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〃What about them？〃
Moore paused； wondering what to say。 It was madness to think the man would believe him。
〃You found their remains？〃 Schiller asked。 〃I'm prepared to help with the identification； as much as I can。〃
The silence stretched between them； Moore lost in thought and wishing the man sitting opposite had never seen that newspaper item； never e to Coquina。 Finally； he motioned toward the kitchen。 〃If you're hungry I can throw some snapper in a skillet。〃
〃Yes。。。 Danke。 That would be very good。〃
〃Why don't you go on back there；〃 Moore said； 〃and I'll check on Dr。 Thornton。〃 When the German had walked through the hallway Moore went upstairs and found that Jana was still sleeping。 Before going to the kitchen he went outside； closing and latching all the shutters。 He locked the screen door as the darkness rolled slowly across Coquina。 Then he latched the front door； as if he could hold the night back with a single slab of wood。
Twenty
A THIN BEAM of light moved along a pile of empty battery crates； there was a sudden； frantic rustling and squeaking； and Lenny Cochran kicked at one of the crates。 Instantly a small dark shape； then another； burst from the debris and scrambled toward the wharf pilings。 He followed them with the light until they disappeared behind a skiff that had been overturned for keel patching。 Big damn rats everywhere； he thought。 He could hear others moving around the center of the crates。 Probably a nest of the buggers in there； he told himself。 One good fire would sear their asses and clean 'em out。
He turned away from the crates and continued on； moving his flashlight from side to side。 The barnacle…scarred hull of a trawler tied up at the wharfs caught the reflections of the light in the water； he shone the flashlight the length of the boat； then turned away and walked up through the hard…packed sand； stopping every so often to examine other heaps of junk； clusters of barrels； pieces of engines laid out on the ground。 The tin…roofed supply shed was directly ahead； its doors had been hastily repaired and boarded over。 He paused only a moment around the shed before moving toward the far side of the yard； where the sea lapped quietly against the sliding bulkhead of the abandoned naval shelter。
He'd tried to get some of the other men to act as night watchman for Mr。 Langstree； but none of them would have any part of it。 Mason and Percy had whined when he'd asked them； J。R。 had flatly refused to do it； and so had the others。 He couldn't force any of the men to do it； so the job had fallen to him。 He felt guilty about having that boat put into Mr。 Langstree's yard without proper permission anyway； and this was a way to ease his own conscience and get back into Mr。 Langstree's good graces。
He knew exactly what bothered the others； it was the stories they heard； and Boniface's warning about staying away from the yard。 He'd heard the whispers around the bars： Something bad was going on； something nobody wanted to talk about； and it had to do with the damned boat。 The Night Boat； that's what they called it。 It gave him the willies to think about what the two trawler captains had said。 Jumbies； dead souls flying on the wind and ing down at you to go for your eyeballs and tear out your heart。。。
He shivered。 Stop that kind of thinkin'； mon！ he told himself severely。 That only gets a body in trouble！ He felt again for the old skeleton…gripped revolver he'd brought as protection。 He'd only been able to find three shells at home but he figured one would be enough anyway； to scare off anybody who might e to steal more supplies。 Damn； but it's dark out here！ he thought。 No moon； no stars； the smell of a storm building up； mebbe one； two days away at most。
And in another few moments he was at the door of the dark naval shelter。
He moved the light along it； whoever had nailed it up had done a hell of a job。 Nobody was going to be breaking in there tonight。 He looked along the wall； probed with the point of the light down toward the rotten pilings at the seaside and then； satisfied no one was lurking there； started to move quickly toward the other side of the yard。
And then stopped。
Flesh writhed along his spine and at the back of his neck。 His heart was hammering in his chest and he swallowed； trying to shake off the fear。 What the hell was。。。？ He turned； thrusting the flashlight forward as if it were a weapon。
He waited； not daring to breathe； listening for the noise that had sounded like。。。 something。。。 scratching。。。
Something scratching behind that door。
Rats。 Rats caught in there； seeking a way out。
And as he watched he saw the door slowly bulge outward； pushed by a tremendous force。 Wood creaked and whined； then settled back on its frame。 He couldn't move； his mouth opened in a silent scream； the door bulging outward； outward； the noise of nails giving way around timbers； the splitting of wood。。。 Jesus！ The light was shaking in his hand； he couldn't hold it still； and when he drew the gun he couldn't keep that steady either。
The door cried out eerily with the force of whatever was on the other side； with a noise like a pistol shot a split appeared in its center。 A jagged gap grew down the weathered wood。
From the inside a gnarled； misshapen hand emerged； reaching down and snapping away one of the reinforcing timbers。
Cochran stepped back； unable to summon the strength to flee。 He raised the gun and squeezed the trigger； hearing the sound of his own labored breathing loudly in his ears。
But the hammer fell dully upon one of the empty cylinders。
The door shattered in a ripping of wood and nails； a half…dozen claws probed through； tearing a way out。 Cochran tried to lift the gun again； but it seemed too heavy and he knew he couldn't aim it and he had to get away from this place； get to the village； tell them yes the jumbies were real； the evil things had descended upon Coquina。
And it was then that one of the things that had e up through the darkness behind him leaped upon him； its teeth sinking through the back of his neck and crunching on the spinal cord。 Another grasped his left arm and savagely twisted it； ripping it from its socket。 A third clawed at the man's chest in frenzy； broke open the ribs； and tore the heart out like a dripping treasure。
The mander stood apart from the others。 Wilhelm Korrin let them feast； then motioned with a shriveled arm for them to help free their rades。
There was a faint glow in the sky； and Steven Kip was driving toward it。
He had left home in the early evening； leaving Myra with a loaded rifle and telling her to keep the doors and shutters locked。 He'd gone down to his office to get the second rifle and a can of gasoline before patrolling the village。 Now； driving along the harbor； he saw the light over the treetops in the distance； and he knew it was ing from near Boniface's church。 More voodoo？ he asked himself； as he raced through the empty streets。 Damn it to hell！ A large fire blazed in a circle that had been dug out and ringed with red and black painted stones in front of the church。 Kip could see shards of timber； cloth