Page 13 (1/2)

Back in Los Angeles the saht to my home in Pacific Palisades, but I do call to see if everyone is safe Seyn of either the cops or Kalika It sounds as if he has been enjoying Dr Seter&039;s company, but I don&039;t think joy is a word I could attach to his relationship with James I pro I a rooed to return to before his throat was cut open by hter Hot-tempered Mr Hawkins is fortunately not at home with Mrs Hawkins As before, she is plu with her hands Curiously, since I a and death of her son, she does not appear unduly afraid of me Indeed, she promptly invites me in when I come to the door But perhaps she believedI could to save Eric

"Would you like so to drink?" she asks as she takes a seat across from me

"No, thank you" I pause "You don&039;t seeain"

Her face twitches with the painful edies that destroy us, but the oes by when she does not think about Eric

"I thought I would see you again," she says "Why?"

"You just flew in that night, and then flew back out like a bird My husband and I have talked about that a lot since you were here" She flashes a sad smile "I think we convinced ourselves you weren&039;t a devil, but an angel"

"I&039;el I&039;m sorry I wasn&039;t able to save your son"

She stops fussing with her hands for a moment "You really tried, didn&039;t you?"

"Yes" I lowerI knew"

She nods quietly "That&039;s what I told my hus?band He didn&039;t believe you at first, but et you so? I just baked some chocolate-chip cook-ies Eric used to love them"

I look up and smile "Sure I would love a cookie"

She stands "I have milk as well You can&039;t enjoy a cookie without milk"

"Ain&039;t that the truth" I have to sit in the pain of the house while she busies herself in the kitchen Since s of a place much more acutely The chair where I sit feels as if it has been used to electrocute people It is Mr Hawkins&039;s seat, I realize He wanted to keepthe last time I came to visit He wanted to call the cops

Yet I also s as I wait for Mrs Hawkins to return

The foul odor of illness A human would never detect it, but I do

Mrs Hawkins bustles in with a plate of cookies and a glass ofthe plate before me "Really, Eric and le afternoon But with Eric gone and ry as he used to be" I pick up a cookie "I&039;ll have at least two" She sits back down across from me "You never told us your name last time, dear Don&039;t worry, I won&039;t tell it to the police I would just like to knohat to call you"

"It&039;s Alisa"

"Where are you froood The questions need to be asked but I findthe year off froot accepted to SC I&039; to ood" But I end up putting the cookie down, half eaten "Mrs Hawkins, may I ask you a delicate question? It concerns Eric"

She hesitates "What is the question?"