Queen of the Dark Things by C. Robert Cargill

as life support for an ailing friend, keeping it alive long enough to see the last few good days it had left. This would prove to be just such a day.
    Colby threw back the whiskey as if he was putting out a fire. In a sense, he was. He was still shaken, rattled, his heart pounding, gut lurching, fists clenched tight. All the color had drained from his face and he trembled—just a little—reeling from his encounter with Austin.
    Yashar leaned over the bar from the other side, bottle at the ready, leather jacket and dangling baubles clanging on the countertop, eagerly hanging on Colby’s next words. “Well,” he said, as Colby lowered his glass. “What’s got you so spooked?” he asked, pouring Colby another few fingers of whiskey as he did.
    â€œI met her,” said Colby.
    â€œWho?” asked Bill the Shadow, looming darkly in the corner of the bar.
    â€œThe girl of your dreams?” asked Yashar with an interested smile.
    â€œWorse,” said Colby. “Austin.”
    Yashar leaned in a little closer. “Austin who?”
    â€œ Austin. ”
    Yashar sighed, deflating. “Oooooh. It’s about time you met her.”
    â€œYeah, Colby,” said Bill. “How the hell have you gone this long without running into her?”
    â€œShe’s cute—,” said Yashar.
    Bill nodded, interrupting. “Yeah, she is.”
    â€œBut she’s nothing to get in a twist over.” Yashar recorked the whiskey. This wasn’t a story warranting the good stuff.
    Colby slammed back the whiskey once more, shook his head. “She’s pissed at me.”
    Yashar eyed him suspiciously. “And how did you manage that?”
    â€œI killed Beatriz.”
    Yashar and Bill traded troubled, disbelieving glances. Then Yashar slowly uncorked the bottle and walked back over to Colby. “Say that again?”
    â€œI killed Beatriz La Llorona. And Austin wasn’t too happy about that.”
    Yashar poured Colby another glass of whiskey, filling it almost to the top, then looked at him darkly. “Did she have it coming?”
    Colby nodded. “Yeah. She had it coming.”
    Yashar nodded in return. “Bill? You knew her, right?”
    Bill nursed a beer, nodding. “Yeah, I knew her.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œAnd the kid’s right. She had it coming. Crazy. Half starved. Damaged from the moment she showed up. She never gave the world a damn thing except drowned kids. The river is better without her.”
    Yashar shook his head. “Then why the hell would Austin be pissed at you?”
    â€œBecause I’m not the sheriff of this town,” said Colby. “She is.”
    â€œAnd she asked you to leave town?”
    â€œNope.”
    â€œThen what’s the problem?”
    Colby took a deep breath. “Like you said. She’s cute.”
    â€œAw, hell.” Bill groaned.
    â€œDamnit, Colby,” said Yashar.
    â€œWhat?”
    Yashar put the cork back in the whiskey. “I thought this was serious.”
    â€œThis is serious. You’ve been telling me for years that I should find a girl. I finally find one and not only does she threaten to kick my ass out of town, but she’s also powerful enough to do it. To make matters worse, she’s the reason I ended up killing Beatriz to begin with.”
    â€œWait. You’re going to have to explain the last part,” said Yashar.
    â€œYeah,” said Bill. “I’m a little lost as well.”
    Colby sipped from his glass. “A woman came to me for help. Said she was being plagued by La Llorona. She got my name from a psychic.”
    â€œMother Ojeda?” asked Bill.
    â€œYeah,” said Colby. “How’d you know that?”
    â€œThe billboard psychic. One of the only legit working spiritualists in town. She’s exactly who Austin would use.”
    Yashar’s eyes grew wide. “Shit, Colby. You got played.”
    â€œYeah,