The Black Train (36 page)

There was a click, and then another man’s voice came on the line.

“Hello, Mr. Butler, I’m Mr. Corfe, and since you’re a valuable customer I want to make you aware of some investment possibilities that are at your disposal.”

Jiff felt as though he were standing atop a mountain…

“Your current balance is an awful lot of money to keep in a checking account, after all.”

“What, uh, what’s your name again?” Jiff droned.

“Corfe. William Corfe. I’m the investments manager here at Fecory Savings and Trust, and I’d just like to offer my services in the event that you’re interested. We want your money to work for you, Mr. Butler, and we can transfer as much as you want into a money-market savings account, a high-interest certificate of deposit, treasury bills, short-term CDs, whatever you want. You’d make a lot of money in interest, Mr. Butler, and it’s all F.D.I.C. insured.”

Jiff nearly hacked out the words. “Do I really got a million bucks in the bank?”

“One million, one hundred and forty-one dollars and thirty-two cents to be exact, Mr. Butler…”

And then the silence between the line began to get scratchy…and so did the voice…

“And, Jiff, about that old iron forge in your backyard? You use that for a barbecue sometimes, don’t you?”

Jiff’s mouth stretched open. “Well, yeah, but what’s that got to do—”

“And I happen to know that your mother wants you to get it fired up so you can start smoking some ham hocks in it, isn’t that right?”

“How…can you know…
that?
”

More scratching over the line. “Start thinking about some
other things
to put in that barbecue once you’re done with the ham hocks, all right?”

The phone was hot against Jiff’s ear.

“You won’t understand it all right now, Jiff, but believe me, in time, you will.” Then the crackling faded, and clarity came back to the line.

“—for example, a 4.4 percent interest rate on a ten-month CD for starters. So please feel free to come down to the bank at your convenience, Mr. Butler, and I’d be happy to discuss a solid, protected investment package with you.”

“Uh, uh, yeah. Sure.”

Jiff hung up.

He stared out the window for a long time, and the thing he stared at the most was the old forge.

The man on the phone was right: Jiff didn’t understand it all yet, but he did have a strange feeling he’d be calling J.G. Sute back in the very near future and maybe even inviting him out to the inn.

This is a revised edition of
Gast
, originally published as a limited-edition hardback by Camelot Books, and for that original edition, I’d like to especially thank Tony and Kim Duarte, and artist
extra ordinaire
Glenn Chadbourne. I also need to thank, among others, Wendy Brewer, Don D’Auria, Bob Strauss, Tim M., Liz, Karyn, Bill, Christy, Alicia (who is a YANKEES fan first and foremost), Tim and Anda, Charlie, Tim Fogarty, Ken Arneson; Nick and Rhonda from Wild Willy’s Bar in Largo; Tom Moran, Judy Comeau and Count Gore; Amy, Paul and Kirk at Ricky T’s; Art at Sweet Bay; Geisenhuth, Travis Deputy Theinsatiablebookreader, Nanci Kalanta, Mark Justice; Scott Bradley, Del Howison and Amy Wallace of Book of Lists; Ian Fischer, Miranu Lepus, Lefteris Stavrianos, Nick Nick Roussos, Kathy Rosamilia; dutiful fans Linda Reed and Caroline Vincent of States Saving Bank; Josh Boone, Thomas Deja, Jeff Funk, Ryan Harding, Pam Herbster, Monica Kuebler, Michael Ling, Michael Pearce, Shay Prentiss, Terry Tidwell, Tom Weisser, Aaron Williams at Wheels of Terror; Christine Morgan and Nick Yak from HFR; lthrby1, Chris aka flahorrorwriter, bateman, jpoleka, jonah, Trever Palmer, onemorejustincase, godawful, harleymack, serra, GE65, babaganoosh, horrorfan, Andrew Myers of the 1st Armored Division, Bobby “Smitty” Smith, Brandon Lee Spitler, darkthrone, xrascalxkingx, mrliteral, psychomule, VT Horror Fan, Dathar, Aaron2010, Boota, Harvester, Lazy, madtrav, RabidDecay, sjmsy, Jimbo1168, Jack Staynes, Mille Umbra, Smokey-101, vredebyrd and Wetbones.

THE GOLEM

BRIDES OF THE IMPALER

HOUSE INFERNAL

SLITHER

THE BACKWOODS

FLESH GOTHIC

MESSENGER

INFERNAL ANGEL

CITY INFERNAL