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When I went downstairs, Teri said, 'We've decided to have a party. We're going to get pizza.'

'Great.'

The phone rang then, and I thought it might be Marsha Fields, but it wasn't. Reed Jasper said, 'Have you heard yet?'

'Heard what?'

'We got 'em. Snagged Dobcek and Markov trying to sneak out of a maintenance exit on the north side of the park.'

I cupped the phone, told everyone that Markov had been captured, and Jasper laughed at the shouts and applause. He said, 'You guys going to be around?'

'Sure. We're going to have a little party, then I guess I'll take them home.'

'I want to swing by and talk to Clark. I'll probably head back to Seattle in the morning.'

'Sure, Jasper. That'd be fine.' I gave him directions.

We ordered the pizza, and Joe and Winona walked to the little minimart for soft drinks and beer. I volunteered to make a salad. The Hewitts wanted to go home after the pizza, and I thought that would be a good idea. Let them be a family again. Let them fall asleep under the same roof without wondering if someone would come through the door and shoot them. Teri and Charles went upstairs to pack. Clark hovered at the pass-through, watching me mince garlic. I said, 'You're going to have to tell them.'

'I don't know how.' He fidgeted like he was nervous. 'I've thought about it a lot, but nothing I come up with sounds good.'

'You just tell them, Clark. You sit them down and tell them you're sick and that you're going to die. Let them cry, and you cry with them.'

"They're so young.'

'They're older than you think.' I took tomatoes and a cucumber from the fridge. 'You feel bad, why don't you rest over there on the couch?'

He frowned at the couch.

'Would you rather help?'

'Huh?' He looked surprised.

'Would you like to help make the salad?'

Clark Hewitt stared at me. 'Sure.' He came around into the kitchen. I told him to wash the tomatoes and cucumbers, then slice them. As he did it, he nodded. 'I get it.'

'What?'

'I could sit on the couch over there and feel bad, or I can help make the salad.'

I put the garlic in a little jar and added some olive oil. 'Yep.'

'Either way I'm going to die.'

I nodded. It wasn't anything he didn't already know. The deal with Dak proved that.

'Maybe I should tell them tonight.'

'That would be good. If you want, I could sit with you.'

He thought about it, then shook his head. Thanks, but that's okay. I can do it.'

Good for you, Clark.

We were tossing the salad when someone knocked at the door, and Clark said, 'That's the pizza.'

I opened the door, but it wasn't the pizza. Reed Jasper came in, and Dobcek and Markov pushed in behind him. Dobcek pointed his gun at me, then backhanded me with it two hard times, knocking me into the wall. Clark said, 'Ohmigod,' and then Dobcek pointed the gun at him and touched his lips, going, 'Sh,' as he pushed us back into the living room.

Markov came in behind him. Markov was pale and shaky and standing hunched to the side with a wind-breaker draped over his shoulders to hide the blood. He looked at me with the kind of look that said he wanted to eat me while I was still alive, while the blood still pumped and he could feel it warm and hot in his mouth. I looked from the hungry eyes to Jasper, and I said, 'You sonofabitch.'

Jasper shrugged. He was holding his service gun loose along his leg. 'Hey, it's a living.'

Markov smiled when he saw Clark. His tongue raked dry lips. I guess you dry out when you're bleeding to death. 'I'm going to do you myself, you termite.'

Clark turned white and trembled. 'Please don't hurt my children.'

I said, 'Pike's upstairs. He's got a machine gun.'

Jasper pointed with his gun. 'Shut up and sit down.'

Markov slumped heavily on the couch, and Dobcek moved to the stairs.

I stared at Jasper. 'How'd you get them out of the park?'

Jasper looked in the salad bowl, nibbled at a piece of cucumber. 'It was touch-and-go there for a bit, but I managed. Dressed 'em up in a couple of maintenance uniforms.'

Markov shifted on the couch; you could tell he was hurting. 'Don't say a goddamned word.'

Jasper shrugged. 'What's it matter? He ain't going anywhere.'

'How long has Markov owned you, Jasper?'

Jasper ate more cucumber.

'That's why your buddy was killed the night Clark went under. You sold out three years ago, and it got a marshal killed.'

Jasper made a big-deal shrug. 'If he hadn't tried to play hero it wouldn't've been a problem.'

I stared at him, and then I looked at Markov. I was thinking that Pike and Winona should have been back. It was only two blocks to the market, and two blocks back. I was trying to remember if Pike still had his gun. I had left mine in my trunk. 'You've lost a lot of blood, Markov. You might not make it.'

'I'll make it. I'm gonna kill this bastard first, and then I'll get fixed up just fine.'

I looked at Markov, and then Jasper. 'You going to let him kill these children, too?'

Jasper nodded. 'Sure. Why not?' Like it was nothing.

Something thumped upstairs, and Charles said, 'Quit shovin', ya frig!' Charles and Teri came down the stairs with Dobcek behind them. Dobcek was holding Charles by the back of the neck, and Teri looked angry.

Dobcek said, 'Where's the other one?' I didn't know if he meant Pike or Winona.

Jasper looked irritated. 'Who gives a shit? Let's just do it and get out of here.'

Markov said, 'Da.'

When he said it, someone knocked on the door and Dobcek clamped a hand over Charles's mouth and aimed his gun at Clark. 'Sh.'

Jasper went to the door, raising his gun, and Markov pushed to his feet, holding his own gun loosely at his side. Pike and Winona had a key, but maybe Pike had seen Markov and Dobcek coming in. Maybe he'd seen Markov's blood trail leading to the door. Or maybe it was just the pizza man.

Jasper peered through the peephole, then frowned and stepped away from the door. 'I can't see shit.'

If it was Pike, he would make a move.

If it was Pike, the knocking would have been to focus our attention there while he came in from another place.

I looked at Teri and Charles and Dobcek. Dobcek was breathing hard and staring at the door with the kids in front of him and the muzzle of his gun maybe three centimeters from Charles's head. I stood. 'I'd give up, if I were you. It's the cops.' I said it in a normal speaking voice.

Dobcek pointed his gun at me. 'Shut up.'

Markov waved his gun at Dobcek and hissed, 'Make him shut up.'

Something creaked above us, and Dobcek glanced up the stairs, like maybe he'd heard it but wasn't sure. A drop of sweat worked down from his hairline and along his temple.

I spoke even louder. 'What's that smell, Dobcek? You so scared you messed your pants?'

Dobcek took a single step toward me, but he was still between the kids. I wanted him away from them, and thought maybe I could bait him to me. Of course, he might decide to shoot me instead.

I spoke louder still. 'Why don't you chickenshits just open the door and see who it is?' I took a step toward Markov. 'Christ, you want me to do it?'

Markov hissed angrily at Dobcek, 'Make him be silent, goddamn you.'

Dobcek surged past Charles and Teri, and put his gun to my head. He clamped his hand over my mouth and kept the gun there and smiled horribly. His face was red, and his snow-blond buzz cut stood sharp and spike-like up from his head. 'When this is done I will kill you slow.'

I caught Teri's eye and snapped a glance at the floor. She grabbed Charles and pushed him down.