The Servants of Twilight

She was no longer so sure that this dog's strong resemblance to Brandy was a bad thing. To endure the horror and turmoil, Joey needed reminders of more placid times, and he needed a sense of continuity that, like a bridge, would let him cross this period of chaos with his wits intact. Chewbacca, largely because of his resemblance to Brandy, could serve both those functions.

Charlie Harrison was in and out of the kitchen every ten or fifteen minutes, checking up on them and on the two new bodyguards he had stationed with them. One man, George Swarthout, sat on a tall stool by the kitchen phone, drinking coffee, watching Joey, watching the police who came in and out, watching Christine as she watched the police. The other, Vince Fields, was outside on the patio, guarding the rear approach to the house.

It wasn't likely that any of Grace Spivey's people would launch a second attack while the house was swarming with cops, but the possibility couldn't be ruled out altogether. After all, kamikaze missions had a certain popularity with religious fanatics.

On each of his visits to the kitchen, Charlie kidded with Joey, played a game of Pac-Man, scratched behind Chewbacca's ears, and did whatever he could to lift the boy's spirits and keep his mind off the carnage in the rest of the house. When the — police wanted to question Christine, Charlie stayed with Joey and sent her into another room, so the boy wouldn't have to listen to such gruesome talk. They wanted to question Joey, too, but, Charlie managed their interrogation of the boy and kept it to a minimum. Christine realized that it wasn't easy for him to be such a rock, such a font of good spirits; he had lost two of his men, not only employees but friends. She was grateful that he seemed determined to conceal his own horror, tension, and grief for Joey's sake.

At eleven o'clock, just as Joey was tiring of Pac-Man, Charlie came in, pulled up a chair to the kitchen table, sat down, and said, "Those suitcases you packed this morning-"

"Still in my car."

"I'll have them put in mine. Go pack whatever else you might need for.

say. a week. We'll be leaving here as soon as you're ready."

"Where are we going?"

"I'd rather not tell you just now. We could be overheard."

Had he, too, considered the possibility that one of Grace Splyey's people might be working as a cop? Christine wasn't sure whether his paranoia made her feel better or worse.

Joey said, "We gonna hole up in a hideout somewhere?"

"Yep," Charlie said." That's exactly what we're going to do."

Joey frowned." The witch has magic radar. She'll find us."

"Not where I'm taking you," Charlie said." We've had a soreerer cast a spell on the place so she can't detect it."

"Yeah?" Joey said, leaning forward, fascinated." You know a soreerer? "

"Oh, don't worry, he's a good guy," Charlie said." He doesn't do black magic or anything like that."

"Well, sure," the boy said." I wouldn't figure a private eye would work with an evil soreerer."

Christine had a hundred questions for Charlie, but she didn't think it was a good idea to ask any of them in front of Joey and perhaps disturb his fragile equilibrium. She went upstairs, where the coroner was overseeing the removal of the red-haired killer's body, and she packed another suitcase. Downstairs, in Joey's room, she packed a second case for him, then, after a brief hesitation, stuffed some of his favorite toys in another bag.

She was gripped and shaken by the unsettling feeling that she would never see this house again.

Joey's bed, the Star Wars posters on his wall, his collection of plastic action figures and spaceships seemed slightly faded, as if they were not really here, as if they were objects in a photograph. She touched the bedpost, touched an E.T. doll, put a hand to the cool surface of the blackboard that stood in one corner, and she could feel those things beneath her fingers, but still, somehow, they didn't seem real any more.

It was a strange, cold, augural feeling that left a hollowness within her.

No, she thought. I'll be back. Of course I will.

But the feeling of loss remained with her as she walked out of her son's room.

Chewbacca was taken out first and put into the green Chevy.

Then, in raincoats, shepherded by Charlie and his men, they left the house, and Christine shuddered when the cold, stinging rain struck her face.

Newspapermen, television camera teams, and a van from an all-news radio station awaited them. Powerful camera lights snapped on as soon as Christine and Joey appeared. Reporters jostled one another for the best position, and all of them spoke at once:

"Mrs. Scavello-"

— a moment, please-',

"— just one question-"

She squinted as the lights lanced painfully at her eyes.

"who would want to kill you and-"

"— is this a drug case-"

She held Joey tightly. Kept moving.

,'-do you-"

"— can you-"

Microphones bristled at her.

"— have you-"

— will You-"