Page 53 (1/1)

"Elva, that’s enough," he said

I didn’t think she’d heard him, or if she had, she didn’t care The racket whacked at me sideways, wielded this tirip two-handed as she sliced diagonally, and sliced again

Whack, whack!

Missing me by a hair’s breadth and only because I was quick She was totally focused and I was afraid if I turned to run, she’d catch me in the back of the head Take a crack like that and you’re talkin’ blood, folks Not a fatal impact, but one you’d prefer to skip

Up caain The wood rim descended like a blade, too swift this time to evade

I took the brunt of it on my left forearm, raised instinctively to shieldsound The bloas like a white flash of heat up my arm I can’t say I felt pain It was ht her in theher back into hiled yelp of surprise The air around rabbed her shirt with an unholy strength, hauling her to her feet Without any thought at all, I punched her once, registering an instant later the s sound as edon toincoherently My left hand was still knotted in Elva’s shirt She tried to backstroke out of range, ar as she yodeled with fear, eyes wide

My self-control reasserted itself and I loweredat me with astonishment I don’t knohat she’d seen in iddy with power, happiness surging throughabout physical battle that energizes and liberates, infusing the body with an ancient cheh with a so as you can get, and there’s no predicting what you’ll garner in return I’ve seen petty barroom disputes end in death over a slap on the cheek

Her mouth was already puffy, her teeth washed with blood Exhilaration peaked and drained at the sight Now I could feel pain throb inhard The bruise was a sharp blue vertical line, red welt spreading its blood cloud under the skin I would swear I could see a raised line where the gut had been strung along the edge of the racket Set upon by an evil-tempered tennis buff It was all so daolf She’d have pounded ing where the skin had ripped I hoped her rabies vaccinations were up to date

Elva began to cry piteously, adopting the victie ain, but the truth was I hurt, and the need to tend to myself took precedence Dr Dunne shepherded his wife into his office The desk clerk in the orange blazer scurried after the to catchthe sheriff’s department, but I didn’tapologies and solicitous advice All I wanted was to get the hell out of there, but he insisted on exa me it wasn’t broken God, did the man think I was an idiot? Of course it wasn’t broken He steered me into the hotel infirmary where he cleaned my battered hand He was clearly worried, and that interestedthat had transpired so far

"I’ disinfectant onquickly to my face to see if I’d react

I said, "You knooet into these little tiffs" The irony was apparently lost on him

"She’s protective I’m sure she didn’t ive her a sedative"

"I hope you’ve got all your hand tools locked up I’d hate to see the lady with a crescent wrench"

He began to put his first-aid supplies away "I think we should try to forget the incident"

"Easy for you to say," I said I was flexingthe way the butterfly Band-Aid closed the cleft in my knuckle formed by Elva’s front teeth "I take it you still won’t give me information on Jean Timberlake"

He had crossed the roo his hands, his back turned "I saw her that day," he said tonelessly "I explained as much to the police at the time"

"The day she was killed?"