Kelly began to descend.
Half way down the stairs she called his name once again, now satisfied that the house was empty. The extractor fan was on, a slight whirring sound filling the calmness. Kelly felt that all too familiar ripple of fear caress her neck and spine. The celiar looked vast, stretching out all around her, making her feel vulnerable and exposed. She moved towards his desk, her pace slowing, her jaw dropping open.
Perched on top of the typewriter were the six manilla files.
Kelly froze for a second then reached forward and picked one up, nipping it open. She recognised Lasalle’s handwriting on the first page.
‘Found what you’re looking for?’
The voice sounded thunderous in the silence.
Kelly spun round, almost dropping the file, her eyes fixed on the figure at the top of the stairs.
Blake stood there motionless for a moment then slowly descended the steps.
His face was expressionless as he approached her, one hand extended. He
motioned for her to give him the file which she did, not shifting her gaze from his eyes, trying to look through those twin dark screens which covered them.
‘Why did you kill Dr Vernon?’ she asked, falteringly.
‘Kelly,’ he said, softly. ‘You shouldn’t have come down here. What goes on in this room is my business.’
‘You did kill him didn’t you, David?’ she persisted.
‘Yes,’ he said, unhesitatingly. ‘I needed the files.’
‘I’ve been to his house today. I’ve spoken to Joubert.’
Blake chuckled.
‘Not so long ago you were convinced that Vernon and Joubert were responsible for these events,’ he said.
‘Tell me why you did it,’ she said. ‘Why you caused all those deaths.’
He didn’t answer.
‘Why?’ she roared at him, her voice a mixture of fear and desperation.
He saw a single tear trickle from her eye corner. She wiped it away angrily.
‘Ever since I can remember, even before I began writing about the paranormal, the idea of Astral projection has fascinated me,’ he began, his tone measured and calm. ‘Not just travelling through space on an ethereal level, but actual physical movement of the Astral body through time. The tangible realization of that movement which meant I could literally be in two places at once. In control of two centres of consciousness. I made it work. It took years to master but I learned how to do it and the more I learned, the more I realized that it was possible to manipulate the subconscious personalities of others as well. To use them.’ He regarded her with no hint of emotion on his face.
‘Like Toni Landers and the rest?’ she said.
‘I learned to control the Shadow inside them.’
‘The Shadow?’ Kelly said, looking vague.
‘The alter-ego. What you know as the subconscious. That part of the mind which controls our darker side, that’s the Shadow. I found a way to release it.’
‘How?’ she wanted to know. ‘Is it by a form of hypnosis?’
‘Yes, combined with my own ability to absorb the energy which the Shadow radiates. It’s like an infra-red beacon to me. I can tap into it. Feed on it.
It increases my own power. Everyone, no matter who they are, has this darker side to their nature. Most people are able to control it, and it’s kept in check by their code of morals or by the law. But when the force is released, they act out thoughts and desires which had previously been hidden.’
Kelly shook her head.
‘Why did you do it, David?’ she asked, tears brimming in her eyes once again.
‘What did you hope to achieve by having Toni Landers kill that baby, or Roger Carr murder that girl. Or Braddock or O’Neil. Why did they have to kill?’
‘I had to be sure of my own abilities. Now I am,’ he said, impassively. ‘The seance gave me a perfect opportunity to
use that power, to prove once and for all that I could influence other people’s alter-egos. Use them. Can’t you appreciate what this means?’ His voice had taken on a note of excitement. ‘Politicians could be manipulated.
Leaders of the Church, Heads of State.’
‘You’re mad,’ she said, taking a step back.
‘No, Kelly, I’m not mad,’ he said. ‘This power is too great to be wasted.
Think about it. There need be no more wars, no more civil unrest, because those who provoke such incidents could be found and destroyed before they were able to create trouble. Any trace of evil inside their minds would be visible to someone like me who knew how to use the power of the Shadow.’
‘And if you did discover some evil inside them?’
i told you, they would be destroyed. Executed. This knowledge gives me the power of life and death over anyone I choose. It’s a weapon too.’
‘For selling?’ she asked, cryptically.
‘If necessary,’ he told her. There’s no weapons system on earth to match it.’
‘But why use it to kill?’
‘Every discovery has its sacrifices,’ he said, smiling. ‘You should know
that.’
‘No one will believe it.’
Blake smiled and crossed to his desk. He pulled open one of the drawers and took out a letter. Kelly watched him, warily.
if you’d searched my office more thoroughly,’ he said. ‘You’d have found this.’ He unfolded the letter, it arrived two days ago, from Thames TV. I’ve been invited onto a discussion programme. Myself and two other “experts” are supposed to discuss whether or not the supernatural is real or imaginary. Nice of them to include me don’t you think?’
“What are you going to do?’
His smile faded.
‘I’m going to prove, once and for all, exactly how powerful the Shadow is,’
Blake told her.
Kelly took another step back.
i loved you, David,’ she said, softly, tears rolling down her cheeks.
‘Then stay with me,” he said, moving towards her.
‘You’re a murderer. I saw you kill Vernon.’
‘Ah, your dream,’ he said, that chilling grin returning, i had already been probing your mind for a week or two prior to that little incident. Can’t you see, Kelly, you and I are one. We belong together. You can share this power with me. Learn how to use it.’
‘Learn how to kill, you mean?’ she said, vehemently.
‘All right then, leave. Go to the police. Tell them I killed Dr Vernon but who the hell is going to believe you? Hqw could I have killed him?’ he added, mockingly, i was in bed with you last night.’
She swallowed hard, realizing he was right.
‘Go. Get out,’ Blake roared, i offered you the chance and you refused. Leave here.’
He watched as she turned and hurriedly climbed the stairs, disappearing into the hall. A moment later he heard the front door slam behind her. His expression darkened as he gripped the file. He clutched it a second longer then, with a grunt, hurled it across the room.
Kelly knew Blake was right.
As she started the engine of the Mini she realized she would never convince the police of his guilt. She was helpless, something which made her feel angry as well as afraid.
She guided the car out into traffic, wiping more tears away with the back of her hand. Combined with that feeling of helplessness was also one of loss, for somewhere inside her, despite what she knew, she retained her affection for Blake. Kelly felt as if the world were collapsing around her.
She knew that she must tell Joubert what she had learned. There was a phone box on the corner of the street. Kelly slowed down and prepared to swing the car over. She checked her rear view mirror.
She could not supress a scream.
Reflected in the mirror, glaring at her from the back seat, was the face of Blake.
Kelly twisted the wheel, her eyes riveted to the visage in the mirror.
All she heard was the loud blast of the air horns as the lorry thundered towards her.