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I pushed open the low gate in the co in all but absolute silence now, not wanting to mask any sounds of Robertson’s approach
As we passed the choir enclosure and ascended the alanced back less and proceeded with greater caution Inexplicably, in opposition to er lay in front of us
Our stalker couldn’t have slipped around us unseen Besides, there was no reason for hi us directly
Nevertheless, with every step I took, the tension increased in the cords of ht as key-wound dock springs
Frolimpsed movement past the altar, twitched toward it, and drew Storhter than before
The crucified bronze Christ moved, as if metal miraculously had become flesh, as if He would pull loose from the cross and step down to resued ht The illusion ofshadow had iure - was at once dispelled
Stormy’s tower-door key would also unlock the door at the back of the sanctuary Beyond waited the sacristy, in which the priest readied hilanced back at the sanctuary, the nave Silence Stillness but for theStormy’s key, I pushed the paneled door inith some trepidation
This particular fear had no rational basis whatsoever Robertson wasn’t a erdemain inside a locked room
Nevertheless, my heart played knock-and-rattle with ht switch, my hand was not pinned to the wall by either a stiletto or a hatchet The overhead light revealed a se psychopath with yellow yeast-mold hair
To the left stood the prie-dieu, where the priest knelt to offer his pri­vate devotions before saying Mass To the right were cabinets contain­ing the sacred vessels and the vest bench
Stormy closed the sanctuary door behind us and with a thued the deadbolt
We quickly crossed the room to the outer sacristy door I knew that beyond lay the east churchyard, the one without to to the rectory where her uncle lived
This door also was locked
From within the sacristy, the lock could be released without a key I gripped the thumb-turn… but hesitated
Perhaps we had not heard or seen Robertson enter the nave from the narthex for the simple reason that he’d never coli that ould try to flee fro to wait for us outside the sacristy This er rather than away fro?" Stormy asked
I shushed her - a fatal mistake in any circumstances but these - and listened at the crack between the door and the jamb The thinnest breath of a warm draft tickled my ear, but with it carew increasingly uneasy
Stepping away froo back the e came"
We returned to the door between the sacristy and the sanctuary, which she had locked behind us But I hesitated again with ainst the crack between this door and ja draft spiraled down my audi­tory canal, but no telltale stealthy sounds came to me, either
Both sacristy doors had been locked froet at us, Robertson would need a key, which he didn’t possess
"We’re not going to wait here till h h a document on her computer
My cell phone was clipped to my belt I could have used it to call Chief Porter and explain the situation to him
The possibility existed, however, that Bob Robertson had been overco h at thisreined in his raone away
If the chief dispatched a patrol car to St Bart’s or if he came him­self, only to find no smiley psychopath, my credibility would take a hit Over the years, I had banked enough good ith Wyatt Porter to afford to make a withdrawal or two from my account, but I was re­luctant to do so
It is hui­cian - but also to turn against hihtest error that reveals his trickery Those in the audience are embarrassed to have been so easily astonished, and they blah I elii­cian’s vulnerability but also of the danger of being the boy who cried wolf - or in this case, the boy who cried Fungus Man
Most people desperately desire to believe that they are part of a great lory, notYet each tiiven but one reason to doubt, a worm in the apple of the heart makes them turn away from a thousand proofs of the miraculous, whereupon they have a drunkard’s thirst for cynicis man upon a loaf of bread
As a h to ood ainst ullible more than once, that turn would surely occur
I could have used my cell phone to call Stormy’s uncle, Father Sean, in the rectory He would come to our aid without delay and without too many aard questions
Robertson, however, was a huin If he was lurking in the churchyard, he would not be de­terred froht of a Ro put Stor her uncle, as well
Two sacristy doors The outer led to the churchyard The inner led to the sanctuary
Having heard nothing at either exit, I had to rely on intuition I chose the door to the sanctuary
Apparently the bouncing ball of Stormy’s intuition hadn’t yet rat­tled to a stop on any number She put her hand atop mine as I took hold of the lock
Our eyes met for a moment Then we turned our heads to stare at the outer door
This was an instance when the card that we had drawn fro birthing a word, we arrived at a plan that we both un­derstood I remained at the door to the sanctuary Stormy returned to the churchyard door
If when I unlocked ed for me, Stormy would throw open the outer door and bolt fro for help I would attempt to follow her - and stay alive
TWENTY
THAT MOMENT IN THE SACRISTY DISTILLED THE ESSENCE of my entire existence: always between two doors, between a life with the living and a life with the dead, between transcendence and terror
Across the room, Stormy nodded
On the prie-dieu, a s priest
No doubt bottles of sacramental ere stored in one of the cabinets I could have used a little spiritual fortification