Free The Revelation by Bentley Little Page A

pitches blending, harmonizing, to create one lovely melded semi melody From his office, Jim could hear the bells of five of the town's six churches, and he could pick out the individual sounds of three of them. He looked out the window, staring at the fluffy white clouds above the Rim; the clouds that would turn into raging thunderheads bymidafternoon . All but one of the bells quit pealing. Their ringing tones faded, quieted, died out. Only the bell to the Episcopal church continued. Three extra rings. Then it, too, was silenced.

    Jim stared in the direction of the Episcopal church, though he could see nothing but trees. He wondered who was taking Father Selway's place in the pulpit today. He thought of the horrible attitude of the bishop and he grimaced. He was half-considering popping over to the church for a quick look, just to see what was happening, when he heard the unmistakable sound of the fire department's siren. He cocked his head, listening. The truck seemed to be heading down Main Street, away from Old Mesa Road. He skirted around his desk and turned up the scanner on the shelf above the rifle case.

    ".. . Ash Lane." There was a sharp crackle of static. "Fire reported at the residence of John Wilson," a woman's voice stated. "Twelve thirtyfour South Ash Lane."

    Wilson!

    Jim ran down the hall to the front office. "Rita!" he called. "Do you have the address of that kid who was here yesterday? Don Wilson?"

    The dispatcher looked startled. "Yes, but I think I put it on your desk."

    "Never mind! Do you remember whether he lived on Ash?"

    "I think he did ..."

    Jim was out the door and running, fumbling the keys out of his pocket as he sprinted across the small parking lot. He hit the lights and the siren and spun out onto the street. He grabbed the radio microphone from its spot on the dash. He clicked the radio tuner to the fire emergency channel. "Weldon!" he shouted into the mike. "Get me an update on that fire!"

    The woman's voice came over the car's speaker. Sheriff?" It was Natalie Ernst, Chief Ernst's daughter-in-law.

    "Howbad's the damage Natalie?"

    "The truck's there right now. The neighbor who called said the house just sort of exploded about ten minutes ago."

    Ten minutes ago. He hadn't heard a thing. "What about the family?"

    "Someone got out, but we're not sure who."

    "Was it a kid?"

    There was a short hesitation. "I don't think so."

    Jim turned the car onto Old Mesa Road. The four travelers on the street pulled over as they heard his siren. He let the radio mike hang.
    "Sheriff?" Natalie said. "Sheriff?" He flipped the radio off and turned onto Ash. Ahead, he could see the square yellow bulk of the town's new fire engine blocking the road. Smoke was billowing out from the house in front of the fire engine, partially obscuring the scene. A tangle of hoses, like gigantic anacondas, snaked across the partially paved road into the thickest part of the smoke.

    A helmeted, uniformed man, probably Ernst, was standing in the middle of the street shouting orders and gesturing authoritatively.

    Jim slammed on the brakes and hopped out of the car. He ran straight for the fire chief. "How's the kid?" he yelled.

    Ernst looked at him, his face already blackened by soot. "What kid?"

    The neighbors were out now, standing in front of their houses in huddled groups, a bizarre mixture of Sunday-suited churchgoers and sleep-garbed stay-at-homes. They were milling around nervously, looking this way and that, talking among themselves in hushed tones.

    Jim walked up to the nearest group. He nodded toward a well-dressed elderly man. "Do you know theWilsons ?" he asked.

    The man shrugged. "Not too well."

    "Any of you?"

    "I used to baby-sit Don," one lady offered. She clutched the top of her pink terry cloth robe to her neck, trying to hide her semi nakedness.

    "Have you seen Don this morning?"

    The lady shook her head. "I just got out here a few minutes ago. I didn't know anything was happening till I