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mental note to get shoes, it wouldn t do to cut her feet on the rocks.
* * * *
Shadoe led the way up to the portico with Julita and Garret following. Garret passed him the
key, but the door gave way before he turned it.  The door was open, he whispered.  Has anyone been
in here since you left?
  Not that I know of.
Feeling suddenly defensive, Shadoe s hand rested on his gun as he walked in, the flashlight in
his hand piercing the darkness. A sudden sound caused them to halt in their tracks.
 What was that? Garret rasped.
 I don t know. Someone might be in here.
They stood still, but no other sound came, so Shadoe said,  Garret, do you have any candles
around here?
 What the hell do you want with candles?
 What the hell do you think? We need light.
 Why don t you use the light switch? he said, reaching over and flipping a switch.
 What re the lights doing on? You ve been away from this place over a year.
 The utilities are automatically drawn out of the account. It helps when you move around a
lot. Don t have to worry about having your utilities turned off while you re away. He became irritated
with himself.  Why the hell am I explaining anything to you? And why is everyone whispering for
God s sake? I own the place. I have a perfect right to be here.
Shadoe looked around, his suspicious eyes digging into every shadow, and behind every piece
of furniture.  Everything looks pretty much the same except for a thick layer of dust and dead plants.
 All right, so when do we get this little shindig under way?
 When the time comes, Shadoe said irritably.
 You mean we can t get this over with tonight?
 Hell no! Shadoe yelled.  We can t go until the time is right.
  And how do we know when the time is right?
 She calls me. It may be tonight, or it could be a month from now.
 What? Garret barked.  We ve got to spend a freakin month in this dump?
 Look, I can t help it. It s the way it is.
 Why the hell didn t you say something about this before we left?
 Look, nobody forced you to come, old man. You can go back anytime you wish.
 I m not going back without my daughter!
Shadoe didn t say anything. Just stood there while his anger cooled, then looked at Julita.  It s
up to you, Julita. If you want to go back with your father, I can t stop you.
 But if I don t stay, what will you do? she asked.
He shrugged.  I ll have to stay. I know it s hard to believe, but there is a church out there, and
a woman who mourns for her baby. If you refuse to see her, someone has to do something to put her at
rest. He cut an angry eye at Garret.  It s apparent that her husband couldn t care less if she s at rest or
not.
 It s not me she s calling, he growled at Shadoe.
 She knows you better than I thought, Shadoe retorted.
 But you need me, don t you? she asked, hoping he d say yes.
 I don t know. I ve got my camera. I could take a picture of you. Maybe it s all she ll need &
just get a look at you.
She seemed to be thinking. Then she slowly looked up at her father.  I m staying, she
whispered.  You can do whatever you want. My place is here.
  With him you mean? Is that what you re saying? Julita, don t be stupid. He s probably
insane on top of everything else.
 Papa, Julita said, sounding completely annoyed,  how can you treat him like that? He saved
you from being buried in that basement. You d still be trapped there if not for him. I haven t heard you
say thankyou once.
 Julita, please, Shadoe said.
 No! she shouted at him, then turned back to Garret.  I would never have thought it of you,
Papa. The way you treat people. The way you treat me. You re a selfish bastard, Papa. What is it that
makes you like this? Your money? You think the laws don t apply to you. Not even the laws of God.
The slicing pain of her words went all the way through Garret.  That was a mistake, baby. I ll
never do it again.
 You ll never get the chance, she said stonily, the tone of her words venomous. She picked
up her suitcase and turned to Shadoe.  Where will we sleep?
 Anywhere you want. I d rather we be close together. I ll need to know where you are every
minute, so don t wander off.
Garret stumbled forward, his face scowling in rage.  If you think for one minute I m leaving
my daughter up here alone with you, you re crazier than you look.
Shadoe looked at him, wondering why he didn t see this side of the old man a lot sooner.  If
Julita and I want to get together, old man, we will. And there s nothing you can do to stop it.
 No? Garret asked, feeling the weight of his gun in his pocket.  If you think that, you re
stupid as well as crazy. He picked up his suitcase and shuffled toward the elevator, got in, then
ascended slowly, his blistering eyes burning a hole through the two while they talked easily together as
they approached the stairs. There was only one reason why he hated Shadoe, and that was because he
was a contender for his daughter. He saw the way they looked at each other, the way they d always
looked at each other, and he couldn t stand it. The thought of another man s hands on Julita caused his
killer instincts to come out.
While Shadoe and Julita climbed the stairs, their talk was soft and hushed, Julita enjoying his
handsome looks, and him still living with the haunting taste of her lips and breasts in his mouth. All at
once they arrived at room number twenty-four, then slowed, remembering that it was the same room he
had stayed in before. When he looked down at her, he noticed she was smiling.  I remember the
morning I brought coffee to this room, she said.
Shadoe smiled.  It was rather a milestone.
 As I remember it, my binding burst, and I ran out scared to death.
 I ll never forget seeing what I thought was a little girl of about twelve turn into a woman
before my eyes.
 God, I was so dumb, she said, then raised her lashes, giving him a sensuous look.  You may [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]