The Revelation Room (The Ben Whittle Investigation Series Book 1) (9 page)

Ebb studied Ben for a few seconds. And then: ‘Please refrain
from such banal responses. “Huh” is not an answer.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Sorry, Father,’ Alice corrected.

Ebb put his mug down on the table. ‘What’s your indulgence,
Benjamin? Alcohol? Cream? Pork?’

‘I like sugar,’ Ben blurted.

Ebb regarded him as if he’d just admitted to liking murder.
‘Sugar is the Devil’s dust.’

‘Amen,’ Alice agreed.

‘The Devil sprinkles it like fairy dust. But what are his
motives?’

Sweat trickled down Ben’s back. The coarse material of the
overalls rubbed against his skin. He wanted to tell Ebb  that he suffered
from eczema. That his mother had to rub cream into his back sometimes. That the
itching drove him mad when it flared up. But Ebb would probably attribute the
eczema to his western indulgences and tell him that a radical change of diet
would clear up his skin.

Ebb continued: ‘His motives are simple. He wants to weigh us
down. He wants to turn us into slugs, slithering in the slime of our own
excesses.’

Alice bowed her head. ‘We shall not succumb.’

Ebb banged the table. The loose flesh around his chin
rippled. ‘We must resist temptation.’

‘I can do without sugar,’ Ben said, afraid that he was about
to be carted away and flogged to within an inch of his waistline for daring to
like two sugars in his tea.

Ebb held up a hand. ‘The Devil stands behind the counter of
every single outlet in every single town and city. It is our duty to stand
against him.’

Alice crossed herself. ‘We shall not be tempted, Father.’

‘From the bakery to the burger bar, he peddles his filth.’

‘But we see him, Father.’

Ebb nodded. ‘Oh, yes; we see him and we smell him, Sister
Alice. He is mustard gas on a succulent beef sandwich.’

Alice pushed her glasses up her nose and sniffed. She didn’t
seem to have a response to Ebb’s somewhat cryptic statement.

Ebb continued on less confusing ground. ‘But we will flush
him out. Flush him out and send him to burn in the pits of Hell for all
eternity.’

Alice seemed more comfortable with this. ‘Amen.’

Ebb dabbed his face with a sodden handkerchief. ‘Sit back
down, Benjamin.’

As Ben sat down, his knee cracked and almost spilled him to
the floor.

Ebb studied him. ‘Are you all right, Pixie-pea?’

Ben looked at Maddie.

Maddie shrugged. A tiny, barely discernible movement of her
shoulders.

‘Yes, Father,’ Ben lied. ‘I’m fine.’

Ebb turned to Alice. ‘Gather the troops. It’s time to
introduce everyone.’

Alice stood up and bowed.

‘Brother Bubba’s in the barn. I told Brother Marcus to tell
him to come in, but Brother Marcus can be inclined to grow moss on his brain.
Give him a nudge.’

‘Yes, Father. Right away.’

Dressed in bright yellow overalls,
The Sons and Daughters of Salvation filed into the kitchen one at a time and
sat at the huge pine table. Ben looked at the two women sitting either side of
Sister Alice. Neither bore any resemblance to the photograph of Emily Hunt.

Shit, shit, shit,
Ben’s mind chanted, like a mantra.

With everyone settled, Ebb stood up at the head of the table
and clasped his hands in front of him. ‘Thank you, one and all, for coming. I’d
like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Benjamin and Madeline. They
will be joining us for the journey.’

There was a smattering of greetings and polite smiles.

Ebb addressed Ben and Maddie. ‘You’ve already met Brother
Marcus. Brother Tweezer will join us as soon as he’s freshened up.’ He then
gestured towards the tall guy who’d been working in the barn. ‘This is Bubba.’

Ben wondered why on earth the man was called “Bubba”. There
was a sadness in his pale blue eyes. His thinning grey hair was combed back and
his face looked like tanned leather. He reminded Ben of a loyal dog who’d been
on the receiving end of a boot too many times.

Ebb made the sign of the cross. ‘Bubba doesn’t speak. But
he’s a good and loyal servant of The Sons and Daughters of Salvation.’

Bubba bowed his head and looked at the table.

Why doesn’t he speak
? Ben wondered.

Ebb smiled at Ben. ‘The girls will introduce themselves to
you in due course once Brother Tweezer arrives. Please stand up and tell the
group a bit about yourself.’  

Ben stood up and held onto the table for support. Every
muscle in his body ached. He looked at the two women sitting either side of
Alice. ‘I’m Ben,’ he managed, as all cohesive thought abandoned his head. What
was he supposed to say?
I’m here to rescue my father if you haven’t killed
him already?   

An uneasy silence fell across the room, broken by the
ticking of a china clock on the wall above the sink.

Ebb formed a steeple with his fingers and cocked his head to
one side. ‘Tell the group why you’re here, Benjamin.’

Ben saw that shadow lurking in Ebb’s eyes again. And then it
was gone. ‘I want to do something positive. I don’t like what the world has
become.’

Ebb clapped his hands together. ‘Amen to that.’

‘Amen,’ the group agreed.

Encouraged, Ben added that he wanted to lead a positive life
and make a real difference to the world.

‘How do you propose to make a difference?’ Ebb asked.

‘By doing the right thing, Father.’

‘You can only do the right thing by opening your heart to
Jesus, Benjamin. Are you willing to open your heart to Jesus?’

‘Yes, Father,’ Ben lied.

Ebb nodded, like a triumphant gladiator acknowledging the
roar of the crowd. ‘Sit down, Benjamin. It’s clear that your intentions are
good. We shall see later whether or not they are genuine.’

A chill passed through Ben’s stomach.

Ebb turned to Maddie. ‘Please introduce yourself to the
group.’

Maddie stood up and treated everyone to a smile that never
failed to make Ben’s heart perform cartwheels. ‘My name is Maddie – Madeline –
and I’m twenty years old. I just want to be given an opportunity. A chance to
do something good. A chance to belong to something that actually means more
than just following the latest trends. I want to be with people who can see
further than the end of their iPhone. I want to live in a world that cares.
Cares about poverty. Cares about making a real difference to real people’s
lives. I’m sick of listening to politicians ranting on about saving the planet
and then dropping bombs on it. I want to be with people who care about the same
things as me. I want to be with people who believe in the power of love instead
of the power of the bullet….’

Ben gawked at Maddie as she trailed off.

Ebb applauded. ‘Amen, Madeline. Amen.’

The rest of the group obliged Maddie with a smattering of
applause.

Maddie looked around the table. ‘Thank you. I just want to
make a difference.’

Ebb grinned, revealing a row of small, even teeth. ‘Thank
you, Madeline. That was a wonderful introductory speech. Please be seated.’

As Maddie sat down, a stocky guy dressed in the obligatory
yellow overalls entered the kitchen. He had shoulder length brown hair and a
goatee beard. He sat down next to Ebb.

Ebb clasped his hands together. ‘Ah, Brother Tweezer. Thank
you for joining us.’

Tweezer inclined his head. ‘Glad to be here, Father.’

Ben couldn’t see one flicker of emotion in Tweezer’s dark
eyes.

Ebb addressed Ben and Maddie: ‘I’d like you to meet Brother
Tweezer. My right-hand man.’

A shiver rolled up Ben’s spine.

‘Brother Tweezer, if you’d be so good as to tell our guests
about yourself.’

Tweezer stood up. ‘Pleased to meet you both. My name’s
Brother Tweezer. I’m forty years old. And before you say it, I know I only look
half that age.’

Polite laughter. Ben wondered if someone was standing just
out of view with a cue-card.

Tweezer held his hands out, palms up. ‘Let me tell you,
brothers and sisters, the Father saved me. I was a sinner, folks. A sinner of
the worst kind. For I killed a man.’

As if on cue, the group mumbled thanks to the Lord for
saving a mortal sinner like Brother Tweezer. Bubba studied the table as if it
was about to reveal the meaning of life to him.

Tweezer looked up at the ceiling. ‘I’m not proud of what I
did. Far from it. I’m ashamed.’

Ebb nodded. ‘We feel your shame, Brother Tweezer. We share
your shame.’

Tweezer rattled on. ‘The motorcycle gang I belonged to give
me a false identity and made me worship a false god.’

Ebb pumped a fist in the air. ‘We condemn all false gods to
the pits of Hell.’

‘After I killed him, I stood over that poor dead soul and
wept like a child. Wept at the senselessness of it all. Feud after feud. The
hatred. The disregard for life. Have you ever hated someone?’ Tweezer asked
Ben.

Ben remembered the other kids at school. ‘Maybe.’

Tweezer looked at Maddie.

‘No.’

‘Then you are lucky. I was cursed by a cruel and vindictive
mind. My ego was like a raging bull.’

‘Hatred is a sin,’ Ebb cried.

‘Hatred is a sin,’ the group chanted.

Tweezer looked at Ben. ‘Did that man deserve to die?’

Ben’s stomach tightened. ‘No.’

Tweezer held his hands out in front of him. ‘Of course he
didn’t. But at the time, my mind was so distorted with hatred, I truly believed
my actions were justified. He took my woman and had his sordid way with her. He
deserved to be skinned alive. Beating him to death with a hammer was too good
for that low-down dog. But after my anger was spent, my heart filled up with
such remorse that I fell to my knees and wept tears upon his dead body.’

‘The sin of vengeance,’ Ebb shouted.

Tweezer agreed. Bubbles of spit formed at the corners of his
mouth. He looked off into the distance. ‘Forgive me, Father, for I have
sinned.’

Ebb closed his eyes. ‘The Lord has forgiven you, Brother Tweezer.’

‘Thank you, Father. I am humbled by the Lord’s love.’

Ebb raised a hand. ‘Praise be.’

‘If I could go back right now and tell that reckless angry
fool to put down his hammer and walk away from violence, then I would. As God
is my judge, I would.’

Ebb reached out and touched Tweezer’s arm. ‘The Lord knows
you would, Brother. The Lord hears you.’

Tweezer took a deep breath and wiped his mouth with the back
of his hand. ‘Sometimes we have to go to the lowest place, folks. Right to the
bottom of the pit. We need to feel the flames of Hell burning our backsides
before we actually wake up and reach out to Jesus.’

‘Satan is the salesman of the broken dream, Pixie-pea,’ Ebb
babbled.

Tweezer nodded. ‘I sold my soul, Father. I made that man
strip naked. And then I beat him to death.’

Ebb made the sign of the cross. ‘The Devil’s dialogue
coerced you, Brother.’

‘But Jesus saved me. Jesus told me to walk away and reject
the ways of Satan.’

‘Jesus loves you,’ Ebb shouted.  

Tweezer agreed. ‘No more gangs. No more violence. No more
retribution. I walked away from a life of sex, drugs and violence. One step at
a time, I learned to walk again. I slept beneath the stars, knowing that Jesus
was watching over me and guiding me towards my destiny.’  

Ebb raised his hands up. ‘Praise Jesus.’

‘And that journey ended right here at Penghilly’s Farm. I
must have walked a thousand miles.’

Ebb nodded. ‘The Lord mapped your path, Brother Tweezer.’

‘A beautiful journey,’ Tweezer concluded.

Ebb smiled. ‘The Lord showed mercy to a wretched soul like
you, Brother. He does not refuse those who seek to change. Those who seek to
obey His ways.’

Tweezer bowed his head. ‘I am blessed, Father. Truly
blessed. I thank Jesus for bringing me here. For giving me the chance to serve
the Lord and lead a valid and worthwhile life.’

Ebb inclined his head towards Tweezer. ‘Thank you, Brother
Tweezer. Thank you. You may be seated.’

The group applauded as Tweezer sat down. Tweezer held his
hands up in a
gee-shucks-it-was-nothing
gesture.   

As the applause died away, Ebb turned to the middle-aged
woman with the short, spiky grey hair and half-rimmed glasses. ‘If you’d be
kind enough to introduce yourself, Sister Alice.’

Alice stood up. ‘I’m Sister Alice and I’m fifty-nine years
old. My journey started soon after I lost my husband seven years ago. Roger was
my life. My rock. My anchor. My heart felt as if it had been ripped out when he
died.’

Ebb bowed his head. ‘We share your loss, Sister Alice.’

‘Thank you, Father. Before poor Roger drowned in a boating
accident, I had the best of everything. Clothes. Shoes. Finest food. Opera.
Theatre.’

‘The sin of opulence.’

Alice agreed. ‘Yes, Father. The sin of opulence of which I
am ashamed. My life was just a bunch of meaningless baubles hanging on a meaningless
Christmas tree.’

Ebb raised a pudgy hand. ‘The decorations of deceit.’

Alice continued. ‘After Roger’s death, I drank heavily. Gin.
Wine. Vodka. Anything that would help. Antidepressants. Painkillers. Within a
couple of years, I was a wreck. Most mornings I couldn’t even be bothered to
get out of bed. My head felt like a swamp. My body was bloated. My eyes were
puffy with black circles beneath them. I let my hair go. I looked how I felt
and felt how I looked. But in some strange way, there was a comfort in my
misery.’

‘It takes courage to live with loss,’ Ebb said.

Alice looked at Ebb. ‘But everything changed the day Father
Edward came to my door spreading the word of Jesus.’

Ebb gave a small smile. ‘Jesus showed me the way to your
door, Sister Alice.’

Tears shimmered in Alice’s eyes. ‘You saved me, Father.’

‘I was a mere conduit, sister. It was Jesus Christ Himself
who came unto me and told me of your need.’

‘I owe my life to you, Father. You and Jesus.’

‘Jesus does not turn a blind eye to those who have lost
their way. He is the light. He is the resurrection.’

‘Praise Jesus,’ Alice shouted.

Ebb stood up and closed his eyes. He took several deep
breaths and raised his hands above him. ‘Jesus is among us now.’

A communal gasp rippled through the kitchen.

Ebb swayed from side to side. ‘Jesus is proud of you, Sister
Alice. He tells me you have surpassed all expectations.’

Sister Alice’s bottom lip trembled. Tears spilled from the
parapets of her eyes. She clutched her hands to her chest. ‘Thank you, Lord.’

‘But there is much work to be done. Jesus wants every single
one of us ready for an arduous journey. We must not fear the path we tread. We
must stand up to Satan and defeat him at every turn.’

‘Praise Jesus,’ the group chanted.

Ebb pursed his lips. ‘Jesus tells me that Satan will come to
us in many forms. He will hide among us and seek to destroy us. We must repel
him. We must be resolute. We must be ready to act against him at all times. We
must beware the Infiltrator.’

‘Beware the Infiltrator,’ Sister Alice echoed.

Ebb strutted up and down the kitchen, his head cocked to one
side, as though deep in conversation. He stopped at the head of the table and
rested his hands on the edge. He looked around the table at each member in
turn. ‘Jesus trusts us. Jesus loves us. Jesus is in our hearts. Praise Jesus.’

‘Praise Jesus,’ the group chanted.

‘Jesus must leave us now, but He wants you all to be assured
that you are blessed with His everlasting love. Praise Jesus.’

‘Praise Jesus,’ the group agreed.

Ebb told Sister Alice to sit down. He then turned to a thin
woman with long dark hair and pale blue eyes. ‘Sister Dixie?’

‘Yes, Father?’

‘If you’d be so kind.’

The woman stood up and smiled. ‘My name is Dixie. I’m
twenty-six years old. Jesus saved me from a life of debauchery and abuse.’

Ebb sat back down. ‘Jesus feels your pain, Sister Dixie.’

Dixie looked around the table. ‘From the age of ten, my
stepfather abused me. Mentally and physically. By the time I was thirteen, that
excuse for a man had taken my virginity. I hated him with all my heart. He
raped my soul.’

Ebb shook his head. ‘Suffer the little children.’

Ben didn’t think the phrase meant what Ebb intended, but he
was in no mood to correct the maniac.

Dixie took a deep breath. ‘I hung about with older kids.
Smoking weed, nicking stuff, bunking school. Nothing too heavy. Just rebelling.
Then I met Jazz. He treated me good. At first.’

Ebb sneered. ‘The seeds of seduction.’

Dixie looked out of the kitchen window as if her terrible
childhood was playing out among the weeds and the brambles. ‘He bought me
things. Nice things. Shoes. Coats. Skirts. Handbags. He called me his princess.
He even bought me a ring and told me we would get married one day. We would
live in a big house with a swimming pool and a Jacuzzi.’