gns.thedruidconnection-第25部分

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e　in　the　fire；　features　that　were　impervious　to　the　heat；　ancient　immortality　that　had　surely　risen　from　Dante's　hell；　features　so　malign　that　a　cry　of　inprehensible　terror　came　from　the　Planning　Officer's　cracked　and　blistered　lips。　He　heard　the　words；　somehow　understood　them　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　his　brain　was　past　reasoning。
　　
　　'The　sentence　of　death　has　been　passed　on　you　by　the　Council　of　Oke　Priests；　traitor　who　sought　to　desecrate　sacred　（and。　Your　body　will　be　burned　by　fire　but　your　soul　will　suffer　eternal　purgatory！'
　　
　　A　strange　feeling　engulfed　the　man　whose　clothing　was　already　burning　on　his　body；　a　kind　of　dizziness　in　which　everything　was　blurred；　even　the　heat　lessening　for　a　few　seconds。　An　awful　sucking　sensation　as　though　a　vacuum　pipe　attached　to　his　head　was　forcibly　drawing　his　brains　out。　Everything　went　black；　then　he　was　conscious　again；　but　it　was　all　different。　Somehow　he　was　airborne；　still　in　that　fiery　room；　looking　down　on　his　own　incinerated　body！　He　did　not　understand；　did　not　attempt　to　reason　even　though　his　mind　was　no　longer　fogged。　This　was　the　way　it　was　meant　to　be；　freed　from　the　encumbrance　of　a　bulky　shell；　able　to　float　wherever　he　wished。　Yet　he　felt　pelled　to　remain　and　watch。
　　
　　Outside　the　firemen　had　been　forced　to　retreat　across　the　road；　playing　their　hoses　on　the　burning　building　from　a　distance。　The　flames　leaped　higher；　throwing　up　columns　of　sparks；　debris　falling　in　a　series　of　avalanches。　A　crowd　had　gathered；　a　fever　of　excitement。　People　secretly　enjoyed　a　spectacular　fire；　peering　through　the　eddying　smoke；　trying　to　see　。　。　。　a　man　was　trapped　in　there；　being　burned　alive。　They　craved　a　glimpse　of　a　frantic　blackened　figure；　strained　their　ears　for　screams　of　agony；　reluctantly　moved　back　a　few　yards　when　the　uniformed　policemen　remonstrated　with　them。　A　child　was　pointing　skywards；　feverishly　yelling　at　a　parent　that　he　had　seen　a　face；　a　head　without　a　body；　rising　up　out　of　the　inferno；　being　told　to　shut　up。
　　
　　Walter　Stone's　euphoria　was　brief；　his　newly…found　freedom　short…lived。　Even　as　he　attempted　to　soar　to　freedom　he　was　checked　as　though　some　invisible　cord　attached　to　him　had　stopped　him　short　with　a　sudden　jerk。
　　
　　He　let　out　a　cry　of　anger　and　frustration　as　he　felt　himself　being　led　away；　pulled　into　the　murky　blackness　of　the　shadows　beyond　the　firelight；　experienced　again　that　terror　when　he　had　fled　blindly　from　the　pursuing　skull。
　　
　　The　awful　realisation　that　now　he　had　no　body；　just　a　head　that　floated　in　the　darkness；　hastening　to　obey　a　call　that　could　not　be　denied；　for　his　masters　were　terrible　to　behold　when　they　were　angered。　He　must　keep　them　waiting　no　longer。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
　　　
　　DARKEN　HURST'S　initial　reaction　upon　learning　of　Marion's　death　was　one　of　new…found　freedom。　But　within　hours　of　that　terrible　visit　to　the　mortuary；　attempting　to　identify　his　wife's　charred　remains；　he　had　bee　a　victim　of　blind　terror。　Flight　was　uppermost　in　his　mind。　He　could　not　remain　in　the　house　on　his　own。　Which　was　why　he　had　gone　back　to　Lola；　where　he　would　probably　have　gone　anyway。
　　
　　'Pull　yourself　together；　Darren；'　her　attractive　features　hardened；　pale　blue　eyes　flashing　contempt　for　the　man　whose　image　had　suddenly　crumbled。　'Only　last　weekend　you　were　considering　ways　of　getting　Marion　out　of　the　way　and　now　somebody's　gone　and　done　it　for　you。　So　what　the　hell　are　you　plaining　about？'
　　
　　'You　don't　bloody　well　understand；'　he　downed　the　whisky　she　had　handed　him　in　one　gulp；　set　the　glass　down　with　a　shaking　hand。　There's　something　happening；　forces　we　can't　fight　against。　Even　Bishop　Boyce　is　shit…scared。　Inexplicable；　horrible　deaths；　madness；　a　girl　missing；　and　now　Walter　Stone　burnt　to　a　cinder　in　his　own　house。　Who　next？　For　God's　sake；　who's　going　to　be　next？''
　　
　　'Somebody's　deliberately　out　to　scare　you；'　Lola's　mouth　was　dry；　she　couldn't　stand　much　more　of　this。　'Ever　thought　that　maybe　some　rival　building　pany　has　designs　on　the　land　now　that　it's　been　taken　out　of　the　Green　Belt？　Tolson　Contractors；　for　instance。'
　　
　　'No。　Even　they　couldn't　do　all　these　things。　I　tell　you　we've　got　to　get　the　hell　out　of　here；　Lola；　while　we're　still　in　one　piece。'
　　
　　'And　kiss　goodbye　to　a　cool　million。'
　　
　　'Better　to　be　sane　and　alive。'
　　
　　'You're　panicking。'　Her　pulses　were　racing。　With　Marion　dead；　Lola　stood　to　gain　a　share　in　that　million；　maybe　more。　They　didn't　even　have　to　get　rid　of　Hurst's　wife　now。　It　was　plain　sailing；　all　a　matter　of　time。　'Somebody　wants　you　to　throw　in　the　towel。'
　　
　　'Sure　they　do　。　。　。　spooks　who　can　either　burn　you　up　or　else　drive　you　mad。　I　remember　reading　once　that　there's　a　curse　on　anybody　who　interferes　with　church　land。'
　　
　　'It's　only　an　untidy　bit　of　a　field　and　nobody'll　be　harmed　by　it　being　built　on。　A　few　snobbish　villagers　are　getting　uptight　but　what　the　hell。　Look；　I'll　move　back　to　the　house　with　you。'
　　
　　'No。　I'm　not　spending　another　night　there。'
　　
　　'What　about　this　guy；　Sabat？　I　thought　you　said　Boyce　was　paying　him　to　exorcise　the　place。　What　the　hell's　he　playing　at？'
　　
　　'He's　a　bloody　fake；　a　con…man。　We　can　count　him　out。　There's　something　there　which　nobody　can　get　the　better　of　and　I'm　going　to　make　sure　I'm　not　the　next　on　its　hit…list。'
　　
　　'You're　not　running　away；'　Lola　appeared　to　relax；　smiled。　'I'll　stick　by　you；　Darren。'
　　
　　He　swallowed；　nodded。　Lola　refilled　his　glass；　sensed　that　she　was　winning。　Okay；　there　was　something　funny　going　on　but　the　prize　money　was　too　big　to　drop　out　of　the　race　just　like　that。　She　turned　away；　stared　out　of　the　window　down　into　the　busy　shopping　street　below。　Here；　amidst　this　awful　seething　mass　of　humanity　they　had　to　be　safe。　Safety　in　numbers。　'If　you　won't　go　back　home　then　you'd　better　move　into　the　flat　here　with　me；　at　least　until　pletion　date。'
　　
　　'No；'　he　stared　fixedly　at　the　wall　in　front　of　him。　'I'm　getting　right　away　from　here。　I'll　withdraw　my　tender；　that　way　it'll　let　me　out。　Let　Tolson　Contractors　put　in　an　offer。　Boyce　won't　get　a　backhander　off　them。　It'll　fuck　him　up　properly；　the　hypocritical　bastard！'
　　
　　'You　won't　be　withdrawing　your　tender；　Darren；'　there　was　a　menace　in　her　tone　which　had　him　jerking　round　to　look　at　her。　'No　way。'
　　
　　'Why　not？　It's　my　business　whether　I　。　。　。　'
　　
　　'Ours；　Darren；'　she　laughed　harshly。　'Don't　forget；　I'm　in　on　this；　too。　Marion's　dead；　so　is　the　Planning　Officer。　There　are　only　three　people　who　know　about　the　deal　which　was　set　up；　you；　Boyce　。　。　。　and　me。　You　just　got　yourself　a　new　partner；　Darren；　and　I'm　not　having　anybody　run　out　on　me。　We'll　see　it　through　together。　I　thought　that　was　how　it　was　going　to　be；　anyway。　I　guess　you　could　be　in　a　lot　of　trouble　if　you　cut　and　run　and　word　got　around　that　all　this　had　been　one　big　crooked　fix。　1　can　just　see　the　headlines　in　the　papers　now　…　〃Crooked　Builder　and　Bishop　Sent　Down　on　Corruption　Charge〃。　Ten　years　at　the　very　least！'
　　
　　'You　blackmailing　bitch！'　he　snapped。
　　
　　'Don't　put　it　like　that；　Darren；'　she　laughed　softly。　'You're　no　good　without　a　woman　behind　you　and　you　need　me　even　more　now　that　Marion's　gone。'
　　
　　He　sighed；　saw　that　his　entwined　fingers　trembled。　'Okay；　what's　the　next　move　since　you've　obviously　had　all　this　worked　out　for　some　time？'
　　
　　'We　sit　it　out；'　she　lit　a　cigarette；　studied　him　through　a　cloud　of　tobacco　smoke。　'I　don't　believe　in　this　hocus…pocus；　quite　frankly。　I　think　it's　someone　trying　to　scare　us　off　and　we're　damned　well　not　going　to　be　scared。　We　move　back　to　your　place；　Darren。　Okay？'
　　
　　'Okay；'　he　stood　up。　'But　don't　forget　I've　got　that　Federation　meeting　in　London　tomorrow。　Maybe　you'd　be　better　off　staying　here　until　I　get　back。'
　　
　　'I　move　in；'　she　drew　hard　on　her　cigarette；　fixed　him　with　a　determined　stare。　Today。　And　just　make　sure　you　e　right　back　from　London。'
　　
　　'I'll　be　back；'　Darren　Hurst　tried　to　shake　off　his　misgivings。　He　was　a　very　frightened　man。
　　
　　Lola　appreciated　the　opportunity　to　savour　her　new　home　while　Darren　was　away。　This　luxurious　town　house　was　a　good　step　up　from　the　flat　her　lover　had　bought　her。　Really　spacious；　it　gave　one　the　opportunity　to　relax。　After　Darren　had　left　for　London　she　spent　most　of　the　evening　arranging　things　how　she　wanted　them。　There　were　a　lot　of　Marion's　things　that　would　have　to　be　thrown　out　before　she　could　finally　think　of　the　place　as　her　own。　Lola　smiled　her　satisfaction　into　the　hall　mirror；　she　wasn't　going　to　bee　any　Second　hand　Rose！
　　
　　She　was　thirty…seven。　Darren　still　believed　she　was　thirty…four；　what　did　three　years　matter　except　to　herself？　Her　long　blonde　hair　would　disguise　any　premature　flecks　of　grey　for　a　few　years　yet。　She　was　fortunate　in　that　she'd　always　had　a　good　figure　without　having　to　go　on　any　of　those　stupid　diets　which　most　women　seemed　to　be　obsessed　with。　She　ate　and　drank　what　she　liked　and　as　much　as　she　liked。　And　men　still　fawned　around　her。　She　certainly　got　all　she　wanted　out　of　life！
　　
　　Her　pale　blue　eyes　narr