It was not a long drive. The cats were gathering in a vacant field just a short distance behind the old Dorgenois mansion, just behind Dumaine Street.

"Now we know," Javotte said.

"I've seen this," Sam said, a tenseness in his voice. "They're calling out Satan."

"Tonight."

It was not a question, for the priest could sense the gathering evil.

"Tonight."

10.

When Sam and Father Javotte drove back to the main street of town, a Louisiana State Trooper car was parked by the side of a Mom and Pop convenience store at the northernmost edge of Main Street. Sam pulled into the parking area just as a young trooper was walking out of the store, a soft drink in one hand, a candy bar in the other.

"You know him?" Sam asked the priest.

"I've seen him in town quite a few times. But no, I don't know his name."

The trooper, smiling, walked toward the truck. His name tag read "Norris." Sam and Javotte got out of the pickup.

"Afternoon, Trooper," Sam said.

"Howdy," Trooper Norris replied. "Ya'll must have had one whale of a storm around here."

"Yes," Javotte said. "You didn't get any storms in, ah? ..."

"Jonesville," the trooper finished it. "No, sir. It's dry as a bone just a couple miles outside of Becancour. What's with this town, Father?"

Javotte and Sam exchanged quick glances. "What do you mean?" Javotte asked.

The stocky young trooper took a bite of candy and a swig of soda. "Well, ya'll look clean. But you're the first people I've seen in town that didn't need a bath. Is there some sort of water shortage around here?"

"There's a shortage, all right," Sam said. "But it has nothing to do with water."

"Is that right?" Norris said. "You want to explain that?"

"You wouldn't believe us, Trooper," Javotte said.

"Ya'll got my interest up now. Where was all those cats headin' awhile ago?"

"To get a ringside seat for the big show that's going to take place tonight," Sam said. He could not help but smile at the trooper's expression.

"Say what?"

"You off duty?" Sam asked.

"No. But I will be in four hours. You guys been drinkin'?"

"No," Javotte a.s.sured him. "Well, that's not quite true. We each had a short beer about a half hour ago."

"Down at Lula's Love-Inn," Sam said.

Norris eyeballed the priest. Now he was really really confused. "Father, what were you doin' in Lula's Love-Inn?" confused. "Father, what were you doin' in Lula's Love-Inn?"

"Confronting a group of devil worshipers."

The trooper leaned forward. "Doin' what?" what?"

"The town is possessed," Sam told him.

Norris looked long at Sam. Then he looked at Javotte. "Are you a real priest?"

"For twenty-odd years, Trooper. Are you a religious man, Trooper?"

"I try to go to church a couple of times a month. But I'm not a fanatic on the subject, no, sir."

"Not one of those who gathered is," Sam mused aloud. "That's interesting."

Trooper Norris devoured the last of his candy bar and took a sip of soda. "Not one of those who gathered ... where?" where?"

"At two places around town," Sam said. "You know Deputy Lenoir and Chief Pa.s.son, Trooper?"

"Sure."

"Good, solid, and very dependable men, right, Trooper?"

"All the way."

"Would you believe them if they told you they were convinced that the forces of Satan had taken over this town?"

Trooper Norris backed up a step. He wasn't sure exactly what he was confronting here. For sure, a couple of whackos. But? ... The doubts lingered in his mind. Something was d.a.m.n sure wrong with those he'd seen in town-all except these two guys. Sonny Pa.s.son was an ex-trooper, highly decorated. If Sonny said something was wrong in town, he'd have to give that some serious thought. Then he'd ...

... do what?

s.h.i.t! he didn't know what he'd do. "The town is possessed?" Norris asked.

"That is correct," Javotte said.

"You got devil worshipers runnin' around?"

"That's right," Sam said.

"I think you're both nuts!"

"You know Dr. Livaudais?" Javotte asked.

"I sure do."

"He's another who is convinced."

'Yeah?" Maybe if he could get to his radio, he could call in and have somebody get the h.e.l.l in here to back him up, 'cause these two Moon Pies might get violent any moment.

The sounds of singing reached Trooper Norris's ears. "What's that?"

"Cliff Lester and his flock. They are preparing to march on Becancour sometime this afternoon."

"For what? Do they think the ... devil is running around here, too?"

"In a manner of speaking," Javotte told him.

"Where is Don and Sonny?"

"Don is at the clinic. Sonny is at the Dorgenois house."

"Let's go see them."

Sonny talked to the trooper for a moment.

Norris started drumming his boot heels on the floor, his expression a mixture of humor and concern.

Matt Comeaux began speaking.

Norris stopped drumming his heels and sat still.

C. D. picked it up and told what he knew.

Norris started jumping up and down. "Are you serious?" serious?" he hollered. he hollered.

"Call Don at the clinic," Sonny suggested.

"I d.a.m.n sure will!" Trooper James A. Norris stalked to the phone and jerked it up. He paused for a moment. "You're all pulling my leg, right? You been waiting on me to come back in here just so you could pull this on me, right?"

His question was met by a wall of cold silence.

He experienced a strange clammy sensation in the small of his back. It started right at the base of his spine and, like a wet snake, began slowly slithering up his backbone.

Norris replaced the receiver in its cradle. His mouth was very dry. He looked up toward the second-floor landing. A couple of dozen kids were standing there, by the railing, looking down at him. Then the awful truth dawned on him. No one was pulling his leg. This wasn't a joke. It was all . . . everything they'd told him ...

... was true.

Trooper First Cla.s.s Norris cleared his throat and swallowed hard. He thought of a dozen different ideas, rejecting them as fast as they entered his head. He sat back down in the chair.

"What made you come here?" Sam asked the trooper.

Norris looked at the man. "Why ... I, ah, don't know. The only time I ever come to Becancour is when there is a wreck involving a fatality. Well, I mean, I patrol the highway occasionally, but usually I leave that up to Don. That's been the deal between the sheriff and my troop commander for as long as I've been a trooper."

"Why?" Sam asked.

Norris thought about that for a moment, then he got the drift of Sam's question. "Oh, there's nothing sinister about it. It's just that Don doesn't have that much to do. Nothing ever happens in Becancour."

"James," Sonny said. "You can't remember why you came here?"

"No. I was just ... driving, then when I looked up, here I was. Am."

"When does your shift end?"

"This is my short day. I get off at four o'clock this afternoon and don't go back on until two o'clock Sunday afternoon."

"It will be all over by then," Sam said. "One way or the other."

Norris shuddered and looked at Sam. "Just who in the h.e.l.l are you, anyway?"

Sam told him. The telling took about five minutes. When he was finished, Trooper J. A. Norris was sweating profusely.

Norris rose from his chair and walked out of the house into the backyard. He just needed to be alone for a time. He sat down in a swing and swung back and forth, slowly. He felt like running off into the woods, waving his arms and shrieking at the top of his lungs.

He began rocking and humming. He stopped his humming when he realized what it was: "Three Blind Mice."

"Who is this highway patrolman?" Xaviere asked Janet.

"n.o.body."

"Don't be too sure of that," the Princess gently admonished the young woman. "He didn't just come here by accident."

"Who here would summon him, and why?"

Xaviere shook her head. "He wasn't summoned. He was sent. He probably doesn't realize he was, but he was sent."

"But why?"

Xaviere shrugged her shoulders. "I am not privy G.o.d's communiques. Although I doubt it is G.o.d interfering."

"The old mercenary?"

"Yes. G.o.d turns His back and allows Michael a great deal more license than our Master would ever allow us."

The sky suddenly darkened and lightning licked at the earth, followed by the rumbling of thunder.

Xaviere and Janet both cringed, knowing who had sent the signals-The Dark One.

Winds suddenly entered the aging mansion, whipping the filthy drapes and blowing out the candles in the room, plunging the room into darkness.