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Chapter 19

I went into the bathroom, splashed my face ater, and brushedhad died in there My back was on fire

I turned, twisting aardly, trying to see in the ht red, as if infected

The scar had never bothered ot for an hour or two at a time

What was the matter now?

I straightened, rubbed ain The scar was just a scar Puckered

White Healed

"Shit"

I was losing my mind

I threw on some clothes, retrieved my weapons, and left the apartment

The rehtmare faded as I drove into Crow Valley It wasn't as if I'd never had one before I'd just never had one in the daytime

Which disturbedwhen the sun shone If that re-lief was gone to ain? I didn't want to think about it

So I didn't I'd beco I didn't want to dwell on If I hadn't been, I doubt I'd be functional at all

Crow Valley was as busy in the light of an October afternoon as it was eht

Folk of every age, shape, and color walked up and down the picturesque streets Some even waved as if they knew ossip traveled at the speed of sound One of the reasons I didn't stay long in any one place

I drove to Jessie's apartment It was nearly five o'clock I'd slept, and dreao on duty until the sun went doe still had time to do our job

Jessie opened the door before I even knocked, and shoved the fax into my hand "About time"

"What's up your ass?"

She turned on ht have slaainst the wall once, but that didn't ain

"I'm in no mood to play nice," I warned

"Bitch, bitch, bitch" She stalked away, plopping onto the couch with a scowl

"What's the matter with you?" I tried a more pleasant version of the same question

She glared at me "Will's not back"

"Did you call him?"

"Cell phone's off"

"Does he forget to turn it on?"

"Every damn day"

"Then what are you worried about?"

"Let's see - olves, vas I don't even know about Then there are car accidents, mass murderers, blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, and various acts of God"

I blinked "Gee, how do you sleep?"

"When he's not here, I don't"

Now that I looked closer, there were dark circles under her eyes; lines of stress bracketed her mouth

She was really worried, and I couldn't say that I blamed her

"Did you call any friendly state cops?"

"You think I'm a fool? Of course I called"

"And?"

"Nothing"

This was exactly what I'd been talking about when I said attach of olves and serial killers; she was thinking of Will

"If anything had happened, they'd know about it, Jessie"

"Then where is he?"

I had no idea But if I gave voice to any of lanced at the sheet of paper in my hand

"Open Serial Killer Cases Where Cannibalism Is Suspected"What a lovely title There were only two Heruy named Louis-Francois Charone

"You said Hector was on here"

"Check out the place where they last saw Herman Reyes"