Кей Хупер - Out of the Shadows

"Steve Penman was no lightweight," Miranda said. "And there are no signs the killer used anything but a car to transport his victim. Carrying him to and from the water wheel definitely took some muscle."

"Or sheer determination," Bishop said.

Miranda sighed, glanced around at the deepening twilight, then said to the doctor, "There's been no time to discuss it until now, but you said you had found something interesting about the bones of the first victim?"

"You could say that. While he was still alive, the boy had been injected with a chemical compound that leached all the nutrients from his system and forced his bones to appear to age much more rapidly than normal."

Miranda stared at her for a moment. "Why?"

"If I had to guess, knowing what little we do about this killer, I'd say he did it just to see what would happen. I have no doubt the process would have been agonizing for the victim, and if he gets his kicks by causing pain ..."

"A lab experiment," Alex said incredulously. "A goddamned lab experiment."

Miranda felt too sickened to speak, and it was Bishop who said, "Is there any other reason he might have done it? Anything he could have gained?"

Sharon pursed her lips. "Well, maybe one thing, though I'm damned if I know why. One result of the chemical process would have been to ... enrich the blood. All the nutrients leached from the bones and organs would have been deposited in the bloodstream. So if he exsanguinated that body — and I believe he did — the blood he got as a result would have been much higher in minerals and nutrients than normal."

After a long silence, Alex said, "Am I the only one starting to believe in vampires?"

"No," Miranda said. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Liz hadn't been thinking much about the weather, but when the flow of customers to the cafe and bookstore increased dramatically in the late afternoon she knew something was up. People tended to make last-minute runs to the grocery story and — depending on their tastes — either a bookstore or a video store whenever bad weather was expected. Nobody wanted to be stuck at home without food or entertainment.

And in this case, Liz soon realized, they also wanted a last chance to linger in the relative safety of a public place and explore the latest gossip. Word had spread that Steve Penman's body had been discovered, and the mood of those Liz talked to seemed evenly divided between frightened and furious. They wanted the killings to stop, wanted this madman caught and punished, and they wanted it now.

Which was why when Alex came in just after six o'clock, three of Liz's customers pounced on him and demanded to know what the Sheriff's Department was doing to make the streets of Gladstone safe again.

"Everything we can," Alex told them patiently.

"Like what? It's getting very scary out there, Alex," Scott Sherman told him, waving his copy of the latest thriller in unconscious irony.

"Then don't be out there, Scott. Go home. There's a storm coming, or haven't you heard?"

"Of course I've heard. Why do you think I'm here looking for a few good books? Alex, I voted for Sheriff Knight, and I really hope she doesn't make me regret it."

"Then leave her alone to do her job — and help her by getting off the streets so we can all put our energy where it needs to go."

"But, Alex," Linda Bolton said anxiously, "if Steve Penman can be taken off Main Street in the middle of the afternoon, how can we expect our kids to be safe even at home?"

"Keep them inside and lock the doors." Alex sighed. "Look, I know it's a nervous time, but there's no sense in imagining a boogeyman around every corner. This killer is being hunted and knows it — and chances are he'll stay inside during bad weather just like the rest of us. So buy a few books and a jigsaw puzzle or two, and wait for the storm to blow over, okay?"

"But what if—"

Liz rescued him, waving the others back to their shopping or coffee and taking Alex to the counter, where he could sit and have a cup of coffee himself. She fixed his favorite and set it before him. "I don't have to ask if it's been a bad day. We heard you'd found Steve."

"Yeah."

Determined not to allow either of them to remember the last time they'd spoken, Liz kept her voice matter-of-fact. "Was there anything out there that might tell you who killed him?"

"Hell, I don't know." Alex sipped his coffee.

Liz hesitated. "I heard something about Steve coming back from the dead to tell his girlfriend where his body could be found."

Alex scowled. "So that's the latest garbled version? Shit. Not but what it's probably for the best that the story is getting outrageous. If we're lucky, nobody'll believe whatever they hear."

Grave, Liz said, "How did you know his body was out there?"

Sourly, Alex said, "How else? Randy got an anonymous tip."

"Her parents wanted to take her home, especially with a storm on the way," Bonnie said into the receiver, "but Dr. Daniels said better not. She's in pretty bad shape, Randy."

"Do her parents know yet?"

Bonnie lowered her voice even though she was alone at the reception desk and not likely to be overheard. "About the baby? I'm afraid so. I think her mom's in shock, and her dad looked . . . well, he looked awful. Like somebody had hit him."

"Somebody did," Miranda said.

"Yeah. Anyway, Dr. Daniels said she needed to sleep, straight through the night at least, and he wants to keep her here where she can be watched closely. I think he's afraid she — she might try to hurt herself or the baby."

"Do you think she could?"

"She's really scared, Randy. I mean, a few days ago she didn't even suspect she was pregnant, and then Steve disappeared and she started thinking and . . . and now he's gone and there's a baby coming. I don't know what she's capable of doing, I really don't. But I know I want to be here for her."

"You could be stuck there if this storm hits big."

"I know. And so does Seth. His dad and mom are both staying here because there are a few kids that can't be moved without making them worse, and we can help out. Part of the kitchen staff are staying, and two of the nurses. There are plenty of supplies, and a generator if we lose power. We'll be fine here even if we get snowed in."

Miranda sighed, sounding incredibly weary. "Well, I'd rather you were there at the clinic with Seth and his parents than home alone with Mrs. Task, for now at least."

Bonnie hesitated. "Randy, I don't think anybody's going to take what Amy said seriously. She was obviously hysterical and not making much sense at all."

"I hope you're right. But it gives people . . . possibilities ... to talk about, sweetie. And right now, that's about all they have. Until I can give them a solid suspect with believable evidence, they're bound to speculate."

"I know. I'm sorry, Randy."

"Don't be. Finding Steve before the killer was ready for us might turn out to be a huge break."

"I hope so. Will you stay there tonight?"

"That's the plan. I'll leave before the storm breaks and make sure Mrs. Task gets home safely and the house is battened down, then come back here."

Bonnie felt uneasy for no reason she could explain even to herself. "Be careful, okay? I mean . . . the roads could be bad."

"It isn't even snowing yet. But don't worry, I'll be careful. And you be sure and check in tomorrow morning whether we end up snowbound or not. Don't leave the clinic, even with Seth, without telling me first."

"No, I won't."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow. "Bye, sweetie."

"Bye." Bonnie hung up and went down the hall to look in on Amy, who was sleeping with the utter stillness of sedation or exhaustion — or both. Seth had been standing by her window gazing out at nothing, but when Bonnie looked in he joined her at the door.