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e in the fire； features that were impervious to the heat； ancient immortality that had surely risen from Dante's hell； features so malign that a cry of inprehensible terror came from the Planning Officer's cracked and blistered lips。 He heard the words； somehow understood them in spite of the fact that his brain was past reasoning。
'The sentence of death has been passed on you by the Council of Oke Priests； traitor who sought to desecrate sacred （and。 Your body will be burned by fire but your soul will suffer eternal purgatory！'
A strange feeling engulfed the man whose clothing was already burning on his body； a kind of dizziness in which everything was blurred； even the heat lessening for a few seconds。 An awful sucking sensation as though a vacuum pipe attached to his head was forcibly drawing his brains out。 Everything went black； then he was conscious again； but it was all different。 Somehow he was airborne； still in that fiery room； looking down on his own incinerated body！ He did not understand； did not attempt to reason even though his mind was no longer fogged。 This was the way it was meant to be； freed from the encumbrance of a bulky shell； able to float wherever he wished。 Yet he felt pelled to remain and watch。
Outside the firemen had been forced to retreat across the road； playing their hoses on the burning building from a distance。 The flames leaped higher； throwing up columns of sparks； debris falling in a series of avalanches。 A crowd had gathered； a fever of excitement。 People secretly enjoyed a spectacular fire； peering through the eddying smoke； trying to see 。 。 。 a man was trapped in there； being burned alive。 They craved a glimpse of a frantic blackened figure； strained their ears for screams of agony； reluctantly moved back a few yards when the uniformed policemen remonstrated with them。 A child was pointing skywards； feverishly yelling at a parent that he had seen a face； a head without a body； rising up out of the inferno； being told to shut up。
Walter Stone's euphoria was brief； his newly…found freedom short…lived。 Even as he attempted to soar to freedom he was checked as though some invisible cord attached to him had stopped him short with a sudden jerk。
He let out a cry of anger and frustration as he felt himself being led away； pulled into the murky blackness of the shadows beyond the firelight； experienced again that terror when he had fled blindly from the pursuing skull。
The awful realisation that now he had no body； just a head that floated in the darkness； hastening to obey a call that could not be denied； for his masters were terrible to behold when they were angered。 He must keep them waiting no longer。
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
DARKEN HURST'S initial reaction upon learning of Marion's death was one of new…found freedom。 But within hours of that terrible visit to the mortuary； attempting to identify his wife's charred remains； he had bee a victim of blind terror。 Flight was uppermost in his mind。 He could not remain in the house on his own。 Which was why he had gone back to Lola； where he would probably have gone anyway。
'Pull yourself together； Darren；' her attractive features hardened； pale blue eyes flashing contempt for the man whose image had suddenly crumbled。 'Only last weekend you were considering ways of getting Marion out of the way and now somebody's gone and done it for you。 So what the hell are you plaining about？'
'You don't bloody well understand；' he downed the whisky she had handed him in one gulp； set the glass down with a shaking hand。 There's something happening； forces we can't fight against。 Even Bishop Boyce is shit…scared。 Inexplicable； horrible deaths； madness； a girl missing； and now Walter Stone burnt to a cinder in his own house。 Who next？ For God's sake； who's going to be next？''
'Somebody's deliberately out to scare you；' Lola's mouth was dry； she couldn't stand much more of this。 'Ever thought that maybe some rival building pany has designs on the land now that it's been taken out of the Green Belt？ Tolson Contractors； for instance。'
'No。 Even they couldn't do all these things。 I tell you we've got to get the hell out of here； Lola； while we're still in one piece。'
'And kiss goodbye to a cool million。'
'Better to be sane and alive。'
'You're panicking。' Her pulses were racing。 With Marion dead； Lola stood to gain a share in that million； maybe more。 They didn't even have to get rid of Hurst's wife now。 It was plain sailing； all a matter of time。 'Somebody wants you to throw in the towel。'
'Sure they do 。 。 。 spooks who can either burn you up or else drive you mad。 I remember reading once that there's a curse on anybody who interferes with church land。'
'It's only an untidy bit of a field and nobody'll be harmed by it being built on。 A few snobbish villagers are getting uptight but what the hell。 Look； I'll move back to the house with you。'
'No。 I'm not spending another night there。'
'What about this guy； Sabat？ I thought you said Boyce was paying him to exorcise the place。 What the hell's he playing at？'
'He's a bloody fake； a con…man。 We can count him out。 There's something there which nobody can get the better of and I'm going to make sure I'm not the next on its hit…list。'
'You're not running away；' Lola appeared to relax； smiled。 'I'll stick by you； Darren。'
He swallowed； nodded。 Lola refilled his glass； sensed that she was winning。 Okay； there was something funny going on but the prize money was too big to drop out of the race just like that。 She turned away； stared out of the window down into the busy shopping street below。 Here； amidst this awful seething mass of humanity they had to be safe。 Safety in numbers。 'If you won't go back home then you'd better move into the flat here with me； at least until pletion date。'
'No；' he stared fixedly at the wall in front of him。 'I'm getting right away from here。 I'll withdraw my tender； that way it'll let me out。 Let Tolson Contractors put in an offer。 Boyce won't get a backhander off them。 It'll fuck him up properly； the hypocritical bastard！'
'You won't be withdrawing your tender； Darren；' there was a menace in her tone which had him jerking round to look at her。 'No way。'
'Why not？ It's my business whether I 。 。 。 '
'Ours； Darren；' she laughed harshly。 'Don't forget； I'm in on this； too。 Marion's dead； so is the Planning Officer。 There are only three people who know about the deal which was set up； you； Boyce 。 。 。 and me。 You just got yourself a new partner； Darren； and I'm not having anybody run out on me。 We'll see it through together。 I thought that was how it was going to be； anyway。 I guess you could be in a lot of trouble if you cut and run and word got around that all this had been one big crooked fix。 1 can just see the headlines in the papers now … 〃Crooked Builder and Bishop Sent Down on Corruption Charge〃。 Ten years at the very least！'
'You blackmailing bitch！' he snapped。
'Don't put it like that； Darren；' she laughed softly。 'You're no good without a woman behind you and you need me even more now that Marion's gone。'
He sighed； saw that his entwined fingers trembled。 'Okay； what's the next move since you've obviously had all this worked out for some time？'
'We sit it out；' she lit a cigarette； studied him through a cloud of tobacco smoke。 'I don't believe in this hocus…pocus； quite frankly。 I think it's someone trying to scare us off and we're damned well not going to be scared。 We move back to your place； Darren。 Okay？'
'Okay；' he stood up。 'But don't forget I've got that Federation meeting in London tomorrow。 Maybe you'd be better off staying here until I get back。'
'I move in；' she drew hard on her cigarette； fixed him with a determined stare。 Today。 And just make sure you e right back from London。'
'I'll be back；' Darren Hurst tried to shake off his misgivings。 He was a very frightened man。
Lola appreciated the opportunity to savour her new home while Darren was away。 This luxurious town house was a good step up from the flat her lover had bought her。 Really spacious； it gave one the opportunity to relax。 After Darren had left for London she spent most of the evening arranging things how she wanted them。 There were a lot of Marion's things that would have to be thrown out before she could finally think of the place as her own。 Lola smiled her satisfaction into the hall mirror； she wasn't going to bee any Second hand Rose！
She was thirty…seven。 Darren still believed she was thirty…four； what did three years matter except to herself？ Her long blonde hair would disguise any premature flecks of grey for a few years yet。 She was fortunate in that she'd always had a good figure without having to go on any of those stupid diets which most women seemed to be obsessed with。 She ate and drank what she liked and as much as she liked。 And men still fawned around her。 She certainly got all she wanted out of life！
Her pale blue eyes narr