Part 16 (1/2)

'I feel like I'm in the G.o.dd.a.m.n Twilight Zone. Dad. This.'

'Pen almost getting hit this morning,' Bodie added. 'I'd forgotten about that.'

'I hadn't. And if you want to talk Twilight Zone, there're your visions. It's too bad you can't remember the one at the hospital.'

'I remember it,' she said. She turned and looked into Bodie's eyes. 'I remembered it then. I just didn't want to talk about it in front of the others.'

'What was it?'

'Later. I'll tell you when we're alone.'

'We're alone now.'

'Pen.'

Bodie could hear her in another room. Footsteps. Drawers opening.

'She'll be done in a minute,' Melanie said.

'Why don't you want her to know about it? Does it involve her?'

'In a way.'

'Come on, what is it?'

'No. I said later. It's just between you and me.'

'Okay,' he muttered. 'Later.'

'Don't be mad at me.'

'I'm not mad.'

'Yes you are,' she sulked.

' ”True!” ' he blurted. ' ”Nervous - very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?” '

' ”The disease had sharpened my senses,” ' came Pen's voice from the other side of the room, ' ”not destroyed, not dulled them.” '

Bodie grinned at her.

Melanie, looking perplexed, switched her gaze from Bodie to Pen.

'The Tell-Tale Heart,' Pen explained.

'We oughtta take our show on the road,' Bodie said. The hurt glance from Melanie made him regret the suggestion. 'Ready to go?'

'All set.' Pen had a small suitcase at her side, a purse hanging from her shoulder. She wore the same white jeans as before, but her burgundy blouse had been replaced by a plaid flannel s.h.i.+rt that was neatly tucked in. She wore a suede jacket over the s.h.i.+rt, its front open, the dangling ends of its belt swaying as she walked.

Bodie watched her take a few steps. There was just enough difference in the look and motion of her s.h.i.+rt to indicate, in Bodie's judgement, that she had taken the opportunity to put on a bra.

'I'll carry that,' he said, reaching for the suitcase.

Thank you.'

As she pa.s.sed it to him, the telephone clamored. Her hand jerked and the suitcase slipped from Bodie's fingers, thumped the floor. Pen stood rigid. She flinched as the phone rang again.

'Want me to get it?' Bodie asked.

She didn't look capable of answering.

'I will.' Melanie rushed past him.

He hurried behind her to the kitchen and watched her s.n.a.t.c.h up the receiver. 'h.e.l.lo?' Pause. 'No, this isn't Pen. May I tell her who is calling?' She listened, then covered the mouthpiece and called, 'It's some guy named Gary.'

'Okay,' Pen said. She came up beside Melanie and took the phone. 'h.e.l.lo?a Right, this is the Pen Conwaya Of course I remember you. ”Never look a gift drink in the mouth.” '

Bodie felt like a snoop, listening, but Melanie hadn't left so he stayed, too. Besides, he told himself, the guy didn't know if Pen would remember him, so they couldn't be on intimate terms.

'I guess it was the slides,' she said. 'I thought I was going to barfa Right, I just drove homea I was tempted, but I didn't know for sure whether you'd come down afterwardsa Oh, really?' Pen fooled with the top b.u.t.ton of her s.h.i.+rt. She frowned slightly. Tonight? I really can'ta No, it's a family situation. I really couldn't. Look, why don't you give me your number? When this situation is settled, I'll call you.' She nodded, but didn't write down his number. 'Got ita I will. Thanks for calling, Garya Goodnight.' She hung up. 'A guy I met last night at the mystery writers meeting.' She unplugged the phone and set it on top of the refrigerator. 'We'd better go. Joyce'll think we've abandoned her.'

In the living room, Pen stopped and looked down at the envelope on the coffee table where Melanie had left it.

'Should we take it with us?' Melanie asked.

Pen picked it up and crumpled it into a ball.

'Hey, don't ruin it! That's evidence.'

'Evidence of what?' Pen asked her sister. Without waiting for a reply, she headed again for the kitchen.

'Maybe you should show it to the police,' Melanie called.

Pen didn't answer. She came back without the envelope.

'You threw it away?'

'Do you think I want it looking at me when I come back?'

'Bodie and I were talking. We think you should go to the police.'

Pen left the lamp on. They stepped outside. She pulled the door shut and rattled the k.n.o.b. Walking along the balcony toward the stairs, she looked back at them. 'I'm not going to the police. First off, they've got bigger problems to worry about. Second, there's certainly not sufficient evidence to identify the creep even if they did care.' With a hand on the metal railing, she started down. 'They'd just advise me to get an unlisted number or move out. Besides, they'd want to hear the tape.'

And that, Bodie guessed, might be the real reason she didn't want the police involved. He couldn't blame her. They would insist on listening to the tape. Pen would be there with them as it played, as that piece of sc.u.m talked about f.u.c.king her, sticking his tongue in her, coming in her mouth. Hearing it again, herself, would be awful enough. But to have a couple of strangers listening, maybe wondering just how it would be to do those things to Pena and they would wonder exactly that, Bodie thought. A man couldn't help it.

'What are you going to do?' Melanie asked.

'I don't know yet. Move out, maybe. Or buy a gun.'

'I guess I'll turn in,' Joyce said shortly after they returned to her house. 'It's early, though. Feel free to stay up as long as you want. Watch some TV, have a snack, a drink, whatever.' To Pen, she added, 'You know where everything is.'