Radiant in love and understanding.

She is smiling at her daughter.

But it"s all right, honey. It"ll be okay.

"I"m so sorry. I"m so stupid!"

No, you"re not. You just made a mistake. It"s okay.

She gathers up some bags over by the work bench.

Then her mother"s ghosthand touches her sleek shoulder.

"What"s wrong?"

Her mother leans over to whisper, Honey, there"s someone in the house. Honey, there"s someone in the house.

(IV).

"Kathleen, I don"t know what you"re t-"

"You know what I mean, you a.s.shole." She jabbed the gun again. "Daddy"s Room. The room with the twoway mirror. The room where you watched your "dupes." The room where you let your p.o.r.no pals rape your wife and child."

All Sammy could think was: How the h.e.l.l did she find out about all this? How the h.e.l.l did she find out about all this?

"Where is it?" Kathleen insisted.

"Down here."

She followed him to the hall. The house was so silent, he thought he must be hearing things. Nearly inaudible creaks. A distant ticking. The most tiny of sobs.

Gym equipment cluttered the first room on the left, and on the right was the room where the kid had slept. Next door down, though, was Sammy"s old party room. Whenever he brought in the masters or first dupes from Jersey, the lab guys would sample them here for resolution and quality. And, sure, as a favor Sammy would fire up the wh.o.r.e and let the guys have some fun with her. And if the wh.o.r.e was out peddling, he"d let them tear a piece off the kid while he counted his payoff. Just a favor, no big deal.

But how did Kathleen know about this room? How did she know about any of his secret past? And what was all this s.h.i.t about the kid being a killer?

f.u.c.k it, he thought. A few more silent steps. He"d worry about all that later. he thought. A few more silent steps. He"d worry about all that later.

Right now, he had to get ready to make his move.

Sammy turned the k.n.o.b.

The door swung open.

The room stood dark.

All he could really make out was the window, which framed the faroff memorial cross.

He slid his hand up the wall and flicked on the light.

Holy motherf.u.c.king s.h.i.t, he thought. he thought. What is this? A f.u.c.king slaughterhouse? What is this? A f.u.c.king slaughterhouse?

The room blared at them, like a shout. Handcuffs hung off the corners of a bra.s.sframed bed. The bed"s mattress looked like a sponge sodden with bright red paint. It"s blood, It"s blood, he instantly realized. Guts lay in shiny piles on the wood floor. Atop the dresser was a strange wood box and things that looked like surgical instruments. Plus a hacksaw and a power drill. Before the bed lay piles of blood drenched clothes, and...pieces of things. he instantly realized. Guts lay in shiny piles on the wood floor. Atop the dresser was a strange wood box and things that looked like surgical instruments. Plus a hacksaw and a power drill. Before the bed lay piles of blood drenched clothes, and...pieces of things.

Body parts.

Both Sammy and Kathleen each stood staring. It seemed like they both stood there for full minute. This is crazy, This is crazy, Sammy was thinking. But the next instant, Kathleen broke and went f.u.c.king nuts... Sammy was thinking. But the next instant, Kathleen broke and went f.u.c.king nuts...

"No, no, my G.o.d no! Not Maxwell! No no no no no!" she screamed in a shrill that didn"t even sound human.

And this was Sammy"s mark. Now! Now! he ordered himself. The distraction only lasted a second but a second was all he needed. Kathleen, in this mysterious screaming grief, took her eyes off Sammy for a split moment. Sammy"s hand chopped down. he ordered himself. The distraction only lasted a second but a second was all he needed. Kathleen, in this mysterious screaming grief, took her eyes off Sammy for a split moment. Sammy"s hand chopped down.

The gun fell.

Next second his hands clamped about her throat. Kathleen kicked and flailed, and they tumbled back out into the hall. Sammy"s muscles corded up like bunches of spun metal; he took her down easily, straddling her, digging his thumbs deep into the hollow of her throat. Her screams sliced right off; now, she couldn"t even gasp as Sammy"s grip choked off all her air.

Steady, steady now, he thought, baring down. he thought, baring down. Yeah, this"ll do the job. Yeah, this"ll do the job. She squirmed between his legs. Her tongue wagged feebly in her open mouth, and her eyes bulged forward. Despite the shock of what he"d seen-the blood and guts in his old room, and all that Kathleen had said-some tiny yet raging kernel of his spirit felt ablaze. He was getting a hardon. His groin tingled above her thrashing hips. Part of him even thought that he wouldn"t mind giving her a last pop before checking her out. She squirmed between his legs. Her tongue wagged feebly in her open mouth, and her eyes bulged forward. Despite the shock of what he"d seen-the blood and guts in his old room, and all that Kathleen had said-some tiny yet raging kernel of his spirit felt ablaze. He was getting a hardon. His groin tingled above her thrashing hips. Part of him even thought that he wouldn"t mind giving her a last pop before checking her out.

No time, he rescinded. Her throat squeezed down in his grasp. All he had time to do was finish her off and get the f.u.c.k out of this gorehole. When her face turned blue and her flailings ceased, he let go and flipped her over. He had to make sure-who could prove that he did it? Up in Jersey he"d seen some of Vinchetti"s freelance c.o.c.ks do it while they were taping for a snuff flick. Just twist the head way back to one side and pull up hard: the neck would snap like a dry twig. It was a neat sound. he rescinded. Her throat squeezed down in his grasp. All he had time to do was finish her off and get the f.u.c.k out of this gorehole. When her face turned blue and her flailings ceased, he let go and flipped her over. He had to make sure-who could prove that he did it? Up in Jersey he"d seen some of Vinchetti"s freelance c.o.c.ks do it while they were taping for a snuff flick. Just twist the head way back to one side and pull up hard: the neck would snap like a dry twig. It was a neat sound.

Harder, harder, he told himself. He twisted up, pulling, pulling, with his knee vised hard into the bone at the top of her spine. he told himself. He twisted up, pulling, pulling, with his knee vised hard into the bone at the top of her spine.

Harder, harder, he thought. He felt glowing. He wanted to hear it. He wanted to hear that quick gla.s.srod snap of her neck. he thought. He felt glowing. He wanted to hear it. He wanted to hear that quick gla.s.srod snap of her neck.

And in the process of killing her, he even made the effort to whisper: "It"s Sleepytime, Kathy, Sleepytime..."

Then a shadow snapped into view.

Sammy stared forward, released Kathleen"s head.

Very slowly, he glanced back over his shoulder.

The sultry figure looked huge. He couldn"t see her face, but then he didn"t need to.

"Daddy," the figure said.

Chapter 39.

(I).

Spence leaned on his car horn. For G.o.d"s sake! For G.o.d"s sake! he thought. he thought.

Some big beatup white Plymouth station wagon had had a fender bender at the corner of Bladensburg and South Dakota Avenue. The drivers stood in the middle of the street yelling at each other.

"Hold on," Spence said to Central Commo in his mike. "I gotta p.i.s.sant signal 9 here."

"Standing by."

Spence got out and stormed up. The guys raged, one big redneck in a T-shirt and jeans with his gut sticking out like a woman nine months pregnant, and a guy in a suit. "You guys gonna hold up traffic all night or are you gonna get your s.h.i.t together and clear the G.o.dd.a.m.n road?" Spence yelled.

The redneck, already having a bad day, bulled right up. "f.u.c.k you, dweeb! Mind your own G.o.dd.a.m.n business!" Then he put a hand on Spence"s shoulder.

"Buddy," Spence said very quietly. "This jacket is a 100% Italianwool special. It cost more than you make in a month of hanging sheetrock." Then he stuck his badge and ID in the guy"s face. "If you don"t take your hand off my jacket, and I mean right now, I"m gonna throw your a.s.s in D.C. Jail for 90 days, and I"m gonna order Traffic Branch to tow this piece of s.h.i.t away and have it cubed."

The redneck glared, and backed off.

"You guys settle your score after after you clear the road," Spence continued. "You get this land yacht out of here. Now." you clear the road," Spence continued. "You get this land yacht out of here. Now."

Spence sputtered back to his car as the redneck travailed to move his station wagon. "I"m back," Spence said into the mike. "What"s the line?"

"Okay, Lieutenant, I gotta positive DF on the board now sure as s.h.i.t," the dispatcher said. "Looks like about two miles west of the district line down Bladensburg."

"I"m there now."

"Gimme a second for the grid."

Spence pa.s.sed the fender bender, frowning. He hit the gas and sped down Bladensburg, ignoring two munic.i.p.al cops parked in the entry of the FritoLay factory.

Central Commo came back. "We got no plats or exact address grids, technically you"re in Maryland. I"m gonna follow your bead and you turn when I tell you."

"Right," Spence said. Just when he would pa.s.s an old Scot station, and a Hungry Herman"s on the right, dispatch said, "Take a left right now."

Spence turned through a red light and got a few honks. Then he was pa.s.sing a town cop station and firehall that advertised BINGO! BINGO! EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT!

"Slow it down, Lieutenant. There any roads to your right?"

"Yeah, a bunch," Spence observed. "It"s a residential neighborhood."

"Slow...slow..."

"How"s Shade transponder signal?"

"Like Haley"s Comet... Slow it down, Lieutenant."

Spence reduced his speed to a crawl. What would Shade be doing in this outoftheway little burg? Did she know someone here? Why the h.e.l.l did she s.n.a.t.c.h her uncle and bring him here? here?

"Stop," dispatch said. "Take your next right."

Spence was right on it. Thank G.o.d for technology. He pulled a right and idled down another residential road lined with small cottagetype houses. Then he pa.s.sed a sign: DEAD END.

"It"s a dead-end," he complained. "It must be an adjacent road."

"No way, sir. Your signal"s kissing Shade"s."

"You sure?"

"Affirmative. You"re there, Lieutenant."

Then Spence spotted Shade"s TBird nosed into the dead-end. "I got it. I"m parking and getting out."

"I"ll be here."

Spence unplugged his Motorola, clipped it to his belt, and stuck in his earphone. He parked right behind the TBird, cut his lights, and got out. Shade"s car was empty. He peered stupidly back down the dark street. s.h.i.t. How am I supposed to know which house she"s in? s.h.i.t. How am I supposed to know which house she"s in? He could send for some uniforms and do a doortodoor, but that would be inane. What if he was wrong? What if she didn"t really s.n.a.t.c.h her uncle, and was simply visiting a friend? Spence could imagine the hara.s.sment charge... He could send for some uniforms and do a doortodoor, but that would be inane. What if he was wrong? What if she didn"t really s.n.a.t.c.h her uncle, and was simply visiting a friend? Spence could imagine the hara.s.sment charge... Unauthorized electronic surveillance of a district citizen. Unauthorized use of department equipment and facilities. IAD would bust my chops. Unauthorized electronic surveillance of a district citizen. Unauthorized use of department equipment and facilities. IAD would bust my chops.

There was nothing else he could do but go snoop.

He peeked in a window on the house on the left. An old guy and his wife watching TV. Then he quietly walked around the side of the house on the right. County police"ll probably get a peeper call any minute. Explain that to the chief"s liaison... County police"ll probably get a peeper call any minute. Explain that to the chief"s liaison...

Dark bas.e.m.e.nt windows lined the foundation. One firstfloor window stood dark. He went around back.

Light, he thought. he thought.

He rose to his tiptoes, peering in. At first what he saw didn"t register-how could it?

A scarlet bed.

Then more details focused.

G.o.d almighty.

Spence stepped back. He turned away to think; he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw...

The great lit Peace Cross out on Bladensburg Road near the bridge. It was a war memorial or something, a landmark, probably 50feet high and constructed of dark, pebbled stone.

The Cross, he thought. he thought.

He turned back to the window.

The Cross in The Window.

He could not imagine the link. He"d been searching for Shade to relieve her of the distraction of her uncle. But...

This was impossible.

This is the killer"s house, came the blazing and equally impossible realization. came the blazing and equally impossible realization.