Page 23 (1/2)

The motorhome and Blazer were parked side by side at the cul-de-sac at the end of Davette’s beautifully sculptured street by three that afternoon But without headlights, they couldn’t see one from the other

"Look at it comin’ dohispered the deputy in a beside him at the far end of the arette It was too damn smoky in there already But every tiet some fresh air, the bloody thunderstorustedly Midsummer, three o’clock in the afternoon, and it was probably no reen!

Ker-plap! went another bolt of lightning, and everyone in the motorhome - which was everyone they had - ju that!" hed

"Well, hell," said Jack at last "I guess there goes today"

"Yeah," agreed Carl, staring out at the stor is: we could’ve blown the whole damn mansion up in this stuff and I don’t think even the next-door neighbors would have heard it" He looked at Davette and sets, I mean," be added

Davette didn’t smile She just looked at the floor between her feet and continued hugging her elbows, her face drawn and tight

She doesn’t like being here, thought Felix

And he wanted to go to her and do so, but

But he didn’t Tooto say, anyway? They were going to do this one way or another, no matter how she felt She was the reason they were here, if anything

"Dammit!" sputtered Jack Crow "I would like to know if they’re here, at least Joplin! Turn that thing on"

"It won’t work," replied Carl

"Why not? Are they busted?"

"You’re trying to read the house, right?"

"Right"

"It won’t reach"

"Because of the storm? It’s only a couple of hundred feet"

Carl shook his head "It’s not the storm It’s the location I could read the house frootta have a sensor on-site"

"You mean already at the house"

Carl nodded "Or in it"

"Now there’s a happy thought," offered Cat

Jack looked at hied "I wish I had a shower cap," he said and began stripping off his chain ?" Carl asked hi in An outside ould be close enough, wouldn’t it?"

Felix thought this was crazy But he only said, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Well, I’m sure," declared Joplin "It’s a shitty idea" He looked square at Cat "It’s also even stupider than your usual"

"Look, Carl," urged Jack "It’s just ait in the bushes or so it in and Catting it out"

And he smiled

And Carl Joplin all but erupted "Bullshit!" he bellowed "Bullshit! It’s been dark for what? Two hours already"

"Yeah, but - " Cat tried

"’Yeah, but - ’ shit! You sit your butt back down or I’ll dribble you from one end of this trailer to the other!"

And he stood over Cat, huffing and puffing, his arot very quiet until Cat spoke, in a s

Carl nodded fir

Then he noticed everyone watching hiry

"Weat Felix’s bar, that Antwar place?"

Jack nodded

Carl turned to Felix "You sure you got enough room?"

"I’m sure"

"Fine!" barked Carl He looked around at the others "Fine," he repeated "I’ll et some more bullets for the Gunman and a suit for the kid" He nodded toward Deputy Tho to think of sorabbed up the Blazer keys and stomped out into the rain

They could just hear the Blazer’s engine start over the storet it," wondered Kirk out loud "What was he so mad about?"

Annabelle smiled So did Jack and Cat

"He wasn’t really mad, dear," Annabelle assured him "He was just worried about Cat"

Kirk nodded slowly "So that threat"

"Oh, that wasn’t a threat," Annabelle said quickly "That was a hug"

Kirk looked at her Then the dawning showed in his eyes He set it Carl’s shy"

Cat and Jack nodded at each other

"Well,"it"

Felix didn’t ," he said

"Okay," replied Jack He looked at Davette "Which way at the stop sign?"

She looked up vaguely, still clearly disturbed at where she was

"Uh, why don’t you turn right? No Yes, right And then"

Felix shook his head "Go straight Then take the nex Never mind I’ll drive"

And he climbed over into the driver’s seat