Free The Revelation by Bentley Little

Weiss.

    The deputy went sprawling, his wildly flailing arms knocking over a freestanding ashtray and sending a spray of white sand flying across the tile floor. "Jesus!" he yelled. He slid backward for a few seconds, then regained his balance and used his hands to push himself to his feet. He noticed Jim's drawn gun and instantly became alert. He reached for his own firearm. "What is it?"

    Jim was trying to regain his own balance; though he had not fallen, the collision had sent him backward into the wall. "Did you see anything run by here?" he asked.

    "What?"

    "Something--" He stopped, knowing that what he was about to say sounded stupid, but having to say it anyway. "--something small and dark that made sort of a ... whisk-broom sound?"

    Judson stared at him. "Like what? A rat?" His voice was puzzled.

    Jim ran a hand through his hair. "Did you see anything run by here?"

    "No sir."

    "All right." Jim put the gun back in his holster. He knew how he probably sounded, and he was aware of the deputy's worried glance. He smiled to show he was all right. "I'm just tired, I guess. I thought I saw something run by my door. I don't know what the hell I thought it was." He picked up the spilled ashtray and refastened its bowl-shaped top.
    "Maybe Ioughtta get home and get some sleep."

    Judson nodded. "Maybe so. Me and Pete will be here tonight. We'll call you if anything comes up."

    "Yeah," Jim said. "Maybe I will head home. After that autopsy report is delivered none of us are going to get any sleep around here."

    "Don't guess we will."

    Jim pointed toward the spray of sand on the floor tile. "Think you could clean that up there?"

    "Sure."

    He patted Judson on the back. "Sorry I bumped into you."

    "No problem, Sheriff."

    Jim went back to his office to get his keys. He knew he probably was too tired. He seemed to be losing his grip. He wanted Judson to think nothing was wrong, but something was very much wrong. He had no proof, nothing to substantiate his fears, but he had a gut feeling that whatever was going on in Randall was not caused by anything human. He knew, though, that despite his inner unfounded suspicions he would have to investigate everything using proper police procedure--procedure that automatically assumed that all circumstances were the result of normal criminals operating in normal criminal ways. Maybe that was for the best. It wouldn't do to have a sheriff who based his actions on dreams, who saw things that weren't there.

    But Don had been right about the Selways .

    Jim sighed. He knew it was irrational, but it was almost inconceivable to him that so many things could be going on at once and not be connected somehow, particularly in a quiet small town like Randall, a town where the annual crime rate hovered just above zero. The way he saw it, in fact, they were connected. Several farmers' goats had been slaughtered, and the goats' blood had been used to desecrate the town's churches. Two of the farmers whose goats had been killed had themselves been murdered. And Father Selway , whose church had been the first hit, had been murdered.

    No, not murdered. His family had been murdered. He was still only missing.

    Jim closed his eyes. He could feel a headache coming on. He knew he was thinking irrationally, not reasoning correctly, and he knew he should probably tell someone his fears, his suspicions. Judson or Pete. Carl. But he could not bring himself to do it. This was something he could not share. He grabbed his keys and his hat. He nodded as he walked past Pete, who was manning the switchboard for the night, and made his way out to the parking lot. He couldn't help looking at the bushes surrounding the parking lot for any sign of movement, and he stopped to listen before he opened the car door.

    But there was no movement and no sound, and he drove home still troubled.

    The church bells rang out in staggered order, calling people to their respective Sunday services, their different tones and