Read Max Helms: Curse of the Relic (Max Helms - Private Investigator Book 1) Online
Authors: Walter Hammett
“
I’ll never serve a madman like you,” Max replied sternly.
Max noticed he still had the derringer clenched in his hand. He raised it quickly and aimed at Heinrich. A puzzled look came across his face as he attempted to pull the trigger but couldn’t. It was as if his hand had a mind of its own.
Polly yelled, “Quick, shoot him, Max.”
Max
strained as he responded, “I-- I…can’t.”
“Oh Max, where is the gratitude for bringing you back f
rom the dead?” Heinrich sighed. “Whoever controls the relic controls anyone reanimated by it. You are now my minion, Max, and you cannot resist me! I am your master! Hmmmm…What should we have Max do first Don?”
“How about shoot Polly to show his loyalty to you Mr. Heinrich?” Don answered with a devilish
inflection in his voice.
“That seems a bit harsh Don,” Heinrich replied. “But I did ask you what you’d like him to do. Max, please do as Don asks and shoot Polly”
Max’s arm moved towards Polly. Try as he might, he could not control it.
As the gun inched closer in
Polly’s direction she trembled as she said, “Fight it, Max! You can do it!” Her tears of joy turned into tears of fear.
“
Make haste, Max. I have luncheon to attend with the mayor,” Heinrich said nonchalantly as he checked his watch. “Of course, he doesn’t know I’m coming.”
Beads of sweat formed on Max’s forehead and
slowly rolled down his face as he strained to regain control. “Polly…I’m sorry!” he said with a disheartened voice.
Polly closed her eyes. She heard the gun go off but felt no pain.
She heard Heinrich scream, “What have you done?”
Polly opened her eyes. Max had the gun pointed at Heinrich. She looked at Heinrich
; he was holding a piece of the relic, which now glowed blood red. The red glow seemed to be growing brighter and pulsating as it encompassed Heinrich and his henchmen.
Polly grabbed Max’s hand and pulled him towards the exit. The hallway became illuminated by the red glow as they entered it.
Heinrich let out a bloodcurdling scream. Max and Polly dove behind some crates as the glow got intensely bright. Suddenly the light from the relic faded and they were surrounded by darkness and silence.
Polly and Max stood up. Polly hugged Max.
They embraced in silence for a few minutes. In the distance they could hear sirens drawing nearer. Max stroked Polly’s hair, moved back, took her hand and they walked into the warehouse. There was a strong smell of burnt popcorn and everything around the altar smoldered.
Polly asked
, “Do you think they made it out?”
Max paused as he took in the whole scen
e then answered, “Judging by the piles of ashes where they once stood, I doubt it. Looks like the legend of the relic ends in a blaze of glory.”
Polly looked at the wound in Max’s chest with
concern. She asked, “Are you OK?”
Max took a moment to take in Polly’s question.
He looked at the wound in his chest. It looked bad but didn’t hurt at all. He knew he was dead, but his body seemed to be acting as if nothing had ever happened.
“Surprisingly, I feel quite well for being dead
,” he responded with a puzzled tone.
“What should we do now? Do you want me to take you to Doc Johnson to see what he can do?”
“Actually, right now I’m extremely hungry. What do you say we go to the diner for a nice T-bone steak and figure out what to do from there? I always think better on a full stomach.”
Polly kissed
Max on the cheek and said, “That’s my Max, always thinking with his tummy.”
The warehouse door burst open as the police flooded
in. Max buttoned up his jacket to cover his wound as Captain Gordon approached.
“What happened he
re?” Captain Gordon asked as he looked around the warehouse.
“You know
, Gordon, I’m kind of hungry. How about we discuss this over dinner?”
Max put his arm around Polly and walked
down the hallway and out of the warehouse. Gordon stood there with a confused look on his face. He turned and hurriedly tried to catch up to Max and Polly.
The
End