The Lake

“Don’t think we’ll need his services again tonight,” he said, adding, with a wink, “Any rough stuff and we’ll deal with it ourselves. Okay?”

“Sure. Let’s ride.”

They left Sabre glowering from his den under the sink, his eyes accusing them both. Shifting around on his butt, the mutt was obviously dying to follow.

Once outside, Warren grabbed her hand. They set off down the dark driveway, matching stride for stride till they reached the gate.

No sign of the black car.

Thank God.

Out on Del Mar, Deana filled her lungs with the warm night air.

The darkness seemed friendlier somehow, the shadows less threatening than they had been earlier.

Maybe the chat with Warren and his yummy cocoa did the trick.

It helped a lot that the car had gone.

Idiot. Probably nothing sinister about it.

Just some kid nosing around. Not really a threat.

She hoped they didn’t meet up with the skinny hag and her pet pooch.

Sabre should be here, she thought. Any trouble, maybe he’d eat Harry, just for me…

It was good jogging downhill with Warren, their feet slapping the sidewalk.

At least, Warren’s feet slapped.

In her thick wool socks, Deana’s were quiet and muffled.

And he was right when he’d said he was no stranger to running. Gets plenty of practice too, Deana thought, struggling to keep up with him.

No sign of Mommy Dearest and the faithful Harry.

Probably tucked up in bed and asleep by now.

They ran on till they reached Deana’s driveway. She huffed to a halt. Warren, too.

Waiting a moment till their breath evened out, Warren said, “Well, my lady in black—here you are. Safely delivered to your door. Care to come jogging with me again sometime? Or maybe we could do something a little more formal?

“Like the movies.

“Or dinner…”

Quaint.

The movies or dinner…

Either way, though, Deana thought, feeling a strange new surge of excitement, would suit me fine.

She thought of Allan and immediately felt guilty.

“Yes?”

“Sure,” she replied nonchalantly. “I’ll let you know. Maybe we’ll meet up when I’m out running sometime—then we could arrange a date.”

She lifted a hand in salute. Warren stood awhile, watching her run up the driveway.

He turned, walked away, and was soon jogging again. Getting easily into his stride, legs pumping hard, muscles straining to keep up the punishing pace.

Between harsh, measured chugs of breath, an amused smile played on his face.

TWENTY-EIGHT

Sheena left the club early.

Pacey hadn’t been any too pleased, but when she told him, “Either I go an’ I come back again tomorrow night, or I go an’ don’t come back at all,” he’d shrugged and said, “Family crisis? Sure. We all have one a’ those from time ta time. I should know, believe me. Okay. Do it, Sheena. But don’t make a habit of this. I can’t afford for you not to be here.”

Damn right he was, too. The other guys working the door at Pacey’s Place couldn’t handle it the way she could. She was proud of her physique. A powerful five ten, and stacked with it. Because of all those workouts. She gave a tight smile. Her karate was pretty impressive, too.

Tonight, Sheena had had one of her “insights.”

They didn’t come often, but when they did, she knew better than to ignore them. They’d been with her for as long as she could remember, but tonight’s was the strongest so far.

She was uneasy about Warren.

As she swung her Chrysler coup into Del Mar, the feeling of unrest mounted. She eyed the low black job up ahead. It was easing along like it was looking for someplace. She put her foot down, the engine roared, and she released the pressure slightly. The street was like a goddamn morgue. So quiet. Nobody around. But hey, Warren liked it, and it was within easy reach of Eureka…

Sheena cruised up the hill till she saw the two redwoods. Home.

Home? She didn’t think so.

The car in front was still doing around twenty-five, thirty. Slightly annoyed, Sheena slowed down. She continued with her train of thought.

Guess I have this monkey on my back—have to keep on the move. She gave a wry smile. No place like home, isn’t that what they say? What home, I ask myself…

“Hey, buddy. Get a move on, why don’t ya?”

She removed a piece of gum from its wrapper and wadded it into her mouth. The fingers of her free hand tapped the wheel impatiently.

Suddenly, the black job revved and disappeared up the street.

Nearly there now.

Sheena’s breath quickened.

She felt strangely alert.

Like she was homing in on a target of some kind. She was reading all the signs. Super-aware.

This is it.