One Night Only (129 page)

Sh
e
thumpe
d
th
e
stee
l
doo
r
bu
t
i
t
didn
’
t
mak
e
a
s
much a
s
a
n
echo
.
The
n
sh
e
stoo
d
agains
t
it
,
th
e
coldnes
s
o
f
it almos
t
burnin
g
he
r
bar
e
bac
k
an
d
sh
e
sli
d
dow
n
int
o
a
huddl
e
o
n
th
e
floo
r
.
Thi
s
wa
s
a
livin
g
nightmar
e
an
d
she
ha
d
a
terribl
e
feelin
g
tha
t
i
t
wasn
’
t
goin
g
t
o
b
e
ove
r
as quickl
y
a
s
sh
e
ha
d
hope
d
i
t
would
.
Sh
e
wa
s
i
n
big
,
big
trouble
.

Sh
e
wa
s
broken
.

Th
e
wal
k
t
o
th
e
intervie
w
roo
m
wa
s
lon
g
an
d
col
d
and
lonel
y
.
Moustach
e
Co
p
wasn
’
t
a
s
friendl
y
a
s
Copalicious an
d
ther
e
certainl
y
wa
s
n
o
bante
r
o
r
makin
g
he
r
fee
l
at
ease
.
H
e
kep
t
lookin
g
a
t
hi
s
watc
h
–
sh
e
wondere
d
wa
s
it
a
habi
t
h
e
wa
s
awar
e
of
,
o
r
i
f
i
t
wa
s
becaus
e
h
e
really
hate
d
doin
g
nightshift
s
an
d
couldn
’
t
wai
t
t
o
ge
t
home
,
but n
o
matte
r
wha
t
th
e
reason
,
i
t
wa
s
ver
y
noticeabl
e
an
d
very
irritating
.
I
t
wa
s
lik
e
on
e
step
,
tw
o
steps
,
thre
e
steps
,
look a
t
watch
.
On
e
step
,
tw
o
steps
,
thre
e
steps
,
loo
k
a
t
watch, an
d
repeat
.
W
ell
,
no
t
jus
t
quit
e
tha
t
bad
,
bu
t
almost
.

“I
n
here
,
Miss,
”
sai
d
Moustach
e
Cop
.

“Thanks,
”
sai
d
T
es
s
an
d
sh
e
tiptoe
d
inside
.
Sh
e
still
ha
d
n
o
shoe
s
bu
t
the
y
ha
d
give
n
he
r
a
pai
r
o
f
plasti
c
socks
t
o
wea
r
whic
h
wer
e
extremel
y
uncomfortabl
e
an
d
they
reall
y
didn
’
t
matc
h
he
r
tin
y
whit
e
dres
s
whic
h
wa
s
no longe
r
whit
e
anyho
w
.

Gard
a
Simo
n
McGuinness
,
a
s
sh
e
fel
t
sh
e
shoul
d
call
hi
m
no
w
sinc
e
sh
e
wa
s
enterin
g
a
formalit
y
zone
,
was there
,
seate
d
a
t
th
e
fa
r
en
d
o
f
a
larg
e
woode
n
desk
.
He ha
d
a
tape-recorde
r
an
d
wa
s
lookin
g
ver
y
efficient
.
She
smile
d
a
t
hi
m
bu
t
h
e
didn
’
t
smil
e
bac
k
an
d
sh
e
felt
rejected
.
Wha
t
th
e
hel
l
ha
d
happene
d
t
o
him
?
Go
d
bu
t
she
wa
s
tired
!

Moustach
e
Co
p
introduce
d
himsel
f
a
s
Sergean
t
Bill
McCloske
y
an
d
h
e
state
d
th
e
tim
e
an
d
dat
e
an
d
bega
n
the intervie
w
.
I
t
wa
s
al
l
s
o
forma
l
an
d
T
es
s
wa
s
beginnin
g
to
fee
l
lik
e
a
rea
l
convict
.
Ha
d
sh
e
reall
y
committe
d
a
crime?
W
a
s
i
t
reall
y
suc
h
a
bi
g
issue
?
Didn
’
t
the
y
hav
e
drunk driver
s
t
o
arres
t
o
r
murderer
s
o
r
rapist
s
t
o
chas
e
after? No
t
tonight
,
obviousl
y
.
Thi
s
wa
s
a
s
excitin
g
a
s
i
t
go
t
in thi
s
littl
e
town
.

“So
,
h
e
calle
d
u
s
names,
”
sai
d
T
ess
,
a
s
sh
e
tol
d
her stor
y
.

“Wha
t
wer
e
th
e
names?
”
aske
d
Gard
a
McGuinness. “H
e
calle
d
u
s
.
.
.
h
e
calle
d
u
s
‘
mammies’,
”
sai
d
T
ess.
Gard
a
McGuinnes
s
raise
d
a
n
eyebro
w
.
Sergeant
McCloske
y
cleare
d
hi
s
throat
.