Fear the Wicked (Illusions Series Book 2)(31)

Nodding his head, he was doing his best for it not to appear uncoordinated and jerky. Another hour or so would help his body ease back into a normal state, just in time for him to drive, but until then, I planned to take full advantage of his altered mentality.

"That's good," I replied, "so we'll save that for when we have the sun to light our way. Tonight, however, won't be a complete loss. My family found something very interesting in town and decided to bring it back to show me."

His dilated gaze pinned me in place. "Interesting, how?"

Feigning ignorance, I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not quite sure, they only told me before I gave my sermon. Would you like to come with me to find out?"

Gentry stood from his chair, perfectly steady on his feet, but his reddened skin still gave away the high blood pressure making him shaky. Waving my hand at my side, I sauntered off without hurry, "Follow me this way."

The excitement thrumming through me was almost too much to bear because I knew what Gentry would now see could only cement him to my cause. Pretending like it was new to me as well as him was an important factor in this game, as it would create the illusion that I was just as shocked as him.

Turning a corner, I led him down a narrow hall, a low sound growing louder as we approached another door. Turning, I raised a brow to Gentry, my mouth cocked and unsure about the peculiar noise. "Does that sound like a man screaming to you?"

He nodded, his concerned eyes darting toward the door.

I made a point to look between him and the closed door several times, before suggesting, "I think you should stay here while I find out what's going on."

Adding urgency to my words, I pivoted on my heel and stepped forward as if to leave him behind, but his hand slapped over my arm, his grip preventing me from moving forward. "I want to see whatever it is."

Looking between the door and his face, I shook my head, still playing up the refusal. I needed him to truly want to see this, to feel as if he'd forced the issue rather than having been led to see something I planned to show him all along.

"I'm sorry, Gentry, but I don't know what's occurring. It could be dangerous..."

"How so? I'm a strong man. I can defend myself."

The screaming became a primal roar. Stifling my laughter, I made a mental note to give Richard a very special reward for whatever he'd done to force a sound like that out of the businessman's mouth. It was pure, undiluted rage bellowing out from the cage.

Without dropping the role of a concerned priest, I turned to place a hand on Gentry's shoulder. "It's not just your physical wellbeing I'm concerned about. In situations such as this, the potential for something I'm sure you've never seen, I'm more worried about your spiritual wellbeing."

"I'm a devout man. God is with me."

"Is he?" I pondered aloud, my lips turning down into a frown when all I wanted to do was grin like a madman. "Your crops are failing. Your home is about to be taken from you by the bank..."

His eyes widened, the dilated pupils like two black mirrors reflecting my face back to me. "That's not my fault. The evil in this world is attacking me. Like you said. But it has nothing to do with lack of faith on my end."

There wasn't an ounce of doubt in his words. Pleased to see he was fully on my side now, that I'd handed him the Kool-aid and he'd swallowed it down greedily, I relaxed my posture and looked at him as if considering whether I would allow him to follow or not. The passage of those several seconds while I stood presumably in concern as to whether to let him walk with me only cemented his devotion to the cause.

Lowering my voice as another roar bellowed from behind the door, I forced so much fear and concern into my voice that Gentry would have had to been deaf and dumb to miss it.

"Fine. I'll let you come with me, but I need you to protect yourself. You need to pray, Mr. Holmes. You need to surround yourself in the Holy Spirit, and if your faith so much as wobbles while you're in there, I need you to walk out immediately, to go far away as fast as your feet can possibly carry you."

His eyes rounded even more, his pupils dilating with fear and uncertainty. Until all color in his iris was gone. "What is going on back there, Father Hayle?"

Breathing out a heavy sigh, I glanced between him and the door, my shoulders shaking with soft laughter that I passed off as fear. "Do you remember what I showed you last night? The woman infected with lust?"

He nodded, his Adam's apple dipping low as he swallowed hard.

"I suspect what we're about to see is far worse than that woman." Pausing, I let that thought sink in before saying, "I hope I'm wrong-"

Another roar sounded. I closed my eyes and opened them again.

"But it sounds like the situation - the evil - is much worse than I realized."

"Dear God," he muttered, understanding sinking in as he turned his gaze to the closed door.

I stepped toward the door, stopping again before touching the handle. "Keep praying, Mr. Holmes. And if you feel yourself sliding into doubt, you need to leave."

He nodded his head and rolled his shoulders back with the resolve to stare evil in the eyes. My fingers wrapped over the handle, shoving down to open the door. The businessman's voice bellowed even louder now that there was no barrier to muffle it.

Stepping through the doorway slowly, I kept Gentry at my back as if cautiously surveying the scene before allowing him to enter. I made a point to lock eyes with Richard where he stood next to the large cage that held the man. He approached immediately, feigning urgency and consternation.