It was almost ten o’clock by the time they arrived at the State Police barracks, which had become a makeshift headquarters for the F.B.I. investigation.
“Can I call my wife?” Erik asked. “She’ll be worried sick.”
The agent motioned him to a phone and then left.
Erik tried to remain calm as he explained the situation to Vickie, and told her that they were just asking questions and that he’d be home soon. He wasn’t sure if she bought the story or not, but he told her that since he was the one who found the missing girl’s sneaker, they were trying to get as many details out of him as possible in their search for the killer. He also told her that Dovecrest had been arrested.
“Should I call the attorney?” she asked.
“I think you should alert him, just in case,” Erik replied. “If I’m not out of here in an hour I’d like him to come by.”
“Erik, are you going to be ok? They don’t think you’re involved in this, do they?”
“No. I think they’re looking at Dovecrest. They probably want to know what I know about him.”
“I’ll call the lawyer anyway and tell him what’s happening,” she said. “Just in case.”
“Ok,” Erik said. “Thanks, Vic. Love ya.”
He hung up the phone and waited. Although he wasn’t technically under arrest, the whole situation had been designed to put him ill at ease. He sat on a hard chair at a table. The room was small and rectangular, with three drab white walls and a mirror on the third. Erik had watched enough crime drama to know the mirror was a window on the other side and that people were probably watching him. He fidgeted in his chair and tried to look inconspicuous. He wondered how long they would make him wait.
After about five minutes, the door opened and a man wearing a blue suit entered. Erik stood up as the man extended his hand.
“I’m so sorry to inconvenience you, Mr. Hunter. I’m special agent Thralls. I’ve been put in charge of this case.”
Erik nodded and took a good look at the man. He seemed vaguely familiar. He had short, close-cropped hair, a light complexion reddened by the sun, and piercing blue eyes.
“Would you like some coffee?” he offered.
“Ah, no. Thanks.”
Erik sat down and Thralls took a seat across from him.
“Could I speak to Sheriff Collins?” Erik asked.
“Sheriff Collins isn’t available tonight,” the agent said. “This case has involved a kidnapping and crosses state lines, so the F.B.I. is handling the investigation now.”
“I see. So how do I fit into this investigation?”
Thralls laughed. “Well I can tell you that you are not a suspect. However, your friend Johnny Dovecrest is. That means that if you are withholding any information, you could be charged as an accessory.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No, Mr. Hunter. It is simply a legal fact.”
Erik looked at the agent for a long moment. “Ok. What is it you want to know?”
Thralls sat back in his chair and folded his hands on the table. “Good. I’m glad that you’re willing to cooperate. As you know, this has been a very serious case. The stakes are always much higher whenever children are involved.”
“I understand. I have a child of my own and I’m very worried.”
“Then let me ask you about Johnny Dovecrest. How well do you know him?”
Erik told the agent that he’d met Dovecrest just a few nights ago when he’d warned him about the woods and asked him to hang the amulet at his door.
“Do you believe he could be involved in supernatural rituals?”
“Frankly, I don’t know what the man believes in, or how he worships,” Erik replied. “But I know he isn’t involved in murdering children.”
“How do you know that?”
Erik told him about how Todd had become lost and how Dovecrest had found him.
“Mr. Thralls,” he said. “I’m going to tell you something that may be difficult to believe, but I don’t know who else to tell.”
“Go for it.”
“I think there’s a Satanic cult living in those woods and I think they have killed the missing girl.”
“That’s not so hard to believe, Mr. Hunter. We also believe a cult is behind the murders. We’ve been following them for some time now. And we think Johnny Dovecrest is part of that cult.”