The Sunday sermon was about evil and the reality of Satan, and Pastor Mark was in rare form. In true Baptist style his sermon was long and emotional. After the recent events in his new home, Erik found himself really listening to what the pastor had to say, and agreeing with him. Just a month ago he would have listened politely and thought that demons and devils were really just fairy tales to keep people in line. Either that or convenient villains to blame for all of the bad things that happen in the world. But now he was beginning to think that demons really were real-or at least evil people who worshipped them were.
He still had not fully digested everything that Dovecrest had told him. The Indian claimed to be hundreds of years old. He had trouble believing that-yet he had seen the picture of Dovecrest in the old newspaper looking the same age as he was now.
The part about the Satanic cult was the most believable. But he still wasn’t fully convinced that the demons really existed. Perhaps if he could see the altar stone for himself. But, as the pastor had said, the existence of the stone itself didn’t matter. A Satanic cult didn’t need such a stone to justify its existence.
After the service, Erik saw Sheriff Collins in the fellowship hall drinking coffee. He excused himself from Vickie and Todd and walked over to the sheriff.
“Do you have any news?” he asked.
Collins nodded. “We traced the dead man to California. He was a drifter and has a criminal record. He disappeared about a year ago.”
“So he might be part of a cult?”
“Anything’s possible.”
“Sheriff, would you talk to Steve Harvey at the radio station? He was telling me about this Satanist he had on his show. This guy was in Rhode Island a week or so ago and might still be here. He’s from California, too.”
“I know the one you’re talking about. The F.B.I. was following them for awhile, but lost the trail.”
“Do they know everyone in the group?”
“I don’t think so,” Collins said. “But I’ll run this victim past them and see if he shows up as part of it.”
Erik nodded. “I just have a bad feeling about this.”
“So do I. I really don’t think your Indian friend had anything to do with the death of the girl. But he knows something. I wish he’d come in so I could get to the bottom of this.”
“He claims there’s a cult out there in the woods and that he killed one of them,” Erik said. “And I believe him. He’d have no reason to kill the girl.”
“Well the State Police think he did it. But I think there’s more to the story. I sure wish I could talk to him myself.”
“I don’t know if he’ll contact me or not,” Erik said. “But if he does, I’ll pass on what you’ve said.”
“I’d appreciate it.”