The last thing she consciously realized was that someone had sideswiped her, riding up her tail.
Her head cracked hard against the steering wheel. The van started to spin. Or was it only her mind that was spinning? She never knew. Her world dimmed and then faded entirely into darkness.
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Adam's return to the household had resulted in pure chaos. The little boy entered into a new kind of danger, that of being smothered to death by the love of his brothers, Barbara--and himself, Lee admitted.
He had run in crying for his Aunt Bryn; Lee had done his best to assure Adam that Bryn would be right back. Brian and Keith started demanding to know everything that had happened. Lee tried to calm the older boys down and speak quietly to Adam.
"Do you know where you were, Adam?"
"In a house."
"What kind of a house?" Lee asked.
"I don't know.A house."
"Who took care of you, Adam?"
The little boy looked perplexed for a minute, but then he answered. "Mary took care of me. She tried to be nice, but she was always fighting with the man."
"What man, Adam?"
"The man who wore the black mask."
"Okay, Adam. Do you remember what Mary looked like?"
"She was a girl."
"An old girl?A young girl?Did she have dark hair or light hair? Was she thin, or was she fat?''
"She was skinny," Adam sniffed. He thought a minute. "And her hair was dark. I don't want to answer any more questions. I want to see Aunt Bryn!"
Lee sighed. He wanted to see Bryn, too. He wanted her to call the police. The minute she walked in, he was going to insist.
"Okay, Adam," Lee hugged him, tousled his hair, and released him. "Want some ice cream or something!"
"We have chocolate chip!" Keith exclaimed.
Barbara, who had refused to set Adam down for the first five minutes of his return, was still standing nearby. "Come on,Adam, let's get you some ice cream." She glanced at Lee with a worried frown, indicating the kitchen clock.
Bryn should have been back by now. Lee wandered back to the front porch. He glanced at his wristwatch. He had called her at theMountain Viewover thirty minutes ago. But there was no sign of the van.
What the hell was taking so long?
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The phone began to ring, and he hurried back into the house, diving for the receiver before Barbara could get it. He stared at her as he said a quick, "Hello?"
"Your girlfriend has had a little accident, Condor. Don't go getting excited--it was only a little accident.
But I figured you might be getting ideas about calling the police now. Don't. She can't watch those kids all the time, and you can't watch her all the time. You hear me, Condor?"
Accident... Accident...what was the son of a bitch talking about? Lee wondered. His temper flared and snapped. "So help me God, if she's been hurt, I'll find you. Scalp you, skin you alive, and tear you apart--"
"I'd hang up, red skin. Someone may be trying to call you." The phone went dead in Lee's hand. Panic rose in Barbara's voice as she confronted him.
"What's happened? Lee? What's happened?" He shook his head at her vehemently, with his features forming into a warning scowl as he indicated the children who, as yet, were still chattering away madly over their ice cream. Adam had become a cherished celebrity to his older brothers and, thankfully, he was taking it all in stride. Barbara lowered her voice. "What is it, Lee?" "I don't know. That joker just told me that there had been an accident--"
"An accident!Oh, my God!"
"Stop it, Barbara! Stop it. You're shrieking. And you've got to stay calm! I'm going to go on out and trace Bryn's route. I'll call you the second that--"
He broke off, and they both froze as the phone began to ring again. Then Lee almost ripped the receiver from its cradle. "Yes?"
"Mr. Lee Condor?"
"Yes?" the voice was not that of the whisperer. It was a male voice, calm and polite.
"Please, don't panic. I'm Sergeant McCloskey with the Nevada Highway Patrol. Mr. Andrew McCabe said I could reach you here. There's been an accident...."
The world was very fuzzy when she opened her eyes. Bryn had to keep blinking to try and clear them.
She became aware of movement. There were arms about her, and she was being carried.
She took a good look at one of the arms. It was covered in light beige fabric. The man was wearing a trench coat. Dread slipped into her heart even before she raised her eyes to the man's face.
It was him! The man with the strange dark hair andmustache who had been pacing the lobby at the Mountain View....
She started to scream.
He gazed down at her startled, and then began to talk."Bryn! Hush! It's just me--Andrew! I had to get you out of the van--you were hit near the gas tank. Hush! It's me. Pull the hair; it will come right off.
See?''