Ch.15d Baton Rouge

[Mr. Handy]

"The Sheriff is here on official business," says William. "If you cooperate, you don't need to worry about anything."

[Silver Priest]

Nodding his head, Alex indicates it's a deal they should take.

[jp1885]

I’m back! Hope you don’t mind if I backtrack a little?

As the group approaches the church, Ivy tries to make out the exact words of the hymn the congregation are singing.

[27] = 27
Listen 57 1d100:  [ 27 ] = 27

[Bullfrog]

"Have you got a basement under this church?" Lawrence asks, speaking so forcefully that it borders on a shout. As he waits for the priest to answer, he looks beyond the man and towards the open doors of the church, doing his best to keep an eye on the congregation.

[Philulhu]

Ivy could make out the words to Ezekiel Saw the Wheel, a popular spiritual song of the time.

”A basement? Why yes, we have a basement. But I’m not sure that necessitates armed men at our doors.” Behind him, his predominantly black congregation were starting to emerge, coming to an uneasy stop at the sight of four armed white men in front of them.

”Is this the man who held you?” asked DuPont quietly.

[jp1885]

Realising that confronting a bunch of possibly innocent church-goers with armed white men isn't the best of scenarios, Ivy steps forward - arms outstretched.

"I apologise for appearing before you in such an alarming manner. We have led the Sherriff here to investigate some alarming things that happened here a few months ago. Please forgive us if we're being over-cautious."

[Philulhu]

”How many months, ma’am?” asked the priest, frowning. ”We have not been here very long.”

[Silver Priest]

Alex closely watches the man, looking for any signs of suspicion in his demeanor.

1d100

[Mr. Handy]

"No, I've never seen this man before," says William. "Looks like the church is under new management. My apologies, Reverend. It's been eleven months. We were here in March of 1930. From whom did you buy this church?"

[Bullfrog]

"Not him." Lawrence shakes his head, looking dispirited that he hasn't found the only man he ever wanted to kill as much as Brophy. It only made sense that those snake-worshippers would run off once their sacrifices escaped; why stick around and wait for the law to crush you underfoot?
"Did you hear about the last congregation that was around here, pastor? Not good men, I'll tell you that much, and they had a real fondness for snakes and locking good, God-fearing men like you or me in basements."
Lawrence means "God-fearing" in a much more literal sense of the phrase for himself.

[jp1885]

No doubt the pastor and his parishioners are still bewildered by these odd questions, so Ivy continues to play the role of peacemaker (even if it does not come naturally to her!)

"Perhaps - I'm awfully sorry, I didn't catch your name: most ill-mannered of me. I am Ivy Ripley - if you would allow the Sherriff, my associates and I to inspect the cellar, you could accompany us and we could elaborate our situation more fully?"

[Philulhu]

”I am the Right Reverend Wavel Haynes,” replied the cleric, ”And we took ownership of this place six months ago. The deal was notarised and the papers lodged at city hall. I’m sure the Sheriff could secure a copy of those for you.”

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm sure he could," says William, "but it would save some time if you just told us now. We'll have questions to ask you about the previous owners, and if we have to go look up who they are, we'll only have to come back later to ask them."

[Philulhu]

”My point is that you seem to doubt that this is our land. I was merely explaining that the papers lodged at city hall would confirm that,” replied Reverend Haynes. ”As a man of God, my word is my bond. Most people would accept that, well…” His eyes moved from his congregation to his white visitors.

”We purchased this land from a Mr Nyatanga, a… err… colourful gentlemen, who said he was selling up to pursue a business proposition further west. I’m not exactly sure where it was he was heading.”

[Mr. Handy]

"No, Reverend, I have no doubt you own this land," says William. "You misunderstand. I merely wanted confirmation of the previous owner's identity, and I thank you for it. Nyatanga is the man we're looking for, all right."

[Philulhu]

”I’m not sure I understand,” said the Reverend. ”If you are seeking a man who is no longer here, then why turn up with weapons ready?”

At that Sheriff DuPont lowered his weapon. ”I’m sorry, Reverend,” he said. He raised his voice and said to the congregation, ”You folks are good to go. Just a little misunderstanding, is all.” On hearing this, the congregation started to drift away, although they cast regular suspicious looks at the interlopers as they retreated.

Once it was just the the four friends, the Sheriff and Reverend Haynes, the Reverend said, ”You mind telling me what this is all about? You scared my parishioners half to death!”

[Mr. Handy]

"Last year, Nyatanga and his followers had two of us locked in the basement of this building," says William, "along with a couple of others. The Sheriff of Terrebonne Parish at the time was being forced to work with them. They were going to kill us. We barely escaped with our lives. We came here armed for bear because we didn't know he wasn't still here."

[Philulhu]

”Well, as I said, he’s no longer here so perhaps you could put up your weapons as you’re scaring my parishioners,” said Reverend Haynes firmly.

”Now is there anything I can do for you? I have matters to attend to.”

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm sorry, Reverend," says William, putting up his weapon. "We would like to examine the basement, if you don't mind."

[Bullfrog]

"It's for our peace of mind as much as yours. I don't think you'd want to have a kidnapper's den under your church, would you?" Lawrence says, reluctantly setting his rifle aside; he keeps nervously glancing at it over the course of the conversation, uncomfortable to be without a weapon in this place that he has revisited innumerable times in his nightmares. House of God? House of a God, more like. If the Reverend learned what once went down here, he'd be the first man to advocate burning the damned place to the ground!