Thrusting and shuddering, w.i.l.l.y erupted inside Tina. Then he relaxed on top of her.

Somewhere along the line, she had fainted.

Just as well. w.i.l.l.y hadn't liked the way she'd just taken it, never saying a word even when the pain made her twitch and weep.

He pulled out and sat back.

A breeze was blowing through the open door and window, giving him gooseb.u.mps. He got up and shut them both. The handcuffs lay open on the table. He picked them up. Then he turned off the lantern and made his way through the darkness. He found the mattress, got to his knees, reached out and touched Tina. Her skin was hot. From its sticky ridges, he knew he was touching her back. He slid his hand down her rump and down the back of her leg to her ankle.

He cuffed her left ankle. After sitting beside her, he attached the other cuff to his own left ankle. The bracelet was almost too small, but he managed to get it on.

Then he unfolded a blanket and lay back, covering himself. He stared at the dark ceiling.

It had been a great day.

Even if the girl wasn't Marty.

At least Marty got what was coming to her.

He'd scared the s.h.i.t out of her with the noose.

He'd killed her boyfriend. Twice. He grinned. Not every p.r.i.c.k gets to die twice.

He'd f.u.c.ked her. Got her in the mouth, too - almost.

And he'd shot her dead.

That old hollow-point sure made a mess of her back.

He grinned, remembering how she'd been sprawled out in the moonlight, the blood all over her back.

Too bad he'd had to kill her, though.

He'd wanted Marty here, not Tina.

Not that there's anything wrong with Tina.

Except she ain't Marty.

He sighed. Oh, the stuff I would've done to hera

41.

The attendant at the all-night gas station raised his red, chubby face out of a comic book when Marty stepped up to the window. She smiled at him and slipped a five-dollar bill into the trough under the gla.s.s.

*Pump number two,' she said.

He took the bill and nodded.

*Could I ask you something?' she said.

He shrugged.

Before she could start to ask for directions, he frowned and said, *What happened to your face?'

She shrugged. *A guy hit me.'

*Slugged you?'

*Yeah. A few times.'

*Sheesh. He really creamed you.'

*I noticed. I felt it.'

*What'd he wanta do that for?'

*He's just a jerk who likes to hurt people.'

*Does it hurt a whole lot? Your face?'

*Some.'

*Guy must be a real creep.'

*He is.'

*Somebody oughta fix his wagon for him.'

*Somebody plans to. Do you know where Cricket Lake is?'

*Sure. You going there?'

*Not exactly. I'm looking for a place close to Cricket, though. It's a small lake. I don't know its name, if it even has one.'

*We got lakes like that all over the place.'

*This one's just west of Cricket.'

*West?'

*Yeah. It has a dirt road leading to it, and one cabin.'

*Oh, I bet you mean the Dewey place.'

*Maybe.'

*The place that Jason Dewey hid out. A little shack by this lake. Jason Dewey, he hid out therea guess it must've been three summers back.'

Marty shrugged her shoulders.

*You know about Jason Dewey?'

*No, but..

*He's the guy that chopped up that family down Hingston way. You must've heard about it. Made all the news. He hacked up the mother and father and all the kids, two or three kids - and the family parrot.'

*A parrot?'

*Yeah.' He grinned. *He ate the parrot. Wild, huh? A real nutcase.'

*He had a hideout somewhere near Cricket Lake?'

*Sure did.'

*How do I find it?'

He gave her directions, but explained that she should wait for morning. *You ain't gonna find the turn-off in the dark. But if you wanta wait till morning, I'll take you out there myself.'

*I have to go right now.'

He looked disappointed. *You sure you can't wait?' he asked. *Sorry. But I've got a wagon to fix. Thanks for the information.'

*Welcome.'

*Pump number two,' she reminded him.

*Five bucks worth.'

42.

Two miles west of Cricket Lake, Marty swung the car onto a meager dirt road and stopped. Turning sideways in her seat, she reached up and removed the plastic cover from the dome light. Then she twisted the bulb loose. She put the cover and bulb into Jack's glove compartment, then started driving forward.

The road, little more than a couple of wheel ruts, was hard to drive on. It threw the car around as if trying to rip the steering wheel out of her hands. She held on tightly, fighting to keep control.

A rough b.u.mp jolted her teeth together and she bit her tongue. Tears blurred her vision. She didn't dare let go of the wheel, so she tried to blink them away. It didn't work. Tears still blinded her. So she gripped the wheel as hard as possible with her left hand and used her right to rub her eyes clear.

Just then, the road turned.

The car swerved out of the shallow ruts.

She grabbed the wheel and steered along the overgrown center strip, bushes sc.r.a.ping against the right side of the car until she guided the tires again into their twin paths.

She slowed down and took the road more carefully.

Just take it easy. No big hurry. I've got all night.

Just so I get there before morning.

Catch him in his sleep.

If he's there.

G.o.d, I hope he's therea

43.

*Hey,'w.i.l.l.y heard. Something shoved his shoulder. *Hey, wake up.'

*Huh?' he asked. *What?'

*I've got to go,' Tina said.

*What?'

*I've gotta go to the bathroom.'

*s.h.i.t.You gotta go now?'

*I can't help it.'

*s.h.i.t,' he said again. Then he said, *Okay, so I guess we gotta get up. We're cuffed together, case you didn't notice.'

*I noticed.'

Slowly, awkwardly, they both stood up in the darkness. w.i.l.l.y got behind Tina and steered her to the table. There, he turned on the lantern. *Okay, now we go outside.'

*Together?'

*If you think I'm gonna take off the cuffs at this hour, you're outa your f.u.c.king mind. Let's go.'