“Oh, come now, Agnes,” the voice in her head spoke, “We’re getting to the good part, aren’t we?”
Agnes knew she was standing in the hallway of the Moore house, but the vision was so real. Why was this charade necessary? The demon said something about finding out what had led her to this point, which would back up what Celeste had said earlier—the damn thing gets into our heads and uses that information to terrorize us. Is there a way to stop it from digging around? She closed her eyes and concentrated on pushing everything out of her mind.
“Agnes.”
She opened her eyes.
She was outdoors, on the front porch of Linda’s house.
Not quite an hour earlier, the gala had ended. Jim said his goodbyes, giving Linda a quick peck on the cheek before hurrying off. She made her way through the crowd and her eyes met Agnes’. After a nod, Linda made the rounds to thank everyone and say her own goodbyes. Agnes slipped out of the hotel ballroom without making conversation with anyone.
In one of the guest rooms the event had provided, Agnes changed out of her habit into street clothes. She packed her church garb into a canvas bag and walked out of the hotel without being recognized. She killed time driving through the city. Thoughts on how to approach Mother Superior preoccupied her for the next forty-five minutes. She parked the car a block away from Linda’s house, walking purposely to her front porch. After a glance behind her, Agnes opened the unlocked door and stepped inside.
Despite the time that had passed, in spite of her affair with Nora, Agnes was crushed at the vision. She and Linda had been lovers for almost a year, and to say their affair had been complicated was an understatement.
Linda was married to a successful businessman who was a community icon. As his partner in business and marriage, Linda projected the façade of a loving and supportive wife. In the eyes of the public, they were considered a team in every respect.
Agnes had no idea why Linda had initially approached her. Try as she might, and she did so several times during their lovemaking, Agnes hadn’t picked up on anything from Linda. The woman had a natural ability to block her out. It hadn’t bothered Agnes; she knew Linda’s love for her was genuine—she didn’t need an empathic ability to verify it. When she’d asked Linda why she had chosen her, the answers were usually cute, evasive, or even flippant, yet they were always reassuring.
Equally baffling at the time was why Agnes let herself be seduced. While Linda never fully explained her reasons, Agnes had come to terms with hers—Linda had been the only woman who’d ever expressed a desire for her. Agnes had been aware of her sexual orientation since her early teens. She’d kept it suppressed, thinking something was wrong with her. Battling weight problems also contributed to her introversion. The boys in school weren’t that interested in her, which had come as a relief. The young Agnes lost herself in books, mostly autobiographies, which led to religiously-themed reading. When she’d announced to her parents that she wanted to become a nun, they weren’t surprised; they applauded the decision.
It had been a poorly thought-out choice.
Though Agnes had thrived in the religious environment, she struggled to suppress her sexual desires. Living among women did not tamp down those yearnings. It took Linda’s interest in her to give her courage to pursue her lifelong fantasy.
Agnes called out to Linda, who responded from another room and then walked in to greet her. She had changed from her elegant formalwear to sweatpants and a T-shirt, both of which clung tightly to her body. Agnes thought she’d never get enough sights like this—until she caught the expression on her lover’s face. Her eyes were red, and her frown was set deep. They both sat on the couch, and Agnes leaned forward, taking her hand.
“What’s the matter?”
“Don’t renounce your vows. We can’t be together.”
Stunned, Agnes let go of Linda’s hand. “What—what’re you talking about?”
Averting her gaze, Linda went on. “Jim and I have been embezzling funds from the charity accounts. We’ve been discovered, and it’s only a matter of time before it hits the news media. We’re both looking at some serious jail time, Agnes. Jim didn’t leave the event to go to a business meeting—he’s going out of the country. I’m supposed to leave tomorrow and meet up with him.”
Agnes froze. So many thoughts went through her mind that she couldn’t sort them out. She never would’ve thought it possible for Linda to be involved in something like that. Then, one thought came to the forefront.
“Linda,” she asked, “Is the Loving Children Society one of those charities?”
A sob erupted from her lover. “Yes,” she answered, in a soft voice.
“You stole money from the charity I’m involved in? I—I—” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“Jim embezzled from the Loving Children’s Fund because of you. He thought that having someone from the Church as a spokesman would prevent anyone from looking too closely at the finances. For additional insurance, he asked me to become friendly with you in case you noticed.”
Agnes’ mouth dropped open. “Wait, are you telling me the reason we became lovers was so you could steal from the charity?”
Linda locked eyes with Agnes. “Yes. I mean no! No! I didn’t plan on going that far with you, but it became obvious you were attracted to me in a way that went beyond friendship. I thought it was cute at first. As I worked alongside you, as I got to know you more, I developed deeper feelings.” She lowered her head. “At first, I admit, it was thrilling, exotic. I had never made love to another woman before.”
Agnes shook her head. “Still, you were betraying me the whole time.”
“Yes, and it was killing me. When you said you were going to renounce your vows, I was stunned. I never meant for it to go that far.”
“But it did.” Agnes bit her lower lip. “And now I could be thrown into jail because of you.”
The tears returned to Linda’s eyes. “I’m so sorry. If I had known what was to become of us, I never would’ve agreed to this. Whether you believe me or not, Agnes, I care deeply for you. And, I promise, I’ve made arrangements; soon, everyone will know that you weren’t involved.”
Agnes stood. She gazed down at Linda, who stared back with eyes that begged for sympathy. The emptiness in Agnes turned to rage. “Sure, you’ll tell everyone, but only after you get caught. Before then, I’ll be dragged through the mud, accused of embezzlement.” Agnes left the couch, walking to the front door. With her back to Linda, her last words to the woman were loud and anguished. “You know, I placed you above God. I was willing to leave the Church and spend the rest of my life with you. Damn you! I feel like a fool. I hope you burn in hell.” With another shake of her head, Agnes walked through the door, not bothering to close it.
“Please, Agnes, wait!”
Though it was all a game the demon was playing, the pain in her heart was as heavy and penetrating as it had been that evening. She willed herself to return to the couch in Linda’s living room, to figure out a plan that included the both of them.
Nothing changed.
The tears flowed. She made her way to her car, but strode past it, needing time to process what had happened. She replayed the conversation in her mind, comparing it with their intimate moments. Upon reflection, she was positive Linda loved her, which made the betrayal even more difficult to comprehend.
Agnes struggled with her decision to leave as she had. A sliver of remorse slipped into her heart. While she was mulling over her reaction, it occurred to her that her lover might also be suffering terribly. Could Linda have been confessing all of this so that, with Agnes’ help, she could figure a way out of this mess? Agnes had invested so much in this relationship: she needed to know. She changed direction and started walking back to Linda’s home.
The door was open. Agnes couldn’t remember if she’d closed it or not. She slowed as she approached, craning her neck to look inside. Seeing no one, she stopped and cocked an ear. There was no sobbing, no
rustling about—it was dead quiet. Moving into the living room, she looked for Linda. Again, she came up empty. Gathering her courage, she went through all the rooms on the first floor; they too were deserted. She stood in the living room, deciding if she should call out to Linda or check out the second floor. A loud thump above hastened her decision. She rushed to the staircase, climbing quickly. At the top, a sound came from the master bedroom—the bedroom where they’d made love so many times. It had sounded like a sob. Ignoring her fear of an intruder, she rushed to the bedroom. The door was closed. She pushed her way into the bedroom.
Her lover stood on a chair in the center of the room. Around her neck was a noose, the other end secured around one of several oak beams traversing the ceiling. Linda teetered on the chair. There was almost no slack on the rope. Her eyes were closed, but she opened them when she heard Agnes approach.
“Linda,” Agnes pleaded, “Please don’t do this.”
The woman’s face was red, her eyes puffy, her makeup smeared. “I—it’s the only way, Agnes. I don’t know what else to do.”
“It’s not! We can fix this together.” Agnes took a deep breath. She noticed an envelope on the bed. “Is that your goodbye note?” she asked. “Was it meant for me?”
Linda’s eyes widened. “No. I didn’t know you were coming back.”
Agnes picked up on the nervous tone in Linda’s response. She picked up the envelope. It wasn’t addressed, but it was sealed. She took one more glance toward Linda, then tore the envelope open. The contents were short; it all fit on one page.
When she finished reading it, her eyes burned with fury.
“You,” Agnes spoke loudly. “You lied to me. Jim had nothing to do with the embezzlement. It was all you.”
Linda nodded. Tears rained down her cheeks. “Yes. I fell in love with you, Agnes, but I can’t let him take responsibility for my actions.”
“I could’ve helped you with this mess, Linda. I would have been there for you.”
“I didn’t think you would. And then, when I told you, you walked out on me. I thought you were leaving me for good,” Linda sobbed. “Now that you’re back, maybe we can work this out.”
Agnes gave an uneasy laugh. “I read your letter, Linda. You were emphatic that Jim had no part in your schemes. The thing is, you told me you were going to let everyone know that I also wasn’t involved in them. There’s no mention of that in here.” Agnes held the letter up. “In fact, the only mention of me is “… and please forgive Agnes for her part in this.”
“I’m so sorry, Agnes. I was angry at you for the way you left. I understand now that this is wrong in so many ways. It’s a coward’s way out. Let’s start over, figure this thing out together.”
Agnes’ face softened. She stood by the chair. “What then?”
Linda smiled. “We’ll work it out somehow.”
Agnes folded the letter, shoving it and the envelope into her back pocket. She stood silent for a minute. Then she walked toward the bedroom door.
“Agnes, where are you going? Agnes?”
“I’m going to call the police, let them cut you down and save you. This is going to end badly for me no matter what I do. I’m implicated as it is, and if I help you to get out of this embezzlement scheme, I’m an accomplice. The safest thing for me to do is to walk away and tell them what I know.”
Arriving at the door, she turned back to Linda. The woman was staring at her, stunned. Seconds later, Linda bent her legs and jumped from the chair.
“No!” Agnes started for Linda, but she pulled back when the woman’s decent jerked to a stop with a loud crack. The snap of her neck sent tremors down Agnes’ spine and through her legs. She froze, unable to look away. Her vision narrowed; everything except for the outline of her lover’s body faded to black. Agnes’ eyes followed the suspended corpse as it swung back and forth beneath the beam. A minute passed, and when the swaying stopped, the dead woman slowly twirled at the end of the rope.
Agnes approached the body. She stretched her arms out and grasped the dead woman’s hands. Despite her fury at Linda, tears rolled down her cheeks.
The vision faded and Agnes was back in the hallway. Her body was numb after reliving the event. She stood still, her shoulders slumped, and her head bent low. She’d called the police minutes after Linda’s death to report the suicide. At the police station, she told them she stopped by her friend’s home after the charity event to discuss the fundraiser. It was then that she found Linda hanged in her bedroom. Agnes made no mention of their being lovers, having been present when Linda died, or of the note. The next day she confessed all of it to the priest in charge of her convent and then renounced her vows. He did not dissuade her. She was investigated for fraud for almost a year following Linda’s death and was eventually cleared of wrongdoing.
The voice in her head returned. “So, you drove a woman to suicide. You could have saved her. Talked her down, and then helped her. Your self-interest came before another’s welfare. Aren’t you special.”
“Yes,” she replied, “And I understood I would have to answer for that.”
The demon laughed. “And you thought doing all this work with Father Fornicator would get you back into God’s good graces?”
She thought it odd the demon referred to Father MacLeod that way. What was the connection? Had Nora and Celeste something to do with it?
“I got news for you,” it went on. “God doesn’t give a shit about your penance. You’re going to hell, Agnes, and I’m going to speed you along your way.”
Her head shot up at a sound in front of her. Someone was at the far end of the hallway. It was a woman. Her head was down, but there was no mistaking who it was. The noose around her neck and the rope trailing down her body confirmed it. The woman’s raised her head and Agnes saw her face. It was purple, with eyes as dark as the deepest night. The woman spoke.
“Hello, Agnes. Have you missed me?”
Agnes’ stiffened. “No,” she whispered, “It can’t be!”
“Oh, but it is. It’s wonderful here. You’re going to love it. We can finally be together, where we belong. Agnes, we’re going to spend eternity together.”
Linda stepped forward.
Agnes backed away, shaking her head and holding her breath. Focused on the demon, her left foot came down, but there was nothing solid beneath it. As she fell through the floor, the ceiling receded, and the demon spun out of view.
CHAPTER 19
“Hello, Father. You here to deliver on your promise?”
Father MacLeod ignored the demon’s question. He studied Catherine’s face, finding no visible indications that the woman was possessed. This either reinforced her notion that the demon was weak, or proved he was deceivingly cunning.
The priest stared directly into her eyes. “I wondered who you were,” he said. “I suspected it was you, but if I used the wrong name in the rite, it could’ve made it even worse for Catherine. Your question about my promise told me all I need to know.”
There was no response.
“You have very little presence left,” he continued, “And now I know your name. By calling you out during an exorcism, I could banish you here and now. But I need an answer first.”
“Quid pro quo?” asked the demon.
“If that’s what it takes to get the information I need.”
Catherine’s eyes squinted. “You’d let me stay inside this woman?”
“Like I said, if that’s what it takes.”
It laughed. “I can’t trust you. You’ve already broken one promise to me, not to mention breaking all your vows to your god.”
It was Father MacLeod’s turn to laugh. “That’s rich, a disciple of the Devil not trusting me.” His face tightened as he leaned toward the demon. “I’m not going to banish you if I get what I want. I’ll keep your name to myself and let Catherine’s exorcism continue as it is. You’ll have more precious time in that vessel. More than you’ll have otherwise.”
The demon we
nt silent. After a few moments, it nodded. “Ask your question.”
Father MacLeod’s tone hardened. “There is another like you, not far from here. It has killed many, and it’s currently tormenting three more women. I need to banish it.”
The laugh it emitted was loud and gravelly, echoing off the cell-like walls. “Yes, I know this demon. One higher tier, very powerful. You stand little chance, even if you have its name.”
“Tell me.”
Catherine wore the demon’s smile, its grin expanding wider than humanly possible—the corners of her lips rising to just below her eyes. A thin, dark tongue forced its way between her lips and flickered obscenely.
“I know what you did with this one, Father.”
The priest remained silent.
“You fucked her like a pig. You kept on doing it to her, even when she didn’t want you to. Oh, you had your fun. Taking her in every hole, making her suck your dick. You want to know something, Father? Images of you two fucking often enters her mind. What if I told you she pleasures herself to those visions?”
The priest shook his head. “It was you who made me the way I am.”
The demon spit. A glob of dark mucus flew the distance between them and clung to Father MacLeod’s cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, brushing it off against his pants.
“Ha! Priest, you were already vile before we met. I simply nudged you a little further. A bonus, shall we say, after you agreed to the deal. Only you didn’t keep your side of the bargain. I had that young boy’s soul—he was mine. You renounced your god, said you’d do anything to save that child. The deal was struck: you promised me two others in his stead. I am owed one more soul.”
Guilt slammed Father MacLeod. He struggled with its weight. Memories of his own mother’s phone call begging him to do something flashed through the priest’s head. He saw his nephew tied to a bed, emaciated, near death. The boy’s eyes were wide, the white sclera dark red, his irises black. Cracked lips, caked with yellow crust stretched into a grimace revealing rotted teeth. The skin on his nephew’s face erupted in bulges that slithered back and forth from his forehead to his chin. Father MacLeod would never forget the sounds the boy made. They were raspy, mocking, the volume rising and lowering at the demon’s whim. In between the taunting, the priest heard his nephew’s voice, pleading for help.
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