Jonathan Kellerman - The Web

"I bow, doctor," he said softly, "to your superior knowledge of diarrhea."

The door opened. Zondervein and three sailors, kitchen smells, more food.

"Well," said Hoffman, exhaling. "Bon appétit."

Other than Hoffman, no one ate much.

After his second dessert, he stood and ripped his napkin free. "Come on, Bill, let's you and me catch up on old times. Nice to meet you all."

A glance at Lieutenant Zondervein, who said, "How about the rest of us head over to the rec room? There's a pool table and a big-screen TV."

Outside in the hall, Ewing gave him a disgusted look. "If you'll all excuse me." He left swiftly.

"This way," said Zondervein.

"Do you get cable?" Creedman asked.

"Sure," said Zondervein. "We get everything, have a satellite dish."

"Excellent."

"Isn't there a dish at the Trading Post?" I said.

Creedman laughed. "Broke a year ago and no one's bothered to fix it. Does that tell you something about local initiative?"

Creedman and I played a couple of games of pool. He was good, but cheated anyway, moving the cue ball when he thought I wasn't looking.

The big-screen was tuned to CNN.

"News lite," he said.

"Only thing I get from the news is depressed," said Pam. She and Robin were sitting in chairs too big for them, looking bored. I caught Robin's eye. She waved and sipped her Coke.

A few minutes later, Zondervein brought Moreland back. He sagged with exhaustion.

Pam said, "Dad?"

"Time to go."

After we landed, Creedman walked away from us without a word. No one spoke during the ride back to the estate. When Moreland pulled up in front of the house it was nine-forty. "I think I'll catch up on work. You all relax." He patted Pam's arm. "Have a good night, dear."

"Maybe I'll go into town."

"Oh?"

"I thought I might go for a night swim."

He touched her arm again. Held on to it. "That could be tricky, Pamela. Urchins, morays, you could run into trouble."

"I'm sure Dennis can keep me out of trouble."

He must have squeezed her arm because she winced.

"Dennis," he said, just above a whisper, "is engaged to a girl studying at the nursing school in Saipan."

"Not anymore," said Pam.

"Oh?"

"They broke up a few weeks ago."

She touched his arm and he dropped it.

"A pity," said Moreland. "Nice girl. She would have been valuable to the island." Fixing his eyes on his daughter: "Dennis still is, dear. It would be best for all concerned if you didn't distract him."

Turning on his heel, he walked down toward the bungalows.

Pam's mouth was wide open. She ran up to the house.

"Fun evening," I said. We were up in our suite, sitting on the bed.

"The way he just acted," said Robin. "I know he's under stress, but…"

"Loves the natives but doesn't want them dating his daughter?"

"It sounded more like he was shielding Dennis from her."

"It did. Maybe she's got an unfortunate history with men. The first time I saw her I noticed the sadness in her eyes."

She smiled. "Is that all you noticed?"

"Yes, she's good-looking but I don't find her sexy. There's something about her that sets up a clear boundary. I've seen it in patients: "I've been wounded. Stay away."'

"That obviously doesn't apply to Dennis."

"The old man really lost it," I said. "Perfect capper to a charming dinner."

She laughed. "That base. Night of the uniformed dead. And Hoffman. Joe Slick."

"Why do I get the feeling Hoffman's sole purpose for the dinner was the half hour he and Moreland spent alone?"

"Then why not just drop over here?"

"Maybe he wanted to be on his home turf, not Moreland's."

"You make it sound like some sort of battle."

"I can't help but think it was. The tension between them… as if the two of them have some issue that goes way back. At any rate, Moreland didn't get what he wanted for Aruk. Whatever that is."

"What do you mean?"

"He puzzles me, Rob. Talks about helping the island, rejuvenating it. But if he's as rich as Creedman says, it seems to me there are things he could have already done. Like improve communication. Put some of his fortune into schooling, training. At the very least, more frequent shipping schedules. Instead, he pumps a fortune into his projects. Walled in here like some lord while the rest of the island molders. Maybe the islanders know that and that's why they're leaving. We certainly haven't seen any big show of civic pride. Not even a grassroots movement to protest the barricade."

She thought about that. "Yes, he is very much the lord of the manor, isn't he? And maybe the islanders know something else: Hoffman's right about some places not being set up for development. Look at Aruk's geography. The leeward side has great weather but no harbor, the windward side has a natural harbor but rocks instead of soil. In between, you've got mountains and a banyan forest full of land mines. Nothing fits right. It's like a geographic joke. Maybe everyone gets it but Moreland."

"And Skip and Haygood with their resort scheme. Which proves your point. Oh, well, looks like I signed on with Dr. Quixote."

She got up and rolled off her panty hose, frowning. "It was so out of character, the way he just treated Pam. There doesn't seem to be much intimacy between them- which makes sense, with his being an absent father- but till tonight he's never been harsh."

"He's the one who sent her to boarding school," I said. "And even with her M.D. he doesn't consider her a colleague. All in all, no candidate for father of the year."

"Poor Pam. First time I saw her I thought, "homecoming queen.' But you never know, do you?"

She unbuttoned her dress and stepped out of it. Folded it over a chair and touched her wrist.

"How does it feel?" I said.

"Excellent, actually. Are you working tomorrow?"

"Guess so."

"Maybe I'll try to do something with those pieces of shell."

She went into the bathroom. And screamed.

Three of them.

No, four!

Racing back and forth, light-panicked, on the white tile floor.

One scurried up the shower wall, pointed its antennae at us. Waved.

Robin was pressed into a corner, fighting another scream.

One crawled up the side of the tub, paused on the rim.

Lozenge shaped. Red-brown armored shell as long as my hand.

Six black legs.

The eyes, too damn smart.

It hissed.

They all began hissing.

Speeding toward us.

I pulled Robin out of the room and slammed the door behind us. Checked the space beneath the door. Tight fit, thank God.

My heart was hurtling. Sweat burst out of me and leaked down in cold, itchy trails.

Robin's fingers bit into my back.

"Oh God, Alex! Oh God!"

I managed to say, "It's okay, they can't get out."

"Oh, God…" She gasped for breath. "I walked in and something touched- my foot."

She looked down at her toes and trembled.

I sat her down. She held on to my fingers, shaking.

"Easy," I said, remembering the insect's face- stoic, intense.

"Get rid of them, honey. Please!"

"I will."

"The light was off. I felt it before I saw it- how many were there?"

"I counted four."

"It seemed like more."

"I think four is all."

"Oh, God. "

I held her tight. "It's all right, they're confined."

"Yucch," she said. "Yucch!"

Spike was barking. When had he started?

"Maybe I should sic him on them."

"No, no, I don't want him near them- they're disgusting. Just get them out of here, Alex! Call Moreland. I can take them in their cages, but please get them out."