All the Pretty Dead Girls Part 46

"And I suppose I'll appoint you to the Supreme Court," Sue said, looking at her dean.

He just grinned.

Sue sighed. President of the United States. It was her destiny. That young girl who'd once dreamed of working for social justice-she seemed like a figment of her imagination now. A vague, fast-fading memory.

It was a thrilling idea. Sue felt a rush of ambition surge through her body. President of the United States...

It's good I can feel ambition. I'll certainly never feel anything else.

She understood now why she'd never known love for a boy before. Because the daughter of Satan cannot comprehend love. It is not an emotion that I can experience Because the daughter of Satan cannot comprehend love. It is not an emotion that I can experience.

And without love-well, then, ambition-greed-power-these things would have to take its place.

"All right," Sue said. "I'm ready to go downstairs."

She stood. Joyce was holding a red robe for her. Sue slipped her arms into the sleeves. She caught another look at herself in the mirror.

Her eyes were no longer blue. They had become as red as her robe.

70.

Ginny sat in the backseat of Perry Holland's car with Bernadette. Up front, Father Ortiz sat beside Perry. No one talked as they drove across town toward the Wilbourne campus. Bernadette was saying a Rosary.

Finally, Ginny spoke. "What are we expecting to find?'

"I'm not sure," Father Ortiz said. "But it will be some sort of ceremony."

"And you think we can just waltz inside and take part?"

"Hardly, Ginny. But you're still a faculty member and the dean will see you. And Perry has a badge."

"I'm going in," Perry said. "The three of you will remain in the car."

"Perry," Ortiz said. "Bernadette's parents have given their consent for her to join us. I have told them that her presence is necessary, and they trust me. Nothing can happen to the girl while she is under the direct protection of Our Holy Mother."

"Still," Perry told him. "You wait in the car until I give the word that it's safe to go inside. Understood?"

"Understood, Deputy," came Bernadette's voice.

Ginny looked over at her. Such a small girl. And yet Ginny shared Father Ortiz's conviction that nothing could happen to her.

It was the rest of them that she worried about.

She remembered all too clearly the monstrous thing that Sue had become in her living room. She'd seen firsthand the power-and the evil-that they were dealing with.

Perry pulled up to the college gate and showed his badge to the guard.

"I need to see the dean," Perry explained.

"I'll call him," the guard said.

"Is that you, Tom?" Ginny called from the backseat. Tom O'Riley had been a guard at the gate ever since Ginny first started teaching at the college. She liked him; he liked her. "It's me, Ginny Marshall. How are you, Tom?"

The guard peered in through the window and spotted her. "Oh, hey, Ginny. I'm great. What're you doing in a police car?"

She smiled. "I just got back in from Louisiana and Deputy Holland was kind enough to pick me up in this snowstorm. I'm bringing my friends here to Dean Gregory's party. The party is is tonight, isn't it?" tonight, isn't it?"

"Oh, sure," Tom said. "There's been dozens of people coming in all night. I had to check their names against a list..."

Ginny thought fast. "I'll bet Ted didn't have time to put my name on the list. I didn't think I'd be able to get in with all the snow. I just called him a little while ago to say I could make it after all."

Tom nodded. "Oh, that's fine, Ginny. Besides, you can come on campus anytime you want. You're faculty here."

"Thanks, Tom."

He pressed the switch and the iron gates swung inward. He waved them through.

"Good work, Doctor," Bernadette told her.

Ginny smiled.

Cars were parked all around the dean's house. Many had out-of-state plates. Connecticut, Ma.s.sachusetts, Pennsylvania, even a couple from Canada. The house was ablaze with light, from the top floor to the bas.e.m.e.nt. The snow continued to fall, blanketing the campus in a soft whiteness that sparkled in the moonlight.

"Now stay here until I check things out," Perry told them again, parking the car and turning off the ignition.

Ginny agreed to wait. There wasn't much she could do anyway. What was she supposed to do-march up there and call them all Satanists and grab Sue by the collar?

She wasn't quite sure what Perry could do either.

They watched him walk up the steps to the front door. None of them said a word.

The only sound in the car was Bernadette's steady murmur as she whispered the prayers of the Rosary.

71.

Mom's in there, Billy kept repeating to himself over and over. Billy kept repeating to himself over and over.

This crazy cult-this secret ceremony that's somehow going to hurt Sue-and Mom is a part of it.

As he sat in the tree, Billy's blood boiled.

His mother was a hypocrite. A lying hypocrite.

Was this what her new job was? Was this how she had gotten her "great opportunity" to make them all rich?

It sickened Billy to think of it.

"Well," he said to himself, "maybe it's time one more person joined their little party."

He dropped from the tree branch over the fence, the soft snow cushioning his fall. He stood up, brushed himself off, and began searching for a way into the house.

72.

"Deputy Holland," Dean Gregory said as he opened the door. "What's going on?"

Perry kept his face blank. "I'd just like to ask what's going on here tonight."

The dean smiled, but did not open the door all the way. "Simply a Christmas party for a few friends. Why are you asking?"

"I'm looking for Sue Barlow. Is she here?"

The dean's face betrayed only a momentarily flicker of unease. "Sue Barlow? Oh, you mean one of our freshmen students?"

Perry felt certain, after talking with Ginny and Father Ortiz, that Sue's grandparents would be here tonight. So he took the chance. "Yes," he said. "I noticed a car registered to her grandfather outside, and she's not in her dorm. So is she here?"

"She might be," Gregory said. "There are at least a hundred people in the parlor. Why do you need to see Sue?"

"That's my business with her, sir."

The dean opened the door a bit further. "Well, yes, her grandparents are here. Mr. Barlow is a major supporter of the school. Perhaps she's with them."

"May I come in and look for her?"

Gregory pulled open the door wide. "By all means, Deputy. Please come in. Have a gla.s.s of wine with us. Merry Christmas!"

73.

"h.e.l.lo, Gran. h.e.l.lo, Granpa."

It was the first time Sue had faced them since discovering the truth. She noticed her grandmother's eyes flicker away for a moment, but her grandfather beamed, placing his hands on each of her shoulders.

"Tonight," he told her, "is a great night."

"Yes," Sue said, her voice cold. "The culmination of a dream, isn't it, Granpa?"

"It certainly is."

She felt no emotion for them except contempt. She smiled. She would enjoy humiliating them, dashing their dreams. They would benefit not in the least from her rise. She would see to that. She would order her grandfather's law firm shut down. Their plush apartment would be taken from them. They would be literally turned out into the street, and Sue would give the order to all of her followers to shun them.

Her smile stretched across her face. She would enjoy that. She would enjoy destroying the people who had destroyed her mother.

"By the way," she said as she moved away to greet the others who had gathered in her honor, "I met Mariclare. She sends her regards."

Her grandfather's face remained stoic. Her grandmother turned away again, her hands trembled.

Sue just smiled.

"Sue," Joyce Davenport said in her ear, coming up behind her. "It's time."

74.

Billy was able to pop open a bas.e.m.e.nt window, and jumped down into the murky, damp darkness.

Across the vast expanse of the bas.e.m.e.nt he spotted a dim orange light. Carefully, he approached, feeling his way. One time he stumbled over something metal, causing a large clanging sound. His heart pounding in his ears, he stood still, fearful he'd alerted the house. But the music and the laughter upstairs drowned out any sound he made. Carefully, he resumed his walk across the bas.e.m.e.nt floor.

He reached the light. It was coming from under a door. He tried the k.n.o.b, but the door was locked.

He bent down and peered through the keyhole.

What he saw inside the room made him gasp out loud and froze him into place.

Above him, he heard footsteps.

They were coming downstairs.