They drove on a few minutes in silence, then Pearl said, "The Devil's in a very unusual position."
"How so?"
"Well, if you actually killed his real body while he was out of it, then I presume it's useless to him any more."
"I suppose it is," conceded Joe.
"Then he'll have to continue to use the bodies of other people, or of other—things."
"Won't change things any," observed Joe. "He used other people's bodies at will anyway. At least that's what he inferred when he talked about hypnotizing me and using my body. Now he'll just have to do it all the time. Nobody knew when he was among them before, and that hasn't changed."
"The point is, he hasn't any body of his own, any more. If it were me, I'd be very much disturbed and put out about it. And I'd be determined to get even. Joe, we're running away now, and we've eluded him for now, but how can we do it all our lives? Sooner or later he'll find us, and we'll have to live in fear of that moment at all times. I don't think I can face the prospect."
"But now you are jumping to conclusions," argued Joe. "How do you know he can find us? Does he even know our names?"
"I ... I don't think so," confessed Pearl. "We never mentioned it—but didn't you say he knew you were a private detective, and that's why he selected you as his base of operations for whatever it was he wanted to stir up in our town?"
"Yes, he did," admitted Joe. "So I'll grant you, it is most likely that he does know our name. So we can change it."