Part 29 (1/2)

'Well, we can Mirandize you all in good time, sir,' Sergeant Dupree told him, holding his sungla.s.ses up to the light to check that they were perfectly polished. 'Right now we'd like to invite you along for a little ride.'

Robyn put in, 'We don't have to go anywhere, not unless you arrest us properly and read us our rights.'

Sergeant Dupree turned and stared at her in exaggerated amus.e.m.e.nt. 'Well, now, I always was partial to an outspoken lady.' He walked up to Robyn with his thumbs in his belt and grinned at her. 'You're perfectly correct, my dear lady, you're not obliged to come along for this ride, not in the eyes of the law. I can't coerce you. It'd be different, of course, if you were to volunteer.'

'You're crazy,' said Robyn. 'I'm not going to volunteer.'

'But supposing your boyfriend here was to happen to meet with some unfortunate accident?'

'Are you threatening us?' Robyn demanded.

'Sure I'm threatening you. This isn't New England, this is south-western Louisiana, and here we have a way of doing things different. Totally according to the letter of the law, mind you, but different. You could say we were more community-conscious, if you like. More neighbourly. And there's some neighbours of ours who'd like to have a little talk with you, about this and that.'

309.

Charlie said coldly, 'I suppose you mean the Celestines?'

Sergeant Dupree looked back at Charlie over his shoulder and gave him a toothy grin. 'That's right first time, sir. Right first time. Give the man a porce-a-lain rabbit.'

Robyn said, 'Charlie?'

Charlie let out a long breath. 'I don't think that we have very much of a choice, do you?'

Sergeant Dupree laughed, and slapped Robyn cheerily on the shoulder. 'Right again, sir. Right again.'

Covered all the way by pump-guns, they were led to one of the three police cars that had been parked beside the bridge. Sergeant Dupree opened the rear door for them, and they climbed in. The car was unbearably hot inside, and smelled of McDonald's hamburgers. Sergeant Dupree climbed into the pa.s.senger seat and took off his hat. 'We'll have that air conditioning blowing in a while, folks, then you'll feel more comfortable. I have to say that you're both in a sorry state, aren't you?'

'Miss Harris' shoulder needs attention,' said Charlie. 'She's been given a serious cut.'

'Well, I'm sure your friends at L'Eglise des Pauvres can help you out there,' Sergeant Dupree said. 'They've got all the facilities for dealing with cuts to the human body that anybody could wish for.'

They drove at nearly sixty miles an hour along a narrow, dusty highway, in between fields that were the colour of red roof tiles. The air conditioning was set to Hi, and after a few minutes the interior of the car was freezing. Sergeant Dupree took out a pack of grape-flavoured chewing gum and offered it around. 'You surely caused us a whole lot of trouble, I've got to tell you,' he repeated, folding a purple stick of gum between his front teeth.

'Is the church far?' asked Charlie.

'Three miles, that's all. The town of Acadia is just over to your left there, you can see the spire of the Baptist church 310.

once we pa.s.s these cypress trees up ahead here. Then L'figlise des Pauvres is about three-quarters of a mile further on. It used to be a farm, years ago, before the Celestines took it over. Scarman's Farm. Lots of people hereabouts still call it Scar-man's Farm. We Police Sergeant Dupree however, have to be accurate in our terminology.'

They drove for a little while without talking. Then Charlie said, 'Can I ask you what you think about the Celestines? I mean, you personally?'

Sergeant Dupree barked with laughter. 'Me personally? I think they're fruitcakes.'

'But it doesn't concern you, what they're doing?'

'Sir, they aren't, breaking no laws. I may disapprove of them, morally or whatever, but just like I said we do things here by the letter of the law, and if they want to eat themselves for lunch, that's up to them.'

'Besides which, they keep you paid off?' Charlie added.

'Now, that's where you're wrong? Sergeant Dupree told him, without taking offence at Charlie's allegation that he was taking bribes. 'The Celestines themselves don't pay n.o.body nothing. Not a cent. But let me put it this way: there are plenty of influential people in this state who have friends and family connected with the Celestines, and it wouldn't be wise of me to encourage career problems, would it? It's all a question of politics. Apart from which, those Celestines have official approval from some very high places indeed.'

After about ten minutes, they skirted a wide cornfield, and then turned off to the right along a rutted, uneven track. At the end of the track, there was a metal gate, and a high fence wound around with razor-wire. A man in a plaid s.h.i.+rt and a stetson hat stood by the gate holding a rifle. When he saw the police car approaching, he swung the gate wide and allowed it to enter, although he approached it with his rifle held ready and peered into the windows. 'Looks like you had some good hunting there, Ron,' he remarked.

3”.

Sergeant Dupree chewed his gum noisily. 'Where's the big chief?'

'Main building, I guess. You'll have to go round the back way, there's a couple of buses blocking up the front.'

'Hasta la vista,' said Sergeant Dupree and pointed forward like an orchestral conductor, to indicate to their driver that they should move on.

L'figlise des Pauvres still clearly showed its origins of Scar-man's Farm. They drove around a cl.u.s.ter of outbuildings and barns and pig-pens and silos: although there were no animals here any longer, and no feed, and no manure. All the buildings had been immaculately whitewashed, and were presumably being used as offices and dormitories. The main building was a converted barn, with an arched roof, its northern side shaded by an enormous and ancient oak. On the apex of its roof, a high gold cross caught the suns.h.i.+ne, almost as if it were alight.

They parked close to the oak, and climbed out. Sergeant Dupree didn't bother to cover Charlie and Robyn with his gun, now that they had safely arrived. 'Come along,' he said, and beckoned them to follow him up the wooden steps and into the double doors of the main building. Charlie glanced at Robyn, but at that moment she wasn't looking at him. He hoped to G.o.d that she didn't think he had let her down.

Inside, the main building had been divided up into corridors and separate rooms. It was very silent and cool in there. All the walls were painted white, and the only decoration was a painting of St Celestine contemplating the Cross. There was a smell of subtropical mustiness and rose-scented room spray, and something else, like herbs and formaldehyde all mingled together.

Sergeant Dupree led the way along the central corridor until they reached a pair of swing doors. He pushed them open, and ushered Charlie and Robyn into a high, white-painted room, illuminated by clerestory windows. There were rows of trestle tables on the floor of the room, nine or ten of 312.

them, each laid with a bright, white linen tablecloth, and decorated with fresh flowers. A small group of people were standing at the side, talking in cheerful, animated voices. Charlie instantly recognized both M. and Mme Musette. At the far end of the room, the floor had been raised into a low platform, and on this platform stood a huge altar, draped in yellow and white, the colours of the Papacy. Behind the altar rose a polished bra.s.s crucifix, at least twenty feet high, with an elegant and sad-faced Christ nailed on to it with s.h.i.+ning chrome-plated nails, and crowned with chrome-plated thorns.

Sergeant Dupree led Charlie and Robyn over towards the Musettes. M. Musette was wearing a white ca.s.sock and a white cape around his shoulders. A gold crucifix shone on his chest. Mme Musette was dressed in a very white silk sheath that reached to her calves, so tight and clinging that Charlie could clearly see the outline of her nipples and even the depression of her navel. Her hands were concealed in elbow-length while silk gloves.

'Well, well, Mr McLean,' said M. Musette, extending his hand. 'You have decided to join us at last. And Ms Harris, too! Welcome to L'Eglise des Pauvres. You couldn't have chosen a better time.'

Charlie ignored M. Musette's hand. 'Forget the welcome, monsieur. All I'm going to do is repeat what I said before. I want my son, and then I want to leave.'

Sergeant Dupree chuckled. 'This gentleman's an optimist, you have to give him that.'

'Thank you, sergeant,' said Mme Musette smoothly. 'You've done an excellent job.'

'You can't hold us here,' Robyn protested.

'Of course not,' said M. Musette. 'But while young Martin McLean remains alive and whole, I'm sure that his devoted father is not going to abandon him. Any more than you my dear, are going to abandon his devoted father.'

'I want to see him,' Charlie insisted.

*awr-^y ajj meanS)' agreed M. ,- He looked at his eighteen-carat Ebel wn'st.w.a.tch. 'At the moment, he is at devotions. But he should be here shortly. Perhaps you would like me to show you around?'

Robyn said, 'This is quite illegal and quite ridiculous.' M. Musette smiled distantly. 'It depends on your definition of both words, my dear. Sergeant Dupree will a.s.sure you that nothing is being done here which contravenes either state or federal law. And as for it being ridiculous .. . well, even our Lord was ridiculed. Look at him there, with his crown of thorns.'

Robyn snapped, 'Officer - I insist you arrest this man for kidnap.'

Sergeant Dupree shook his head. 'I can't do that, miss. I don't have any grounds.'

'Then arrest me, on the charges you mentioned before.' 'I may,' Sergeant Dupree told her. 'But not just yet.' 'It's all right, Sergeant Dupree,' said M. Musette. 'You just leave these good people to us. We'll take care of them.'