Ash Return of the Beast

CHAPTER 40: The Next Day…

Rye Cowl lay unconscious in the hospital as a hooded figure entered the center of the Lucifer Seal on the floor of the Inner Sanctum and lit the candles in preparation for the sacrifice.

***

Kane sent Wheeler and Detective Moreno on their way after assigning them the task of investigating the prayer group that had been organized by the members of the victim’s families. Having no other leads as to who may have shot Cowl, the relatives of the victims seemed like a logical place to start.

***

Harlan Bodine awakened from his nightmarish sleep with a throbbing headache and bloodshot eyes but he had a clear vision of what he had to do. He had a little money saved up. Not much, but enough to get him somewhere, anywhere, and the sooner the better. He threw on his clothes, pulled his suitcase out from under the bed and started packing.

***

Kane handed Ravenwood a fresh cup of coffee. “Donut?”

“No, thanks. Trying to watch the pounds.”

He laughed. “Like you have pounds to lose.”

“Why, thank you, Lieutenant.”

“For what?”

“For the compliment. That was a compliment, wasn’t it?”

“I dunno.” He dunked a donut into his coffee. “So, what do you think?”

“About what?”

“I mean this is the day. My money says no eighth victim today. Cowl’s out cold in a hospital bed with plenty of people keeping an eye on him. I’m betting it’s over. At least until he wakes up. If he ever does wake up.”

Ravenwood nodded. “True, but I think I’ll wait until I hear the Fat Lady sing.”

“Come on. If the day passes with no incident then we know it has to have been Cowl, right? He’s our man.”

“You think so and I think so. But what have we got, really? Where’s the proof? I mean, suppose he does wake up. What are we going to do? Arrest him? On what charges? Besides, you know there isn’t a prosecutor in the country who would be dumb enough to take the case even if it did go to trial. I can see it now. ‘Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the state intends to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this man killed those preachers by means of a doppelganger projected from his subconscious mind.’ If the judge didn’t throw the case out right then and there, the jury would find Cowl not guilty based on reasonable doubt alone.”

Kane sat back in his chair and groaned. “Yeah, I know. But there’s got to be some way. Something we haven’t thought of. Some piece of evidence we missed.” He studied the donut crumbs floating in his coffee. Suddenly he stood up and grabbed his coat. “Let’s go back to his house and have another look.”

“CSI team went over the place with a fine tooth comb after Cowl was taken to the hospital. All they came away with was a half-smoked joint in an ashtray and the bullet that was lodged in the wall. What do you expect to find?”

“Whatever they missed.”

***

The hooded figure lit the eighth candle.