Mariah Stewart - Cry Mercy

Pulling himself up onto the diving board, he leaned back and rested on his elbows and stared down at the water, and wondered how things had gotten so messed up in his life. As if it mattered at this point, he reflected. There was no turning back now.

And in truth, did he really want to turn back? Would he really wish away the one thing in his life that brought him true satisfaction, true ecstasy, true bliss?

He tried to remember when he first realized that he was actually going to take a life. It had seemed necessary at the time but he couldn't remember when that had become clear, that the killing wasn't an option, but, like it or not, something he had to do. He'd come to accept that sometimes there were certain things that simply had to be done. Killing was one of them. It was something he'd sort of grown into, something he found he had a surprising talent for, and that he'd liked. A lot.

That had been the biggest surprise-that he enjoyed it as much as he did, liked the high like nothing else he'd ever experienced. He dove into the water again when he felt the first stirring of the desire that came over him every time he thought about taking a life. The knowledge surged through him that he'd be feeding that desire, and soon-much sooner than he'd expected. This time would present a greater challenge, would require more planning, but that was okay. He enjoyed the process, though not quite as much as he enjoyed the execution.

He smiled, realizing his pun. Ha! The execution. Good one!

He got out of the pool, dried off, and walked back to the house, whistling all the way.

The steam rose off the asphalt in waves. Emme pulled the elastic from her ponytail and reworked it to raise her hair off the back of her neck, then did the same for Chloe.

Leave it to me to pick the hottest day of the year for a trip into the city. Way to go , she grumbled to herself.

“Where's your friend, Mommy?” Chloe asked.

“He'll be here soon, I'm sure.” Emme and Chloe stood well inside the zoo gate, holding hands and watching the crowd filter in. It was nearly eleven thirty, but already the temperature was rising toward ninety, the humidity keeping pace. “I called him on my cell phone before we left to tell him we'd meet him here, instead of the Tiger Terrace.”

“What's the Tiger Terrace?” Chloe kicked a little pebble with her foot, then followed it to where it lay, and kicked it again. Emme grabbed her by the shoulder before she could kick it out into the stream of tourists coming through the zoo gates.

“It's a place where you can buy food and eat. At least I think it is. Like a restaurant.”

“The place where Trula didn't want us to eat?”

Emme looked up and saw Nick walking toward them. She couldn't help but smile. He looked happy to see her, and in spite of the heat, looked cool as the proverbial cucumber. She wondered how he did that.

“Trula was afraid we'd eat hot dogs,” Emme said, her eyes still on Nick.

“Why is she afraid of hot dogs?” Chloe asked.

“Because sometimes they have things in them that might not be good for you.” Nick said as he joined them. “Hi, Chloe. I'm Nick, your mom's friend.”

“I know what's in hot dogs, do you?” Chloe asked solemnly, looking up at him.

“Nitrates?” he replied.

“No, beef.” She turned to her mother. “Why doesn't Trula like beef?”

“Trula does like beef. What Nick said-nitrates-aren't good for people and some hot dogs have them.” Emme looked from Chloe to Nick. “Why are we having this conversation?”

“Because someone is curious. But for the record, I'm betting the Tiger Terrace has other things besides hot dogs,” Nick said.

“But we have a picnic,” Chloe pointed to the cooler on wheels that stood next to her mother's feet. “Trula made it.”

“So your mom told me on the phone.” Nick nodded in the direction of the cooler.

“Trula only likes special food,” Chloe told him.

“So what's in the special picnic basket?” he asked.

“Turkey sandwiches. Salad. Grapes. Cookies. Water.” Chloe counted off the contents on her fingers.

“That does sound special,” he agreed.

“That's cause the turkey is free grown,” Chloe confided.

“Free range,” Emme corrected.

“Right.” Chloe nodded. “That.”

“There are some tables over here under the trees,” Emme said, pointing. “I suggest we take one of those while there's still one to be had. In this heat, I'm thinking the tables in the shade will be the first to go.”

Nick grabbed the cooler. “You lead, I'll follow.”

“Trula was mad because she didn't know we were going on a picnic and she didn't have time to make us more food,” Chloe said as they began to unload the basket.

“Judging by the weight of this cooler, I'd say she did just fine,” Nick observed.

“Trula dotes on Chloe,” Emme explained. “Actually, she dotes on all of us there at the foundation.”

Nick placed the cooler on the designated table and opened the lid. Chloe dove in.

“But mostly on me, ′cause I'm special.” Chloe handed Nick a bottle of water. “She said to make sure we remember to drink a lot of water today because it's going to be a scorcher.”

Nick bit back a laugh and took the bottle. “Well, she's right about that. It's already hot.”

“Maybe too hot to be at the zoo,” Emme said.

“No, it's not,” Chloe held up her bottle and her mother twisted off the top for her. “It's going to be just right.”

“The animals might be a bit mopey,” Emme told her. “Some of them don't like the heat.”

“But some do, right?”

“I suppose some do,” Emme nodded and passed out the sandwiches, hers and Nick's on rolls, Chloe's on a biscuit, just the right size for a four-year-old appetite.

They chatted through lunch, and after they finished and cleaned up the table, Nick found an information stand that had a map of the zoo and several brochures.

“Here, Chloe, let's decide where we'll go first,” he said.

Emme checked her watch. Lori and Henry should be arriving any minute. She stood for a better view of the gate.

“Do you have the photo that Ali sent you?” Nick asked.

“No, but I remember what they look like,” she assured him.

“Look, Nick, giraffes.” Chloe pointed excitedly to the brochure. “I never saw a real giraffe.”

“Yes, you did,” Emme reminded her, never taking her eyes off the gate. “In San Diego, remember?”

“I was too little then.” Chloe shook her head. “I don't remember.”

Chloe turned her attention back to the brochure and the map, chatting happily about the animals they'd see.

“No sign of them yet?” Nick asked after another ten minutes had gone by.

Emme shook her head.

“How much longer before we can see the animals, Mommy?” Chloe tugged on her arm.

“Soon, sweetie. Just be patient for a little longer.”

“I have been very patient.” Chloe pulled on Emme's arm until her mother was bent at the waist and they were face to face.

“Yes, you have.” Emme smoothed back Chloe's hair. “But I think we have to wait a little longer. I don't know why they're so late.”

“You always say it's rude to be late.”

“And it is. Unless you're stuck in traffic, which they might be.”

“Then they should call you. You always say-”

“Chloe, how ′bout you and I go take a look at the Rare Animal Conservation Center.” Nick held up the brochure. “Look, here are some of the animals we might see there.”

He squatted down, the brochure open, and Chloe leaned over his shoulder. “What's that one?”

“That is a blue-eyed black lemur,” he read.