Michael McGarity - Serpent Gate

"If he is not here, he's working," Carlos said.

"Then let us go to the place where he works," Felix said.

Carlos drove to the state police headquarters building and parked across the highway. Using binoculars, he found Kerney's official vehicle in the parking lot and pointed it out to Felix.

"We will wait for the gringo to leave," Felix said, "and kill him on his way home."

Within a matter of minutes, a fast-moving storm bringing wind-whipped, freezing snow made it impossible to see the police parking lot. At full speed the windshield wipers barely cleaned the glass, and visibility dropped to less than twenty feet.

"Is there no other vantage point we can use?" Felix asked in disgust as he took the binoculars away from his eyes.

"None that provides a dear view of the exits from the parking lot,"

Carlos replied.

"We cannot even see the parking lot, let alone who comes or goes,"

Felix said as he stared into the whiteout.

"Get us closer. Cross the highway and drive past the building."

Carlos did as he was told, and in the vaporous light of the parking lot lamp they saw the empty space where Kerney's car had been.

"Go back to the house," Felix said in disgust.

"We will kill him there."

Only the police cruiser was in the driveway when Carlos drove by. Felix directed him to park on the street and wait.

After an hour, with no sign of Kerney and the snow piling up, Carlos got anxious.

"We will be stuck here if we don't leave soon," he said.

"We're wasting time," Delfino agreed.

"Where else can he be?" Felix asked Carlos.

"I do not know," Carlos answered.

"He has no girlfriend, he sees no one socially, and he does not go to dubs or saloons. All he does is work."

"Check his dossier," Felix told Delfmo.

"He investigated a cop killing in Mountainair recently," Delfmo said.

"Maybe he went there. Where is this place?"

"Southeast of Albuquerque," Carlos replied.

"You have a map?" Felix asked.

"In the glove box."

Felix got the map, unfolded it, and, using a pen flashlight, looked for the town's location.

"It's not too far," he finally said.

"Let us visit Mountainair," Delfmo suggested.

"Judging by the name, I'm sure it's very picturesque."

"The roads could be very bad," Carlos said.

"You are here to drive us, not advise us," Felix snapped.

"Delfmo is right; it is better to search for the gringo than to sit here and risk discovery. If we do not find him, we will come back."

Carlos nodded, cranked the engine, and made a U-turn. Except for a few snowplows and sand spreaders that were busy clearing one lane in each direction, the highway out of town was virtually deserted. the buzzard made Kerney's trip south unbelievably grueling. At times, he was forced to crawl along at ten miles an hour, and on several occasions his unit spun out on black ice without warning. Only the absence of traffic averted an accident.

In Estanda, he contacted the sheriff's department by radio and got directions to Nita Lassiter's house. He turned east into the teeth of the storm, and soon the car wipers were thudding against a rock-solid ice buildup on the windshield. He had to stop repeatedly and scrape the glass, while the storm raged around him, kicked along by gale-force winds.

The drive put him in a foul mood. Born and raised in the desert of the Tularosa Basin, Kerney didn't like snow much, and his aversion to it hadn't changed in spite of the years he'd lived in Santa Fe working for the police department.

He found Nita's house. Facing south, it had a wall of windows running the length of the structure. All the inside and outside lights were on, creating a lonely beacon that barely cut through the whiteout of the storm.

It was the only sign of habitation he'd glimpsed since leaving the outskirts of Estanda, Her four-wheel-drive truck was parked by the front door. He knocked and the door flew open. The look of relief on Nita's face dropped away as he stepped inside.

"I thought you were Robert," she said.

"You haven't found him?" Kerney replied as he unbuttoned his coat. He hung it on the rack in the small entryway.

"No. I have all the lights on in case he's nearby."

"He would need to be within a few hundred feet to see them. Have you searched outside?"

"Twice," Nita answered as she led him into a large room that contained a living area, dining alcove, and kitchen.

"Everywhere," she added.

Kerney nodded and looked around. The house was passive solar with exposed adobe walls, insulated glass panels, a corner fireplace, and brick floors. Doors at both ends of the room led to bedrooms.

"I have people looking for him," Kerney noted,

"although I doubt it will do much good in the storm.

Let's hope he's found shelter."

Nita sank into a low-backed tufted leather chair that faced a sofa.

"He put a pair of my underwear in the commode and rummaged through my bedroom dressers. I have no idea why he did it."

"Where have you looked for him?"

"I covered every back road between Estanda and Manzano, until the storm closed in and I couldn't see beyond the hood of my truck. We need to find him."

"In the morning," Kerney said wearily as he went to get his coat. The cold weather had stiffened his bum knee, and he had to force it to work.

"You can't possibly go back outside," Nita said as she followed him.

"Stay here. I have a guest bedroom."

Kerney shook his head.

"I can't do that."

"You looked exhausted."

"I'll be fine." Kerney slipped into his coat.

"Are you always so bullheaded?"

Kerney turned and looked directly into Nita's eyes.

"Under different circumstances I would gladly accept your offer, Ms.

Lassiter. But you are a confessed cop killer, and I'm the guy who busted you. Staying here tonight is not an option; it would be misconstrued."

"No one needs to know."

"My presence here is a matter of official record. Both the county sheriff's office and the state police dispatcher know exactly where I am."

"You're right; you can't stay."

"I'll get a room at the Shaffer Hotel in Mountainair."

"Will you at least call me when you arrive so that I know you made it safely?"

"I'll do that. Try to think of where Robert might be heading."

Nita nodded and forced a smile, but her eyes were worried.

"What's wrong?" Kerney asked.

"I don't want anything to happen to Robert."

"Robert is a survivor, just like you," Kerney replied evenly.

"He'll be all right."

"Have you always been such an optimist?"

"I have my black moments every now and then."

"When was the last one?"

"The day I had to shoot you," Kerney replied.

Kerney's unexpected response shook Nita.

"I'm sorry that happened. You must think I'm terribly weak."

"I think you're a woman who needs to get on with her life."

"In prison?"

"I hope not, Ms. Lassiter."

"It wasn't fair of me to say that."

"No harm done."

As soon as Kerney said good night and slipped out the door, Nita wanted him to come back. With all the constraints that existed between them, she knew he wouldn't. But she could sense Kerney's loneliness ran as deep as her own, and that left her feeling very sad. ^ Ugly things had happened in Robert's dreams, forcing him awake. Paul Gillespie's face floated through his mind. The face changed into El Malo; horns snaked out of his forehead like worms and his eyes turned fiery red and evil.

Robert opened his eyes, found himself in total darkness, and scrambled to his feet. He could feel the pressure of the walls and ceiling gripping him-pushing him down-and his heart pounded in his chest.

He ran, stumbled against something, groped his way toward a current of cold air that blew against his face, and found a broken window. He crawled out, fell on his knees, and ran until a pain in his side forced him to stop.