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"What?"

Ana pointed to the television behind the bar Custoarihhere he was interviewing a police spokesman

"Turn it up, please," soo still as the police spokesman, a lean, older, authoritativeher identity until her next of kin have been notified We’re asking everyone--especially young woers Don’t walk through dark parking lots alone Many of the businesses in the area will be taking special precautions to ensure the safety of our residents and tourists We’re also asking for help Be vigilant and report anything, anything at all, that looks suspicious Be s that the Interstate Killer has co at a copycat, or was a serious o?"

"Beau Kidd was never convicted of any cri at just yet Be assured that we have every law enforceuard, and if circumstances warrant, the FBI will be called in, as well"

Christina started when her dinner was set before her and looked up Their waitress was a pretty girl with golden eyes, freckles and carrot-red hair Her slight accent said she was Irish but had been in the States for a while

"They aren’t saying it on TV," the girl murmured with a shiver, "but some cops coor was just in, and he said that girl was a brunette, but she had red streaks in her hair"

Christina felt a sensation of dread coat the television Then she cleared her throat "More iced tea?" she asked cheerfully

Christina hoped to find out er broadcasting live fro little children in horeat, isn’t it?" Ana reat

"What?"

"All those kids ina cowboy or a princess? All those monsters…when there’s a real monster out there"

"There’s always a real monster out there somewhere," Christina said And that was the sad truth, she thought Soiven time, there was a monster on the streets "And the scariest monsters look just like the boy next door," she ured you’d be back," Larry Atkins said

As Jed had expected, Larry had been sitting on his porch, a cool beer by his side while he puffed on his pipe The pipe s will kill you one day," Jed told hi his pipe to point in the direction of his pasture "You ever think about getting a horse, Jed? I just got ato put her down She didn’t live up to her pro you ever want to see She follows , as if she knows I saved her life A horse would do you good, you know Grab a beer from the cooler over there, make yourself at home"

Jed perched on the wooden porch fence and shook his head "Thanks, but it’s a long drive back"

"Yup An hour and a half--just like the drive up here--and you decided to come on a whim, huh?"

"You haven’t heard yet? They found another victim"

Larry stared at hi with people? I dreeapon then I was on the force The first tih on heroin that when he took aim at me, the bullet went about a hundred feet wide And then…then I shot ave hiun on irl, even knowing he was a sick psychopath, even then…knowing that I’d killed a et so warped that they can rip up another hu and take pleasure in the pain?"

"If we had that one solved, we could start working on world peace," Jed told hi I must have htfully

"I saw the last victi you, it looks like the sa in the files? Can you think of anything, anything at all, that was particular to the Interstate Killer? So to prove this maniac is a copycat?"

"Boy, wouldn’t we both like that?" Larry breathed

"Want to talk through it again?"

"Sure I got nothing to hide Beau had dated Janet Major, the fourth victireen At first I thought he was all torn up about it But then, little by little, it comes out that the two of the Beau’s apartment complex the day before she died None of us believed it could be him, but our lieutenant did talk to him Beau admitted to me that the lieutenant orried--he hadn’t accused him, but he was about to take hiround checks on the other victi on irls, as well A few of the other detectives on the case were starting to look at him, too, especially after the point wasfor so for and kne not to leave a trace And we just couldn’t find anything You would have thought one of those girls would havethe girl from Tampa, the last victim, Grace Garcia We all knew it When I ca her out I shouted at hi on?"

Larry’s voice sounded tortured Well, why the hell not? Jed thought He was going through his own angst, and all he’d done rite a book