BooksBarbecue
Back The Hollows
Chapters (77)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. PART I
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. PART II
  15. 9.
  16. 10.
  17. 11.
  18. 12.
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. 21.
  28. 22.
  29. 23.
  30. 24.
  31. 25.
  32. 26.
  33. 27.
  34. 28.
  35. 29.
  36. 30.
  37. 31.
  38. 32.
  39. 33.
  40. 34.
  41. 35.
  42. 36.
  43. PART III
  44. 37.
  45. 38.
  46. 39.
  47. 40.
  48. 41.
  49. 42.
  50. 43.
  51. 44.
  52. 45.
  53. 46.
  54. 47.
  55. 48.
  56. 49.
  57. 50.
  58. 51.
  59. 52.
  60. 53.
  61. 54.
  62. 55.
  63. 56.
  64. 57.
  65. 58.
  66. 59.
  67. 60.
  68. 61.
  69. 62.
  70. 63.
  71. 64.
  72. 65.
  73. PART IV
  74. 66.
  75. 67.
  76. 68.
  77. Acknowledgements

Looking ahead, he saw the crouched shapes stir into spiderlike motion. Tom flung the gear into reverse, but as he did so a thin limb jerked and a third blow struck the front of the Land Rover. Glass shattered again, and the last of the light extending ahead of the Land Rover collapsed in on itself into snow-swirling darkness. With a blur of scuttling motion, a horde of pale shapes engulfed the car.

22.

22.

The Assemblies of God church was almost empty when Ellie got there, with only a few hangers-on who preferred its light and warmth to the prospect of heading home through the billowing snow. Matt was in his office upstairs, overlooking Halliwell Way, which was all to the good. If Ellie was going to start discussing Devil-worship, she’d rather do so privately.

“Hi, Ellie.” He smiled and did his best to look friendly, but Ellie picked up a distinct Oh God what now vibe from him. For all that Milly thought the sun shone out of his backside, Ellie had never taken to Matt Williams. There’d always been something soft about him: less a lack of fire and brimstone than a more fundamental lack of substance. “Can I do for you?”

“Wanted to ask you something in confidence.”

“Oh. Okay.” He looked, if possible, even less enthused than before. “Cup of tea?”

“Not right now.” Ellie took her phone out. “Milly reckoned I should talk to you.”

“Oh?” He looked a little more perky, maybe seeing a potential new addition to his flock. “What can I –?”

“What do you know about Satanism?”

Matt blinked. “In what sense?” Maybe he thought she planned on joining the opposition and was hoping he had their contact details.

Ellie swiped through the pictures on her phone. “This is in confidence, like I said.”

“Um, okay.”

“There were markings at the crime scenes. Some sort of symbols I didn’t recognise. Milly thought they might have some occult significance.”

“Um, okay. Can I take a look?”

Ellie showed him the sign she’d found near Tony Harper’s body. Matt frowned. “Hm. Er, no. Don’t recognise it.”

Bollocks. “How about this one?” Ellie swiped through the other images to the one above the Becks’ door.

“Sorry. I can check online when we’ve got the internet back. Church has a few resources on this subject, and some of my colleagues are a bit more knowledgeable about this than me.” Matt hesitated and bit his lip. “You know who might be able to help?”

If I did I wouldn’t need to ask you, would I, you wazzock? “Who’s that?”

“Reverend Lowe up at St Alkmund’s.”

As opposed to any other Reverend Lowes in Barsall? Ellie managed not to say that either. She was irritable as hell from the day’s stress and exhaustion, but she shouldn’t take it out on Matt. “Madeleine Lowe?”