‘Why?’ Jerry took his mug and warmed his big hands on it. ‘Do you believe in the power of prayer?’
He answered carefully. ‘I believe prayer can change people, yes.’
The pale guy, Neil, pondered that for a moment with his eyelids down a little. ‘You’re working with the police, are you?’
‘Yes, but I’m not a policeman. I’m a professor. I teach the Sociology of Religion.’ He tapped his fingers on the table. ‘They’ve brought me in to advise on the faith angle.’
Todd’s eyes rose at that and a bright smile pushed his goatee up. ‘Well, isn’t that refreshing? I always say police and government should be incorporating faith into everything they do. Things would be a whole lot simpler if we didn’t insist on separating Church and State.’
‘Let me guess …’ Matt pointed a finger. ‘Texan!’
‘Ouch. It’s Arkansas … but close enough, I guess,’ Todd laughed. ‘You know, I came to the UK on a mission trip way back in 2000. Did a little work at a tiny church in Menham that was ready to close. But do you know what God told me, halfway through that trip?’
Matt shrugged.
‘He said, “Todd, my man, I want you to rip that airline ticket into tiny pieces and never, ever go back. You have a new home and a new mission field.” And what do you know … that self-same week Menham Evangelical asked me to work as their pastor for a few months. Been doing that ever since. Which was just as well. It’s one of the few churches in this messed-up country that stick to the plan.’
‘The plan?’
‘The Bible.’
‘’Course,’ Matt said. ‘And what about Menham itself … do the locals stick to the plan? To scripture?’
Todd’s face turned grim, and he put an emphasis on each single word. ‘Not. At. All.’
Bald head glowing, Jerry set his cup down, seemingly unaware of his new latte moustache. ‘What’s happened on Bennington Road? Has there been another death?’
‘Not that I know of,’ Matt said.
‘Oh,’ Neil looked down at his fingers, almost disappointed.
‘We’d heard there might be a death,’ Jerry said.
‘Nope, so your prayers must be working.’
‘Amen,’ Todd said.
Matt raised his cup. ‘I have a question, though. How did you know there was something going on there anyway?’
‘Ah …’ Neil pulled out a little black gizmo from his pocket. His voice sounded like he’d supped a little helium. ‘Best little tool for prayer you’ve ever seen. Every church should have one.’
He slid the box into the middle of the table.
A police scanner.
Matt whistled. ‘Wowee. Pretty hi-tech.’
‘Sell ’em in Maplin for twenty pounds a pop.’ Todd smiled as Neil slid it back into his pocket. ‘But it keeps our prayers real and not just theoretical. Not that the police have any idea why Steph Ellis died, of course.’
Matt tried to keep his eyebrows down, just turned his cup, super casual. ‘So why do you think she did?’
‘Because she was dabbling in things she didn’t understand.’ Todd looked at the other two men for a moment. Each shared an expression somewhere between tragic sadness and eye-rolling anger. ‘You see, Matt, we’re aware of the local gossip. We know that some are saying that ghosts are back amongst us.’
‘Ghosts? Who’s saying that?’
‘People are saying it, but I can assure you that they’re not. And contrary to popular opinion round here, ghosts have never been in Menham. Because, as you’ll know … there’s no such thing. There’s no unquiet dead walking among us. We die once and we face the judgement. Anything supernatural this side of heaven is either good or evil.’
‘You mean angels and demons.’
‘Exactly.’ Todd took a biscuit and idly snapped it in two. A spray of crumbs sprouted like a tiny firework. ‘Maybe if poor Miss Ellis had come to our church, she’d’ve found help. But instead she went to witches and warlocks.’
Neil and Jerry stayed silent.
Matt leant forward. ‘Who exactly are we talking about here, Todd?’
He chomped the edge of the shortcake, and chewed as he spoke. ‘There’s an old couple who lives round here. Name of Bob Hodges and his wife, Joyce. They call themselves something fancy …’ he did finger quotes, ‘demonologists … and they say they try and help people fight against evil.’ He swallowed. ‘But get this … the woman’s a medium, and she’s proud of it. She flaunts it. She consults the dead, which as you know full well is outlawed in scripture.’
‘They say they fight the devil, but they use the devil’s tools to do it,’ Neil added. ‘Seances, Ouija boards and all that other trash. It’s shocking what they’re doing. Scary, actually.’
‘Those two are light years away from being Christian,’ Todd said, nodding. ‘And that girl who died, Steph Ellis. She was right in there with them.’
Neil bit his thumbnail, eagerly. ‘That’s right. She was working with them on something.’
Matt waited, watching all three of them for a moment. ‘And how do you know all this?’
Todd leaned forward, and his voice dropped to a whisper. ‘Because, she was seen entering the Hodges’ house three times in the last few weeks. And now, shock horror, that girl is dead.’
Matt frowned. ‘Sorry to be frank, but you make it sound like you were following her.’
Todd quickly shook his head. ‘Not at all. One of our congregation lives in the same street as the Hodges. They let the church know who comes in and out of there, so we can pray for them. Think of it as the real neighbourhood watch.’
‘And you know what else …’ Jerry wiped his big hand across the tabletop. His voice was much softer than Todd’s. ‘Steph Ellis was connected with the Barley Street Poltergeist. Did you know that?’
‘I was aware of it, yes.’
‘And did you know the family in that case, the Wassons … did you know that when all that bad stuff happened in their house they also refused to consult a church? They brought the Hodges in, with their machines and their spells.’
Neil flicked a fingernail as he spoke. ‘Seems like the Wassons and
