"Sarah? Are you all right? Please tell me you haven't been translating any more of the Opusculis."

She nodded. Her body shook as if a tremor passed through it, and she gasped one last time.

"Andrez. Andrez... I-" Sarah's voice sounded raw, even to herself.

"Sarah! Are you all right? What is the matter?"

"I... I need your help. You were right... I believe you now. You must come-"

"Sarah, listen to me. I don't know what has happened, but I will come-somehow. One of my parishioners will give me a ride. But where are you?"

"Gethsemane. Just get to Gethsemane and ask for me, or the Big House. Everybody knows where we are."

"Yes, I will. Don't read or translate any more. Promise me."

She nodded again, then gave a rueful smile, realizing he couldn't see her gestures through the telephone line.

"I just... I looked into the Quanoon."

"What? What was the name?"

"Quanoon-e-Islam. I looked into it and... I... What's happening to me?"

"Bodanstvo," Andrez whispered under his breath. "Where in the world did you get that foul book? No. I am coming. Now. I will be there as soon as I can. Do not touch either of the books."

"What is happening? I don't understand. I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Sarah, how you could possess two evil books in one place, it amazes me. But evil calls to itself. And it can change you, just by knowing it exists. Believe me."

She nodded involuntarily, then said, "Yes." She took another deep breath.

"I will be there as soon as possible, but it might not be until morning. Stay put and don't think too much on the things you might have seen or read in the books. Keep your mind away from those subjects."

"Okay. I'll try."

"Dovidenja, Sarah. I will see you soon." He hung up, and Sarah replaced the receiver on its cradle.

She moved to the chair by the desk and slumped down in it, pulling open the drawer. From inside, she withdrew a pack of Pall Malls and lit one from a match. She took a huge draught from the cigarette and kept the smoke deep in her lungs, holding it in, then exhaled violently, blowing smoke toward the paneled ceiling. Opusculis Noctis and the Quanoon kept drawing her eyes back. When she shut her eyes, her mind painted lurid pictures of eviscerated girls and strange gargoyle-faced men. When she looked up, Alice was at the door showing the whites of her eyes. If Sarah had known any better, she'd think Alice was afraid. But that was just silly. Alice feared nothing.

"He's awake. The giant," she said, and turned to go back upstairs.

Chapter 14.

He didn't bother to cover up as she entered the room. His heavy body, thick with muscles and scar tissue, lay in an easy repose that she'd only seen in children. He watched her intently as she walked in the room, eyes flicking over her hips, breasts, hands, face. He smiled when he saw the handcuffs.

"You gonna lock me up?"

Well, he doesn't look lost anymore.

"Hi, Lewis. I'm Sarah Rheinhart." Alice looked at her sharply. "And that's Alice. We found you at the river, in a boat."

"Bull," he said.

"We did... we found you by-"

"No, that's what everyone calls me." He motioned down to his body as if to say, this. "Since I was a kid."

He opened his mouth as if to say more, then shut it.

"Bull, you been messed up real bad," Alice said, moving near the bedside table. "Been out for a coupla days now. We been taking care of you." A pitcher sat on the bedside table near a glass. Alice picked up the pitcher and filled the glass with water.

There was a long silence.

"What're you gonna do with those handcuffs?"

Sarah tossed them into his lap.

"I want you to lock yourself to the bed."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Everyone tells me you're dangerous. I haven't seen anything to disprove that."

"What if I say no?"

"We'll call the sheriff, and he'll be here in minutes." Sarah glanced at Alice. "Alice here will get the shotgun and blow your head off before you can get to the door."

His expression didn't change. There was no anger, no surprise, no shame. He snapped the handcuff on one of his thick wrists, lifted his arm over his head, and tried to snap the other cuff around one of the wooden struts of the headboard. His mangled, gauze-wrapped hand couldn't work them shut.

"I'm gonna need help."

Sarah approached him, slowly.

"Sarah, don't," Alice said. Her voice was tense. "Wait till I can get the shotgun."

Sarah ignored her and approached the bed. She paused when she was in his arm reach. He remained still.

She snapped the cuff shut, locking him to the bed.

Alice sighed, explosively.

"Damnation, girl. Get away from him."

Sarah ignored her.

"What happened?" Sarah said. "What happened to you?" She pointed to his bandaged hand.

He smiled, a painful thing for Sarah to watch. She could see the lost boy again.

"I'm much obliged to you both for fixing me up but I don't know what to tell you ladies. I don't want you to call the police or carry me off to the nuthouse."

Sarah and Alice looked at each other.

"Bull, the police have already been here, not long ago. We're supposed to call them the moment you wake up."

He blinked. Sarah saw his jaw tighten.

"You got me locked up already. Go ahead and call them."

"They said it was related to that fire at Ruby's. They want to question you."

He nodded and took a sip of water. Then his eyes went to the door.

Both women turned to find Franny and Lenora standing there, eyes wide. Fisk peeked around the door jamb.

Franny said, "Mommy? Is the dead man better now?"

Alice drew in a sharp breath, and Sarah said, "Yes, baby. It looks like it."

Franny took two steps into the room, Fisk and Lenora behind her. She looked at Ingram. "It took six men to carry you. On a board. They dropped you once."

He laughed, a big rumble coming from deep in his chest. The sound filled the room, reminding Sarah of her Uncle Gregor. He was always tickled by the absurd.

Ingram smiled at the little girl. "It sure feels like I got dropped. I think they might've bumped my head."

Franny beamed.

"Naw. You was already all ripped up before they dropped you," Fisk said. "Anyways, you hit the leaves and mud-hey! Why are you handcuffed to the-"

"Fisk!" Alice barked. "Get yourself downstairs! I'll be down in a second to put you to bed. You girls go too. Go on!"

Ingram looked at his gauzed hand, then raised it to paw at his temple. He closed his eyes. "Wait." He rubbed the sides of his head. "Did you say Fisk?"

He pointed his wounded hand at Lenora like a club. "Is your name Lenora?"

Her jaw dropped. She took a step back. "Momma, how'd he know that?"

Alice turned to Ingram, anger filling her face. "Mister, you best not be messing around with my children. You ain't never gonna walk out that door."

Franny moved closer to the bed. "What's my name, mister? Do you know my name?"

He shook his head, a sad smile touching his eyes. "I'm sorry, sugar. I don't. Just these two."

"How the hell do you know my children's names, and why shouldn't we call the police right now?"

Sarah put a hand on Alice's arm. But the man only stared at her with the same cool gaze as before, eyebrows raised as if to say, Okay, what are you going to do?

Alice blanched. No one reacted to her like this.

"Maggie Washington," Ingram said slowly. "Call her and ask about me."

"You... you telling me you know my momma?"

He nodded.

Alice walked to the door. "Kids, come with me." She marched out, whisking down the hall in her slippers. With one glance back, Franny followed Fisk and Lenora. She waved at Ingram, and he waved back, his mittened hand awkward in the air.

"How do you know Maggie?"

"She's the housekeeper where I keep a room. Boarding house."

Sarah took that in. There were gunshot wounds on the hard ridges of his stomach, on the left side. Old wounds, silver. For a moment, the images in the Quanoon flashed behind her eyes. And she remembered the person she had been before gaining that knowledge. Sarah retrieved the sheets wadded at his feet and threw them over him. She walked to the corner of the room, grabbed a chair, and returned to his bedside. She sat facing him, eyes serious.

"Give me one reason we shouldn't call the cops right now."

He blinked again. "I didn't do anything wrong. I'm trying... I was trying to find a man."

"You found him?"

He was silent for a moment. "Yes."

"Did you kill him?"

He shook his head, eyes narrowing. "No. Hell no. He was already dead."

"You have anything to do with the fire at Ruby's?"

He didn't say anything.

"So you did. Sixty people died there, you know." She stood, smoothing her dress. "I can't have you in this house if you're dangerous."

Alice bustled into the room.

"Momma said you're okay, I guess. She got upset that you were hurt. Said you were a good boy. But messy. Told me to make sure you get better."

He nodded, expecting it.

Alice moved behind Sarah, placing her big hands on Sarah's shoulders. They both looked at Ingram expectantly.

He sighed, his chest rising and falling.