Free The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty Page B

tiptoed from the room.
     
    From the hall she heard singing, and as she walked down the stairs, she saw with pleasure that the young Father Dyer was playing the piano near the livingroom picture window and was leading a group that had gathered around him in cheerful song. As she entered the living room, they had just finished "Till We Meet Again."
     
    Chris started forward to join the group, but was quickly intercepted by the senator and his wife, who had their coats across their arms. They seemed edgy.
     
    "Are you leaving so soon?" Chris asked.
     
    "Oh, I'm really so sorry, and my dear, we've had a marvelous evening," the senator effused "But poor Martha's got a headache."
     
    "Oh, I am so sorry, but I do feel terrible," moaned the senator's wife. "Will you excuse us, Chris? It'd been such a lovely party."
     
    "I'm really sorry you have to go," said Chris.
     
    She accompanied them to the door and she could hear Father Dyer in the background asking, "Does anyone else know the words to 'I'll Bet You're Sorry Now, Tokyo Rose'?"
     
    She bade them good night. On her way back to the living room, Sharon stepped quietly out from the study.
     
    "Where's Burke?" Chris asked her.
     
    "In there," Sharon answered with a nod toward the study. "He's sleeping it off. Say, what did the senator say to you? Anything?"
     
    "What do you mean?" asked Chris. "They just left."
     
    "Well, I guess it's as well."
     
    "Sharon, what do you mean?"
     
    "Oh, Burke," sighed Sharon. In a guarded tone, she described an encounter between the senator and the director. Dennings, had remarked to him, in passing, said Sharon, that there appeared to be "an alien pubic hair floating round in my gin." Then he'd turned to the senator and added in a tone that was vaguely accusatory, "Never seen it before in my life! Have you?"
     
    Chris giggled as Sharon went on to describe how the senator's embarrassed reaction had triggered one of Dennings' quixotic rages, in which he'd expressed his "boundless gratitude" for the existence of politicians, since without them "one couldn't distinguish who the statesmen were, you see."
     
    When the senator had moved away in a huff, the director turned to Sharon and said proudly, "There, you see? I didn't curse. Now then, don't you think I handled that rather demurely?"
     
    Chris couldn't help laughing. "Oh, well, let him sleep. But you'd better stay in there in case he wakes up. Would you mind?"
     
    "Not at all." Sharon entered the study.
     
    In the living room, Mary Jo Perrin sat alone and thoughtful in a corner chair. She looked edgy; disturbed. Chris started to join her, but changed her mind when one of the neighbors drifted over to the corner.
     
    Chris headed for the piano instead. Dyer broke off his playing of chords and looked up to greet her. "Yes, young lady, and what can we do for you today? We're running a special on novenas."
     
    Chris chuckled with the others. "I thought I'd get the scoop on what goes on at Black Mass," she said, "Father Wagner said you were the expert."
     
    The group at the piano fell silent with interest.
     
    "No, not really," said Dyer, lightly touching some chords. "Why'd you mention Black Mass?" he askd her soberly.
     
    "Oh, well; some of us were talking before about--- well... about those things that they found at Holy Trinity, and---"
     
    "Oh, you mean the desecrations?" Dyer interrupted.
     
    "Hey, somebody give us a clue. what' going on," demanded the astronaut.
     
    "Me too," said Ellen Cleary. "I'm lost."
     
    "Well, they found some desecrations at the church down the street," explained Dyer.
     
    "Well, like what?" asked the astronaut.
     
    "Forget it," Father, Dyer advised him. "Let's just say obscenities, okay?"
     
    "Father Wagner says you told him it was like at Black Mass," prompted Chris, "and I wonderded what went on at those things?"
     
    "Oh, I really don't know all that much," he protested. "In fact, most of what I know is what I've heard from another