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dry yet, is it?
94 Amber Green
Lorie scooted out of the warm bed and reached for her step-ins.  I need to go upstairs
first to see if my coat is there, with my house-key in the pocket.
 If it is, it s in a locked room, Lorie. Considering the vandalism and thefts, I don t feel
right busting down a locked door.
 What room were you in, Shy?
 806. She shook her dungarees and eyed them. Not too very wrinkled.
Jack nodded.  The worst wing and the worst floor. What were you thinking, to go
there?
She rounded her eyes.  Well, golly gee gosh! I don t know... I guess maybe I was just
taking the air. In my dainties. In November! In a hotel! In New York City! Wearing a potion
guaranteed to draw monsters --  she jerked up the zipper at her hip.  -- like a road apple
draws flies! Trying not to throw up when things that pretended to be human drooled down
my neck!
She bent forward and shook into her bra. When she straightened, both men were
staring like she d pulled a rabbit out of her shirt pocket.  And what are you looking at!
Jack swallowed, and raised his gaze to meet hers.  Give us a minute to dress. We ll both
go look at 806 with you.
 Wouldn t be any monsters there in the daytime?
 Ought not be, but we re going armed anyway.
806 was locked, but the guys each whipped out a screwdriver. Lorie stood in the dusty,
musty hallway and held the flashlight, which grew heavier and heavier at the end of her
arm.
 Steady, Lorie.
She switched the flashlight to her other hand and aimed it for the doorknob screws.
How could holding this be lighter work than twisting a little bitty screw? And honestly,
when would someone invent a flashlight that weighted less than a sack of flour?
The knob rattled, and flopped downward. Jack pulled and twisted until the works came
out in his hand. He pocketed them and probed the hole with his screwdriver. The lever of
the deadbolt above the hole twitched, and Jack swore, jabbing his screwdriver deep.
 Skill, Tommy advised with a grin.
 Skill your ass. Move your head and let her bring the light closer.
 You don t need light, my most foul-mouthed of twin brothers. You need to know
where the right hole is and where the magic spot is and how to aim your prod -- 
Jack s elbow snapped toward Tommy s face. Tommy fell back, laughing. The lever
turned, and Jack pushed the door open.
Smells of mildew and old blood flowed out. Jack looked around from his crouched
position, then stood.  Something happened here, but the evidence has been removed.
Lights Out! 95
 My coat? she asked, teeth clenched.
He stepped into the room, and looked about.  No sign of it.
 Curtain, Tommy said.
The curtain fluttered as Jack approached. He stood off to the side and lifted the curtain
a little way.  The window s wide open, not broken. I guess whoever cleaned up in here
wanted it aired.
She frowned.  Wouldn t anyone who looked up wonder why a window is standing
open in this weather? People who are good at hiding things don t draw attention to the
hiding places.
 Good question, Shy. He stood off to the side of the window and lifted the curtain
away from it again.  No street or sidewalk below -- just the roof for the sewing factory next
door.
Tommy checked the bathroom.  No clothes or key, but the bathtub is stopped up and
some wads of hair are floating -- 
 Shut up, Tommy!
Two other rooms had traces of old-blood smells, several days or maybe a few weeks
older.
None of this should surprise me. But she felt numb as they searched the rest of the
floor.
The numbness continued on Strega Road. The trash bin overflowed with men s shoes,
so worn and ragged even the scavengers had left them. Someone else had moved, or died, on
Strega Road. Bitsy yipped like a scratched record, but Maude was silent.
A steel padlock gleamed on her front door. Her key wouldn t have done any good if she
had found it.
Squaring her shoulders, she turned and marched to the Teodors' apartment. No one
answered her knock. Jack stood at her back. He felt good there, but maybe he looked
frightening in the shadowy hallway? She knocked again. No answer. Okay, unless Mr.
Teodor was home, nobody answered anyway. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]