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When he reached Maggie’s, she opened the door for hi his intently

"You do believe?" she whispered

He cupped her chin in his hands "I’ht," he told her

She nodded, assured, and turned toward the kitchen "One hell of a late dinner, isn’t it?" she inquired

He followed her Water boiled on the stove, sauce siarlic filled the kitchen Soe clear hue bubbled on a burner Sean sie, are we supposed to eat that?"

She ed to flash him a smile "No, that’s my personal skin lotion You and Jack have to rub it all over you tomorrow, especially the neck and breast areawristsanywhere Aaron could sink his teeth into you easily"

"Oh," heinto the refrigerator for salad coy?"

"I sent her to see a sister in Atlanta"

"Why?"

She hesitated As she did, the doorbell rang "Must be Jack," she told hiht" He went and answered the door Jack had arrived with two large khaki police-issue duffel bags

"Got everything?" Sean asked

"Everything I had to promise to show up for Mass every Sunday for the next year, since I couldn’t quite e to explain why I needed all the Holy water"

"That will be good for your soul Come on in the kitchen; dinner’s alie"

"Hey, Jack"

"Maggie was just about to tell ain, then shrugged "Well, I hope you really hurt Aaron tonight because he called and threatened me He wants to kill you and torturepasta into the pot as if they were discussing a rational issue "But he’s in the s in i Anthony Beale--"

"He’s killed thores," Jack said

"So, going by the accepted Ripper numbers--?" Sean said

"Double-header next," Jack finished

Sean felt a tic in his cheek as his muscles constricted His hands were clenched into fists "Jesus, we should be after this sicko tonight"

"Not at night!" Jack said "He’s strongest at night"

Sean stared at Jack Was his partner believing all this?

"We go toie said fir at theh, really sure, that you pumped a major load of bullets into hilanced at one another

"Yes, we’re sure," Sean reiterated

Maggie nodded "Well, then, I’m not a bad cook at all, really Sit down, dinner’s ready as soon as I drain the pasta"

Mo with garlic bread

Maggie, Sean noted, was having salad Hers was plain, their salads were filled with fresh chopped garlic

Maggie served red wine as well As she opened the bottle, Jack whispered to Sean, "Think there’s garlic in the wine as well?"

"No, I think it’s a bottle of red wine"

"No blood, right?" Jack was surely joking, but he sounded a little worried

"No blood"

Maggie poured the wine and went to the refrigerator for so pills into her glass, then hesitated He’d wait He couldn’t ad He was a cop; he’d gotten used to that kind of fear

He was just afraid of being without her again