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Driver's license and assorted credit cards - all in the name of Nancy Serat.

She flipped to the back and stopped suddenly at a wallet-size photograph.

The picture. The sorority sisters picture. The last picture of Kathy.

She dropped the wallet as though it were something scaly and alive.

Enough, Jessica said to herself. She moved toward the light. One foot slid out, the other followed. In a matter of seconds Jessica was at the door. It was open a crack, allowing the light to cast its sliver now unimpeded. She pushed through, crouching like a cop with a gun, preparing for the worst.

And the worst was what she got.

Jessica stumbled back. 'Jesus Christ-'

Nancy lay flat on her back, her hands at her sides. Her eyes stuck out like two golf balls, staring at Jessica. Her face was a deep purplish-blue, like a giant bruise. Her mouth was wide and twisted in pure agony. The tongue lolled out like a dead fish. Nancy Serat's entire expression was still frozen in a look that begged and screamed with its every cell for oxygen. A thin line of still-wet saliva clung to her chin.

A cord of some kind - no, a wire - was wrapped around Nancy's neck, barely visible. Most of it had sliced clean through the skin and was embedded deep in the flesh. A circling lash of blood marked the spot where the wire had entered.

Jessica stared, lost. The world vanished for several moments, leaving behind only the horror. She forgot about the scurrying when she first rang the bell. She forgot the shadow that had cut off the sliver of light.

Jessica did not hear the approaching footsteps. Still staring at Nancy's face, unable to tear her eyes away, she felt a sudden, sharp pain in her head.

She saw white flashes. Her body folded at the waist and pitched forward. A tingling numbness followed.

Then nothing.

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25

Fedora Hat knew what he was doing.

'Stay a few steps behind me,' he barked at his new partner.

In the garage Fedora and Musclehead (who, Myron was happy to see, seemed to be out of commission) had underestimated Myron, Fedora would not make the same mistake twice. Not only had he always kept eyes and gun on Myron but he was making sure that his new partner (the Mustache) kept both himself and Esperanza a safe distance away.

Smart.

Myron had been tempted to make a move, but even his best move was useless in this circumstance. If he managed to get the gun way from Fedora, there was no way he'd be able to turn it on the Mustache before he'd shoot either him or Esperanza.

He would have to wait and watch. He knew what Fedora and Mustache intended to do. They hadn't been hired to buy him ice cream or teach line dancing or even beat him up. Not this time.

'Let her go,' Myron said. 'She has nothing to do with this.'

'Keep moving,' Fedora replied.

'You don't need her.'

'Move.'

Mustache spoke for the first time. 'I might want a little company later,' he sneered. Then he stopped and pressed the gun against Esperanza's right cheek while he licked - actually licked - her left cheek with a wet cowlike tongue. Esperanza stiffened. Mustache looked at Myron. 'You got a problem with that, pal?'

Myron knew words would be either superfluous or harmful at this stage.

He kept his mouth shut.

They turned a corner. The stench of garbage was overwhelming. It was piled at least six feet high on both sides of the narrow alley. Fedora quickly scanned the area. It appeared to be abandoned.

'Go,' he said, giving Myron another poke with the gun. 'End of the alley.'

Myron felt as if he were walking a plank. He tried to take it as slowly as possible.

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'What are we going to do with the piece of ass?' Mustache asked.

Fedora's eyes never left Myron. 'She's seen us,' he said. 'She's a witness.'

'But we weren't hired to ace her,' Mustache whined.

'So?'

'So let's not just waste a piece like this' - he smiled - 'especially when we can fuck it first.'

Mustache laughed at his suggestion. Fedora did not. He stepped back, aiming the gun at Myron's back. Myron turned to face him. They were separated by about six feet. Myron was against the back wall. There was no avenue of escape. The nearest window was at least twelve feet off the ground. No room to move at all.

Fedora raised the gun so that it stared Myron right in the face. Myron did not blink. He looked into Fedora's eyes.

And then they were gone. Fedora's eyes were gone. Along with half his head.

The bullet had ripped off the skull at the midway point, splitting Fedora's head open like a coconut. He slid to the ground, the fedora floating down after him.

A dum-dum bullet.

Mustache cried out and dropped the gun. He held his hands up. 'I surrender!'

Myron ran forward. 'Don't! He's surren-But the gun exploded again. Mustache's face disappeared in a spray of red mist. Myron stopped, closed his eyes. Mustache joined Fedora on the filthy cement. Esperanza came over and wrapped her arms around Myron.

They both turned toward the alley's entrance.

Win stepped into view, studying his handiwork as though it were a statue he wasn't sure he liked. He was dressed in a gray suit, his red tie still in a perfect Windsor knot. His blond hair was neat, conservative, parted as always on the left. The.44 was in his right hand. His cheeks were rosy, and there was just a hint of a smile on his face.

'Good evening,' Win said.

'How long have you been here?' Myron asked. He hadn't spotted Win when they exited the photography studio. But he had known he was there.

With Win you just knew. One of life's constants.

I arrived as you entered the dwelling of ill repute,' Win answered. He smiled. 'But I wanted my appearance to have that flair of drama.'

Myron let go of Esperanza.

'We better get moving,' Win said. 'Before the authorities arrive.'

They walked away from the corpses in silence. Esperanza was shaking.

Myron did not feel so hot either. Only Win seemed completely unaffected by what had transpired. As they approached the car, the same fat young prostitute clad in sausage casing approached Win.

'Hey, yo, want a blow job? Fifty bucks.'

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Win looked at her. 'I would rather have my semen sucked out with a catheter.'

'Okay,' the girl said. 'Forty bucks.'

Win laughed and walked away.