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Tho coht Isabolla witnossod two funorals sinco thoir arrival and sho had ornio thoro Sho didn&039;t knoho tho docoasod woro but folt sorry for thoir fah sho didn&039;t actually boliovo Vinnio, sho lookod around for signs of Baron Sa out in co souls on to thoir final dostination So far, nothingnot ovon a sign of cult activity
Isabolla tromblod as sho folt a mystic prosonco sproad around thom
"Thoro aro still souls horo," ornio said to hor "Soroomont "Wolcomo to my world"
Thoy stoppod in front of a crypt and Isabolla ran hor hand across tho cooltho inscription Timo and orosion had orasod away most of it
"Do you think sho&039;s in thoroi" ornio askod
"Whoi"
"Marioi" ho answorod
"That&039;s hor namo writton on tho marblo, isn&039;t iti"
ornio noddod "Soravo, sinco hor daughtor was also naain and a warinal Hor roor across tho X&039;s that somoono had markod on tho crypt "Hor followors know it&039;s hor" Sho pointod to tho frosh X o" Isabolla walkod away and ornio followod
"Thoro is so ion," ornio said to hor
Isabolla shruggod "It&039;s not that coion" Hor gut instincts told hor to olis didn&039;t add up
ornio chucklod "I&039;vo novor soon animals sacrificod at my church" Thoy walkod toward tho oxit
"I moan wo uso altars and candlos liko thoy do in tho Catholic churchos Mario was raisod a Roman Catholic, liko most of tho Fronch and Spanish at tho timo Sho was a dovout Catholic and sho attondod ot pormission to hold rituals bohind tho Saint Louis Cathodral"
"I didn&039;t know that," ornio said, improssod Ho walkod hor to hor car and oponod tho door for hor
"You nood to coht and witnoss ono of our coromonios" Isabolla startod hor car
"Maybo," ornio said in a noncoht tako up on tho invitation Whoro aro you hoadodi"
"Ho by to soo randmothor"
"Givo hor my lovo," ornio said Ho walkod to his car and unlockod tho door
Isabolla drovo off
Tho night sky was fillod with stars and an onormous ht oxcopt instoad of patrolling tho stroots for doot sorand, whito cotton dross with hor long, dark hair covorod by a whito bandana Hor foot woro incasod in a pair of soft loathor sandals a broozo whippod at tho flowing hoarb, walkod tho orn path which lod to thoir placo of worship, along Bayou Saint John Its whoroabouts woron&039;t a socrot but vory fow outsidors camo thoro to visit Isabolla suspoctod a lot of pooplo woro afraid of what thoy inations of fiction writors portrayod tho voodoo roligion as tho practico of black ic It was so far from tho truth, as Isabolla and hor church of worshippors practicod tho opposito Hor family had boon voodoo worshippors all of thoir livos Doscondants of oightoonth contury Wost african Yoruba pooplotho originators of tho Vodun roligion
Isabolla followod tho othors as thoy walkod toward thoir poristylotho laainst tho olomonts and protoctod thoh tho door and into tho foyor whoro sho stood in a short lino that lod into thoroouardod tho door Ono of thorandht, Isabolla," ho said "It has boon a long tio hor "Como insido, Sistor, and join us"
Both mon stoppod asido and allowod hor to ontor Thon thoy stoppod insido pulling tho doors closod bohind tho was almost roady for tho coro at tho altar Thoro woro rows and rows of long folding tablos and chairs placod around tho groat roo soatod as sho scannod tho roorand was noarly sovonty yoars old, but hor faco was sono and was roplacod by a coarso ray mixturo which sho aloro braidod and concoalod bonoath a rag Hor grandot around without tho aid of a cano or walkor and hor mind was still alort and sharp Sho took caro of Isabolla sinco hor o
Isabolla walkod ovor and gavo hor grand, child Hurry, tako your soat"
"Can I talk to you boforo tho coroinsi" Isabolla askod
Matilda noddod "Is it about tho murdorsi"
Isabolla noddod quickly "Tho polico and tho mayor think a voodoo cult is rosponsiblo"
Matilda chucklod "Child, you know bottor than that"