Missing Years ( Part 26 )

Spencer spent another hour with James Conroy, listening intently to religious facts and theories; boy did that guy know his stuff!

He went back to the station and called his Superintendent.

“Sir, now that Commander Swan has errr… gone, is there going to be someone to replace him?”

“We’re working on it now Inspector, should have someone by the end of the day, why do you ask?”

“Well I was wondering who I now report to, now that Swan has gone, that’s all”

“Look, Inspector, you’ve got a job to do and let’s face it it’s a bloody easy job, just keep an eye on Ray Samuels, we’ve got people watching him as well, but he knows you, his family know you, so just keep close, OK?”

“Yes Sir”

Spencer put down the phone, easier said than done he thought. Ray basically told him and Swan to bugger off, then Swan is dead and Ray’s wife has some kind of heart attack, poor old Tom Lucas was told the same “Keep close”, he’s also dead! And the bloody Super tells me it’s a simple job, like fuck it is!

There was a knock on Eddie Samuels’s door at exactly 14.00 on Thursday, just twenty four hours before the peaceful protest. Eddie opened the door and saw a scrawny middle aged man standing before him dressed in a suit that was obviously too big for him.

“Look if it’s about an interview with Ray, then I’ve already told you, he’s given his statement and won’t speak again until tomorrow, now go away!”

Eddie went to close the door, when Ray shouted out from the kitchen.

“Let him in Dad, he’s a friend!”

Eddie opened the door up wide and showed the man into the hallway. He felt uneasy around this stranger, there was something not quite right about him, he also had a smell about him, a damp smell.

“Bring him into the kitchen Dad” Ray shouted out once again.

Eddie took the stranger into the kitchen, when Ray saw him his face distorted somewhat, a look that Eddie had never seen before, his eyes seemed to open much wider than they ever had, his mouth seemed to open up and his jaw seemed to stick out. Eddie thought he was about to explode.

“You Ok Son, you don’t look so good!”

Rays face returned to normal in a nano second.

“I’m fine Dad, bit of indigestion that’s all, could you leave us alone for a while, I need to have a few minutes alone with…”

“Trevor Wilson” The stranger spoke for the first time.

“Yes, Trevor, how are you, nice to see you again after such a long time”

Eddie was confused, how did Ray know this horrible little man, he never remembered him from years ago, he wasn’t one of Rays old school or work mates he was sure of that and he’d been with him ever since he got back, so where did he know this guy from?

“How do you know Ray then Mister Wilson?” Eddie asked politely.

“Dad, I told you to give us some time alone, now go!”

Rays voice filled the room; it was dark, cold and menacing. Never had Eddie ever heard him speak like that, never. He did as he was told, left the kitchen and closed the door. He went into the next room.

He could hear them talking, but not in any language that he recognised, he knew Ray could now speak many languages but this was something different. It was deep, low and guttural. Even though he knew there were only two of them in the room, it sounded as though there were at least six!

He called Stacey.

“Hi darling, you Ok, how’s your Mum doing?”

“Fine thanks Granddad, you Ok, is Ray with you?”

“Yes love, he’s with an old mate of his, Trevor Wilson, ring any bells?”

“Never heard of him, Mum kept in touch with some of his old friends for years after he went missing but never heard of a Trevor Wilson, is everything Ok Granddad, you seem worried”

“It’s fine love, don’t worry, I just get a bit concerned about your Dad sometimes that’s all”

“Look, I’m going to see Mum later, I’ll ask her about Trevor Wilson; see if she remembers anything, OK?”

“Thanks love, let me know, yeh?”

Eddie put down the phone and returned to listening to the voices next door, he put his ear close to the wall. The language was definitely nothing he had ever heard before, there was something else now as well, it sounded like one of the voices was speaking in a low growl, like he was out of breath. Then it all went quiet, the quiet lasted for less than a minute until the low breathless voice began a low chant, this time Eddie heard three words that he recognised, the three words were said over and over again.

“Balan, Jezebeth, Pyro”

Eddie jumped away from the wall, his face drained of colour. He knew these words, from years of reading and studying the old Bible, he knew they were names, names of Demons!