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"Alistair, it’s--" Madison held his hands hard, clutched in her own Her eyes were locked on Alistair in searing eht, Alistair

But it wasn’t

"Alistair, we’re here with you We’ll find the truth," she vowed softly

"Son…" Eddie said miserably

"Alistair" Sean kept his voice hard and flat "Go on I need everything Every last detail You saw him slit Jenny’s throat You saw her eyes--what about his eyes? What about the killer in the robes?"

Alistair seemed to stare past him For a moment, Sean feared that he’d lost him, that Alistair had slipped into some blank realm in his mind

Alistair finally spoke "His eyes? He had no eyes He had no face It was--the whole area where the face should have been…it was just black He had no face at all He had no eyes…no eyes… How… Yes, I’ht! He had no eyes!"

He paused, concentrating He lowered his head, and then peered up at Sean again

"He had no face, and he had no eyes But he was looking atat me And…"

"And?" Sean asked

He shook his head "I--I kneas laughing There was no sound He was laughing, and he was evil Triu, no eyes…just evil"

"Madison?"

Madison started She hadn’t been listening She couldn’t forget Alistair’s face as he’d spoken about theCalifornia roads were insane, and if you were smart, you were defensive But Sean knew that; he’d lived here Once upon a time, he’d been employed in the very same place where she was now es she did

He was an expert California driver--a specialty in itself--and was able to glance over at her as he said her na tone

"I’esting we go to lunch before our next stop"

"Which is?"

"Theshe didn’t sound like the coward she was

"Yeah, let’s eat first Where do you want to go?"

"Ah, anywhere Anyplace along the way, I guess"

He nodded; he seemed to like the fact that she was up for whatever And he seeent and probably accustoues, she was not Yes, definitely, food before the ue She wasn’t sure she’d be able to eat afterward…

They wound up stopping at a Buca di Beppo Homestyle Italian food It was en route and a national chain that was pretty daood--a plus, since neither of the; they just needed to eat

The na When their friendly waiter was gone, Madison said, "I’rateful that you’re here I know you worked for Eddie, and I know you’re FBI I don’t understand all the dynamics, but it doesn’t matter You’re here and you believe in Alistair" She hesitated "And I believe in Alistair I work in special effects, so I’m aware of what’s possible, but…I’m also aware that reed, "ed to do so Or digitized in a movie So, we know a mannequin didn’t kill Jenny Henderson"

"The alternative is almost as bizarre There were security cameras From what you’ve told me, no one cae yet, have you?" He shook his head "I’one in or out, the police--as in Detective Knox--would have told you, and that person would be questioned"

He was thoughtful, spearing a leaf of lettuce "Yes As standoffish and pedantic as Knox appears to be, I think he’s a good cop And I think he’d pullhe considered out of the ordinary"

"So, nothing on the tapes We have an euard, Colin Bailey And while we can’t rule Bailey out, he’s a totally unlikely suspect--not to mention that the police interviewed hiround I love Colin He’s such a reassuring presence And he’s been loyal to Eddie for twenty years and so fierce when it comes to the studio So that leaves Jenny Henderson and Alistair--and thebleak

"Just because a studio is in lockdown doesn’t mean it was locked down," Sean reminded her