grant ignored him. “The kids are getting restless. Mac and I are thinking about driving them over to Harriettville to see a movie. That okay with you?”

“Dude, whatever you want to do. Cody and I—” Demmy cut himself off, realizing his mistake. “I mean Demmy and I will be out a little longer anyway. Go have a good time.”

“Might want to encourage him not to pick up any hitchhikers,” Clarabell said.

“Cool, bro. Just wanted to make sure you and Dems wouldn’t feel left out.”

“No, it’s fine. But, hey, there’s some weirdness going on in town,” Demmy said. “So don’t stop to pick up any hitchhikers or anything. Okay?”

“Codes, that’s like telling a zebra to change its stripes, man,” Grant said. “You know I’m a do good and then be better type of dude.”

“Yeah, I know. But for tonight, just go to the movie theater and come straight back to the house. No stopping in between.”

“Not even for pizza afterward? Is Lou’s still in business over there?” Grant asked.

Demmy sighed, and Cody was glad to see him feeling a little impatient with Grant, who knew exactly how to drive Cody right up the wall. It was interesting to watch it happen to someone else. Even if that someone else looked exactly like him.

“Yes, Lou’s is still in business, and that’s fine. Just don’t stop on the road between Parson’s Hollow and Harriettville. Okay?”

“Copy that, Codes. Tell Dems he’s a righteous dude.”

“Yep. I will definitely do that.”

Demmy ended the call and Cody chuckled. “Isn’t it fun having a conversation with my stoner older brother?”

“Yeah, you do have a lot to deal with. I’m not used to having siblings.”

“Lucky.”

“We need to figure out who the other descendants are,” Clarabell said as if Grant had never called. “And I need to get back in touch with Tracey and make sure she’s okay now that Heath is… Think Lucia has told her yet?”

“No idea,” Demmy said, then brightened. “What about Zenona? Could she be a descendant?” He looked at Cody and frowned. “Is she from here originally? I don’t remember.”

“No. She and her family moved here in junior high.”

“Whoever the descendants are, they would have been a lifelong residents,” Clarabell said. “The descendant line wouldn’t want to move from this area.”

Demmy looked over at him and Cody shrugged. “Look at me, finally following the rules.”

“The only member of your family to do it,” Clarabell said, getting up. “I need to get ready to head out, and you two should go home and stay there.” She picked up the empty bottles and headed for the kitchen. “You know Tracey and Heath were both with Rita when she died. That’s how Heath got possessed.”

“Yeah,” Cody said, standing up. “How’d that all happen?”

“Tracey and Rita and Heath had been trying to discover the identity of the witch in town. Tracey and Rita met at the library or something in the past and became good friends. I have a feeling Rita was a descendant of the coven.”

“Any idea how she died?” Demmy asked.

“They found the site of Pastor Stone’s church and the graveyard, and they interrupted the witch at the end of his ritual freeing the demon from its imprisonment. Rita was killed and Heath was possessed.”

“Tracey must really be freaking out,” Demmy said. “Is she in a safe place?”

“She is. But I won’t tell you the location. Not because I don’t trust you…”

“But the fewer people who know, the safer,” Demmy finished for her. “Yeah, we get it.”