The Devil's Cat

by William W. Johnstone

  "And once charges are brought, the Dark One would just pull back for a few months," Sam said. "But I'd be willing to bet these pictures, and that's all the proof there is, would disappear."

  Father Javotte nodded his head in agreement. "I concur. I think we're back to square one."

  The cops looked at the priest. Finally, Don said, "Are you serious?"

  "Quite," Javotte said. "We are now, unwillingly, I'll admit, playing Satan's favorite game." He glanced at Sam.

  "Waiting," Sam finished it.

  Sonny plopped his hat on his head. "Not me," he announced. Before anyone could stop him, he was gone out the door, into the storm-slashed Louisiana night.

  Don tried to stop the man. The door had closed before the deputy could reach him.

  "Let him go," Sam said. "He's angry and he's hurt. If any of us tried to stop him now there would be trouble.

  Javotte said to Andrea, "How many of your friends are involved in this … madness, child?"

  The girl sighed. "I don't know. I do know that I don't have many friends anymore. Ever since I refused to attend those meetings, the other kids kind of shy away from me."

  "I guess we have to conclude that most people in the town are involved in this thing," Tony said.

  "If they're not," Sam said. "They soon will be."

  "On what side?" Tony asked.

  "That depends entirely on how strong their faith is."

  Someone rang the front doorbell. Tony hesitated, then walked to the door and cracked it open. Rita Dantin stood on the small porch, Dr. David Whitson beside her. Th man was dirty, unshaven, but steady on his feet. Tony could smell no alcohol on the man.

  "Does this belong to you?" Rita asked, nodding her head toward David.

  "Come in, Rita, David." The door closed, shutting out the wind and rain. Tony said, "Why do you ask that Rita?"

  " 'Cause his wife damn sure doesn't want him. She's too busy entertaining half a dozen men over at her house."

  "Alcohol solves nothing," David said. His speech was clear. "Hell, I knew that to begin with. I have some things out in the car, Tony. Could I spend the night here?"

  "Of course you can, David."

  "I'll get his things," Don said. He walked out into the night, closing the door behind him.

  David's eyes focused clearly on Tony. "What's going on around this town, Tony? What in the world has happened?"

  "Let's get some food and coffee in you, David," Tony said. "You, too, Rita. Use the phone in the den to call in and tell the station where you'll be. Rita, you know some of what is going on. I … OK, I'll accept Sonny and Father Javotte's theory about the … devil. I'm still not totally convinced, but I'm getting there."

  "The devil?" David said. "You mean like … the devil? The bad guy? Am I still drunk, Tony? Or has my hearing suddenly become impaired?"

  "Go take a hot shower, David," Tony suggested. "I'll open up a can of soup and be heating it." He looked around and raised his voice so all could hear. "Don't any of you eat or drink anything in this house that's been opened. I think my wife tried to drug or poison me this evening."

  Rita looked toward the closed front door. She wondered what was keeping Don?

  Now David was totally confused. It showed in his eyes. "I hate to say this, Tony. But I wasn't this confused while I was drunk. Did I just hear you say that Lena tried to poison you?"

  "Yes. Go on, David. Grab a shower. I'll get you a bathrobe and you …"

  Gunfire suddenly ripped the night. Rita recognized the booming as that from a .357.

  Some hideous, nonhuman screaming cut through the storm. The sound chilled those in the house. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. The lights went out.

  Those inside could hear Sonny Passon yelling. "Did you get it, Don? Jesus Christ, what was that thing?"

  4

  As the storm howled and crashed in and around the town of Becancour, Xaviere lay naked on the silk sheets of her bed. She longed for a man, but she knew that could never be until her first mating with Sam Balon. She did not feel it unfair. She knew that as the earth-bound daughter of a Christian warrior and Witch-mother, her duty was to seduce her mortal warrior-father and from that union, bring forth into the world and onto the earth a demon … the child of Satan.

  "Who's out there?" Romy called from the back porch of the home. He held a pistol in his right hand.

  Only the storm replied.

  "Dammit, answer me!" Romy called.

  Lightning flashed, momentarily illuminating the grounds. Romy could see nothing.

  Julie Dorgenois appeared at his side. "What is it, Romy?"

  "Jackson, I'm sure. Damn this storm. I've never seen anything like it."

  Julie's eyes touched his. "It's time, Romy," she said. "Grandfather Dorgenois is right."

  "The old man should have done it years ago. He claims he did not have the strength. But I don't believe that. It goes much deeper, I'm thinking."

  "That R. M. is waging a battle within him. And the dark side is winning?" she asked.

  Laughter from the darkness of the estate reached their ears.

  "Yes," Romy said, his words just audible over th storm.

  Across town, in the columned home of R. M. Dorgenois, R. M. sat in the darkened den, listening to the howl of the storm … and to the dark howling that silently screamed from within him.

  The old man was tired. Very tired. And he knew, now, that he had lost.

  His lighter spirit grew weaker as the dark side of his human psyche strengthened and the storm raged outside the home.

  "I tried," he murmured. "You know I tried."

  The lights flickered on and off.

  "But you won't win, Jackson. Romy will put it all together and kill you."

  Upstairs, in their bedroom, Colter Dorgenois rose from her chair and locked the bedroom door. She took a small box out of a chest of drawers and opened it. She removed a half dozen crosses that had been blessed years back by Father Ramagos. She put the largest of the crosses around her neck. She took several small Bibles from the box and placed them around the room, a cross beside each Bible. At the bottom of the box a dagger lay in the silken lining, gleaming up at her. She removed the dagger and placed it on her bed. Once more seated, she pressed the intercom button on the telephone and waited for R. M. to pick up downstairs.

  When her husband answered, his voice was thick, slurry.

  "Don't come upstairs, R. M.," she warned him. "I would prefer it if you left this house entirely."

  "You have to believe me, Colter," the old man said. "I tried. I really tried."

  "You lie, R. M. You surrendered."

  "I want to live!"

  "I would rather die secure in the arms of my God than walk the path you have chosen."

  "Join me!"

  "Never."

  "Then you know what I must do."

  His wife of sixty years laughed at him. "You are forgetting I am a Laveau. There is nothing you can do to me."

  R. M. was silent for a time. But Colter knew he was still on the line; she could hear his heavy breathing.

  "Oui," he finally spoke. "A mon grand regret."

  "You may regret, R. M. I don't. Our mariage de convenance kept your darker side chained for many years, did it not?"

  "I despise you!"

  But Colter knew that was not R. M. speaking. She knew that was not R. M. sitting down in the den. That was only his shell. R. M. Dorgenois had, for all intents and purposes, died.

  "Think of love, R. M."

  The thing that sat in the den screamed its outrage at the mere mention of that which it hated.

  "Love, R. M.," Colter persisted.

  The screaming grew more vile and profane. "Vous I'avez bien voulu!"

  Colter smiled. "No, R. M. You're wrong. I did not ask for it. My will could control yours, so the Church brought us together—don't you remember?"

  She could hear the sounds of objects crashing in the den. "II y a longtemps," she muttered. "Such a long time ago."
<
br />   She could hear him return to the chair and sit down. "I don't know what finally broke the soft chains I had around you, R. M. But so be it." Her features hardened; when she spoke, her voice was hard. "Now, leave this house, R. M. Right now!"

  That which had been R. M. Dorgenois screamed like the rabid animal it had become.

  "I command you in the name of all that is holy to leave this place!"

  The screaming abated. Colter could hear something clumping about in the den, moving like a hooved awkward animal.

  "Allez-vous-en!" She yelled the words.

  She heard a door slam. She could sense that the Devil's Own was gone. At least for the moment. She was not afraid. She punched off the intercom and dialed the police department.

  "Mrs. R. M. Dorgenois here. Chief Passon, s'il vous plaît."

  "Bon soir, Mrs. Dorgenois," the dispatcher said. "Chief Passon is not here. He is at Dr. Livaudais's home.

  Thank you." She dialed Tony's home. "Dr. Livaudais? Colter Dorgenois here. You have quite a gathering there, I think, est-ce que c'est correct?"

  "Oui, madame." Tony switched to Cajun French. "And quite a fright, too, I might add."

  "Oh? Are you hurt?"

  "No, madame. It's just that … some very odd things are taking place about town."

  Colter could hear that deputy—what was his name?—Lenoir, that was it, yelling in the background. She smiled at his words.

  "Goddamn it!" Don yelled. "I put five rounds into that … thing! Don't tell me I didn't hit it. I shot 298 out of 300. I hit what I'm shooting at."

  "Doctor," Colter spoke. "Tell your deputy to calm himself. He could have hit that 'thing' he spoke of three hundred times and he would not have killed it. If it's what I think it is, and I'm probably correct."

  "You … know what is going on?"

  "Of course I do. Tony," she said, surprising the doctor, for Mrs. Dorgenois was usually very formal, "is that new young man in town with you?"

  "Sam Balon. Yes, ma'am." He named the others gathered at his house.

  "Come to the mansion, Tony. All of you. Time is short, and we are few."

  She hung up.

  Sam rode with Tony, Father Javotte in the backseat. "How old is Mrs. Dorgenois, Tony?" Sam asked.

  "Mid to late eighties. So is R. M. But you couldn't guess it by looking at them." Tony's eyes widened in shock and he slammed on the brakes, the rear end of his car slewing around on the rain-slick street. "My God! What was that?"

  Father Javotte gazed at the man-beast-looking thing caught in the glow of the headlights and crossed himself.

  Sam sat and stared at the … thing. He'd seen worse-looking creatures up in Canada, when Satan unleashed the creatures from the Pits against him. But this was bad enough for one stormy evening. Even though Sam knew, but did not tell the others, that matters were about to get much worse.

  The creature had the head, hands, and feet of an animal; but the rest of him was dressed in a business suit.

  "That's R. M. Dorgenois!" Tony said. "He was wearing that suit when I saw him uptown this morning."

  The small convoy had stopped behind Tony. The occupants of the cars sat and stared in silent horror at the creature looking back at them.

  Don clicked on the outside speaker of his prowl car, the speaker located in the center of the outside bar lights. "That's the same kind of thing I put five rounds into a while ago," he said, his voice splitting the rainy night.

  The creature threw back its hairy head and opened its mouth, exposing great fanged jaws. It howled, the howling crawling up and down the spines of the people in the cars.

  Rita hugged herself, her palms feeling the chill-bumps that gathered on her bare arms.

  Sonny Passon Crossed himself and said a small but highly emotional silent prayer.

  Andrea Golden closed her eyes and shook her head, hoping it was all a bad dream. But when she opened her eyes, that thing was still there, howling at the dark skies.

  Dr. David Whitson, sitting in the car with Sonny, almost lost his just-eaten soup.

  R. M. Dorgenois turned and loped away, the darkness taking him into wet arms, melting around him like a shroud.

  Tony looked at his hands. They were trembling so badly he wondered if he could drive.

  "You want me to drive?" Sam asked.

  Tony looked at him. "Jesus, man! How can you sit there and be so calm?"

  "I've seen it all before. And I'll see it again—if I live through this fight."

  "Well, goddammit! I haven't seen it all before! And I hope I never see anything like that again."

  "You will," Sam assured him.

  Tony put the car in gear and drove on. A moment later, they pulled into the Dorgenois drive.

  Sam closed his eyes and thought of Nydia.

  "We're all right, Sam," her voice came into his head. 'Little Sam is sleeping soundly and Dog is lying by his bed."

  "It's begun," Sam projected.

  "I know. Something has been prowling around the house. But it's very afraid and very nervous. It did not stay long. The area is clear."

  "You have the car. I may ask you to join us."

  "I'll be waiting."

  When Sam opened his eyes, Tony was looking at him very strangely. "Don't tell me," the doctor said. "You've been talking to your wife, right?"

  "Right."

  "Jesus!"

  "Yes. I speak often with Him, too."

  "Does he ever answer you?"

  "In a manner of speaking."

  Tony Livaudais could not suppress a shudder.

  5

  The old woman was busy picking up the broken glass and shattered vases when the small group entered her lovely home.

  "Let us help," Sam said.

  "I almost have it, young man," Colter said. "But thank you for offering. You're Sam Balon?"

  "Yes, ma'am." Sam could feel the strength emanating from the lady. This lady, he thought, is no ordinary person.

  "Tony, you and Lena have been here before. You know the way to the kitchen. Perhaps you and the young lady," she looked at Andrea and smiled, "would consent to make us some coffee."

  Tony smiled and motioned for Andrea to follow him. In the large and well-equipped kitchen, Andrea looked around.

  "I'm hungry," she said.

  "Why don't you make up a batch of sandwiches while I fix the coffee?"

  The coffee perked and the sandwiches made, the group found seats in the spacious den. The rain still beat at the house, but the lightning and thunder had abated somewhat.

  "Mrs. Dorgenois," Sonny said. "We all, uh, saw a … well, man, sort of, about a block from here. I … uh …" He didn't know how to finish it.

  Colter did it for him. "What you saw was probably the shell of my husband. What did he look like?"

  Tony described the creature.

  "Worse than I thought," Colter said, lifting her coffee cup to her lips. She sipped and placed cup back into saucer.

  "What do you mean, Colter?" Father Javotte said. He alone would call her by her first name.

  She met his dark eyes with eyes just as dark and unreadable. "You alone, Daniel, know more than anyone here. What have you told them?"

  "Not much. Most of what I know I can't prove. I know bits and pieces. But I know who you are."

  "Do you now?" Her eyes twinkled.

  "I know the demon was exorcised from you as a child. I know that you had a vision. I know that shortly afterward, you accepted Christ. I know your maiden name was Laveau."

  "Someone in the Church has a big mouth," Colter remarked.

  "There aren't that many exorcists, Colter," the priest gently reminded her.

  "What do you people do, have conventions?"

  "Hardly, Colter. But then, I haven't done anything like that in a long, long time. I'm done with it."

  "Bullshit!" the old woman said bluntly.

  The profanity shook most of the men in the room. Colter's eyes touched Sam's. The young man was sitting calmly, looking at her. A very str
ong young man, she thought. And he'd better be.

  The old woman looked at the small gathering. "Is this it?"

  "Ma'am," David Whitson said. "Is what it?"

  Sam waved him silent. "No, I don't think so, Mrs. Dorgenois. I believe there are others, including your family."

  "Romy will join us later. Probably tomorrow. With his wife. I don't fear for Romy. He pieced together the family puzzle years ago." Her eyes touched Sonny's. "Your department, Sonny?"

  "C. D. and Bid are OK, I believe. I don't know about their families."

  "Get them. Use that phone." She pointed.

  "I have two R. N.'s that … I guess are secure. And Dr. Martin."

  "When Sonny is finished summoning his people, call yours," Colter said.

  "And I shall call Mike Laborne," Javotte said.

  "How about the other preachers?" Don asked. "Earl Morris and Cliff Lester?"

  The priest shook his head. "I sounded them out repeatedly, over a period of weeks. They do not believe. If it is not too late for them already, they'll come to their senses." The priest folded his arms across his chest and stood his ground.

  A strong and stubborn man, Sam thought.

  Don snapped his fingers. "Tess Nardana and Matt Comeaux. I'll call them. I saw Matt's car parked over at Tess's house about an hour ago."

  "Anyone else that you're sure of?" Colter asked.

  "Mrs. Wheeler," Sonny said, off the phone.

  Colter smiled. "If anyone attempts to harm that lady, they'll be in for a very rude awakening. Most of you are too young to remember what happened at her place years back."

  "Yeah," Sonny said. "I forgot about that incident. Those two escaped cons. They're buried right outside of town, aren't they?"

  "Yes," Colter said. "After Mrs. Wheeler shot and killed them both. We'll not be able to convince her to leave her home. All we can do is hope for the best."

  The old grandfather clock began chiming in the hallway. The gathering listened. It was midnight.

  "That's all we're going to do?" Mary bitched at Jackson Dorgenois. "Just laugh at your brother? What a disappointment."

  "We have time," Jackson assured her. "Come on." He took her hand.