Page 30 (1/2)
The Benedetto residence was a white Greek Revival house with a square-colu by a tree with furrowed bark and scarlet leaves
Stepping onto the portico, they looked through the pair of six-above-six French s that flanked the door, but there was no one to be seen
"Let’s think about this," Michael said
Carson rang the doorbell
He said, "I wish I hadn’t ordered theto have killer acid reflux"
Carson pressed the bell again
The chi when the door opened, and Denise Benedetto stood before them She said coolly, "Yes? What is it?"
She wasn’t the Denise Benedetto with the silver face jewelry or the blood or the thick speech
"Does Larry Benedetto live here?" Carson asked
"He’s my husband"
"Well, ether We happened to be in town, and Michael--this is Michael--he said uy Tell her yourself, Michael"
"Larry was a great guy," Michael said "He was so shtful, and he had real style And he was funny Oh, h like Larry did, he could ut"
"My husband isn’t here now," she said "He’s busy at … work"
"He works evenings, huh?" Michael said "Darn And we’re leaving first thing in theWould you tell hiht be in town again in a few ht"
"Yes," she said "That would be better Good evening" She closed the door
Walking away fro a couple of tih she were carefree, Carson said, "She’s sure a char, we don’t want her to think we’re looking back to see if she’s looking The best you could do was Myrtle?"
"I like the name Myrtle," he said
"Michael and Myrtle McMichaels?"
"John and Jane S that sounds suspicious Michael and Myrtle McMichaels sounds so unlikely it’s got to be real What’re we doing now?"
"Walking away fro left on the sidewalk and heading toward Beartooth Avenue, Carson said, "These properties back up to the properties on the next street We’ll coh the yard of the house behind the Benedetto place to get to the back of their place"
"And then?"
"Depends on e see, if anything Larry was ‘so shtful, and he had real style’ Sounds like you and this Larry got in touch with your feotten, but I don’t actually know Larry And ould have happened if old Larry had been at home?"
"Then we just made a e with, sorry for disturbing you"
"When we start snooping around, what is it we’re looking for?"
"Denise’s baby Did you see as on the foyer floor behind that wo about Larry"
"A teddy bear One of the ar out of the shoulder One of its ears had been torn off, too"
Chapter 66
The last of those herded into the truck settled on the benches The driver and his partner closed the cargo-box doors, bolted them, and returned to the cab
Deucalion raised himself on one arm to determine exactly where at the phone co lot
As the engine started, he transitioned froo space, where he stood in the center between the facing benches
In as full dark to them but at worstfive on one side and six on the other They were not secured in any way, but they rode in docile acceptance of their fate
The weeping woh her whimpers were hardly audible A man repeated softly, "No, no, no, no, no, no …"
Several of theht, and they had the sour scent of terror
"Who are they? Who’s done this to you?" Deucalion asked
Ten remained silent, but one woman spoke in a slurred voice, as if she had suffered brain dae: "My sister … my sister"
A half-seen face Like an apparition at a seance
Deucalion said, "Your sister did this to you?"
"My sister she … she Wendy"
"Wendy? Why would she harlimmered darkly in the dark as she said, "Wendy Wanda twins my sister"
"Your name is Wanda?"
"She dead htly, rhythan to groan in anguish
The woht of the replicants in New Orleans Upon seeing a replicant, an identical ht think her dead sister had returned
Chapter 67
In the rusting shed, breathing the faint odor of soer tolerate the sight of the cottage across the street, its only light a porch light, its s black with portent
"Let’s go," Travis said
His words came in the pitch of a child’s voice, but in some way not easy to define, his voice wasn’t that of a child anyency," Bryce Walker assured him
"You’re cold"
"Not that cold And I’ve been cold before"
"There’s no use waiting anyway"
"We don’t know for sure"
"We know"
"No, son, we don’t"
"I know"