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When we reached the midpoint of the main pier, I looked back and saw neither the cat nor a more fearsome pursuer

Nevertheless, I said to Orson, "Da to feel like the end of the world"

He chuffed in agreement as we left the stench of death behind us and walked toward the glow of the quaint ship lanterns that were mounted onout of an alloom beside the marina office, Lewis Stevenson, the chief of police, still in uniforht He said, "I’m in a mood here"

For an instant, as he stepped fro about him was so peculiar that a chill bored like a corkscrew in ht I’d seen--passed in a blink, however, and I foundand keenly disturbed, overco in the presence of so able to identify the precise cause of this feeling

Chief Stevenson was holding a forh he was not in a shooting stance, his grip on the weapon wasn’t casual The muzzle was trained on Orson, o steps ahead of ht, while I reuess whatno ood," I ventured

"I’m in a mood not to be screith"

The chief didn’t sound like himself His voice was faed, but there was a hard note when before there had been quiet authority Usually his speech flowed like a strea on it, calm and warm and assured; but now the floas fast and turbulent, cold and stinging

"I don’t feel good," he said "I don’t feel good at all In fact, I feel like shit, and I don’t havethat h I didn’t understand him entirely, I nodded and said, "Yes Yes, sir, I understand"

Orson was as still as cast iron, and his eyes never left the muzzle of the chief’s pistol

I was acutely aware that the marina was a desolate place at this hour The office and the fueling station were not staffed after six o’clock Only five boat owners, other than Roosevelt Frost, lived aboard their vessels, and they were no doubt sound asleep The docks were no less lonely than the granite rows of eternal berths in St Bernadette’s ce muffled our voices No one was likely to hear our conversation and be drawn to it

Keeping his attention on Orson but addressing et what I need, because I don’t even knohat it is I need Isn’t that a bitch?"

I sensed that this was a ether He had lost his noble aspect Even his handso away as the planes of his face were pulled toward a new configuration by what seee and an equally powerful anxiety

"You ever feel this eot to fill it or you’ll die, but you don’t knohere the emptiness is or what in the name of God you’re supposed to fill it with?"

Now I didn’t understand him at all, but I didn’t think that he was in a mood to explain himself, so I looked sole"

His brow and cheeks were reasy sweat His face was so supernaturally white that thecoldly off his skin, as though he were the father of all fog "Coht," he said

"Yes, sir"

"Coht" His face twisted hatis this, anyway?"

His gun arhten on the trigger

Orson bared his teeth but neither moved nor made a sound

I quickly said, "He’s just a Labrador er swelling for no apparent reason, Stevenson said, "Just a LabradorNot here Not now Not any for the Glock in ht hand was free, and the pistol was in ht as Stevenson was, however, he was nonetheless a cop, and he was sure to respond with deadly professionalis e assurance that I was revered Even if I let the bicycle fall over to distract him, Stevenson would shoot me dead before the Glock cleared un on the chief of police unless I had no choice but to use it And if I shot hi of the sun

Abruptly Stevenson snapped his head up, looking away from Orson He drew a deep breath, then several that were as quick and shallow as those of a hound following the spoor of its quarry "What’s that?"

He had a keener sense of smell than I did, because I only now realized that an alht us a faint hint of the stench fro sea creature back under the ely enough to rew er He tensed, hunched his shoulders, stretched his neck, and raised his face to the fog, as though savoring the putrescent scent His eyes were feverish in his pale face, and he spoke not with the er, nervous curiosity that see dead, isn’t it?"

"So back under the pier," I confir Soe to it, doesn’t it?" He seemed about to lick his lips "Yeah Yeah Sure does have an interesting edge to it"

Either he heard the eerie current crackling through his voice or he sensed led to co on a crue of emotion

Finally the chief found his nor that approxi Now Tonight Why don’t you come with me, Snow"

"Come where?"

"My patrol car’s out front"

"Butyou Just a quick chat Let’sI wanted to do was get in a patrol car with Stevenson If I refused, however, heme into custody