He looked around the town with the same dramatic flair he utilized at the pulpit every Sunday. “I don’t see any evil, Billie,” he said, but his eyes were still too glazed. It was no wonder he couldn’t see. His insanity kept getting in the way.

“Please, Kevin. I’m begging you—”

“Send them to me, Billie,” he said, striding off down the street. “Send your monsters, your vampires. Your boogeymen. Let them face me on hallowed ground.” He laughed and headed in the direction of the church, to the sanctuary it offered him in more ways than one.

She was crying when she got into the truck. He had been a good leader, both spiritually and in the community, and despite his relative youth, it was still like watching a parent lose touch or drink himself stuporous. She climbed in the back with Del and let Ted take over the wheel. “It’s okay, Mom.” Del tried to be soothing. “He’s just flipped out. There’s nothing you could do.”

“I say fuck him,” Ted said, shifting into first and squealing off down the street. “Time’s a wastin’. Look at the sun.”

It touched the treetops and slid a bit past them. The light dimmed. Shadows festered and spread.

Pete’s Radiator Shop was small and inconspicuous, just a block past the IGA store and the gas station on North Hickory. The little white building didn’t even look like a garage; a painted plywood sign and arrow had to point out the two bay doors in the rear. Charlie Bean was standing outside with a cigarette and a Coke when they pulled up. “Nice truck,” he said, half-facetiously. “So, how did it go?”

Ted looked to Billie, and she to Charlie. Then she managed a “Fine, I guess. Where’s Chris?”

The big man shook his head. “Ain’t seen him. I figured he was with you.” Up close, he noticed Billie’s reddened eyes. “You aren’t telling me everything. What’s up?”

She tried to smile reassuringly, but the picture from Kings Island wouldn’t leave her mind. She just brushed past the deputy without a word and went inside. Bean looked to Bart, but the teen threw up his arms. “We ran into Reverend Knutson. The man belongs in a rubber rectory. I guess she’s taking it pretty hard.”

“I didn’t know she was that fond of him,” Bean said, “but I know what you mean. He gave me some trouble at the church this morning. It wasn’t easy convincing everyone else when he wouldn’t even believe it.” He flicked a butt across the gravel lot and leaned closer. “You say you haven’t seen Stiles?”

“Not a peep. We went back to your place and found all of his stuff gone.”

“Everything?”

“Every little thing.”