Ravens. Part 33

"If we get to sh.o.r.e. Yes. I think I know where he'll go first."

They bounced along through the waves. Mitch watched as Patsy opened the ice chest and carefully measured out a little c.o.c.ktail for herself. Tara was gazing at the riverbank, at the solemn oaks. Jase sat in his heap of misery. Shaw said to Mitch, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have left Romeo out there."

Said Mitch, "There's lots of things you shouldn't have done. You shouldn't be here in the first place. But I know one thing. You're here because G.o.d wants you here."

They sat without speaking. Shaw began to softly weep. He said, "Is there a prayer for me? Is there anything that could save me?"

Mitch put an arm around him, and held him, and said, "There's the psalm. My G.o.d, my G.o.d, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?"

Mitch turned his gaze to the boat's wake, as it opened into the river, and he went on: "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death."

Shaw wept into Mitch's chest. Mitch said, "Be not thou far from me, O Lord. O my strength! Haste thee to help me!"

Romeo had been braced for the world to collapse at any moment, but he'd supposed this fall would come violently, with lightning and thunder. Instead it was all happening in silence: the walls just quietly caving in. had been braced for the world to collapse at any moment, but he'd supposed this fall would come violently, with lightning and thunder. Instead it was all happening in silence: the walls just quietly caving in.

Shaw wasn't answering his phone.

That was all.

Romeo kept up the rhythm with his thumb, calling again and again, but each time he got Shaw's message machine. You know what to do. You know what to do.

He kept driving. He took a left at the Sonic. Another left at Zachary Wiles's Funeral Home. He pa.s.sed the Empire t.i.tle p.a.w.n Shop. He thought about that cry he'd heard: "No, don't!" "No, don't!" Whose voice could that have been? Someone younger than Patsy, shriller than Tara - maybe Jase? But Jase was too shy and timid to shout like that. Some girl at the fairgrounds? Just some girl Shaw was flirting with, and this was only a game? Whose voice could that have been? Someone younger than Patsy, shriller than Tara - maybe Jase? But Jase was too shy and timid to shout like that. Some girl at the fairgrounds? Just some girl Shaw was flirting with, and this was only a game?

But then he'd have called right back.

Maybe he's got no signal? He's out of range?

But then why doesn't he get back into into range? range?

Well. He's thoughtless. Like a child sometimes.

Romeo was back at the Sonic. He turned left, and made another left at the funeral home. Pa.s.sed Empire t.i.tle again. He was driving in circles. Why not admit it? he thought. They've got Shaw. They've got Shaw. It's so clear. Here's what happened: the porks came, Shaw pulled his gun, someone yelled, "No, don't!" So that's it. It's over. He's either caught or dead - and I better hope dead, considering the torture that prison would be for Shaw. It's so clear. Here's what happened: the porks came, Shaw pulled his gun, someone yelled, "No, don't!" So that's it. It's over. He's either caught or dead - and I better hope dead, considering the torture that prison would be for Shaw.

s.h.i.+t.

3:06. Time was running out. Fourteen minutes left.

Call me, G.o.dd.a.m.n it!

He stopped at a construction site on 17. He took half a dex; then he went back to the trunk but couldn't remember how it opened. He looked everywhere before he finally checked the glove compartment and found the release switch. He went back and opened the trunk and took out the Phoenix .22. Above him were black stormclouds. The very air was stressed. He'd have to start killing any moment. He needed the whirling. Oh s.h.i.+t. Shaw, call me. call me.

Burris called the Lieutenant as he drove toward town. He didn't want to be overheard so he used his cell phone. It took a while to get through. When he did, he said, "Lieutenant, I need a BOLO on this guy and I need it right now. His name is Romeo Zderko." called the Lieutenant as he drove toward town. He didn't want to be overheard so he used his cell phone. It took a while to get through. When he did, he said, "Lieutenant, I need a BOLO on this guy and I need it right now. His name is Romeo Zderko."

"Who?"

"Friend of Shaw McBride's."

"Burris, you can't work this case."

"This time I've got real evidence."

"Chief's gonna fire fire your a.s.s." your a.s.s."

"But this guy, this Zderko, he's stalking the Boatwrights. He's got a map of Brunswick with little stars where all the Boatwrights live."

Silence, while the Lieutenant tried to process this. It was painful for Burris to wait, but he did. After a long while the Lieutenant said, "What do you mean, stars?"

"It'd take too long to explain. The point is, he's targeting the Boatwrights."

"Where'd you find this map?"

"The trailer where he's been staying."

"You had your warrant and all?"

"Didn't need one. His girlfriend gave it to me."

A sigh. "OK."

OK was just two letters but the Lieutenant drawled them so slowly it was like he was reeling out the whole alphabet. Then he said, "Burris, this map, would you say it represents an imminent threat?" was just two letters but the Lieutenant drawled them so slowly it was like he was reeling out the whole alphabet. Then he said, "Burris, this map, would you say it represents an imminent threat?"

"He's never met them! Yet he's got a map showing their houses!"

"Yeah. I guess that's a threat. You bringing this in?"

"Fast as I can. But we need a BOLO right now."

"Can it wait till the Chief gets back from lunch?"

"For G.o.d's sake. Jimmy! Gimme the f.u.c.kin BOLO!"

He hadn't called him Jimmy for years - not since his demotion. Soft crackle of static.

Finally: "All right, Burris. I'll put it out there."

"Thank you."

"But now it's my own nuts hangin over the coals."

Shaw leaped out of the boat the moment it touched Lonsdale's dock - then reached back and pulled Tara off, and the two of them left the others behind. They sprinted down Lonsdale's curving elegant driveway to where the Liberty was parked. leaped out of the boat the moment it touched Lonsdale's dock - then reached back and pulled Tara off, and the two of them left the others behind. They sprinted down Lonsdale's curving elegant driveway to where the Liberty was parked.

"Get in," he ordered her. "Drive."

She got behind the wheel. As they were turning onto Sea Island Road, she asked, "Where?"

"I'll tell you when we get back to Brunswick."

"How much time do we have?"

He checked his watch. 3:11. "Nine minutes."

"I can't get to Brunswick in nine minutes!"

"Try."

At the corner of Frederica Road, she ran a red light, leaning into the horn. She shouted, "Who does he kill first?"

"I'll tell you when we're closer."

"Can't you just call him on my my phone?" phone?"

"I don't know his number," he said. "I just press 7."

She gave a sigh of disgust.

Shaw thought, was he supposed to have foreseen this this? That her brother would be a psychopath, and throw his phone in the sea? Get out of my head! What we want is light, pure light, not all these questions. Who sent you to destroy my dream? This ugliness, I can't bear this right now.

She was doing eighty on the Sea Island Causeway, weaving through the lanes.

She tried to speak gently: "Shaw, please tell me where's he's going first."

"When we're closer."

"But I could call and warn them."

"Not without giving me away."

"But it's not Nell? Nell's not first?"

"You'll know soon."

"For G.o.d's sake, just tell me this one thing! Is it Nell?"

"Drive as fast as you can."

Romeo was coming down Indian Mound Road toward Shelby and Miriam's. There were still three more minutes left before he'd be obliged to kill anyone, but it was time for him to get into position. He should be ready. It wouldn't be too hard. The kids, MacKenzie and Benjamin would still be at school. So he could just waltz in there. Then Shelby would be bound to say something nasty, and that would get the whirling going in Romeo's head. was coming down Indian Mound Road toward Shelby and Miriam's. There were still three more minutes left before he'd be obliged to kill anyone, but it was time for him to get into position. He should be ready. It wouldn't be too hard. The kids, MacKenzie and Benjamin would still be at school. So he could just waltz in there. Then Shelby would be bound to say something nasty, and that would get the whirling going in Romeo's head.

He pulled up across from the house. The kids were not in school. They were out on the lawn, playing badminton. He was horrified to see them. But he said to himself, you're a soldier. Good soldiers say f.u.c.k the kids.

The girl MacKenzie stopped playing a moment. She looked straight at him. She even seemed to remember him. She gave him a little wave. He lowered his eyes.

Think about Shaw. They've got Shaw. Remember what Shaw said that night of the Perseids party, looking up at the stars. "This thing we we have, between the two of us. This friends.h.i.+p? This will last. In some form. Because this is the only worthwhile f.u.c.king thing in history." have, between the two of us. This friends.h.i.+p? This will last. In some form. Because this is the only worthwhile f.u.c.king thing in history."

Go. Keep your head down and don't look at her, if that'll make it easier. But go. Now.

Tara and Shaw came off the causeway, and finally Shaw revealed their destination: "Shelby and Miriam's. He said that's where he'd go first." and Shaw came off the causeway, and finally Shaw revealed their destination: "Shelby and Miriam's. He said that's where he'd go first."

Her first thought was, it's not Nell!

Not Nell! Thank G.o.d!

Then she thought about the kids. MacKenzie and Benjamin. Oh Lord the kids. I'm thanking G.o.d that Romeo's killing the kids? She took a right on 17 and went north - and floored it. Running a red light and then sliding across the traffic and running another, horns lighting up all around her, and she shot into the oncoming lane to pa.s.s a half-dozen cars, and found herself in the path of a truck. Panic rushed up from her chest and blinded her. She jerked the wheel back, and somehow found her own lane again, and held on, and the car steadied.

The whole time, Shaw sat silently. Keeping his eyes on the road, holding his gun in his lap, saying not a word.

The clock on the dashboard said 3:24. So time was up, she thought. Time was up already! They were already four minutes late!

But still Shaw was quiet. Maybe none of this was real? Maybe it had all been staged, just to scare her?

But if it was real, and they were too late - if they found that Shelby and Miriam and the kids were already dead - then what would Shaw do? He'd kill her, wouldn't he? He'd have to. Instantly. What other choice would he have?

She skidded right onto Belle Point, then left on Indian Mound Road.

The house. Badminton net out front, on the pristine carpet of gra.s.s. There were two rackets and a white birdie, lying there. Would the kids have done that? Shelby's kids, ever? Just left their stuff out on the lawn like that? She burst her car door open and ran into the garage, and Shaw followed her.

The door to the kitchen was ajar.

She gave it a little push. As it swung open, she called, "h.e.l.lo?"

The fieldstone walls returned an echo. No one called back. Lucky didn't bark. She stepped inside. Shaw was right behind her.

They walked through the kitchen and the only sound was the murmur of the refrigerator. She was too scared to call again. She felt Shaw's presence at her back. I'm dead, she thought, the moment we find the bodies. Where are they? Where are they? She stepped into the great room, where everything was immaculately arranged: the tall vase full of lilies, the candlesticks, the Architectural Digest Architectural Digests. A broad view of the marsh. No movement anywhere. She thought, I should run now. Why am I looking for them? They're dead - I can't help them. Make a dash for the front door and start screaming.

Then she heard a small voice. One word: "Marco."

Again. "Marco."

It was a boy's voice.

Then a girl: "Polo."

Followed by a frenzy of splas.h.i.+ng. Tara went up to the sliding gla.s.s doors till she could see the pool in the backyard, where Benjamin and MacKenzie were playing happily.

Lucky the dog spotted her and starting barking. MacKenzie cried, "Tara!"

Tara went outside, followed by Shaw. MacKenzie ran up to her still soaking wet, but Tara gave her a huge hug anyway.

Miriam, sitting by the pool, said, "Hey darlin. h.e.l.lo, Shaw."

MacKenzie cried, "Come into the pool!"

Tara said, "We can't. We're looking for Shaw's friend. Has he been here? Kind of a small guy? With big eyes?"

Miriam said, "That's your your friend? The religious guy? He was just here. He scares the heck out of me." friend? The religious guy? He was just here. He scares the heck out of me."

"Did he speak to you?"