gns.thedruidconnection-第21部分

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　　And　Sabat；　too。　That　name　again；　unable　to　get　it　off　her　mind　in　her　final　hour；　like　a　chant　that　went　on　and　on；　driving　her　to　madness。
　　
　　Sabat。　。　。　Sabat。　。　。　Sabat　must　die；　too。
　　
　　She　experienced　a　falling　sensation；　sparks　and　flames　leaping　to　claim　her；　her　dress　burning　away　so　that　her　charred　nakedness　was　revealed　for　the　gods　to　feast　their　hungry　eyes　upon。　Seeing　faces　in　the　fire；　some　she　recognised；　others　she　didn't；　and　as　she　slipped　towards　that　cool　black　bottomless　abyss　her　burned　and　blistered　lips　were　mouthing　one　word　over　and　over　again；　an　indoctrination　by　the　ancient　priests　which　she　would　take　down　into　the　Pit　with　her　as　though　calling　an　unknown　man　to　follow　her　there。　'Sabat　。　。　。　Sabat　。　。　。　Sabat。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　　　
　　THERE'S　BEEN　another　killing　on　the　ground　adjoining　the　cemetery；'　Detective…Inspector　Groome　made　the　announcement　as　casually　as　if　he　had　been　repeating　some　event　which　he　had　read　in　a　newspaper　and　which　might　possibly　be　of　some　interest　to　those　around　him。　Yet　his　small　eyes　missed　nothing；　constantly　searching　out　the　two　men　who　faced　him；　watching　for　a　sign；　anything。
　　
　　Sabat's　expression　was　negative；　registering　neither　surprise　nor　guilt。　His　stomach　churned；　his　heart　flipped　once；　but　there　was　no　outward　sign　of　emotion。　And　he　did　not　have　to　glance　at　Kent　to　know　that　his　panion's　expression　would　be　equally　as　stoic。　They　had　both　been　well　trained　by　the　SAS；
　　
　　'A　killing；　Inspector？'　Sabat　found　it　impossible　to　believe　that　the　detectives　could　have　found　Sheenah's　body　'buried'　in　that　century…old　tomb　with　the　cracked　headstone　which　it　had　taken　their　bined　strength　to　raise。　All　evidence　of　her　death　had　been　removed　and　in　due　course　she　would　be　listed　as　yet　another　missing　person。　Only　the　two　ex…SAS　men　would　know　the　truth；　and；　of　course；　that　skeleton　whose　lasting　resting　place　they　had　disturbed；　but　possibly　he　would　be　glad　of　female　pany　after　so　many　years　alone。
　　
　　'Identical　to　the　curate；　Sabat；'　Groome's　eyes　never　left　the　other's。　'Burned　to　a　cinder　as　surely　as　if　a　thunderbolt　had　e　out　of　the　blue　and　incinerated　her。'
　　
　　'Her？'
　　
　　'Yes。　A　woman　by　the　name　of　Marion　Hurst；　wife　of　one　Darren　Hurst。　。　。　。　'
　　
　　Now　Sabat　did　show　surprise；　eyes　widening；　his　cheek　scar　seemed　to　stand　out　starkly；　throbbing。
　　
　　'The　name　is　obviously　familiar　to　you；〃　the　officer　smiled　mirthlessly。
　　
　　'Her　husband's　is；'　Sabat　replied。　'He's　the　guy　who　is　。。。　buying　that　tract　of　land　to　build　houses　on。'
　　
　　'Which　can　have　no　possible　bearing　on　the　killing；'　Groome　said。　'Not　at　this　stage；　anyway。　She　drove　herself　there。　Alone。　Maybe　she　had　a　rendezvous。　If　she　did；　then　we　want　to　know　with　whom　because　that　person　could　be　the　murderer。　Also　we'd　like　to　know　how　he　manages　to　cremate　his　victims　without　leaving　traces　of　a　fire　other　than　on　the　corpse　itself。'
　　
　　I　could　explain　but　you'd　have　me　certified　as　a　nutter；　Sabat　thought。
　　
　　'I　understand　the　Church　has　employed　you　in　the　capacity　of　an　exorcist；'　there　was　a　slight　sneer　in　the　policeman's　tone。　'That；　of　course；　is　their　business　。　。　。　and　yours。　I　cannot　prevent　you　conducting　your　own　type　of　enquiries　but　I'll　be　grateful　if　you　will　keep　out　of　the　church　and　its　grounds　until　the　CID　have　finished　their　investigations。　We　shall　be　maintaining　a　twenty…four…hour　vigil　on　the　premises　until　further　notice。'
　　
　　'In　other　words　we've　got　to　mind　our　own　fucking　business；'　Sabat　came　back　into　the　room　after　seeing　the　detective　out。　'Well；　Kent；　it'll　be　interesting　to　see　how　the　police　fare　against　a　powerful　psychic　enemy！'
　　
　　'And　what　do　we　do　in　the　meantime？'
　　
　　'In　the　meantime　we　shall　devote　our　time　to　tracking　down　mortal　foes；'　Sabat　smiled。　'Whatever　we　try　to　do　at　the　church　we　shall　not　be　achieving　anything。　The　evil　is　aroused　there　because　of　what　mortals　are　attempting　to　do。　Therefore　we　must　remove　the　cause；　which　means　we　must　attempt　to　kill　the　cancer；　the　corruption　which　is　at　the　root　of　it　all。'
　　
　　'In　other　words　we're　going　to　pay　this　bishop　a　visit？'
　　
　　'Not　at　the　moment。　Assuming　that　we　have　our　facts　right；　the　bishop　is　the　main　bloodsucking　leech　but　without　a　crooked　planning　officer　and　a　builder　willing　to　e　in　on　the　deal　he　couldn't　have　got　the　scheme　off　the　ground　in　the　first　place。　Doubtless　all　evidence　has　been　removed　from　the　planning　offices　so　we'd　just　be　wasting　our　time　searching　them。　Cash　will　change　hands　in　due　course　without　a　trace　but　maybe　there's　some　document　somewhere　which　could　convict　the　guilty　if　it　fell　into　the　wrong　hands。　Stone　is　the　most　likely。　I'm　thinking　that　if　maybe　there　was　some　kind　of　agreement　drawn　up；　and　you　can't　trust　bishops　or　builders　to　give　a　backhander　just　on　the　strength　of　a　handshake；　then　Waiter　Stone　will　have　it　at　his　house。'
　　
　　'I've　always　fancied　having　a　crack　at　burglary；'　Kent　smiled　wryly。
　　
　　'I　don't　need　to　tell　you　the　basic　risks；'　Sabat　pulled　out　his　meerschaum　and　began　stuffing　tobacco　into　the　bowl。　'If　Groome　and　his　men　pick　us　up　then　we'll　do　a　spell　in　gaol。　But　there's　a　greater　danger　…　we　have　to　wait　for　nightfall　and　we　can　only　hazard　a　guess　at　the　forces　which　will　be　abroad　after　dark。　You　and　I　could　sit　it　out　in　a　pentagram　and　be　reasonably　safe。　Out　there；　I　can　only　use　limited　protective　methods。　They　may　not　be　enough。'
　　
　　'I　guess　I'm　in　this　too　deep　to　back　out；'　Kent　stretched　and　yawned。　'And　I'm　damned　if　I'm　stopping　in　on　my　own；　worrying　myself　about　what　the　hell　you're　up　to；　Sabat；　and　that　maybe　the　next　time　I　set　eyes　on　you　you'll　resemble　a　piece　of　steak　that　got　left　too　long　under　the　grill。'
　　
　　'Thank　you；'　Sabat　regarded　the　other　through　a　haze　of　tobacco　smoke　and　knew　that　he　had　not　misjudged　his　man。　'Stone's　place　is　our　target　tonight；　then。　There's　just　one　thing　that　worries　me；　though。　You　can't　remember　anything　about　what　happened　from　the　time　this　guy　engaged　you　in　conversation　in　the　pub　until　I　drove　that　evil　entity　out　of　you。　But　you　do　remember　what　this　fellow　looked　like　and　before　we　set　out　tonight　I　think　we　should　try　and　see　if　there's　any　way　in　which　we　can　find　out　who　he　was。　The　dark　powers　can　use　any　form　they　choose　but　just　suppose　this　wasn't　one　of　the　ancient　druids　in　human　form　but　a　more　recent　astral　projection。　We'll　snatch　a　few　hours　sleep　and　then　I　think　it　may　well　be　worth　making　a　few　enquiries　before　we　pay　Mr　Stone　a　visit。'
　　
　　Kent　closed　his　eyes；　stretched　himself　out　in　the　armchair。　Sabat　was　talking　in　riddles　but　he　had　enough　faith　in　his　panion　just　to　tag　along。　And　as　a　confirmed　atheist　he　wasn't　going　to　think　too　much　about　the　dangers　that　lay　beyond　the　realms　of　his　mortal　existence。　That　was　Sabat's　worry。
　　
　　Walter　Stone　had　been　a　very　uneasy　man　for　the　past　three　months。　Now　with　the　news　of　Marion　Hurst's　death　he　was　almost　frantic　with　fear。
　　
　　At　fifty…one　he　had　resigned　himself　to　remaining　a　bachelor　for　the　rest　of　his　days。　He　was　too　set　in　his　ways；　anyway；　to　have　his　routine　disrupted　by　the　intrusion　of　a　female　upon　his　household。　He　had　a　prominent　position　in　the　town；　manded　respect；　even　fear　at　times；　because　he　had　the　power　to　sway　the　planning　mittee　at　their　monthly　sessions。　He　received　frequent　subversive　presents；　they　weren't　bribes；　he　made　that　quite　clear；　but　always　said　that　he　would　do　his　best　when　certain　plans　came　up　before　him。　He　usually　managed　something；　if　only　a　promise。
　　
　　He'd　told　both　Bishop　Boyce　and　Darren　Hurst　that　in　the　beginning　when　a　case　of　whisky　had　been　dropped　off　at　his　house　one　night　by　the　palace　chauffeur。　He　didn't　hold　out　much　hope；　though；　he　explained　to　Boyce　the　next　day；　because　green…belt　was　sacrosanct。
　　
　　Then　Hurst　had　invited　him　round　that　evening；　but　when　Stone　arrived　he　discovered　that　the　builder　had　had　to　go　off　on　an　urgent　call。　And　there　was　no　harm　in　enjoying　a　drink　with　the　latter's　wife　in　the　meantime。
　　
　　Just　thinking　about　how　it　had　all　turned　out　never　failed　to　give　Walter　Stone　an　erection。　It　had　been　the　most　mind…blowing　experience　of　his　almost　virginal　existence。　More　exciting　even　than　his　first　time　when　he'd　picked　up　a　prostitute　in　town　late　one　Saturday　night。　The　unexpectedness　of　it　all　left　him　breathless　even　now。　What　could　an　attractive　woman　ten　years　younger　than　himself　have　seen　in　him？　Nothing；　except　that　it　had　served　the　Hurst's　purpose　to　lure　him　upstairs。　He　tried　to　tell　himself　that　she　couldn't　have　gone　that　far　if　she　didn't　feel　something　for　him。
　　
　　Hurst　hadn't　even　been　angry　when　he'd　walked　into　the　bedroom。　In　fact；　he'd　apologised　and　made　a　discreet　withdrawal；　even　had　a　drink　poured　out　for　the　two　of　them　when　they　came　downstairs。　If　only　the　builder　had　ranted　and　raved；　threatened　violence　or　maybe　hinted　at　making　a　plaint　to　the　Planning　mittee；　but　he　hadn't　even　mentioned　the　promising　situation。　The　only　thing　h