THERE'S NOTHING BEYOND THIS POINT

DR SATAN'S ABYSS OF THE HUNGRY UNDEAD

written by L.I. Sene

   The brand new, candy apple red, 1932 ford coup rolled into

town trailing a cloud of dust and dislodged gravel.  It cruised up

and down the little town's mainstreet before settling in front of

the rundown brick building that served as a police station.  Steve

Harrison got out and stretched his tall, bull like frame while

his deep blue eyes noted every little detail in sight, at least

such as there were.  He grimaced at the heavy layer of grime his

car had picked up on the long drive, then he removed a photograph

from his wallet and studied it one more time.

     The girl in the picture was pretty, real pretty.  She had

long blonde curls and a smile that could make sane men take crazy

risks.  Harrison had received nine hundred dollars from her brother

to find out what had happened to her.  She'd accepted a job as school

teacher in this little backwater Alabama town called Nobles. Then she

had apparently up and vanished from the face of the earth.  There

didn't appear to be a single soul who knew a darned thing about it

either.  Harrison's gut said that somebody somewhere in this rundown

little whistlestop knew something.  It was his job to find that

somebody and he intended to do precisely that.

     The big detective swatted a fly off his tanned face and uttered

a curse under his breath.  "Damn this heat." He figured it was nearly

a hundred degrees outside and moist as molasses.

    

     The Chief of Police was a tall gaunt man with nervous eyes.

He didn't seem much impressed by the big man from out of town,

leastwise he tried to act that way.  "You came a long way for

nothing Harrison," the cop said and took a long draw on his

smoke before dumping it right there in the floor.  The detective

noticed that the butt found plenty of company.  "I would greatly

appreciate any little thing you can tell me about the case.  Susan

Winters has some relatives out west that are mighty worried.  I

can't go back to them without at least trying."

     The Chief shrugged and relaxed.  He put his feet up on the

battered oak desk and looked thoughtful.  "Well, Miss Winters

came here about four months ago to teach school.  Around a month

back she disappeared and hasn't been heard from since.  The

way I see it, she met some fellow...married fellow, and up and

skedaddled with him."

     "Maybe," Harrison rumbled, his deep voice contained a tinge

of pessimism.  "Any man around here vanish at the same time as

Miss Winters?  If your theory is correct, who went with her?"

     Chief Rollins nodded.  "Nobody around here besides her has

turned up missing, but there are lots of other little towns in

the area.  No reason to think it had to be some gent from Nobles

that took up with her.  Could have been somebody she was writing

to from way off for that matter. The little house she rented was

checked out by me personally and most everything was gone, course

she didn't bring much to town with her except a suitcase, a fancy

handbag, and a lot of blonde hair."

     "Anybody know of a man who took special notice of her?"

     "Ha," Rollins chuckled.  "She was a damned pretty woman. I

imagine every man in town took special notice of her...myself

included, yes sir.  She didn't pay nobody no mind though, a nice

polite girl she was that kept to herself and her work.  She wasn't

around long enough to warm up to most folks the way I see it.

That's why nobody has much they can tell you about her."

     Harrison walked back into the street and frowned as a heavy

truck passed, leaving a wake of choking dust that fouled the thick,

humid air. The big man mopped his brow and looked none to happy. 

He had a hunch that the small town cop had withheld a few nuggets

of information about the missing girl. Little backwater towns had

few secrets that somebody didn't share. It didn't figure.

     The next couple of days did reveal a some things.  Nobles

was a damned unfriendly place toward strangers. Each time the

detective mentioned Susan Winters to anyone the subject was

quickly changed or he was given the standarized reply, "she was

a good teacher and the kids liked her, to bad she left town so

soon...and without telling a soul."  Harrison even tried getting

a few of the local barflys good and sauced before dropping some

choice questions. Even they, drunk as skunks, would get that odd

look in their eyes and clam up tight.  Harrison soon took to sitting

outside the town's only general merchandise store.  He casually

sat there with a cigarette and calmly stared down everyone who

passed his way.  He'd never in his life seen people that would

walk past a man so fast.  Why he wondered if he'd jumped up and

said BOO! that half of them might have just dropped dead right

then and there.  He had no idea what was going on but something

sure as hell was.  All he could do was wait and watch...for as

long as it took.

     As it happened, circumstances changed his third day in town.

Growing frustrated and bored, the big detective decided to take

a little ride out in the country to do some thinking and a little

drinking too.  The heat and dust had gotten worse and a couple

miles outside of town he'd just about decided to turn around and

return to his hotel for a nap.  He took another swig of brandy

when juat about then he noticed an older looking black man on foot.

Harrison was getting a little tight and he felt sorry for any

man forced to walk in this inferno.  He stopped and the old fellow

quickly crawled inside.  "I appreciate the ride Mr, it sure is a

hot one today.  I walked into town this morning to pick up some

medicine for my back.  It would have been best to wait 'till near

dark to head back but I don't cotton to hanging around near city

folk more than I need, especially folks in Nobles, no disrespect."

     The old man rambled on.  He was light skinned and spoke a

lot better than most colored Harrison'd encountered, must've had

a little education.  The big man just felt glad to hear a friendly

voice.  They hadn't rode far when the fellow, who said his name

was Ed Norvine, pointed to a little cabin partially hidden beneath

several big oaks.  There Harrison noted a stream that the stout

little ford crossed with no trouble. "Why don't you get out and sit a

spell Mr. Harrison.  I got some beans and coffee and its a mighty

cool place with all the shade I got, and most days there's a little

breeze blowing aross the crick." The place did look like a choice

spot to do some serious drinking and the detective's clothes were

soaked through with sweat.

     "Sure," Harrison said and handed his bottle over to Norvine

who took a long swallow.  "Brandy shore is a man's drink alright,"

Ed said with a smile.  Their eyes were starting to glow and the

two men were stepping lightly before settling into a couple of

crude but comfortable old rockers.  Norvine warmed up the beans and

made some coffee.  The old man proudly handed a hot plate to the

big detective.  "I got some young squirrel in these beans, sure is

tasty."  Harrison shoved a hefty spoonful in his mouth and then

another and another.  "Mighty tasty," he agreed.

   When they'd finished the meal Norvine took a pipe from his old

overalls.  Like a lot of old men, he had a faraway look in his tired

eyes.  Plenty of memories to think back on Harrison figured.  The

big city man poured the last of the brandy into both men's coffee

and wondered if his life would have been different had he never

left the south years before.  Not that he wasn't mostly satisfied with

the way things generally went.  A man couldn't stop wondering about

things, especially when he was drunk and that was precisely what

the odd pair were after a short spell.  They rocked, did some

thinking, and a lot of drinking.

     "I know who you are and what you came here for."

     Harrison was caught off guard.  The words were soft spoken

but seemed to break the stillness like thunder.  "Oh yeah," the big

man replied.  "I suppose everybody in town knows now...if you

ask me its mighty queer how folks around here react whenever I

bring the subject up...mighty queer for sure."

     "You don't understand them, meaning no disrespect," Norvine

answered with a hint of sadness in his voice.  Old Nobles is

going through some hard times lately.  There ain't much work

around these days for folks and what money is coming in is bad

money if you ask me.  Yessir, things have changed a lot.  I reckon

it don't surprise nobody that folks have started turning up missing.

That poor girl ain't the first one, maybe not the last."

     Harrison leaned forward in his chair. "Look Norvine, I ain't

looking to bother or hurt anybody in any way. I'm trying to help

a friend and his family. They thought a helluva lot of that girl

and I suspect she was quite a fine woman besides. If you could

tell me anything that would point me in the right direction I

would be mighty grateful and some awfully good folks would be too.

There might even be some money in it for you...Susan Winter's

people are pretty well off."

     It was getting dark and the shadows played strange tricks

with the old man's features.  Maybe it was the booze but his eyes

turned funny looking and his big gnarled hands moved after a

quirky fashion...almost like he was making some kind of signs?

     After a while the old man spoke again, "I ain't scared like a

lot of folks, done seen and been in a lot rougher places than this.

I like it here though, and don't like seeing mostly good people

start creeping around, sorta ghosts of their former selves."  There

the old man paused as if chosing his next words carefully.  "You

seem like a honest fellow and I know its a good thing you showed

up here. A few miles out on the east side of town is a cathouse.

It does good business too.  The girls look good and don't charge

to much although the liquor is to damned high if you ask me.  It

ain't even good hooch either.  Anyhow, a man called Dr Satin

owns the place.  He has a gambling house over that way too.

Some local folks have lost everything in that place, its crooked

the way I see it.  Hell, Dr Satin owns half the town now and

lord knows how much land.  Some folks have started calling him

Dr Satan.  He was alright at first but the longer he's been in town,

it seems like the more hurt and hard feelings have gotten stirred up."

     Harrison gave the old man his full attention now.  All at

once he felt stone sober and he gripped the arm of the rocker

with anticipation.  "But I reckon there's more about this Dr Satan?

"

     Norvine nodded and downed the last of the booze.  His face

twisted into a grimace that Harrision knew didn't come from the

taste of the brandy.  Twilight was falling and the breeze picked

up with an eerie low moan and the detective began to feel an

unlikely chill in the air.  He figured the creek flowed with some

especially cold water...maybe spring fed, and the wind did blow

across the chilly stream.

     "You see Mr. Steve, Dr Satin...Dr Satan has another place that

most nobody around here ever talks about cause I reckon its the

kind of thing a town keeps quiet.  This place does special things for

girls, fixes it when they get in trouble and ain't got no place better

to go."

     "Uh huh, an abortion house I reckon?"

     "Yessir, that's why the Dr is called Dr but he really ain't

one. He was a veternarian over in some other county, that's all. 

He don't take good care of them girls and one or two pass on 'bout

every month.  He pays a little money to the family of the dead

ones...they're mostly poor folk see.  Some don't even pick up the

bodies and the Dr sells them to some colleges back east and maybe

even up in Nashville. That more than makes up for what he has to

spend in hush money."

     "How do you know all this if you don't mind me asking?"

Harrison asked politely as possible.

     "Oh I worked there for a spell, cleaning up.  Even helped move

the dead bodies and things like that.  I couln't take much of it

though and quit...complaining about my back which does bother me

some. I was worried at first but..."  the voice trailed off for

a few seconds before breaking into a throaty laugh.  Harrison

wondered what in hell the old man found so funny about dying girls?

     "I guess I will tell you a little secret about me, folks in

these here parts think I'm deaf and dumb."

     "Well, I'll be damned," Harrison exclaimed!

     "Its better for a colored man that way.  Folks feel a little bit

sorry for you and mostly leave you alone, and they don't bother with

not making a racket if they're sneaking up on you...maybe that would

be the best part." Norvine laughed again and slapped his knee.

     Harrison smiled, "you're a plenty clever old cuss I reckon."

     "Yessir, anyhow, back to what I was saying.  If anybody knows

anything about that poor missing white girl, I don't doubt that it

would be that scoundrel Dr Satan. He ain't nobody to mess with if

you can't handle a lot of trouble though. Worse of all he has a witch

that works for him."

     "A witch?"

     "I swear it Mr. Harrison. I know about witches and if there

ever was one I'd consider Miss Rose a prime example of the kind."

     "I think I'm gonna have to pay a call on these people, anything

else you can tell me Norvine?" Harrison paid close attention to the

things the old man said but he didn't put any stock in witches. Of

course he kept his peace in that regard.

     "Well they got a big ox named Luther that works for them too,

and three or four other bad apples.  Luther used to be boxer, but

that was before he got all strung out on opium and such.  They

got that and some bad chinamen over there too."

     Harrison spent the night with Norvine but left before dawn

the following morning.  Satin's property was a few miles out east

of town.  The big detective stopped for a heaping breakfast at the

hotel and quickly left town.  During the ride he checked to make

certain that every cylinder in his .45 revolver was loaded.  It felt

good beneath the light sports coat he wore.  The slender blade

concealed in his right trouser leg was equally reassuring.  He

was a man used to trouble and he knew how to prepare for the

worst.

     The morning was a little bit cooler. Harrison lighted a smoke

and tried to enjoy the ride despite the bad road.  It didn't take long

before he reached a place that matched Norvine's discription.  It was

an old three story house that must have been something else back

during its prime but that time had long since passed.  It badly needed

several coats of paint and a few of the shingles had almost broken

loose and stood at weird angles. Two or three flapped in the slight

breeze like forlorn flags.  A couple of sprawling old willow trees sat

in the front yard suppying shade and killing most of the grass. It

wasn't a very inviting place and Harrision felt sorry for the girls

that had to come to a "clinic" like this.  People had a way of getting

in tight spots though, and that made for hard decisions. Harrison

adjusted his hat and tie a bit and tossed his cigarette on the ground.

He wasn't an especially clever or subtle detective. His style was to

stir the pot until something floated to the top. His skill with a knife,

gun, and bare fists generally overcame his shortcomings. He was

no Sherlock Holmes and didn't much give a damn.

    He walked up on the porch, eyeballin' a couple of men tinkering with

a truck around to the side of the house.  They gave Harrison long, hard

eyed looks and he tipped his hat...real casual like.  He knocked on the

screen door which barely managed to hang on to its rusty hinges.  The

front door stood slighty ajar but it was to dark inside to see much of

anything.  He noticed the two fellows had forgotten about the old

truck and stood at the edge of the house giving him their full

attention.  Harrison paid them no mind while he waited.  Instead,

he enjoyed the antics of a dirt dobber as it flew back and forth on

the porch.  He was about to knock for the third time when a woman

came to the door.  She must have weighed a good 325 pounds and

wasn't much over five feet tall.  She had a face and big dark eyes

that might have been pretty minus all the paddings.

    "Hello, what can I do for you?" she asked.  Harrison was not

a man easily put ill at ease but something about the woman's

girth, her eyes, and especially her voice, seemed to somehow give

him a slight queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.  Maybe it was

just the squirrel and brandy he'd loaded up on the night before?

     "My name is Steve Harrison and I've come to town to find out

any information I can about a young woman named Susan Winters.

I've asked just about everyone in town about her and thought

maybe she might have visited with Dr Satin about some health

problems or what not. As far as I know he is the only doctor around

these parts. I just wondered if he might have treated her at some

time. I'm only looking for information ma'am, anything I can take

back to her family, they're worried sick about her disappearing like

she did."

     The woman invited Harrison in real polite like.  She showed him

to a straight back chair in what passed for a parlor.  The woman

introduced herself as Rose.  She fetched another chair and sat

beside the detective.  Harrison had that strange uneasy feeling yet

again when she leaned closer than he figured was necessary.  Could

be she was hard of hearing or something.  He truly found the woman

quite repulsive but at the same time oddly interesting.  She began

talking and didn't wait for more questions. 

     "Oh yes, I remember Miss Winters.  She was such a pretty young

girl and a real good teacher they said.  I saw her around town a

few times and we had some real good little chats about this, that,

and the other.  She was a real sharp dresser too.  There wasn't a

buck in town that didn't give her a second glance.  I don't recall

her ever coming out here to see Dr Satin however.  She did attend

church real regular though, and wore the cutest hats you ever did

see.  I wonder where on earth did she find them?  We don't have

stores like that around here. I like it here though, its real nice and

quiet don't you think? Will you be staying long Mr Harrison?  A fine

looking man like you would be a nice addition to the town.  We

don't get many big good looking guys passing through here at all."

     The woman named Rose just rambled on and on like that. The

big detective normally didn't have much use for talkative women,

epecially fat ones with thinning hair, but he couldn't force his eyes 

away. Something in her voice seem to mezmerize him.  He had the very

unsettling feeling that he'd known her for a long time.  Despite the

fact that he found her disgusting, he wondered if he couldn't have

sat right there in that delapidated parlor and listened to the woman

talk all day long, night too.  Harrison didn't seem to realize that

he could not look away from her dark eyes.  He sat there half numb

as she rattled on and on.  Luckily his stupor was relieved somewhat

by someone knocking at the front door. 

     "Oh please excuse me for a second. I need to pay those men

for some chores they've been doing."  Rose got up and went to the

door where she spoke in subdued tones to the two men that the

detective had noticed earlier.  Harrison couldn't understand

what she was saying but he had a chance to shake the cobwebs out

of his head and get to his feet.  He knew one thing for a fact, he

had to get the hell out of there right at that moment. He walked

towards the door just as the men left and Rose again focused

her attention on her new guest.  "Leaving so soon, I thought you

wanted to wait for Dr Satin to return?" As soon as she spoke

the weird sensation returned to his stomach and his head felt

as if he was a kid again getting spun around and around on the

playground.  His own voice seemed hollow and far away when he

addressed his fat hostess.  "Oh, it can wait. I got a lot of ground

to cover and time ain't on my side.  Hopefully we can speak again

Rose, thanks for everything."

     The woman seemed genuinely disappointed and she moved out

of his way hesitantly.  When she finally did give ground he shot

out the door despite the weakness in his thick powerful legs. The

big man somehow found the strength to walk straight back to his

car.  He fired the coup up, turned it around quickly and gunned the

gas.  A mile down the road his head started to clear and he found

himself wondering what the hell had gotten into him.  He even

considered turning around and going back but something told him

that this was not the time. Worst of all, he knew that he wanted

to see Rose again.  Thing was, he couldn't figure out what in hell

gave him that vague, but gnawing longing?

     Harrison took a fresh bottle out of the glove compartment and

took a real long swig.  It made him feel a lot better and he was just

about to take another when he noticed something in the road ahead.

It was that same truck he'd first noticed back at Dr Satin's place,

and those same two men he'd seen were apparently changing a flat.

Harrison slowed to a stop and waited while one of the men walked

up to his car.  He has a big man, as big as the detective.  His face

was scarred and his ears cauliflowered.  "I'm guessing that would

be Mr Luther," the detective mumbled to himself under his breath.

     The ex-boxer carried a tire iron in his meaty fist.  He had a

big smile on his face as he sidled up to Harrison's coup.  The big

detective suddenly regretted having taken the top down on the

car earlier in the morning.  "Well, how you doing this morning

mister...?"  That was all Luther bothered saying before swinging the

iron at Harrison's head.  The detective was ready for him though and

threw his body sideways.  He received only a glancing blow on the

left shoulder.  It still hurt like hell, and half numbed the big man's

arm, but he easily managed to kick open the door that he'd partially

opened just moments before. 

     The door caught Luther just below the belt and the air went

out of him like a balloon pricked with a pin.  He gasped and fell

back in the dirt, sprawling there temporarily stunned.  His partner

came charging up hard with a wrench in his hand.  His small eyes

were filled with hate and Harrison leaped from the car just in the

nick of time.  He dodged the wrench and shot out a straight right

that just nicked his assailant.  The man was bald and thick sweat

glistened on his naked scalp as he pressed the attack.  One blow in

the right spot would have finished the detective but Harrison wasn't

about to fight a strickly defensive battle.  He retreated, snatching

up Luther's tire iron in the process.  He maneuvered into the open

and waited for baldy to make the next move.

     There wasn't a long wait.  The sweaty thug yelled a battle cry

and charged straight on.  Harrison was caught a bit off guard by

the man's quickness and his agressive attack.  The heavy wrench

whistled past Harrison's head, missing by inches.  The big man

managed to block the next two swings with the tire iron but his

arm was jarred to the core and numbness began to spread rapidly

through the nerves and muscles.  Harrison changed tactics and

hurled the tool with all the strength in his bull-like frame.  At

point blank range he couldn't miss.  The improvised missle struck the

bald man on the forehead and gave him pause.  The brute took

a moment to shut his eyes and try to shake off the fog as blood

gushed down into his face from a shallow, but heavily bleeding

gash.  Harrison wasted no time taking advantage of his luck.  A

powerhouse right to the jaw felled baldly like a sack of potatoes

thrown from a truck.  He dropped in the dust and lay still, a pool

of blood soiling the dirt beneath his battered head.  A few of his

teeth were spat out impulsively and he was done.

     Harrison was half turned to look for Luther when the daylight

exploded with darkness and stars.  His quick movement had

spared him the full force of the punch but the big detective was

thrown back in the dirt.  He glanced up through blurred vision to

see Luther looming overhead.  The former boxer was in his favorite

stance and smiling broadly.  "Git up mister and take your whupin'

like a man or if you want, just lay there and I'll stomp you like a

dog.  Either way I'd hate to be in your shoes city boy."

     Harrison had done a little boxing but he could hardly boast of

being a former professional pugilist like Luther had. In a stand up

match the detective wouldn't stand a chance.  Harrison had done plenty

of street brawling though and he hoped Luther's confidence could

be used against him.  While his head cleared, Harrison bought some

extra time by spiting out a few choice words.  "You call yourself

a boxer?  You're nothing but a washed up bum working for a bunch

of nutcases.  Just let me stand up and I'll teach you a thing or

two about the proper way to use your fists."

     Luther grinned broadly, "sure Mr Private Dick, anything you say.

Git up and teach me all the stuff you've learned about boxing while

chasing cheap dames and harassing cheatin' husbands."

     Harrison stood and wiped his face clean of dirt, sweat, and

blood. Luther was plenty cocky and enjoying himself as he danced

a bit, then did a little shadow boxing with the air.  The detective

assumed some kind of boxing stance and moved toward his supremely

confident opponent. However, instead of closing and throwing punches,

he drifted warily until he had Luther just where he needed him.

     Harrison lifted his shoulders high and tucked his head low. He

lunged down and hard towards Luther's midsection.  The thug was not

ready and backpeddled rapidly as Harrison's full weight fell against

his chest.  The street fighter gave the boxer a powerful shove and

an instant later the hapless Luther pound himself pinned against

the back of Harrison's ford.  Luther had a thick head of hair and the

detective got a handful in each big paw, then yanked the overwhelmed

man's head back several times in succession.  Each yank brought Luther's

skull into jarring contact with the coup's trunk.  Luther struggled

hard but pretty soon he went limp and Harrison let him slide into the

dirt alongside his bloodied partner.  Not a merciful man by nature,

the private investigator was plenty riled up.  He buried the toe of

his boot into Luther's ribs a couple times and enjoyed the sound

of bones snapping.  Satisfied that he'd gotten his message across,

Harrison knocked the truck out of gear and pushed it into a deep

ditch.  Then he pulled his .45 and shot out all four tires and the

spare. 

     The big man drove back to his hotel and cleaned up before

grabbing a bite to eat.  He shoveled down mashed potatoes,

green beans, and a huge steak while marveling at how a little

action did wonders for a man's appetite.  He crammed the last

roll into his mouth, paid and headed for the closest bar.  It was

still early and he figured on doing some quiet drinking and some

hard thinking.  He strolled into the Crow's Nest and bought a

bottle from the disinterested man tending bar.  Harrison sat

down in a quiet corner and poured himself a stiff one.  It didn't

take no genius to see that he'd stirred the pot in the right place

because things had started cooking.  If there was no connection

between Susan Winters and the clinic, why had they tried to

rough him up? The answer to that one was obvious. 

     The way Harrison had it figured, Miss Winters had gotten

in trouble and gone to Satin to get it taken care off before

the town found and out run her out of Dodge. The good Dr had likely

botched the operation, gotten rid of the body, and nobody was

the wiser.  Besides, Dr Satin had plenty of money to smooth

things over when he had to.  They had made a mistake and showed

their hand by trying to bust him up.  Now things were gonna

get complicated every way around. Of course the Satin gang wouldn't

go down easy with all the dough they were making in these parts.

     "Mind if I join you for a minute?"

     Harrison looked up to find a pretty, dark haired woman clad

in a tight dress and displaying plenty of handsome cleavage.  He

wasn't exactly looking for companionship but he had a little time

to waste...and what better way?  "Sure, grab a chair." The detective

stood until the young woman had seated.

     "Thanks mister," the girl replied as she settled in, displaying

plenty of nicely formed calf in the process.  Harrison rubbed his

square chin a bit and wondered whether Nobles might not be quite as

dead and buried as it had appeared previously?

     "You're Steve Harrison aren't you?"  The brunette asked as

she stirred her freshly poured drink.  "That's right, but I don't

believe I caught your name sweetheart?"

     "Stella Walsh, I don't get into town that much, been staying

with my sister at her place a couple miles out."

     "Is there something in particular you wanted to talk about?

If so, you would be one of the few I've had the pleasure to meet."

     "Well...,I understand that you might be looking for Susan

Winters.  I knew her pretty well.  It could be that I might be able

to give you a head's up.  It just might be that we could help each

other if you know what I mean?"

     "Keep talking," Harrison said.  He lighted a smoke and handed it

to the girl before lighting another for himself.  Stella took a long

draw then swatted at a horsefly that had settled on her shoulder.

    "Damn flys and vermin, I'm sick of this filthy town," the girl

exclaimed and gulped down her drink.  Harrison quickly poured

her another.  "You were saying...?"

     "I'm sure you've heard about Dr Satin...Dr Satan's what I call

him.  I used to work for him.  I guess you could say I was one of

his girl's...you know?"

     "You mean you were a professional?"

     "That's right, but I've gone straight now. I just need a little

cash to get the hell out of here and start over someplace else, anyplace

else."

     Harrison nodded and continued pouring, Stella was a danged lot

cuter than most working girls.  She probably had't been at it to

long yet which was a good thing.  "How did you get to know Susan

Winters, it don't figure that the new school marm would fall in

with a girl in your line...no disrespect of course."

     "Yeah, it was a weird thing.  I was walking into town late one

night and a thunderstorm blew up all of a sudden and there I was,

without even an umburella.  I figured I was screwed when an old

model A stopped and I got in.  It was Susan that picked me up.

We didn't go but a few yards when all hell broke lose and she

decided to just pull over and wait it out.  She was cautious like

that you see.  Anyhow, we sorta hit it off.  A few times after that,

whenever I was in town, I would sneak out to her place late and

take her a bottle.  Then we'd just have a good old time drinking

and talking about all the stuff girls talk about.  Susan was a

little more hard edged than she let on but we kept our relationship

secret so she wouldn't lose her job.  Susan wasn't all that much

worried though.  She was just looking to save a little money and

then move on to New York or Chicago where a girl could have a

real life.  We even talked about me tagging alone.  Maybe it was

just talk but who knows?"

     Harrison looked back and studied Stella's eyes before shrugging.

"Well, that's nice and all but I don't see that it helps me out much.

I need to find her, her family has paid me good money in advance."

     "What do you think happened to her Steve?"

     The detective liked the way they had moved quickly to first

name basis. "I'm sorry Stella, but to be honest I think she's long

since dead. I wouldn't care to comment much beyond that.  I do need

solid proof though, before my job here is finished."

     Stella swallowed another drink and shook her head.  Her eyes

were a pretty shade of green and they flashed at Harrison's grim

declaration.  "I think she is still alive...although I don't know for

how much longer.  You see, I been doing some thinking of my own."

     "I'm listening sweetheart, whatever you got to say, I'll admit

you got me all ears."

     "Ok, but if you think she's dead, who do you think did it?"

     The detective really didn't care to say but he played a hunch.

"I was thinking that maybe she went out to Dr Satin's place to get

a problem fixed and wound up dead.  Way I hear it, that happens

pretty regular out there.  They got rid of the body, hushed up

anyone that was wise with a few dollars and there you have it."

     "Not a bad way of looking at it.  Satin is a butcher and that's

a fact but its hard to find anybody else in these parts that provide

the kind of "services" he does.  Besides, he was in love with Susan."

     "What the hell?" 

     "Yeah, he was on the schoolboard that hired her and I'm thinking

that jerk took to her right away.  I saw proof in her room one night.

There was a big flower arrangement, fixed up real expensive like, and

I took a peek at the note.  It said something like, I will always love

you and please consider that I would give you everything you ever wanted

and protect you no matter what the circumstances.  It was signed Dr.

Satin."

     "And what was Susan's opinion of the good doctor?"

     "Couldn't stand the sight of him.  She sorta had to be nice to

him because her job depended on it, him being on the schoolboard

and all.  She said that she had let him know that it all ended with

friendship.  She even made up a lie about being in love with another

fellow back where she'd come from.  He didn't like it one bit but

that didn't stop him from acting a fool over her.  She was starting

to get a little worried.  It was her opinion that Satin wasn't all that

normal and she wasn't crazy about the work he did either.  The old

devil creeped her out."

     Harrison opened his wallet and peeled out a fifty.  He handed

it to the girl.  "I hope this helps you out Stella."  The girl's

green eyes grew soft and large as she folded the bill carefully and

tucked it away somewhere in her purse.  "Thank you so much Steve,

you're the best thing that ever happened to me in this dead end

hell hole."

     "Maybe you've helped me more Stella."  The wheels in the

big man's head weren't the best greased but they were turning

in furiously fine form at the moment.  "Do you think Satin might

have gotten overly anxious and kidnapped Susan?  That's the main

gist of what I'm getting from our talk."

     Stella leaned closer and whispered, "That's exactly what I

think and Satin is more than capable of any filthy trick in the

book. I wouldn't doubt that he has her locked away somewhere and

is having his fun until he gets bored and then knocks her off. Or

could be he'll have that horrible bitch Rose do the dirty work

for him.  She's worse than the devil by all accounts.  There are

more rumors going around about that woman...."

     Harrison has already factored all that into the equation. "I

need to get to this so called Dr Satan and on the double. Then we

shall see if his tongue loosens after the proper encouragement.

And I got pleanty of neat ways to encourage lousy rats like him."

     Stella nodded and attacked another fly, "he makes his late

rounds over at the clinic around eleven pm.  Most nights he beds

down there for a few hours in his own room before clearing out just

after daylight.  His room is on the first floor right across from

the well."

     "Does it have a window?"

     "Sure does Steve."  Harrison smiled at this sweet tidbit of

of timely information.

   "I'm tired of talking business Stella, I know you've changed

your ways and all but I was wondering if maybe you wouldn't mind

killing a few hours over at my room in the motel.  You might call

it a kinda celebration before you catch the next bus out of here."

     Stella smiled and her eyelashes fluttered.  Harrison bought

another bottle and the couple walked over to the hotel hand in

hand.  "Man, this is a hot town," the detective complained.

     Stella gave his hand a little squeeze, "I reckon its gonna

get a lot hotter before the day is over."

     "Hmmmmm...."

     It was near one AM and Steve Harrison waited in a stand of

trees, watching the delapidated building that served as a makeship

medical facility.  All the lights had long since been turned off

and the detective had just finished his last cigarette.  Still, he

paused for an extra minute.  It wasn't like him to be hesitant

when doing this kind of job, but that damned Rose had done something

he simply couldn't comprehend to his normally iron clad nerves.

Grudgingly, he admitted that an inside voice whispered a need to

see that tub of lard again!  He shook his head with disbelief at

himself.  It made no sense.  There was just something about her

eyes and voice that did something to a man.  Standing this close

for hours had made the ghastly sensation worsen.  Harrison began

to feel anger at himself for such damned foolishness.  Getting mad

had always helped him get a clearer grip on matters and it worked

again at the present.  It was time to get down to business.

     He hadn't seen a sign of a watchdog so it was easy to slip

up to the side of the house where the doctor's room was located.

It was a stroke of luck that the window was raised although it

wouldn't have made sense otherwise.  Who in their right mind would

try to sleep in this heat with the windows closed? Then again, the

detective felt fairly certain that he was dealing with people who

likely functioned with abnormal mindsets.   

     The old screen didn't present much of a challenge to Harrison.

With surgical precison he used his razor sharp blade to cut it

out. Then, with practiced ease, and quietly as a stalking panther,

he hoisted himself up and slipped through the window.

     The room was dark but within seconds the detective's eyes

made the adjustment.  An electric fan rattled near the bed where

the doctor lay on his back snoring loudly.  "Sleep well you bastard,"

the detective whispered to the darkness as he slowly eased closer to

the unsuspecting slumberer. 

     His big mitts slipped around Satin's neck and thick fingers

dug into the sallow flesh around the man's throat.  Satin's eyes

flew open but he couldn't utter a sound other than a muffled gurgle.

"Good evening Dr, I know its a bit late for a house call but I need

to talk to you right away.  I want to know where Susan Wnters is

and you have exactly ten seconds to tell me what I need to know

before I break your scrawny neck and go looking for that fat

harlot Rose to get the information I need.  You two are thick as

thieves anyhow...now you got five seconds."  To put emphasis

on his point the big man's fingers probed yet deeper until Satin's

eyes literally reached the point of popping loose from their deep

sockets.  "Don't worry Doc, I'm gonna lighten up just a hair and

give you one last chance.  If you say anything besides what I want

to hear, or if you yell for help...I'll take this fist here and drive

your big nose right throught the bottom of your brain."

     At that moment of apparent triumph the detective felt some

cold hard object against the side of his head.  "Just relax Mr

Big Shot, one flinch and I blow your sorry excuse for a brain right

out of your hard head. Now raise your hands as high as you possibly

can you idiot."  Luther had gotten the drop on him but how?  The

big Lee-Enfield bolt action crammed against his temple posed an

even more pressing problem.  The lights came on and big Rose waddled

into the room.  "Good lord, what is going on in here?" she grunted.

     "I went outside to take a leak and caught a glimpse of this

big baboon sneaking around the house.  I saw that he was trying to

break into Doc's room so I ran back inside all quiet like and got

this here cannon.  Looks like I done caught me one big old dumb

city possum."

     Rose shook her head but didn't seem all that annoyed.  In fact,

she acted pretty pleased at the latest development.  Dr Satin wasn't

taking things nearly as well.  He hopped out of bed and rushed to

get dressed in dark pants, shoes, and a white labcoat.  From some

hidden location he produced a .45 automatic.  "Keep him covered Doc

while I frisk him...you can bet he's got a rod on him."  Luther

quickly found the detective's pistol and stuffed it in his waistband.

Things were looking bad, damned bad.

    

     Dr Satin was above medium height, thin, with sharp features

and dark, close together eyes.  He scowled at Harrison with pure

hatred burning through his expression.  "Mr, you just bought your

fool self a world of trouble.  I hope you enjoyed life because in

a minute it will be all over for your worthless, nosy carcass."

     Miss Rose lifted her pudgy hand and shook her head.  "Now let's

not get all excited everybody.  Mr Harrison doesn't seem like the

bad sort, he just made a mistake.  Why, we could use a big strong

man like him if he were made to gentle out some.  Things have

gotten doggone filty since that old drunkard Norvine ran off. Why

I bet Mr Harrison could help us out a whole lot if we just do a

few things to relax him and take away all these terrible manly and

agressive prejudices.  Luther, do you have your razor on you?"

     "Sure thing Miss Rose, I got it right here like always." Luther

pulled the blade out and brandished it.  Harrison wanted to take

that thing and shove it up Luther's backside but something held

him back, and that something was more than the gun pointed close to

his chest.  With every word Miss Rose said, he, for some insane

reason, wanted to be agreeable to whatsoever whims the fat lady might

came up with.  He was still at himself enough to realize these were

hardly natural emotions he was suffring.  A sinking feeling spread

though the detective's anxious mind.  He may have taken on one

job to many.  Sweat broke out on his forehead and he struggled to

move, just move, but suddenly it seemed impossible.  Rose kept

right on talking and smiling.  All three fiends were smiling in a way

that forced ice water through the trapped detective's veins.

     Rose reached up and stroked Harrison lightly on the face. Her

touch was sweaty and her hand smelled like fried chicken, but

the big man didn't mind, although he also felt like throwing up.

"You see, I've seen men like Mr Harrison before...they get excited

to easily and go around making trouble for good folk.  Its really

just something some men are born with I reckon, poor things.  He

will be alright, probably just sweet as a little lamb after we take

that nasty tongue out...along with a few other parts he won't be

needing no more. Mark my word, he'll be gentle like a little lamb

after the procedure, they always are."

     Harrison fully realized where all this was heading and finally

sheer mad effort forced his body back a step or two.  "Don't touch me,

all of you stay back.  I'll kill all of you for this!"

     Rose cooed again, calm as could be, "oh you wouldn't really

Steve, you just need calming down.  After a little quick operation

and some healing you'll be just fine in a week or two...and then

you'll be a lot of help around here, and real gentle too.  Don't you

want to be happy and relaxed dear?"

     Harrison couldn't move a muscle.  All he could do was groan "no,

no..."   Luther pushed him down on the doctor's bed.  Satin took the

razor and grinned like the monster he was inside.  "Now, keep the gun on

him just in case, but get back a little...this job's for a professional."

Harrison's  eyes stared out in frozen horror as he felt Rose loosening

his clothing.  He wanted to scream but only managed to whimper sadly

like a little whipped child.  "Hurry up Rose, I ain't got all night,"

Dr Satan demanded.  "It'll only take a minute Doctor."

     The words hadn't much more than left the fat woman's mouth when

an unbelievably loud explosion rocked the old house right up to its

rickety ancient rafters.  The lights went out immediately, they'd been

shot out! Somebody had fired a shotgun into the room and doused the

world with blackness.

     The sudden explosion yanked Harrison back into complete command

of his body and mind.  Instinctively he dove out of the bed towards

the back wall of the room.  Chaos had broken out, quickly he heard

shouts, frantic commands, and several more shots.  Two or three bullets

struck the boards just over the detective's head.  Splinters showered his

face as several more shots were directed towards the window.  Everyone

was obviously firing blindly and Harrison grabbed for the five shot,

.32 calibre snub nose he carried in a special holster behind his

knee.  As soon as he cleared the weapon, he began peppering the

room with lead.  He fired all five shots as soon as he could pull

the trigger, trying for the areas where the three assailants had

been standing at last sight.  There were more shouts, then a man's

scream soon followed by a pronounced thud.  Harrison dropped the .32

and drew his knife.  Things got quiet awfully quick.  The only sound

the detective could hear was a slight creaking of boards as if an

unknown someone was slowly slinking away.

     Harrison dimly recalled seeing a flashlight on the nightstand

beside the phony doctor's bed.  As quietly as possible he fumbled

in the dark until he felt the object at his fingertips.  He flipped

it on to find a room filled with smoke and overturned furniture. 

Rose lay on her back with chubby arms spread wide. The bullet had 

entered just below her left eye and exited the back of her head.

She was good and dead.  Her eyes were open and he glanced once then

quickly away.  Some vague tendrils of the witch's power still

clung to him though they were fading fast.

     Luther was on his knees with his arms around his stomach. 

He'd been gutshot.  He was breathing heavily and barely seemed

aware of his surrounding.  Harrison glimpsed the straight razor

and felt tempted to put it to good use, but there wasn't time.

Instead,  he raised a heavy chair and brought it down on Luther's

head with all the force he could muster.  Following that crash

the back door suddenly slammed.  Harrison cursed, "no way in

hell I'm letting that filth Satin get away!"

     He raced through the house and crashed through the backdoor.

At first he couldn't see a thing but then he caught a glimpse of

the white labcoat vanishing into a stand of timber scattered beneath

a large hill.  "Good mister, putting that coat on is gonna be one

of your last mistakes."  Harrison sprinted after the doctor and

covered the ground to the trees in seconds.  He got another quick

look at the white object racing through the trees and pumped his

powerful thews even harder.  Now it was becoming fairly easy to

track the Dr who was slowing some, obviously being in no shape

to run far.  However, just when the big man appeared seconds from

overtaking his prey, the Doctor seemed to disappear.

     Harrison had not had an easy time chasing the man in the

dark but now he was really puzzled.  He couldn't hear anyone

running and it obviously Dr Satin had found a hiding place...but

where?  The detective had no intention of waiting until daylight

to finish this.  Nothing was nothing left to do but utilize the

dim beam of the flashlight to make a careful search of the immediate

area.  One thing was certain, the Doctor had to be close because

nothing could move in the dark without making at least a little

racket. 

     The big man paced back and forth, growing more frustrated

by the second.  He couldn't accept that somehow he'd been out-

smarted at this stage of the game.  Harrison had come to far,

risked to much to be defeated now.  However, it appeared reality

had other ideas.  Harrison began cursing under his breath when

the flashlight's glow briefly settled on something of interest.

It was an old silver mine.  Securely positioned double doors held

fast by a large iron lock stoically forbade entry.  He searched

the area and found a large stone that he utilized to hammer

the lock into pulp.  He nearly ripped the double doors off their

rusty hinges before stomping through.  A doubting voice in his

head whispered that this might be a dead end, that the Doctor

had tricked him and now he was somewhere safe laughing his

head off at the big stupid detective.  Still, Harrison had a

hunch that he was on the right track.  Besides, a man couldn't

just disappear into thin air. Could he?

     He worked his way as rapidly as possible through the winding

passageway.  After about five minutes he reached a spot where

the main tunnel branched into three.  Harrison took the one at the

right and followed it about 150 feet to a dead end.  Quickly

backtracking, he continued to follow the primary tunnel that loomed

straight ahead.  He passed two or three other tunnels but stayed

the course.  He shook off the sinking feeling that this place

was a maze, that a man could wander about for days.  After

trailing the main passage for about 300 yards his persistence was

rewarded.  Dead ahead a dim light beckoned him invitingly.  It

was almost to easy.  Then again, maybe the Doctor had figured

no man would be fool enough to enter the mine alone in the

dead of night?  Harrison doused the flashlight and continued on

by feeling his way down the damp tunnel.

     It was slow going without the flashlight but that was a very

minor irritant compared to the horrible stench that assaulted the

detective's nostrils.  Whatever lay up ahead, it smelled damned

bad.  The awful odor was part offal, part wet fur, and all animal.

It seemed likely that the Doctor kept dogs somewhere, smelly dogs

at that.  That would be a good way to guard his hideout and

cheaper than hiring men.  But then again, where in hell were

they and what would he do if they did show up?  In his haste,

he'd left all the firearms behind.  Now he had his knife in one

hand and the big rock he'd used to smash the lock in the other. 

He paused for just a moment, then grimaced and forged ahead. Maybe

it was a damned fool thing to do but he had a lot less patience

than sense.  Besides, he'd made it though tougher situatins with

nothing but bare fists.

     It took a lot longer to reach the lighted area than he had

originally figured.  Finally he got close enough to see that the

source of the illumination was a coal oil lamp placed on a crude

wooden table.  The table also played host to a half empty bottle

of whiskey and a leather strap.  Harrison's blue eyes narrowed

and he entered the fairly large sized room. 

     To his left he discovered good sized steel cage. The detective

expected to see dogs there, quiet dogs, but he was startled

to find it held a woman instead.  She was dirty, her clothes in

tatters, and her long hair hung matted and damp.  Her face was

smeared with dirt and something that must certainly be blood.

Thick white streaks led from her eyes down across her cheeks.

The girl had obviously spent a lot of time crying.  Harrison's

eyes flew open wide as his brain grasped the situation in its

entireity.  "Damn miss, you're Susan Winters aren't you?"

     At first he didn't think she was going to reply or maybe she

was to dazed to speak.  However, she pulled herself up wearily

against the bars of the cage and murmered softly.  "I am Susan

Winters...I suppose you're one of Dr Satin's new employees then?"

     Harrison shook his head vigorously, "hell no miss! My name is

Steve Harrison and your brother sent me here to find you."

     The woman's eyes glimmered with hope and she was about to

speak again when, in the not so far distance, a loud bellowing

roar crashed through the cavernous mine.  The enclosed area

only amplified the awful, shattering howling. Whatever had made

such a frightful commotion was obviously damned big.

     Susan Winter's expressin turned to horror, "We've got to get

out of here quick....Juloonga is on the loose.  Hurry!  Please

before it's to late, get me out of here!"  She was was literally

shouting.  "I plan to do just that," the detective replied with

confidence.  The girl wasn't much calmed by his assurance though.

Instead she urged him on with pleading shouts while the big man

hammered at the much tougher, and newer, steel lock that held the

cage door closed like a vise.  "This thing is plenty stubborn, give

me a minute..."

     Susan screamed, "we don't have a minute...just run, run for your

life, Juloonga is here...RUN Mr, it has developed a taste for human

flesh!"

     Harrison jumped back just as another, much closer roar

assailed his ears with deafening effect.  A huge ape, half starved

but still nearly five hundred pounds heavy, charged into the room

with red, bloodshot eyes that glared grotesquely at the detective

with unbridled rage. 

     The detective barely had time to raise the stone and send it

crashing into the horrible beast's right eye before the thing hoisted

him off his feet and sent him sailing a good twelve feet through the

air where the stunned man crashed heavily against the rock solid

wall of the mine.  He tried to rise but his head was in a fog and his

body had turned into jelly.  The ape hesitated to wipe bood from

its eye before approaching the wounded Harrison, moving deliberately

with a small measure of caution.  The thing sensed the man was in bad

shape and pounded its mighty chest at the easily won victory.  At

last it leaned over to gather the man in those great hairy arms but

the detective wasn't quite done yet.  With his last remaining reserve

of strength, the embattled human thrust upward and buried his knife

to the hilt in the great monster's hairy chest. 

     The ape bellowed with pain but otherwise seemed unaffected.

Perhaps the thing's many layers of muscle were to thick to allow

the blade access to any vital organs.  Harrison knew he was

doomed but he felt blindly for something, another rock, anything

that would allow him go down fighting.  There was nothing.

    The ape hoisted him again and flung him back down with force,

although it was significantly less force than before.  It didn't

much matter to the detective who was now unconscious and groaning

in a battered heap.  He had suffered cracked ribs and a cheekbone

fracture but no major broken bones as yet.  However, one more

toss while he was totally helpless would seal the deal.  The ape

moved more slowly though.  It looked puzzled and grasped the

thing in the center of its great chest that gave him pain.  He yanked

the blade free causings thick jets of dark blood to burst forth

from the ape's body like a fresh spring.  The monster bellowed

again with rage and bewilderment.  It took a step and staggered

wearily.  Another step followed and the creature almost toppled.

Finally it sat down heavily and began a sort of pathetic whimper.

     Harrison regained a semi state of consciousness just in time

to see the great ape roll over on its back and begin its death

throes.  The big man wiped the blood from his eyes and struggled

to recall what had happened to the gorilla: his thoughts dull, past

remembering that he had stabbed the thing.  For all he knew the

damned creature had been shot by someone?

     Through a thick fog Harrison heard the pleading of a strangely

familiar female voice, "can you hear me Mr, we've got to get out

of here...try to get on your feet.  You have to if you want to live,

can you hear me?"

     Harrison nodded and gamely tried to stand.  This was tougher

than he'd figured.  The room was spinning around, and the effects

of the stench mixed with all the blood made him loose his last

meal.  He did manage to get up on all fours and painfull retch

the final contents of his stomach.  It seemed best under the current

circumstances to just try to sit a spell and pull himself together.

He could just make out the blurred image of the girl's face.  Then

he heard her whisper,"oh no...no."

     A shadowy figure had entered the slowly clearing line of the

detective's vision.  It was the police chief and he had a gun in

his hand.  "You look like hell Harrison," the cop declared.

     "I've been through hell and more but I'm damned glad to see

you," Harrison grunted and spat blood.

     "Get out of the way Rollins," a sinister voice growled. "I want

to finish this bastard myself if you don't mind.  Besides, why

should I let you in on the fun, it took you long enough get here."

     "Sorry Doc, I had to get dressed before rushing out."

     "Nevermind that now you idiot, just get out of the way."

     The sight of that big .45 automatic pointed straight between

his eyes did wonders for clearing Harrison's head.  The detective

knew he was beat but he wasn't scared in the least.  He had done

his level best and that was all any man could do.  He mostly felt

sorry for the poor girl, and the people of Nobles.  He sat there

and stared down the sneering pair who had him covered.  Susan

Winters kept right on pleading for his life all along.  No one

payed her much mind until she suddenly stopped and elicited a

startled gasp.  Even the doctor looked over his shoulder to see

what was up.  "What in hell!" the man shouted.

     A woman had entered the room, only she wasn't a normal woman.

Her skin was ashen like concrete and her skin looked diseased and

appeared to be decaying, even worm eaten.  Her hair was filthy

and caked with fresh dirt.  Where her eyes should have been there

were only black sunken holes with a bit of bluish light flickering

from some place within deep black sockets.  Her lips were gone,

drawn back and away from her teeth which were left exposed in some

kind of frightful, feral smirk.  Her dress appeared to have been

soaked in mud and she limped along with only one shoe.

     "My God!" Rollins screamed and fired several times.  The bullets

ripped through the front of the ghastly thing's body but no blood

seeped forth, only the sound of escaping, foul smelling gasses.

     The thing ignored Rollins and lurked straight for Dr Satin.

Rollins screamed again and took off at a dead run before crashing

into the unforgivng stone of the tunnel wall and collapsing like

some suddenly deflated tire.

     Dr Satin was apparently frozen. Susan Winters cowered in

the back of her cage while the dumbfounded Harrison sweated and

clawed to gain his feet despite woobly legs that simply wouldn't

co-operate. Finally he fell back again, trying to gather strength.

for one more effort.

     Dr Satin dropped his useless pistol and it made a clanking

noise as the iron bounced against solid stone.  "I...I know you! 

"You were one of my patients and you're...you're dead...DEAD!"

The horrible apparition said nothing but seemed to nod ever so

slightly.  Then slowly it put its arms around the neck of the

petrified doctor and pulled him close to its rancid bosom. Harrison

watched the Dr's eyes as the horrific embrace lasted for what

seemed like an eternity.  Then the thing yanked the doctor's head

back by his longish, unkempt hair.  Without another moment's delay

it sank sharp yellow teeth into the man's throat and ripped out a

huge chunk of flesh.  Bood gushed and the doctor gurgled but the

bloody embrace continued.  At last the thing released the body

of the man and the late Doctor's cadaver crumpled to the ground. 

     The hideous creature did not look down. It stood unmoving for

almost a minute as if it was confused.  Then it sighed sadly and

collapsed beside the doctor's corpse.  The two of them lay side

by side as still as death could make them.

     "Please, please, please...."  It was Susan Winters who broke the

dreadful silence.  "The key is in the Doctor's pocket.  Just toss it

to me and I'll do the rest...can you hear me Mr. Harrison?

     The big man nodded, "loud and clear sister, loud and clear."

     Steve Harrison, as tough as they came, only needed a couple

days of rest and liquor before he was past ready to move on.  He

and Susan climbed into the coup which locals had washed, waxed, and

gassed up.  A small crowd gathered around to wish them well.  Harrison

reckoned the town would recover in time, maybe even come roaring

back better than ever now that the spectre of death was gone.  The

new police chief closed the door for Susan Winters who looked an 

awfully pretty sight all cleaned up and wearing a new dress and hat. 

The detective started the engine and pulled away with a slight,

backwards wave of his big meaty hand.

     There was one more stop he needed to make before getting

gone for good.  Norvine sat under his shade tree and smiled

when the big man got out and walked up to say hello and goodbye.

They passed pleasantries for a minute, then Harrison turned a

little serious.

     "I reckon that was you that shot the lights out back at the

clinic the other night?"

     "You reckon right Mr Harrison, I figured you was a man that

wouldn't hesitate when you got the scent.  'Course I already

knowed where the trail ended."

     Harrison nodded and wiped some sweat off his forehead with

his arm.  "You helped me out a lot...but why?  Why stick your

neck out for a complete stranger and a white girl you barely knew?"

     Norvine just smiled and rubbed his big scarred hands together.

"Ever hear of a colored girl named Celia Pompoloi?" he asked.

     "Well yeah, I got her out of a tight spot a few years back while

I was out chasing a chinese murderer down in swamp country."

     Norvine smiled again, "you see, she told me all about you a

long while back when she came for a little visit.  I'm her father

you know.  I also knew you'd show up here some day...I have

a talent for knowing things like that I reckon.  Anyhow, I wanted

the town to be rid of Dr Satan and Miss Rose.  These parts just

ain't big enough for the likes of them...and me."

     The big detective shook his head,"well, I'll be damned...Celia

Pompoloi huh?  She was quite a woman.  Something else I was kind

of curious about.  That thing that killed Dr Satin, I'm guessing

that was one of the bodies that you helped dispose of?"

     The old man chuckled and scratched the back of his neck, "now

I wasn't down in that mine with y'all.  Can't say that I know a

danged thing about what happened down there, 'cept that you and

Miss Winters came out alive and Dr Satin came out good and dead."

      Harrison felt a cool chill run down the back of his spine. 

He quickly thanked Norvine again and gave him a fresh bottle of

booze.  He returned to the car and climbed in quickly.

     As they pulled away the big detective turned to the beautiful

blonde beside him.  "I've been some tough places and some real

strange places but hang me, if I never pass this way again, it will

be a thousand years to soon."

     "Ain't it the truth good lookin'," Susan replied before placing

her hand on the big man's knee as his foot jammed down hard on

the accelerator.