P. F. Costello

“ Joe Emerald was waiting in line with a hundred other men to check with the unemployment bureau. One of the men had a portable radio, and although he had it tuned so low that only he could hear it, his shout was something everybody could hear.
"The President!" he choked. "Somebody's shot the President!"
He turned up the volume, and for a few stunned moments Joe listened to the excited voice of the announcer blurting out a complete lack of details other than a variety of ways of expressing the single detail that he did have—that the President had been shot.
"That's a crime!" ”

“ Joe leaped forward and grabbed her.
"Stop!" he yelled. "Do you want to knock your mother out?"
Pearl froze in his grasp, and complete silence settled over the kitchen. Except for Jimmy. He was eyeing the young man brandishing the crucifix. "Daddy was right," he said. "You don't have red horns, Mister."
He turned to his grandmother. "But Grandma does!" he said triumphantly.
Pearl moaned and slumped to the floor in a faint.
"Yes, son," said the young man, advancing toward the older woman. "He's got horns, all right! He's the Devil. But I won't have any Devil in my house!" ”

“ His voice was shaking.
"A mouse? With a gun. Are you crazy?"
"Come on down and take a look," said Joe.
Pearl descended the stairs hesitantly, the snow shovel held at the ready, her eyes averted from the wall where the Devil was chained. "I don't see any mouse," she said. "Where is it?"
"Chained to the wall," said Joe.
"Chained...." Pearl looked toward the Devil and her mouth dropped open. Then she shrieked. "He's dead!" she cried out. "You've shot him."
"He's dead all right," said Joe. "But that isn't the Devil—only his body. He's traded bodies with a mouse, and he's escaped. ”

“ Such a thing might be just the key to bring back his memory."
"But won't he remember, anyway, just as soon as he gets to putting things together, when he gets back to where the young man has his home and friends?" asked Dad.
"Why should he? The stimulus of his name, his family, his home should only serve to add to his subconscious memories as the young man. He now has the brain and body of a man who has lost his memory. The Devil can't remember anything but what's already in the young man's mind. If his own memory is never stirred, the chances are he will never realize his true identity. ”

“ He had horns growing out of his head."
"I didn't see any horns," said Joe.
"He did too have horns," said Jimmy. "I didn't like him, and I'm glad you got away from him. But now I'm hungry."
"I'm glad too, son," said Joe. He licked his lips. "But it must have been that man's hair that looked like horns. He didn't really have any."
"When are we going to get to a restaurant?" inquired Jimmy impatiently. "I'm awful hungry!"
Pearl laid a hand on Joe's arm. "Don't press it, Joe. Sometimes children see things grownups can't. Let him forget it." ”

“ She handed it to him.
"You going to tie me up?" asked the young man in dazed tones. "What's going on here?"
"I believe he's got amnesia from hitting his head on the refrigerator," said Pearl.
Joe looked undecided. "You don't remember who you are?" he asked.
The young man shook his head. "I don't remember a thing. All I know is that I'm lying here and you two are apparently bent on strangling me. Can you tell me why?"
"I can tell you why, but if you've got amnesia, I don't think I should. In fact, if you aren't faking, you'll never know why, believe me!"
"Joe," said Pearl. "I think he's gone." ”

“ It's the Devil. He's chained up in our basement, and he can't go around stirring up trouble! That's why there isn't any crime going on! Crime has taken a holiday while the Devil is chained up. Oh, Joe, isn't it wonderful! ”

“ He turned to stare at Pearl, and his gaze became penetrating.
Joe took another step forward, his face livid, but the Devil waved an arm, and Joe stood rooted to the spot, overcome by a strange paralysis.
Pearl went white. "No ..." she gasped.
"But, yes," said the Devil. "I have frequently been a beautiful woman, but I must admit, never one quite so beautiful. I believe I will enjoy using your body for the next twenty or thirty years. Believe me, I'll take good care of it. It won't grow old and fade as it would if you were using it. ”

“ If you're not to get any more clients, you might as well quit being a private detective and look for something else to do."
"I'll have to," said Joe. "Our bank account won't last that long if we have to tap it each month for all our living expenses, that's sure! And we've got to keep up our payments on the mortgage, or we'll lose the house."
"We can't let that happen!" exclaimed Pearl. "If anybody ever goes down in that basement, the Devil will be loose again, and he'll be awful mad. The world would take a real beating...." ”

“ The whole thing is an ecclesiastical calumny."
"A what?"
"A dirty lie."
"You should talk!" exclaimed Joe.
"You don't seem to question my identity," observed the creature. "Most people think the devil is human. Merely a case of identifying themselves with a superior being, I assure you."
"If you're so superior, what are you doing in my basement?"
"I came down here to direct a crime wave—the most ambitious I've attempted in years. This is a very corrupt town, you know."
"How right you are," agreed Joe. "But why from my basement?"
"What better place than the home of a private detective? ”

“ Mankind is cussed enough in his own right, and even with the Devil suffering from amnesia, I feel sure there'll be plenty of trouble going on."
"But not quite as much," said Joe, looking at Dad. "With one less evil companion, things should be a mite better, don't you think?"
"Your logic," said Dad, "is unassailable."
Pearl looked thoughtful. "What if the young man meets a girl, falls in love, and she him, and marries her? She'd be married to the Devil, in actuality."
Dad grinned at her. "It wouldn't be the first young man to be reformed. ”

“ It's just possible they won't need the Devil to suggest anything."
"But that's impossible," said Pearl, wide-eyed. "The Devil's responsible for all such things. With him out of action, people would never think of crime."
"Wouldn't they?" asked Joe. "Is it a crime to eat?"
"No...." Pearl hesitated. "I guess it isn't. And I think if it got to the point where I couldn't put a meal on the table for Jimmy and Sally, I'd probably put a different interpretation on borrowing a few potatoes from old MacDonald's potato field."
"I wonder if the Devil's reputation is entirely deserved?" said Joe. ”

“ He will gradually take on the only one handy, that of the young man, and he might well turn out to be a model citizen!"
"So that's what you mean by him being an amnesiac for a thousand years?" asked Dad.
"Yes. The Bible says the Devil will be bound for a thousand years, cast into a pit. Must we take that literally? Can't the binding be a mental one, and can't the pit be amnesia?"
"It could be," said Mother suddenly. "Even hell, I believe, is a state of mind."
Pearl started. "Does that mean that now we'll have no more crime on earth, no more evil?" ”

“ The Devil traded places originally with a mouse, and then traded places with this young man. But the mouse was dead, so the mouse's body was empty of a mouse, if I make myself clear. Thus, the mouse is still the young man, and always will be. The Devil will be the young man, because his own body is dead. That is, he'll be the young man until he recovers his memory, if he ever does, and then he could be anybody. I hope it never happens."
"How can you be absolutely sure all this is a fact?" asked Pearl.
"Jimmy told me," grinned Joe. ”

“ I do believe it's true—the Devil is completely helpless to spread his evil influence outside our basement."
"I guess you're right," admitted Joe. "I've felt the same thing—that feeling of there being nothing to worry about. I even trust the other guy when he's coming up behind me on the road, not to try to pass on a hill or a curve. He doesn't even blow his horn when you miss the red light changing to green. Everything's sweetness and light."
"Well," said Pearl, "there's only one answer that I can see." ”

“ I've heard of certain rites and chants to exorcise devils. They must have one for Satan himself!"
"When we get to the next town, I'll call Mother," said Pearl, "and you go to the parish house and talk to the priest. Maybe there's something he can do to help us be prepared. We might need that help even tonight. I keep feeling that there is a way the Devil knows things, and that he'd know where to find us when he wants to." ”

“ What's got into you?"
"Maybe it's Joe," said Mother. "He appreciates kidding, don't you, Joe?"
"Sometimes," said Joe, looking at her sharply. There was no twinkle in her eye. "But I didn't know you could do it with such a straight face?"
"Don't see why not," she said. She turned back to the sink. "Do you kids want some ice cream in your melons?"
"In the morning, for breakfast?" asked Pearl.
"Dad will eat ice cream any time," she said, "and as long as he'll be having some, we might as well all do the same. These melons are delicious that way, and who cares what time of day it is?" ”

“ The memory of it is rather pleasant."
"To you, perhaps," said Dad, "but not to me, I've put all that behind me, and if I had it to do over again...."
"I know," said the young man, getting to his feet. "Women are always reforming men, and ruining them for my purposes. But that's past now, and I lost that game. Right now I've got a grudge to settle."
Pearl's mother uttered a low moan and rushed over and huddled close to her husband. He put a protective arm around her shoulder.
The Devil turned to Joe. "What makes you think I intend killing you both?" he asked. ”

“ Behind them was a new 1957 Mercury, and at the wheel was a hatless, black-haired man who seemed intent on the back of Joe's car. The man was alone in the Mercury.
"We're going pretty fast," said Joe. "Just because he's been behind us awhile doesn't mean he's following us. Now don't get to thinking every car is following us, and the Devil's behind every tree, waiting to spring out on us." ”

“ We're leaving the city as fast as the car can take us. We'll go up to the country to your mother's. Maybe the Devil won't know where to find us. And maybe, in the body of a mouse, he won't be able to."
"But he won't be in the body of a mouse," said Pearl. "He'd change that almost the minute he got out of the house. No telling who's the Devil now!"
"You're right," said Joe. "All the more reason to get out of here quick. Go find the kids, while I throw our clothes in the car."
Pearl dropped the snow shovel and raced out of the basement. ”

“ A team of scientists, diplomats and military men selected by the U. N. flew in, and the Russians showed them everything. Russian scientists, statesmen and military men are already on their way here to inspect our installations."
"It looks like, with the Devil tied up downstairs, this old world is headed for peace at last," said Joe.
"I'm so happy!" exclaimed Pearl. She looked at Joe closely. "Aren't you?"
He nodded. "Of course. But I'm a little worried, that's all."
"About what?"
"Finding a job isn't going to be easy. ”

“ Now show us where we sleep, and we'll let you get back into your comfy bed."
"You'll sleep in our bed, and Dad and I will take the couch and the davenport."
"Oh, no," protested Joe. "Pearl and I can sleep on the couch and davenport. No use you giving up your bed. Besides Dad doesn't like those broken springs on the couch ... do you, Dad?"
His father-in-law grinned. "Of course not, son. But you are dealing with your mother-in-law, and there's no arguing. For thirty years she has made a practice of making herself—and me—uncomfortable when the kids come home. ”

“ But in a human body, he might be subject to some limitations. Let's hope clairvoyance is one of the things he won't be able to exercise to full effect."
"You're whistling in the dark," said Pearl.
Joe didn't answer her. He was looking at some headlights coming up behind them. For several miles he watched them, then breathed in relief as they turned off. At least the Devil hadn't found them yet.
They came to a small town soon, and stopped at a filling station across from a church. Pearl used the phone while Joe had the car gassed up. ”

“ I can't seem to remember a thing."
"Don't believe him, son," said Dad. "He's trying to pull a fast one."
Joe looked at Pearl's father in startlement. "You've been looking at him ..." his voice trailed off.
Pearl came over and looked, too. "He ... doesn't look like the Devil," she said hesitantly.
"I feel like the devil," said the young man. "And you two are sure hard on my arms. They're getting numb."
Joe eased up, then slid his knees off to the floor, "I guess I can hold him if he tries anything, Dad. You can get off him now." ”

“ The United States and Russia have agreed to scrap all armaments, disarm all the atom bombs, stop making them, and put in a foolproof system of inspection that will make it impossible for anybody in the world to make another atom bomb, or a missile, or even a bomber. ”