"You'd love to," Erin said.
"Let's not get personal. My hormones are my own business."
"How about if we have a small dinner on Sunday evening?" Arlene said. "Just the four of us and Richard. The intimacy should make him feel more comfortable."
"I vote for that," Renee said.
"We knew you would," Erin said.
"Hey, it's been a long dry spell for me."
"It's been a long dry spell for all of us," Megan said. "My husband is probably going crazy. I just hope I still have a husband when I get back. Every night he asks when I'm coming home. At least I've been able to give him a reasonable date since we established the eighteenth as the night of the exorcism. And he's seen the interviews and news reports Katy Neilson has been doing."
"All in favor of a small dinner with Richard on Sunday and a big dinner on Monday for the coven, raise your hand," Arlene said. Four hands immediately shot up. "Okay, it passes."
"Was there ever any doubt?" Erin said with a smile.
"Not in my mind," Arlene said.
* * *
Lt. Richard Bolger slid onto the stool next to Herb Riddell in the firehouse bar and signaled to the bartender. Twenty seconds later, a frosty mug of ice-cold domestic beer was placed in front of him. He never said a word or uttered a sound until he had taken a long drink from the mug. As he set the mug down, now half empty, he sighed happily and smiled. "How's it going, Herb?"
"Same-o, same-o," Riddell said."
"Well, at least someone is having an easy job."
"Easy? It's boring."
"I'll put you on deputy duty at the antiques shop if you want something to do that isn't boring. Those wackos are driving us crazy. They stand around all day chanting, trying to get Madam Arlene to come out and perform for them. We've had to block off the street to traffic before someone got killed, and we have four deputies limiting the number of people who can enter the shop at any time. It's like the way nightclubs are operated in big cities. Once the place has as many as the fire marshal says it can handle, no one else gets in until someone leaves. And occasionally we have to go in and escort people out if they're not buying anything in order to make room for genuine shoppers. I feel like a mall cop instead of a lieutenant in the sheriff's office."
"Well, it's almost over now. I understand the big day is Tuesday. By lunchtime, the town will probably be empty."
"Can't come soon enough."
"So you must be seeing a lot of Madam Arlene."
"Actually not. She stays down in the basement studying those musty old books. I haven't even seen her in two weeks. I was trying to think of a good reason to contact her today when I suddenly got invited to dinner."
"Where?"
"At the house they're renting from Betty Cuzen."
"Just with her?"
"No, the whole quartet. They're getting ready to fold their tent so they can return to college, and I guess this is sort of a farewell dinner."
"Yeah, I guess they'll be gone after Wednesday. I heard there's a major event planned for a farm about thirty miles south of here. How do you feel about that?"
"In some ways glad and in other ways sad. It's been the most exciting summer I can ever remember in Lake Georgina."
"That's for sure. Personally, I'll be happy to see them go. Not personally, just professionally. Maybe then I can stop thinking about spirits being all around me twenty-four seven."
"Is that still bothering you?"
"Yeah. Every time I have to do an autopsy, I expect the corpse to suddenly sit up and scream at me to stop cutting into their chest or head."
Bolger chuckled.
"I'm serious."
"I know. That's why I'm laughing."
"It's not funny."
"Oh, but it is. That's why I'm laughing."
Riddell stared at him for a full ten seconds, then laughed himself. "Yeah, I guess it is a little funny. No corpse is actually going to sit up and say something."
"Better not," Bolger said with a grin, "or it'll take ten grown men to get you down off the bank of lights over the autopsy table."
* * *
"Good morning, Your Excellency," Father Paul said as he picked up the receiver after being informed by Mrs. McGrath that the bishop was calling.
"Good morning, Father Paul. Father, I just heard a rumor that Madam Arlene is going to conduct an outdoor ceremony some thirty miles from Lake Georgina on the same evening as the scheduled exorcism attempt. Can you confirm that?"
"Your rumor sources are remarkable, Your Excellency. I've heard the same rumors here. Madam Arlene hasn't said anything about changing the date, and I know she doesn't perform before crowds, so I would simply dismiss them as unsubstantiated rumors. I wouldn't refute them, however. It might be part of a plan to distract attention away from the real event."
"I thought that might be the case, but I was hoping to verify the exorcism is still on schedule without bothering her."
"I'm sure it is. As she's said, they've been working on this for months. Are you still planning on attending, Your Excellency?"
"Yes, I am. I expect to arrive in Lake Georgina on Monday evening."
"I look forward to welcoming you upon your arrival. Will you be here in time for dinner?"
"I never miss an opportunity to enjoy one of Mrs. McGrath's meals."
"Very good, Your Excellency. I'll notify her there will be two for dinner."
"Make that three. The office of the cardinal has assigned a prelate to accompany me."
"Uh, have you mentioned that to Madam Arlene? She was quite specific about not inviting anyone else."
"The cardinal ordered me to make a full report after I returned from Lake Georgina. We had a long conversation in which I related everything I knew. He was dismayed that the Church would not be performing the exorcism, if one were necessary. I explained that we were talking about a pagan ritual, since the instigators were Wiccan, even though Madam Arlene is a Christian. I also explained that there are references to the same type of pagan exorcism in early Church journals. Since the demon only occupies a body for a short time and can jump about at will, normal exorcism rituals are not applicable. He then ordered me to bring an exorcism team from the prelature who will take over when the pagan ritual fails. I finally managed to make him understand that if I did that, Madam Arlene might reschedule the exorcism and simply exclude us in the future. He relented but insisted I bring one prelate. I couldn't refuse. I hope Madam Arlene will understand."
* * *
"Thank you for calling to inform me, Father Paul," Arlene said a short time later. "I think we can allow one more participant, as long as he doesn't try to direct our activities. If he does, we'll have to evict him. As you well know, we've been preparing for this for months, and we believe we know exactly what has to be done. We are not seeking information, guidance, or approval from the Church at this late date. If he doesn't do exactly as I instruct him, he might be responsible for someone getting hurt or even killed. I believed we could handle it if the bishop failed to follow directions, but we might not be able to adequately handle two men who can't follow instructions."
"I'm very sorry, Madam Arlene. Although I'm the most junior member among the three of us, I will present your argument most strongly when the bishop and the prelate arrive tomorrow."
"Okay, Father Paul. Thank you."
"Problems?" Renee asked as soon as Arlene had hung up the phone.
Renee, Erin, and Megan had understood the gist of the conversation from hearing Arlene's side, so she was able to quickly fill in the blanks.
"Just what we need," Renee said, "an expert coming to tell us how we should do it, as if they know better even though they've never done it."
"Perhaps not," Arlene said. "Maybe they just want to witness it and learn from us."
"I'll believe that when I see it. The prelate, who will probably have less than half our years, will take one look at us and assume we're ignorant children because we appear to be just twenty-one now and try to take contr
ol."
"We don't know that Renee," Erin said. "Don't be so negative."
"Yes," Arlene said. "Let's remain positive until we meet him."
"Alright," Renee said, "I'm positive he's going to be a problem."
* * *
"This was delicious, ladies," Lt. Bolger said Sunday evening after having dinner with Arlene, Megan, Erin, and Renee. "Did you prepare this feast?"
"I'm sorry to say we didn't," Arlene said. "We purchased it as takeout from Gianni's. We aren't really able to prepare a meal such as this because the cooking utensils that come with the house are limited, even if we were able to cook such a fine meal."
"Oh? I thought that, given the longevity of your previous existences, you had accumulated such skills."
"Our nineteenth century selves all came from wealthy households," Erin said. "As wives and mothers, all we did was prepare the daily meal plans."
"Ah, I see. And as I understand it, you still enjoy a lifestyle that allows you to have cooks prepare your meals."
"Yes," Erin said, "although at college we eat in the regular cafeterias and dining facilities, my mother now has a cook in the larger home I purchased for her a couple of years ago."
"Do you think having someone else cook for you will change when you graduate?"
"Possibly, but speaking for myself, I doubt it. My goal is to become a medical practitioner. The life of a doctor can be hectic, and meal preparation efforts often suffer from the lack of time that preparation, cooking, and cleanup requires."
"I enjoy cooking," Megan said, "and since I'm married and a full time homemaker, I can afford the time it takes. Still, I don't think my skills come up to the level of the professionals at Gianni's. And occasionally I like to let someone else do all the work."
"I, on the other hand, don't like to cook," Renee said. "I'm perfectly happy letting someone else prepare all my meals. How about you, Richard? Do you cook?"
"Me? I burn water. That's no easy feat, but I've become quite proficient at it. And I never pass up an opportunity to improve my skill." After the laughter around the table ended, Lt. Bolger said, "I understand you'll be putting on a show Tuesday evening."
"Us?" Arlene said. "Where did you hear that?"
"Oh, it's just a rumor— that everyone in town knows about. It probably came from the fact that you've taken a very short-term lease on a small part of a farm, secured insurance against possible damage or injury to any person on the land during a two-day period, hired a security company to keep trespassers in line, and even hired a cleaning company to remove any signs of use after the lease ends. I heard you also applied for a bonfire permit from the local township involved."
"It's difficult to keep a secret around here," Erin said.
"We have to stay on top of things," Bolger said. "Especially when a significant number of people will be gathering for an event."
"Will you be part of the law enforcement effort there?" Renee asked.
"I'm happy to say I will not, because I expect things to get a little wild. The land is just over the county line, so the law enforcement responsibility rests with another sheriff's department. But I'll be off duty, so I might go to see what's happening."
"I wouldn't bother," Arlene said. "But don't tell anyone else not to go."
"Uh, what's going on? Are you saying you won't be there?"
"Yes, we won't be there. We'll be somewhere else."
"Where?"
"Here in Lake Georgina."
"Then why the subterfuge and the expense of leasing land when you don't intend to use it? Oh, I get it. You've got something else planned and you want privacy. That's why you personally made all the arrangements instead of having a third party do it. You knew the word would spread quickly and everyone would be at that farm on Tuesday night to see the show. Right?"
When Arlene didn't respond, Bolger said, "Well?"
Arlene sighed and said, "Yes, we have something else planned for the evening. Now forget you heard that and do whatever you normally do after work."
"I want to come."
"No."
"Why not?"
"It's dangerous."
"I'm a cop, remember? And I've been a soldier."
"This danger isn't like anything you've ever known. All the weapons in the sheriff's department arsenal wouldn't help you if you were there on Tuesday night."
"But won't you four be in danger?"
"Yes, but it's different for us. We know what to expect and how to deal with it. I thought you understood that."
"Understood what? That you can see and speak with spirits? I do understand. And while I may profess not to believe in order to avoid mockery from my fellow officers, I do believe now."
"That's not enough, Richard."
"What aren't you telling me?"
"She's just trying to make sure you aren't killed on Tuesday night," Megan said.
"Killed? By a spirit who doesn't even have the power to lift a pebble and can't do anything more than blow out candles and make curtains flutter?"
"We're not talking about one of the spirits who have chosen to stay on this plane of reality," Renee said. "We're talking about a powerful demon who can hide from you and then end your life in an instant."
"Demon? Is this the demon you told me about? Or a new one?"
"This is the demon Arlene told you about and who you really don't believe exists."
"I never said that— exactly. I said I wasn't ready to believe it— yet."
"And now?"
"My job requires me to deal with the reality of evidence. I've seen no real evidence that a demon is responsible for the spike in murders in this county, even though I admit the evidence would seem to suggest that something highly unusual has been happening for eleven years."
"And since you will never be able to see the demon," Erin said, "you'll never be able to accept he's real?"
"Look, I'm trying— really trying— to believe all this spirit and demon talk, but it's hard when I've seen nothing concrete to support it. An increase in homicide rates doesn't prove a demon is responsible. That's why I want to come and see for myself."
"Richard," Arlene said, "believe me when I say you're not equipped to deal with this. I appreciate that you want to learn, that you've had military combat experience, and that you've been a member of the sheriff's department for quite a while. I also appreciate that you have come a long way on the path to believing that spirits exist and walk among us, but that's still a very long way from understanding what we're dealing with now. The less you know about this, the better it is for you and the better it is for us. Think of this as you would a deadly situation with a rookie police officer. The rookie could not only get himself killed if he did the wrong thing at the wrong time because he just doesn't know better, but he could also get his partner and others killed as well. Your job is to serve and protect, but if you try to intercede at the wrong time because you feel you must protect us, someone could die. Now," Arlene asked, "who's ready for dessert? The homemade cannoli from Gianni's are among the best I've ever eaten."
"Are you saying that you might really die?"
"Simona died after trying to do what we will be trying to do on Tuesday evening. But Simona was a rookie in these matters. I'm not."
* * *
Chapter Twenty
"That dinner party was a lot of fun," Megan said as they sat at the table in the reading room beneath the antiques shop. For the first time in many weeks, the four friends had slept in and not arrived at the shop until late afternoon, expecting that it was going to be a late night. Things upstairs in the shop were actually slow, and it was assumed that most of the people there to see Arlene had gone to find a viewing place as near to the farm as possible. Most planned to sneak onto the farm after dark.
"Which dinner?" Erin asked. "the one on Sunday with Richard, or the one with the coven last night?"
"Both, actually."
"Yes," Renee said, "we've had our chance to eat, drink, and be merry, for tonight we
—"
"I don't want hear any talk like that," Arlene said. "We are not going to die tonight."
Silence seemed to settle over the room as everyone thought about the night ahead. The intercom ringtone of the telephone sounded, indicating there was an incoming call from upstairs. Arlene was closest and picked up the receiver.
"Madam Arlene, there are three priests up here. They would like to meet with you. Shall I escort them to the kitchen?"
"No, let them come downstairs, Oculara. Thank you."
"Very good, Madam Arlene. I'll escort them downstairs. The shop is completely empty of customers right now, and Gisela is here."
"It appears that Father Paul, Bishop Flaherty, and the prelate are here," Arlene said as she hung up the receiver."
"You're letting them come down here?" Erin said.
"Why not? We're done down here now. After tonight, we'll never have to spend another minute with these musty books."
Arlene stood up and walked out to the entrance door to greet the visitors. The inside door opened, admitting Bishop Flaherty and Father Paul as Arlene approached it. Thirty seconds later, another priest and Oculara entered. After renewing greetings, Father Paul introduced Father Fredrik, the prelate.
"Welcome Bishop Flaherty, Father Fredrik, and Father Paul," Arlene said.
"Thank you," Bishop Flaherty said. "This is hardly what I expected to find in the basement of an antiques shop. Father Paul, were you aware there was an enormous library down here?"
"No, Your Excellency, I was not."
"What kind of library is this?" Father Fredrik asked.
"You couldn't help but notice the unusual entry, which only allows two people at a time to pass through. It's both a security feature and an environmental control feature. You've also probably noticed that the temperature is slightly lower down here, the air is less humid, and there's an air purification system at work. This collection of books represents a veritable fortune in rare books, so everything has been done to restore, protect, and preserve them since Madam Elana acquired them. Most of these books are religious in nature and were written by theologians and religious scholars. I believe this is the most complete library on the occult and demonology in the entire United States. Madam Elana has been on a one-person crusade for the past eleven years to acquire every book she could afford on the subject."
When the Spirit Calls (When the Spirit... series - Book 2) Page 25