Demonologist

by Laimo, Michael

  Bev shook his head. “I didn’t do it.”

  “Bev,” Collins said, the frustration evident in his tone. “Your prints were a match to those found at Ritchie’s murder scene. They were also everywhere in the rectory—they were in the cop’s blood, for Christ’s sake. Listen, do us both a favor—tell me the truth. There’s a mountain of evidence against you. My only suggestion is a plea, which will get you life. Otherwise, given the nature of the crime, prosecution will seek the death penalty.”

  Bev stared blankly at the smooth gray surface of the table. “What about Danto?”

  “Exonerated. Prosecution is using him as a witness.”

  “And my daughter?”

  “She’s our star witness. Right now she’s blaming it all on the cult—not sure how that will help us, but it’s a long shot we have no choice but to take.”

  Kristin…thank you. “Can I see her?”

  Collins nodded. “She’s outside.” The lawyer stood and exited the room.

  Moments later a police guard escorted Kristin into the room. Despite the stress of everything, she looked good. Made up. Black skirt. Tan blouse. Very professional.

  She paced slowly across the room and sat across from Bev.

  He moved to take her hand.

  She resisted.

  “Kristin?”

  She stared intensely at him. Then turned and eyed the guard. The guard stared back.

  “Kristin?” Bev whispered.

  She looked back at him. Grinned.

  Not her smile. Still, there was a strange familiarity to it.

  And then, she spoke.

  In a whispering voice wasn’t hers: “I can restore all your memories.”

  Bev’s mouth fell. His heart slammed against his chest as his mind was instantly inundated with every minute detail of the events that had taken place at In Domo. He shuddered, then rubbed his chest furiously.

  He gazed back at his daughter.

  Not his daughter.

  Allieb.

  “Where is Kristin?” he asked, trembling.

  Allieb grinned. “She’s in here…with me.”

  “No…”

  “I can get you out of here, Bev. Come with me if you want to see Kristin again. Or…you can spend the rest of your life in jail.”

  “Kristin…” She’s in here…with me. Then, he asked, “How?”

  “What is your decision?”

  Bev nodded. “Just let me see my daughter.”

  Her face shifted a touch. Suddenly, her feminine voice fell from her lips. “Daddy…daddy, is that you? Please....please, help me.”

  Her countenance shifted back, and Allieb’s personality returned. “Well…what is your choice?”

  “I remember…Satan had said that he was going to take your soul.”

  Allieb smiled, Kristin’s lips thinning ever more slightly than usual. “Don’t you know by now that the Devil is a liar?”

  Bev swallowed. Kristin needs me.

  “It’s your only way out of here.”

  He nodded.

  At once Bev felt a slight scratching in his head. As though a fingernail was digging in the thin space between his skull and brain. An odor of burning limestone filled his nose.

  And then he felt himself falling down, down, down, deep into the bowels of Kristin’s body, where she waited for him, burning in the torturous acids of her stomach.

  PUBLISHER'S NOTE

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