The Devil's Heart

'Oh, Sam!'

'Now you see why He is constantly calling me on the carpet … so to speak. Our son is falling deeply in love.'

Jane Ann smiled. 'How wonderful.'

'With his half sister.'

'You were a rounder before you came to Whitfield, weren't you?'

'Yes, but … well, I'll explain at a later date.'

'I'm not sure I want to hear about it.'

'As you wish. But don't jump to conclusions.'

She glanced at the clock on the fireplace mantel. 'Tony might be back for lunch any moment.'

'Tony will never again set foot in this house, Jane Ann. Not for any decent purposes, that is.'

'I don't understand.'

'You will.'

'Miles?' Doris called down the basement steps. 'What are you doing?'

'I keep telling you and telling you: I am building a golem. So stay out of here. No telling what this thing might get in its head to do.'

'How can a thing with clay for brains get something into its head?'

'I don't care to argue with you.' A moment of heavy silence. Miles looked up. She was still standing in the doorway.

'I believe you, Miles,' she said quietly.

'Oh?' his voice drifted up, full of disbelief. 'So what changed your mind?'

'You remember me saying you were as crazy as a vontz—after you told me about speaking with Sam Balon?'

'How could I forget being called a bedbug? So?'

'He's … it's in the kitchen, now!'

'So ask him to take a seat. I'll be right up.'

'Wade? I cannot believe you are seriously considering taking part in this insanity!'

'Honey, you didn't see Sam last night, either.'

'Well, honey,' she mimicked him, 'neither did you. I warned you about that second piece of pie.'

'Babe,' he was very patient with her, 'we've been through a lot together. I've tried to bring you along easy this time. But time is up. Look around you, honey—look at the houses we're passing, the people sitting on the porches. Any of them waving at us? Any of them calling for us to stop, have a cup of coffee, like they used to do?'

She looked straight ahead, refusing to speak.

'He's here, Anita. He's back. The Dark One. Sam says this time Whitfield is through. He …'

'If your friend, the spirit man, is so all-fired blessed, why doesn't he just wave his hand and make all this …' Tears sprang into her eyes. '… hatefulness go away?'

'Did you pack like I asked you?'

She sighed. 'Yes, Wade. I'll humor you until we can get you to a mental hospital.'

'Anita, old gal,' he spoke softly. 'My wife of so many very good years, listen to me. We're not going to make it out of this. We're going to die, and Sam says the only thing he can do is make it as easy for us as possible.'

'How considerate of him.'

Wade turned into the drive, parking by the corner street lamp. 'We're here, honey.'

'Oh, goody!' she clapped her hands. 'Do I get to see the monster man and Sam Balon? A double treat? Oooh, I can hardly wait. This is better than the county fair.'

Wade held her hand as they walked up the sidewalk and up the steps to the porch. Doris opened the door.

'Thank God!' Anita cried. 'A face I know is normal and a mouth that is not raving about things that go bump in the night.'

'I'll get the luggage out of the car,' Wade said.

Anita stepped into the house and stopped dead still in the living room. A huge gray object, in the shape of a man, a giant man, stood against the wall across the room. It was at least eight and a half feet tall. It was faceless.

She turned to ask Doris what that thing was, was this some kind of a joke and what's the occasion for a party? She dropped her purse on the carpet as her eyes found the mist hovering just above the carpet by a chair.

'I believe you know Reverend Sam Balon,' Doris said.

Anita fainted.

They had gone to a hardware store and bought several containers, then went to half a dozen Catholic churches seeking holy water. The priests, once they saw the young couple was sincere, asked no questions but merely gave