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The Bone Man said nothing

"C’er like you is the only person in this whole toho ain’t scared to go out in the dark when there’s a killer running round loose?"

Polk snickered "Maybe he ain’t afraid ’cause the killer can’t see hihed, but Vic didn’t and neither did Tow-​Truck Eddie The big htful, but he didn’t say a word Vic on the other hand flapped an arm at the others to shut them up

"Bullshit, Jiht be out here in the dark because he’s what’s out here in the dark"

It took Polk and the others a couple of seconds to sort that out Tow-​Truck Eddie just inhaled and exhaled, slowly and deeply, through his nose

"What kind of shit is this?" the Bone Man said, staring Vic right in the eye "That’s jus’ bullshit and you know it"

"Is it?" barked Crow, and Vic snapped, "Then why you got blood on your shirt?"

The Bone Man glanced involuntarily down at his shirt It was speckled with blood, though in the darkness it just looked black and wet

"What’d you do?" Polk sneered "Cut yourself shaving?"

"Holy shit," murmured Stosh, who had apparently not noticed it until now

The Bone Man shook his head "No, man, this is bullshit I--"

"Is it your blood?" asked Tow-​Truck Eddie He had a soft, deep voice In other circumstances it would have sounded kind

"No, but--"

"Then whose blood is it?" Bernhardt asked

Overhead, there was thunder The Bone Man looked frootta believeman asked, his voice still mild

"It’s about the killer…I found out who it was been cutting those people up" He licked his lips again "I figured it out"

"You figured it out," Bernhardt said "You? A corn-​picking nigger ured it out when the whole police departhed "Yeah, I’m ready to believe that shit"

Vic stepped closer, his fists balled at his sides and his eyes suddenly intense In a tight whisper he said, "And just who do you think it is?"

The Bone Man started to say Ubel Griswold It got as far as his tongue, his lips had just started to for speed and force that the Bone Man flew backward against Tow-​Truck Eddie’s chest It was like hitting a brick wall

"Fuck you!" screamed Vic "Whose blood is on your shirt? What the hell did you do?" He was screa, totally out of control, as if someone had jabbed him with a hot wire He stepped into the Bone Man and struck hiain

"Is that the piece of shit killedway to real rage "Give hi down blows on the Bone Man with an insane ferocity

"Stop!" the Bone Man screa with blood "Jesus, please make him stop!" He tried to cover his face with both arms the way a boxer does, tried to turn and twist to roll with blows, but even flipped out with rage, Vic Wingate was a good fighter He used short hooks to claw the Bone Man’s arht jabs and crosses to the chest and face and throat Vic’s hands were iron hammers and under the rain of blows the Bone Man could feel his face break and split

Tow-​Truck Eddie wrapped his arms around the Bone Man and spun hie, felt their own anger da down They milled, confused and embarrassed Vic threw one e shoulder

The Bone Man felt his legs buckle, but he didn’t fall Tow-​Truck Eddie took bunched handfuls of the front of his shirt and held hi with a weird light

"Mr Morse," he said softly--so softly that only he, the Bone Man, and Vic could hear him The Bone Man’s head lolled on a loose neck and sunbursts were exploding in his eyes His ears rang like church bells "Mr Morse, tell ht Tell h the fireworks and tried to focus on the bigfor hope, or maybe an ally "Don’t hurt me," he whispered and was io he’d chased afor his life froroup of Pennsylvania rednecks

"Tell me, Mr Morse"