“Jack.” Her voice was like honey, her eyes like black lodestones pulling him into her being. Despite himself, he wanted to curl up in her lap and go to sleep forever. He forced out the words.
“Sarah has told me a lot about you.” He no longer felt the urge to pull his hands away, yet he felt that he couldn’t even if he tried.
“I seek to sustain Sarah’s happiness, Jack. I wanted you to meet us so that we could eliminate any misconceptions you might have about Sarah and her connection to our congregation. I am sure that she has told you we are not bad people, but saying is one thing, showing is another.”
Who the hell holds voodoo sessions out in the woods praying to the devil? This thought felt far away, but he could hear its whisper.
“There are a lot of false notions about our faith. Many of these are raised by others who have twisted the concepts we espouse. The same thing occurs with those who follow the right-hand path. Great evil can be found within Christianity and Islam, just as it can be found in Satanism.”
Jack nodded, his hands still ensconced within hers.
“Evil is the desire to bend another’s mind or will to attain goals that benefit others, goals that are not to the benefit of the individual. Deceit, avarice, are a requirement of blind faith. There are those who need to follow, who do not have the intellect or the will to choose a path that is right for them. It is not a sin to be a follower, as long as one does not follow a corrupt path knowingly. The world is mostly full of followers.”
Bend the will of another? Isn’t that happening to me?
She squeezed his hands gently. He wished she would keep on doing so. He could see her nipples pushing out through the sheer gown.
“Our way is the way of the scholar, the way of the philosopher. We are intellectuals, Jack, not bloodthirsty cultists. What has drawn you to Sarah? She is a pretty girl, of that there is no doubt. Is it her being, her oneness with herself, that which shows her inner confidence? All of these strengths were there before she met us. We were simply here to show her how to draw upon those strengths.”
Sarah put her hand on Jack’s shoulder and squeezed it gently.
“The ritual you have just witnessed is merely a clearing of the mind, a calling of a divine being who supports the individual spirit that lies within most of us. Call it devil worship if you will. The devil is only seen as evil by those of the right-hand path. Ha-Satan was an important member of the court of Yahweh, or as most know him, God. His main task was to test the faith of men. Punishment was not brought down by Satan, but rather by Yahweh’s angels. We put our faith in Satan, or Set, as we call him. He is the demigod of the individual. We believe him a good deity.”
The priestess released Jack’s hands. He recoiled, falling back on his elbows. He was cold. He wanted to grab the woman’s hands again, but somehow found the will not to. He shivered, feeling as if he’d just walked away from a hot fire on a cool night. His throat was dry and he croaked. “What the hell?” He looked to Sarah who was still caught in rapture. His eyes returned to the priestess. “I think it’s time we went home.”
The priestess frowned. “Is there something wrong, Jackson?”
He wasn’t sure what to say. He crossed his arms. “I get what you’re saying. It makes sense superficially, but I don’t buy into it, just the same as I don’t buy into Christianity. I think you people know all the angles, you talk all nicey-nicey, but this is all just a bit over the top for my liking. I’m feeling . . . wrong. It’s time to leave.”
Jack slowly got up, his knees aching from sitting cross-legged for so long. He looked to Sarah, and saw that the spell on her was broken. She had an uneasy look on her face. “I’m glad you met the priestess.” She turned toward her.
The woman nodded. “It is of your own free will to return to us.” She folded her hands in front of her. “Xeper,” she said in parting as she walked away from them to talk to others in the congregation.
Sarah did the same. “Xeper.”
As Jack walked back to the car with Sarah, he had to ask, “What the fuck is Xeper?”
“It means to become, to come into being, finding oneness within you.”
****
Jack turned the car around and slowly drove back down the old gravel road. He wished he had a can of beer—no, a shot of Jim Beam, maybe two.
Sarah looked at Jack with an anxious expression. “So?”
He didn’t say anything for a few minutes, keeping his eyes on the road. “So. That was interesting. Is that where you take all your boyfriends?”
Sarah frowned. “What do you mean, Jack? No, I’ve never taken anyone to meet the priestess. I thought it important because I’m starting to feel something for you. To me, this was the next step. We can back off anytime you wish.” She crossed her arms.
“Hey, I get what you’re saying. I am glad I saw it, and I’m equally glad that we’ve left. It’s just . . . What the fuck did that woman do to me? It wasn’t right. I feel like I’ve been bent over and abused. Say what you want about Christians, but I don’t think you would see that happen at The Church by the Sea on Ft. Myers Beach. That just wasn’t right.”
“She has a forceful personality, Jack. She does that to everyone.”
“Well then, she’s spooky. I’d call it witchery.”
“No such thing as witches. That’s the kind of thing people say that makes us look bad. She is deeply rooted in her beliefs and she has a way of capturing your attention and holding it. She is a remarkable woman. She should be a politician.”
“Yeah, why not? We have a nut bar in the White House, why not chuck in a witch; that will really fuck things up.”
“Come on, Jack, you’re taking things a bit too far.”
“Yeah, guess I’ve been listening to the senator too much. Anyway, I’ve had enough hocus-pocus for one evening—in fact, for the time being. I appreciate the show, but that’s enough for me. I don’t mind going to the occasional old folk meeting. That’s harmless. Okay? Don’t expect me to do that again. If you do, this is over.”
Jack could see that she was crestfallen, but he had to take a stand. He didn’t believe in what he’d just seen and experienced, but he didn’t want to be tarred and feathered with it as well. “I still love you, but I’ve not bitten on the devil worship.”
“What did you say?”
“Figure of speech, darlin’.”
She smiled and sank into her seat for the ride home.
6
Business
ISAAC SNAPPED THE LEDGER book shut and looked up at the man handing him the check. “Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Jacobs. We’ll see you again this time next year?”
“I can’t deny that you do a good job, Isaac, and I thank you kindly. I appreciate the work that you do . . . on my taxes.”
Isaac shook the chubby, balding man’s hand. “That’s our goal, Mr. Jacobs, that’s our goal. Now you say hello to Mrs. Jacobs for me and that pretty daughter of yours. What was her name?”
“Virginia, and you keep your eyes off her. She’s a mite too young for you.”
“Suppose so, suppose so. Good day, sir.”
Peter Jacobs smiled and left Isaac’s office, closing the door behind him.
Isaac straightened the papers from Jacob’s file and stuck them in a manila folder. His office was just off Fifth Avenue in Naples. The property and the one adjacent to it were owned by the McFaddens and had been purchased by his great-grandfather in the 1920s. It was a solid investment, as now the properties were worth several millions of dollars. Isaac’s clientele consisted of many of the older, well-moneyed families—Naples’ upper crust. It was a good network of people to be associated with, especially with the diversification within McFadden Holdings, Inc. The rich were prone to having their problems the same as the common folk.
A year earlier, Peter Jacob’s daughter was raped by a couple of young men from North Fort Myers. The boys had been let off due to insufficient evidence. Isaac and Eric orchestrated a couple of tragic occ
urrences for the men in question. Both were alive, but would have to deal with deformities for the rest of their lives. Jacob had just settled his rather large but justifiable accounting bill for services rendered.
There was a knock on the door. Before Isaac could respond, the door opened and his brother Eric entered, his face tanned and leathery, darker than normal.
“Saw Jacobs leaving the building. Did we get paid?”
“Yes, and promptly.”
“Great. I need some cash. One of my Mercs bit the dust yesterday. I didn’t know the impeller was shot and I fried it. Tarpon are running. Got a couple of charters set up this week and I have a line on a new motor—cash deal.”
“I’ll have ten grand transferred to your account after lunch. Good enough?”
“Great. More than enough, but I’m due to bring the girlfriend out somewhere special, maybe get away for a few days. It’s been five years. Can you believe it?”
Isaac smiled in response. He was fond of Eric, and the two would jump off a cliff for each other. Isaac controlled the purse strings; it was an agreed-upon arrangement. Neither Eric nor Jimmy had a clue how much money they had, or what McFadden Holdings, Inc. was worth. They did not care, as long as Isaac kept them flush. Isaac knew the company’s finances down to the last dollar. The boys had enough money that they would have a hard time spending it in a lifetime. Neither Eric nor Jimmy had expensive tastes and were easily placated with a small monthly stipend. It was rare for Eric to ask for additional funds; he made a decent living off his fishing charters. Isaac wasn’t bothered by Eric’s request. It was the least he could do for his older brother, who never asked questions.
“Anything new on the books, little brother? I’d like to plan the next week or so. I’m pretty busy with charters.”
“Nothing concrete, but I did get a call from the old woman. She was asking questions about the Indians, if we had seen them doing anything strange. She asked if I knew anything about some flunked-out football player named Jackson Walker. You know anything about him?”
“Nope. The name rings a bell, though.”
“Well, maybe you can ask some questions. I’d like you to keep an eye on him if you can find him.”
“Will do, little brother. Jackson Walker, right?”
“That’s correct.”
Eric wrote the name in his pocket book.
7
Clewiston
JACK HAD CALLED HIS buddy to go for a drink before Perry began the dinner shift. They met at the Boat House Restaurant on the back bay. It was a quasi-tourist/local hangout. The food was pretty decent and it was happy hour all day long on the weekend.
Perry crossed his arms, resting them on his slight paunch. “How’s things with Sarah?”
Jack took a swig of his beer, frowning ever so slightly. “Really good. We get along and the sex is still great. You know how things can tail off after a while. I think it’s the danger thing. I don’t have any desire to get involved with a nice girl. The fact that I’m playing with fire makes it more intriguing. It’s like watching one of those taboo porno sites, only it’s me that’s in it.”
“Unforgettable head, was that what you called it?” Perry reached for his beer.
“We’ve graduated from that. I tell you, she wants it all the time. She warned me, though, and I agreed.”
“Agreed what?”
“Anytime she wants it.”
“Wants it? Anytime? You’re kidding me?”
“Nope. For real, man. I thought she was just putting me on. Sarah is a for-real, certified nympho. I tell you, my dick’s getting sore—rubbed it raw the other day.”
“Poor bastard.” Perry laughed, slapping his thigh. “Gotta ask. So what happens when your dick is bleeding and the call comes?”
“Sex toys.”
Perry broke into hysterics.
“No, really, sex toys. She likes me to tie her up and as she says, ‘push the envelope.’”
“It’s the demon shit. This is how they hook you. I’ve been reading about it since we went fishing. No normal chick likes that shit. They only do it because they know you like it. Normal women would never suggest that. So does she like it from behind?”
“What do you mean behind? Doggie style?”
“No. I mean be-hind.”
Jack’s face flushed.
“Okay, you answered me. Normal girls don’t like that either, which proves my point: she is a demon bitch. Dump her now.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. I think it’s just the way she is. What I wanted to talk to you about was the ritual crap and the meetings. I think I’m falling for her, but I don’t want anything to do with the Satanist bullshit anymore. I’m going to give it one last chance and see exactly where she thinks the relationship is headed. I’m going to give her an ultimatum. If she’s willing to back off, or even better, leave the cult, I’m willing to take things to the next level. If she’s not willing, then I’m done . . . I’ve been to four of their meetings. They pretend it’s just intellectual discussion and harmless. But I’m feeling pressured. Some of the leaders are really old and kind of creepy . . . I’m done with it.”
“Now you’re talking. Has any of this crap gotten back to your work?”
“I don’t think so. The senator is pretty straight with me. If there was a problem, he’d let me know. He’s been tied up the past few weeks with some gambling bill and I haven’t seen much of him.”
They both sat for a moment looking out at Estero Bay as a large fishing charter unloaded its catch.
“I think he’s getting it on with his secretary and it’s going to blow up in his face.”
“Christ, you sure?”
“Pretty much. It’s the way they are around each other, and I’ve seen the little winks and touches, pretty obvious. I think they know that I know, too, which is making me damned uncomfortable. My biggest worry is that it’s going to bring him down. Guys in his position get slammed for this shit all the time. I need the job, Perry. When I think of all the money I blew . . . I could have squirreled it out for a few extra years. I was just in such a bad place.”
“You’re complicated, my man, and you know I loved to watch you play. My best advice is mum’s the word on the senator bonking the secretary. As far as Sarah goes, I’d be straight with her. Tell her you aren’t going to any more of the death cult meetings. See how it goes. You’ll know that she’s for real if she can accept your point of view and still keep things going between you. As far as your dick, I would think about using some KY.”
Jack hesitated for a moment and smiled. “You pretty much said what I was thinking, but I needed to bounce it off someone.”
“That’s what I’m here for, bro. But if I were in your shoes, it’d be different. I would dump her now, no bullshit. A few years ago I wouldn’t have had to tell you this stuff. You were the shit; now you’re soft.”
“I did promise to go to one more of her meetings tonight.”
Perry grimaced.
“I know I keep saying the same fucking thing, but this is the last time you’re going to hear it, and this time Sarah knows it. She says there’s someone important coming and she wants me to meet this person. That it would mean the world to her. So I said I would. We had it out the other night—no more Satan bullshit. It’s been a real long time since I’ve had real affection from a female. I’ve had sex, but nothing that feels like anything resembling love.”
“Love?”
“I mean cuddling up on the couch to watch a movie, cooking together . . . never done that shit before. I lived football from since I was fifteen. I just might be able to be happy with this girl.”
“Okay, I buy all that shit, but one more meeting? No fucking way. You just jinxed yourself. That’s like going on your last recon mission in Nam, your last tour of duty. You know how many of those guys bought it right at the end? Love? This is like a bad fucking movie and you’re missing the fucking plot.”
“Calm down, man, it’s all been pretty harmless so far, a
nd I can’t go back on my word. I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you how it goes. Time for one more?”
“I do, and it’s on you: counseling fees. You deserve to pay for being so fucking stupid.”
****
Sarah locked her fingers into Jack’s as they walked toward the meeting hall. Jack found it strange that they never met in the same place twice. Tonight it was in an old theater on Sanibel Island. It was a cozy spot with wood siding on the outside. The inside was casual, with a low stage at the back. Chairs and tables were dispersed as usual. The members of the congregation were spread around the room having their little conversations. This was Jack’s fifth meeting and he was becoming friendly with a number of people who attended. He shook Buck’s hand as he moved past him.
“Good to see you, Jack. So we haven’t scared you off yet?”
“Not yet, sir.”
“Forget sir, it’s Buck. Now you keep that little girl of yours in good company and maybe we’ll talk a bit later.”
Jack nodded and moved on to the back of the room where Sarah was waiting for him. It had been a long day and the beer he’d had earlier made him quite hungry. The mini sandwiches were good, as usual, and he managed to eat more than his fair share.
“There she is.” Sarah pointed to an old woman.
Jack estimated the woman was roughly seventy-five, and pretty well preserved. She wore a few pieces of jewelry that he was sure must be worth tens of thousands of dollars each. Her face was wrinkled, yet there was a youthful look in her eyes.
“She is wonderful, isn’t she?”
“She’s well preserved, I’ll give you that, but wonderful is not the adjective I would use to describe her. She looks a bit creepy to me.”
Sarah frowned deeply, her lips pulled tightly together. “She’s over a hundred, you know.”
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