Do you want to talk about it? Larry asked after dropping off Henry and Betty.
Lane slumped in the passenger seat with her arms folded, turned her face toward him and said, I kicked Jim in the butt. So he advised us to walk home.
You kickedhim?
You wouldnt believe what he did to me.
Oh, I might.
Guys are such pigs.
Thanks.
Not youuuu. But I mean it. Honestly. All they want to do is grab grab grab. Theyve got sex on the brain.
And you dont, huh?
I dont go around grabbing... their private areas.
Happy to hear it.
You werent like that, were you? When you were a teenager?
He was glad there wasnt enough light coming into the car for Lane to see his face go red. Hed been in his office with the door shut when she phoned from the pizza parlor. Gazing at his pictures of Bonnie. Remembering all the details of his dream. Longing for her. A girl nearly the same age as Lane. Who even lookedquite similar to her.
I guess every teenager has sex on the brain, he said.
But you didnt go around always trying to cop a feel, did you?
When I was your age? No. I dated sometimes, but I wasnt especially interested in the girls I went out with. So I didnt try much funny stuff with them.
You werent interestedin the girls you dated?
Were talking about my high school days, right?
Yeah.
Well then, no. Not much. I basically just went out with dogs.
Dad! She sounded shocked but amused.
Its true. And I didnt want to get fleas, so...
Really, thats not nice.
Okay okay. Seriously? I wasnt exactly dashing, and I knew it. So I never even tried to go out with any of the girls I really thought were neat. They scared the hell out of me. If a girl looked like you, for instance, Id just admire her from afar and maybe daydream about her. I sure wouldnt date her.
Jeez, Dad.
Weird, huh? Now Ive got a kid whos one of them.
He looked at Lane and smiled. She shook her head. Then she reached out and patted his shoulder. Iwouldve gone out with you.
A pity date.
No way. Ill bet youwouldve been a perfect gentleman.
A lust-crazed maniac! He shot his hand under Lanes outstretched arm and thrust it into her armpit.
Dont! she cried out. Giggling, she clamped her arm down and squirmed.
He pulled his hand free, got it under her elbow and tickled her side.
Dad! Stop!
He returned his hand to the steering wheel. As he eased the car to the curb in front of their house, Lane grabbed hisside and dug her fingers in.
Dont! he cried out, mimicking her and laughing. Please. Stop!
You can give it but you cant take it, she said.
Writhing as she tickled him, he shut off the engine. Then he grabbed her forearm and pushed up the sleeve of her sweater. Indian burn, he announced.
No! she gasped, breathless with giggling. Dont! I mean it! Ill tell Mom!
Tattletale. He gave her the Indian burn. Gently. Then let go.
Is that the best you can do?
Oh? You want me to give you a good one?
I think Ill pass, thanks, she said. She patted his arm. Maybe some other time. Maybe... She suddenly clutched his forearm with both hands and twisted, wringing its flesh.
Yeeeoow!
Thatll teach you, tough guy. Laughing, she hurled herself at the passenger door and scurried from the car. She ran to the house. But instead of using her key to let herself in, she waited on the porch for him.
Larry rubbed his arm as he walked toward her. It stung.
I didnt really hurt you, did I? she asked.
Ill live. With luck.
Lane held out her arm. Want to give me one?
No.
Come on, Ill feel better if you get me back.
Youd just scream and wake up your mother, he said, and unlocked the door. They entered the house quietly.
Lane looked toward the sofa. Where is she?
In bed.
Ah-ha. Gosh, I hope I didnt interrupt anything when I phoned.
Jean, complaining of a miserable headache, had gone to bed nearly an hour before the call, giving Larry his opportunity to be with the pictures of Bonnie. He said, Youll never know.
Ho ho ho.
Well, its time for me to hit the hay.
Time for me to hit the shower, Lane said.
Didnt you just have a bath before supper?
Her smile fell away. Im feeling kind of grubby.
Oh.
Yeah. Everything that... She pressed her lips together. Her chin began to tremble and tears glimmered in her eyes.
Larrys throat suddenly tightened. Im sorry, honey.
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Why do things... have to get so fouled up?
I dont know. Its life, I guess.
Lifes a bitch, then you die.
Dont say that, honey, he whispered. Everything will turn out fine.
Yeah, sure.
Jim isnt the only guy in the world. Just wait and see. Youll run into some fellow, one of these days, and fall head over heels for him.
Good way to break your back, she muttered against the side of his neck. Relaxing her hold, she kissed his cheek. Anyway, thanks. She stepped back and wiped her eyes on a sleeve of her sweater.
Youll feel better in the morning, he told her.
At least until I wake up.
Larry stretched out between the sheets of his bed. They were cool and felt good.
Lane back? Jean asked in a husky voice.
Yep.
She sighed, and seemed to fall asleep again. Larry listened to her deep, slow breathing. Soon, he heard the distant windy sound of the shower.
He wondered if Lane would go right to bed when she was done.
You dont need to look at those pictures again, he told himself. Go to sleep and forget it.
What if Lane caught you looking at them? A girl her own age. A dead girl, to boot. Shed think youre no better than Jim. Worse. Guys are such pigs. Including Dad.
Just explain youre writing a book about her. She was murdered, and tomorrow...
Tomorrow.
Larry had struggled, ever since lunch, to push that out of his mind. Whenever he thought about returning to Sagebrush Flat, a sick hot feeling swept through him. It came now. He kicked free of the top sheet and blanket.
Call it off?
What do you tell Pete? Sorry, I changed my mind. Right.
Weve got to go through with it.
What if we find Uriah?
We wont. We were there twice before, and he didnt put in an appearance.
Maybe he just happened to be away the other times. Taking a stroll in the desert. Killing coyotes.
Or right there, hidden, watching us.
Terrific.
Now Ill never get to sleep, he thought.
Think about something pleasant. Think about Bonnie.
No! Ive got to stop thinking about Bonnie. Its crazy. Its wrong.
He heard the shower go silent.
Lane was done. Give her fifteen minutes, he thought, to make sure shes asleep. Then itll be safe to take out the pictures.
Might as well, if I cant sleep anyway.
No.
Besides, whats the point? Shes dead. She wont come back.
She might. When I pull the stake.
Bullshit,
But what if she does?
She wont. Theres no such thing as vampires.
Pull it and find out, Bonnie said, her voice soft and teasing in his mind.
Youd like that, wouldnt you? he told her.
Very much.
I suppose it can be arranged. He straddled the coffin and smiled down at her.
It was confusing. He hadnt pulled the stake yet, but she was already alive, naked and beautiful and talking to him.
How come youre already alive? he asked.
She gave him a playful smile. Vampire magic.