Utterly crazy. But who was this crazy man? Where was he now? That was the scary part. His last entry was three nights ago… when Lazlo was still alive. That was the disturbing part: there had been no entries since Lazlo's death.
Rob stood and tried to shake off the crazy story. He smiled. Here he was, sitting in a padded cell, trying to make sense of the ravings of a certifiable nut case. There was a major flaw in the story: Gabor Gati had been dead for years. His death certificate was on file downtown…
… signed by Lazlo.
He shook himself. It all seemed weirdly logical—if you could accept the premise that Gabor was still alive and.could actually control another person's body.
But if he was alive, where would he be?
In the Chelsea house, of course.
Rob felt spicules of ice forming in his blood.
Lazlo Gati—or Dr. Gates, or whoever the hell he was—had left everything to Kara. And one of the terms of the will had been that she be given the keys to the Chelsea house immediately.
Christ!
And Rob had left her there alone. He wondered if her sudden illness had anything to do with Gabor? Or if—?
What am I saying? Get a grip, Harris!
He stood in the center of the padded cell and took a few deep breaths. It was late, he was tired, and his imagination was having a field day. Kara was at Ellen's. He'd go home himself, get some sleep, and see Kara first thing in the morning to make sure she was all right.
To make sure she was still Kara.
▼
1:35 A.M.
She was in a cab going east on 42nd Street. Kara huddled sick and miserable, limbless and voiceless within her own body, searching for a way out.
"Lazlo died right over there," Gabor told her, pointing out the window with her finger.
Is that why you brought me here?
"Of course not."
Then why am I naked under this coat? It's too cold for this sort of thing.
"I've already told you twice: Your taste in clothes is terrible. I'm going to have to buy us a whole new wardrobe. Something with style."
Kara prayed that was the truth, but she feared he had something else in mind. Something awful.
You won't find anything open at this hour.
"We're not looking for clothes now."
Then what—?
"Patience, my dear."
He told the cabbie to pull to the curb and wait, then stepped out onto the sidewalk. She felt the wind run icy fingers up the insides of her thighs... Where are we going?
"Straight ahead."
They were walking toward a brightly lit store. Yellow and white incandescent bulbs strobed deliriously in its smudged and smeared show window, their light racing madly around its border. A neon sign blinked "ADULT BOOKS" in turquoise while another blared "PEEP SHOW" in red.
You're taking me there?
"Yes. Have you ever been in one?"
Never!
"Then this will be a new experience for you."
Inside the door was a square room, its walls lined floor to ceiling with porno magazines—men with women, women with women, men with men. To the rear was a curtained arch, keystoned with a sign that said, "PEEPS." A narrow platform ran across the front of the store, supporting a glass display case and a cash register. Behind the case stood a portly, short, balding, middle-aged man wearing a greasy Guns n'Roses T-shirt and a two-day stubble. There were two male customers in the store who quickly headed for the back when they saw her.
The man on the platform leaned over the display case and looked down at her.
"Can I help yiz, lady?" he said in a voice like a chain saw.
"I'm looking for a tool," Kara's voice said as she stared into the dusty display case.
Lined up on the shelves behind the glass were a good two dozen different models of vibrators and dildos.
You're not serious!
"Hush. I'm choosing."
"Why fool with a tool when you can have the real thing?" the counterman said, leering through his stubble.
"How about yours? Is your tool available?"
His smile broadened. "Anytime!"
"Interesting. However, I believe I'll take that one there."
Kara watched in horror as her finger pointed to a twelve inch pink vibrator formed in the shape of an erect penis. Gabor could only be buying it for one reason. It made her sick to think about it.
No!
The counterman took it out, wrapped it up after it was paid for, and handed her the package with a lascivious smile.
"Batteries not included."
"Quite all right. I have plenty at home."
"Okay. But if dis don't work, come back an' I'll show you da real ting."
"I just might take you up on that."
You wouldn't! Kara said as they exited the store.
"I might. Just to teach you a lesson if you prove bad company for me."
But he's dirty and ugly and probably crawling with diseases!
"Probably. But I can always replace you should you become debilitated by disease."
The sick helplessness of her position began to weigh more heavily than ever on Kara. But she refused to be cowed.
What kind of monster are you? she said as her body settled again in the back seat of the cab. And what kind of a man wants to be in a woman's body?
" 'Man?' What makes you think I'm a man? You saw my body. Genetically it may possess a 'Y' chromosome, but that's it. During my formative years my perceptions were drastically limited and I was never treated as a male—or a female, for that matter. I was treated as a sexless, mindless sibling. A doll. A pet. My own body had no experiences to influence my sexual orientation. But when I began getting out of my body and into others, I found the female sexual response more intense, more fulfilling. And speaking of sexual response…"
Kara watched her hands slip the vibrator from the brown paper bag. Her body leaned back in the seat and spread her legs. The hands slipped the vibrator under her coat.
Was this why he'd left her clothes at home? He wasn't—! Not here in the cab!
No. Don't!
"A shame we don't have any batteries."
God, please don't!
She felt the cold plastic begin to work its way inside her. Even without a voice, she managed to scream.
▼
6:05 A.M.
Kara watched her hand carve a thick slice off the loaf of seedless rye.
"You know the plan now? And when we get to your Aunt Ellen's you will coach me so I don't make any mistakes."
Kara still burned from the humiliation in the cab a few hours before. She refused to answer.
"Don't be rude, Kara. We are going to be living together in this body for quite some time to come. You have to accept that. We can be bickering enemies or civil companions. But I warn you, if you give me trouble, there will be more incidents like the one in the cab. And they will escalate until you behave like the good little girl I know you can be. The choice is yours."
I choose to be set free, damn you!
"That is not an option."
Kara fought the black depression thickening around her. She was utterly helpless, completely at Gabor's mercy—and he didn't have any.
Even without any mistakes, Ellen's going to think my moving in here is pretty strange.
"What she thinks doesn't matter. She merely has to hold the door as you and your daughter move out."
Mention of Jill drew her up from the depths.
Why Jill? You didn't say anything about her before!
"You can't very well abandon her. Not a devoted mother like you."
Were Kara's skin responsive to her emotions, it would have crawled at the thought of this thing in her body pretending to be Jill's mother.
No! Let her stay with Ellen!"
"Not a chance."
Kara's rage exploded. She wished she could take that knife and—