Page 80 (1/1)

I looked back

"Call me when you can And for God’s sake, be careful"

Nina couldn’t have said anything more perfect

I blew her a kiss and stepped out into the rain

13

I took Selby Avenue to Dale Street to 1-94 to Highway 280 to 1-35W to Highway 10 to Anoka County Road 47, driving at speeds that invited disaster A hard, slanting, remorseless rain, driven on by a steady wind, continued to fall froht into it Water cascaded in sheets down the windshield, the wipers barely keeping up Often I was forced to reduce ht shihts of the vehicles in front oftraffic seeed Stor virtual ponds on the streets All of it see ti in Coon Rapids--I passed it twice--and the delay tied painful knots inwater that had pooled at a sewer grate I found an e line of cars and stopped It was very dark beyond the ragged blur of light co’s foyer There were no people anywhere, no dogs--ould there be? Inoisy little thuds on my shoulders and bare head I attempted to vault a puddle and failed Water drowned my shoes and soaked the bottoms of my jeans I reached the doorway and entered the foyer There was no security systeet past I checked the mailboxes for Debbie’s apartment number, found it, and bounded up the stairs to the second floor Debbie Miller’s apartment was at the end of the corridor The door was open

I pulled my Beretta fro in a chair, hunched forward, one hand clutching her stohtly froasps The sight of her sent a shiver through me Yet I didn’t rush to her side I had been too well trained for that Instead, I quickly searched the apart all rooly neat Except for the tiny bloodstains that he had splattered on the arms and cushions of Debbie’s chair, Nye had done his ithout muss or fuss

After I assured myself that ere alone, I went to Debbie and knelt next to the chair

"I’ed to sputter

I didn’t blame her Debbie’s eyes were red and bruised Her nose was broken, and her nostrils were caked with blood--she h it There was a gaping hole in her ht side of her jaollen and discolored The body I had admired only hours earlier now seemed frail and brittle The way Debbie clutched her stoe had been done there

Debbie’s voice was a hoarse whisper, and she spoke so low that I could barely hear her over the wind and rain that rattled the apartment s

"He hurt me," Debbie said "He hurtceased, replaced with a quiet agony I hugged her shoulder I wanted to touch her in a way that woulddisappear, but I didn’t kno Better not to try Vulnerability, my inner voice told me, is the curse of all those who care

"I’ll call an ah in this weather I wouldn’t have wanted toit would take to arrive The plan was nixed anyway

"Take ed

"Yes"

As I helped Debbie to her feet, the phone rang We both swung toward the sound, as startled as if it had been a gunshot

"It’s hih cracked and torn lips

"Good," I told her "That means he’s not here"

I lifted her inwhen I carried Debbie across the threshold like a bride, hooking the apartment door closed behind us with my wet shoe