“I’m surprised you’re still here,” I said to Rutherford. “It will be even worse for you if he actually turns into Mammon. Imagine how angry he’ll be to learn he’s lost that treasure.”
“Oh no, no. I’m sure he’ll understand. And I’ve taken measures to get the treasure back. It’s only a matter of time.”
We went down a flight of stairs to a short hallway that led to a small vestibule. The floor was marble. There were candles lit in wall niches. Double doors led into a medium-sized room with stained-glass windows. There was an altar and several rows of pews. To one side of the double doors was another single door. Rutherford opened it to a large powder room. A white gown had been draped over an elaborate gilt chair.
“We’re ready to begin,” Rutherford said. “This lovely white gown has been prepared for you.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No, no. We’re quite serious. Mr. Ammon has spared no expense to make this ceremony perfect. And once you’re sacrificed to Mammon you’ll be a queen in his kingdom. It will be fabulous. Just fabulous.”
“I’m not putting the dress on.”
“Oh dear, Mr. Ammon will be disappointed. And there’s no telling what Mammon might think. Honestly, I don’t think you want to make Mammon angry. He is, after all, one of the seven princes of hell.”
So here’s the honest-to-gosh truth. I’m terrified, and all I can think to do is stall. Time is my friend, right? If I’m down here in this loony bin long enough, surely Diesel will find me.
“Okay, I’ll put the dress on, but I need privacy.”
“Of course,” Rutherford said. “Come out when you’re ready.”
After five minutes Rutherford knocked on the door. “How’s it going?”
“I’m almost ready.”
Five minutes more and there was another knock on the door. “Do you need help?”
“No!”
“Everyone is in place.”
“Mammon’s waited this long. He can wait a little longer.”
“Ha-ha, that’s why we love you. Wonderful sense of humor. Seriously, I’m going to have to send some men in to get you.”
I blew out a sigh and dropped the white gown over my head. It looked like a choir robe with a plunging neckline. I stepped out of the powder room and stood in front of Rutherford.
“You have your clothes on under the gown,” he said. “You were supposed to take your clothes off.”
“I don’t want to take my clothes off.”
“Of course. I understand completely. Maybe no one will notice.”
We walked into the chapel and I noticed Hatchet was there. He was naked, hanging upside down from a hook in the ceiling.
“Greetings, wench,” Hatchet said. “I fear you doth have thrown me under the bus.”
“Sorry,” I said. “I wasn’t thinking. It was one of those spur-of-the-moment things.”
“You can take your place of honor, here by the altar,” Rutherford said to me.
I was trying to stay calm. I needed to be vigilant. If an opportunity arose for escape I had to be ready.
“How is this going to happen?” I asked Rutherford.
“I believe Mr. Ammon has settled on strangulation. It’s much less messy than a bullet or a knife. This is our first human sacrifice, so we’re learning as we go.”
“How long are you going to have Hatchet hanging there?”
“Until he tells us where he hid the treasure.”
“He didn’t hide the treasure. I lied to you. Diesel and I took the bins out of the vault and gave the treasure away.”
“Very admirable. Noble, even, that you should want to help Mr. Hatchet. I would expect no less from you. A charming gesture.”
“Thou be a pig’s behind,” Hatchet said to Rutherford.
“Ha-ha. Yes, yes. Good one,” Rutherford said.
Martin Ammon entered and pretended not to notice Hatchet. “Her hands aren’t tied,” Ammon said to Rutherford. “Honestly, what have you been doing all this time? Mammon is impatient.”
“Well, ah, ha-ha, I was never instructed to tie her hands,” Rutherford said.
“Standard protocol is to tie the victim’s hands,” Ammon said.
“My mistake,” Rutherford said. “I’ll have them tied immediately.” He looked over at the four men standing guard at the door. “Charles, would you be so kind as to secure Miss Tucker for us.”
Charles stepped forward, took a flexible plastic handcuff from his back pocket, and tied my hands behind my back. Rutherford smiled and looked expectantly at Ammon.
“Much better,” Ammon said, “but she should be kneeling.”
Rutherford rushed to my side and helped me kneel.
“We can now begin,” Ammon said, very solemnly. “Rutherford, clear the room.”
Rutherford nodded to the four men standing to one side, and they silently left the room and closed the door.
“Do you have the Book of Mammon?” Ammon asked Rutherford.
“Indeed,” Rutherford said, all smiles. “Yes, yes. It’s right here on the altar, turned to the appropriate page.”
“And the Avaritia Stone?”
“Also on the altar in its special container.”
Ammon stepped forward and removed the stone from an engraved silver container, and I could see it was glowing a brilliant green.