The Demon Hunter

"I understand your fear of ridicule if you're wrong," he said, patronizingly I thought, "but someone in authority should have been informed."

"I have spoken of this with the Capitaine de la Garde. He should be on his way here as we speak."

St. Gabriel nodded. "Food, then. My men and I are ravenous."

"You're welcome to come to my presbytère and I will prepare you a meal." I shrugged. "It's simple fare but it's wholesome."

He grimaced. "I've tried priests' cooking before. I'll take my chances with the local taverns. Which is the best?"

"Le Sanglier," I told him.

"Fine." He headed for the door. "We'll eat there and be back in an hour or so."

"But," I pointed out as he left the church and remounted, "the Capitaine will be here soon..."

"I'll see him when I've eaten," he declared and rode away, ignoring my further protestations.

It was two hours before St. Gabriel finally returned to the church where an exasperated Capitaine le Blanc and I awaited him. He and his assistants were on foot this time, having stabled their horses at Le Sanglier. We met them on the doorstep and I began introductions.

"Monsieur St. Gabriel, this is Capitaine Marcel le Blanc, an officer of the Garde and a longtime friend of mine. Capitaine le Blanc, this is Philippe St. Gabriel, of whom you have no doubt heard much. These, I presume are his assistants, Messieurs...?"

"Julien," rumbled one, a tall beefy man.

"Maurice," grumbled the other, only slightly less imposing.

"Where are the bodies?" broke in the Demon Hunter.

The question caught me by surprise. "Pardon?"

"The corpses - I wish to examine them." Seeing our startled expressions, he clicked his tongue in disgust. "You've buried them, haven't you?"

"Well, yes." I replied. "The last death was nearly five days ago. There were health considerations, the boys' families..."

"Don't you people know anything?" St. Gabriel exploded. "How can I tell you if you're dealing with a demon unless I can see a body?"

"Father, the church's doorstep is hardly the place to discuss such matters," suggested Capitaine le Blanc, looking around at the curious passers-by. "Let us adjourn to your presbytère, where our conversation can continue more discretely."

By the time we had reached my home at the back of the church and settled the visitors into the salon, the Demon Hunter was calmer.

"Very well, the corpses are in the ground. Who can describe them to me?"

"We both can," said the Capitaine. "I viewed all three, and I called in Father Dupont for the second and third murders."

"Describe the circumstances in which they were found."

The Capitaine sat forward in his chair, warming to his task. "Each boy was found, just before or after daybreak, on the outskirts of town. The first two were discovered by farm workers and the last by an early morning traveller. None of the locations were places known to be frequented by the boys, and in no case was any blood found upon the ground, which suggests that the bodies had been carried there after death."