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"No," she said irritably "It doesn’t lad to hear that If you said it did, I’d be worried about you"

"But, da extraordinary And it seems to me that Sheriff Laurenski must be a part of it After all, he protected Frye last week, actually lied for hi you because he doesn’t have an acceptable explanation for his actions Doesn’t that seem like suspicious behavior to you? Doesn’t he seem like a man who is up to his neck in some sort of conspiracy?"

"No," Tony said "To me, he just seems like a very badly embarrassed policeman For an officer of the law, he co shot because he thought the man couldn’t possibly be involved in rape and atteet hold of Frye last Wednesday night, but he pretended that he had He was totally convinced that Frye wasn’t the hly ashamed of himself"

"Is that what you think?" she asked

"That’s what everyone at HQ thinks"

"Well, it’s not what I think"

"Hilary--"

"I saw Bruno Frye tonight!"

Instead of gradually coetting worse, retreating further into this dark fantasy of walking dead h with her

"Hilary, you didn’t see Bruno Frye He wasn’t here Not tonight He’s dead Dead and buried This was another ht You’re in mild shock You’re confused That’s perfectly understandable However--"

She pulled her hand out of his and stepped back from him

"I am not confused Frye was here And he said he’d be back"

"Just a o you admitted your story doesn’t make any sense at all Didn’t you?"

Reluctantly, she said, "Yes That’s what I said It doesn’t make sense But it happened!"

"Believe me, I’ve seen how a sudden shock can affect people," Tony said "It distorts perceptions andto helpto help you"

"How? What e do?"

"For starters, we’ll report the break-in and the assault"

"Isn’t that going to be terribly aard’?" she asked sourly "When I tell them that a dead man tried to kill me, don’t you suppose they’ll decide to commit me for a few days, until they can complete a psychiatric evaluation? You know me a hell of a lot better than anyone else, and even you think I’m crazy"

"I don’t think you’re crazy," he said, disht"

"Damn"

"It’s understandable"

"Daet here, you won’t say a word to therip on yourself--"

"I’ve got a grip on myself!"

"--and you’ll try to recall exactly what the assailant looked like If you settle your nerves, if you give yourself half a chance, I’m sure you’ll be surprised by what you’ll remember When you’re calm, collected, more rational about this, you’ll realize that he wasn’t Bruno Frye"

"He was"

"Hejust like Frank Howard did the other night," she said angrily

Tony was patient "The other night, at least, you were accusing a man as alive"

"You’re just like everyone else I’ve ever trusted," she said, her voice cracking

"I want to help you"

"Bullshit"

"Hilary, don’t turn away from me"

"You’re the one who turned away first"

"I care about you"

"Then show it!"

"I’m here, aren’t I? What more proof do you need?"

"Believe me," she said "That’s the best proof"

He saw that she was profoundly insecure, and he supposed she was that way because she had had very bad experiences with people she had loved and trusted Indeed, she must have been brutally betrayed and hurt, for no ordinary disappointment would havefrom those old emotional wounds, she now demanded fanatical trust and loyalty The an to withdraw fro her veracity But, da with her delusion; the best thing he could do for her was gently coax her back to reality

"Frye was here tonight," she insisted "Frye and nobody else But I won’t tell the police that"

"Good," he said, relieved

"Because I’ to call the police"

"What?"

Without explaining, she turned away from hih the wrecked dining room, Tony said, "You have to report this"

"I don’t have to do anything"

"Your insurance company won’t pay if you haven’t filed a police report"

"I’ll worry about that later," she said, leaving the dining roo rooh the debris in the front roo so," he said

"What’s that?"

"I’m a detective"

"So?"

"So now that I’m aware of this situation, it’s my duty to report it"

"So report it"

"Part of the report will be a statement from you"

"You can’t force me to cooperate I won’t"

As they reached the foot of the stairs, he grabbed her by the arm "Wait a minute Please wait"

She turned and faced hio of oing to do?"

"Pack a suitcase and go to a hotel"

"You can stay at my place," he said

"You don’t want a crazy woht," she said sarcastically

"Hilary, don’t be this way"

"I o berserk and kill you in your sleep"

"I don’t think you’re crazy"