Quake (22 page)

    'Oh, it fell out a long time ago.'

    'Is there blood on my shirt?’

    'Some.’

    'Poop!'

    'That's all right,' Clint assured her. 'Your blood fits in with the shirt's "road-kill" motif.'

    She grinned. 'Hadn't thought of that. Speaking of roadkill, who's hungry?'

    Mary turned around and faced them. She glanced from Em to Clint. 'I'11 leave, now. Thanks for nothing.'

    'You don't have to go,' Em said. 'Does she, Clint? Come on, tell her she can stay. I mean, I'm the one she whacked. And anyway, I might've gotten forked by the tree if it hadn't been for Mary.'

    'If it hadn't been for Mary, you would've climbed over it.'

    She grinned. 'Might've fallen and broken my neck. So see?

    That makes twice she's saved me.'

    'Oh, sure,' he said.

    'Anyway, don't you think she's been banished for long enough?'

    Not really, he thought. It's asking for trouble. But Mary had warned Em. That had to count for something. And she hadn't done any serious damage to Em by giving her the smack on the head. And Em herself wanted Mary to be given a second chance.

    'Okay,' he finally said. He met Mary's eyes. 'Are you going to behave from now on?'

    She glared at him. 'I guess so.'

    'You guess?'

    'I don't wanta be left behind any more.'

    'This is sort of going against my rules, so don't blow it.

    Don't make me regret being nice to you.' Mary's upper lip twitched.

    'Why don't we all settle down and take a break and have something to eat?' Em said. 'This is as good a place as any.'

    Gazing up the slope, Clint could see the unlighted traffic signals at Mulholland. They marked the crest of the ridge.

    Just beyond them, Laurel Canyon Boulevard began its long, curving way downward to Hollywood. To Sunset Boulevard. On the other side of Sunset, there would be no more hill to climb. The road would stop being Laurel Canyon and become Crescent Heights, and following it would lead him most of the way home. Clint had wanted to reach the top before taking a break for lunch. But his bouts with Mary made him feel like a dictator. He didn't enjoy the feeling.

    'Fine with me,' he told Em. 'Let's have lunch here. This looks like a great place for it.'

    'Good, 'cause I happen to be starving.'

***

    The curtains behind the sofa were shut across the picture window, filtering out the sunlight, giving the room a murky yellow glow. Barbara and Pete sat beside each other on the floor across from the sofa. Barbara figured that Pete had picked this spot because it was low and away from the big window. But maybe he'd avoided the furniture out of simple courtesy, because his trousers were wet. Either way, she liked where she was. She felt fairly safe down here. She had a wall at her back and she had a full view of the curtained window, the door, Heather and Lee. Heather had taken a seat on the sofa as if she'd forgotten all about the blood on her legs and arms and hands. She sat sideways, one leg tucked under her, her hands resting on her thighs, her face toward Lee. Lee was kneeling in the middle of the sofa, elbows on top of the back rest, peering outside through a bright sliver of space between the curtains. His pistol was stuck down the waistband at the back of his jeans. Beside him on the sofa was a mean-looking, stubby rifle with a leather sling. It looked to Barbara like a military weapon. Just in front of its trigger guard, a big chrome magazine jutted downward. A similar magazine was on the table in front of the sofa. At the open top of this one, Barbara could see a couple of slim pointed cartridges that were almost golden in the mellow light. A much smaller magazine was also on the table. Barbara figured that this one must belong to the pistol. On top of the same table were several boxes of ammunition. And a pair of binoculars. The first words out of Barbara's mouth, after being ushered into the apartment and glimpsing the collection, had been, 'Charles Whitman, I presume?'

    'Lee Nolan,' he'd corrected her, grim-faced. Barbara's reference to the Texas Tower sniper had apparently gone over his head. I'm the manager here,' he'd said. 'Your two friends are Pete and Heather. Didn't catch your name.'

    'Barbara. How do you know…?'

    'Their names? You wouldn't believe the way sound carries in this place. From up here, I can hear the ripples in the swimming pool.'

    'You were listening to us.'

    'And watching.'

    A heat of embarrassment had spread through Barbara she pictured Lee at the windows, spying on her and Pete the pool, treating himself to close-up views with the help his binoculars. At such close range, it must've been like watching them from about two feet away.

    'Terrific,' she had muttered, and glanced down to make sure that the top of her blouse hadn't somehow come open in spite of her left hand clutching it shut. The tight fist in the middle of her chest could only draw attention to the problem - and to her breasts. Especially how her left one stuck out and pretty much hid her wrist. Still, she'd been determined to keep her hand there and hold her blouse shut.

    'It's my job,' Lee had explained, 'to know what's happening in and around my facility. And to protect it.'

    'We weren't doing anything,' Pete had told him.

    'Sure you were. But you weren't doing any harm to my tenants or property. That's why didn't interfere until you started trying to get through doors.'

    'We don't normally do stuff like that,' Pete had explained. 'It's all right. This isn't a normal day. Sit down. Everyone sit down. Heather, start talking. I want every detail of what you saw out there.'

    Heather then started in on an expanded version of the story she'd blurted to Pete and Barbara down by the pool. Lee didn't seem to pay much attention. He kept gazing out through the tiny gap between the curtains. Barbara figured that he must've overheard the original…he'd heard everything else said down there. Seen everything, too. She'd been aware, all along, that people might be watching from the apartments. Peeking out from time to time, maybe. It hadn't occurred to her, though, that anyone would study them with binoculars - and listen to every word. From where she sat, she could hear enough to know that the windows were open. She listened for the sound of ripples in the pool. Not quite. There was a vague, hollow murmur that she thought of as 'pool noise' - a sound as faint as the whisper of a seashell held close to the ear. But she couldn't hear ripples. Though maybe if Heather weren't talking… Maybe if there wasn't that undercurrent of noises from outside the courtyard: faraway shouts and barks and sirens and bangs and horn blasts and engines…, tires squealing…, a scream now and then so muffled that she couldn't tell whether it belonged to a cat or a person. Such background noises were barely noticeable unless you listened hard for them. Some of them must've gotten in the way a little, though. Lee couldn't possibly have heard everything. A lot, though. She hated the idea that he might've heard Pete's stumbling speech about liking her. Somehow, that seemed even worse than knowing he'd probably focused those dam binoculars in on her breasts. He saw our kiss, too. It really hurt that he'd watched that. The creep.

    'How many were there?' Lee asked, and Barbara realized that she'd been paying no attention to Heather's story. 'I don't know,' Heather said.

    'Yes, you do. Think.'

    'Well, maybe ten or twelve.'

    He carefully shut the crack between the curtains, then moved sideways on his knees and frowned down at Heather. 'How were they armed?'

    'Some had guns.'

    'How many guns did you see?'

    Heather shrugged, then quickly said, 'Four? Maybe five that I saw. Maybe they all had guns, but just weren't using them. I saw knives, too. And one guy had an axe.'

    Pete grimaced at Lee. 'What'll we do?' he asked.

    'There're too many to take on,' Lee said.

    'Glad to hear it,' Barbara said.

    Lee twisted his head around and gave her a sharp look.

    'Find humor in this situation?'

    'Not really.'

    'I can do without your wise-ass comments.'

    She tried not to cringe. 'I'm sorry, okay? didn't mean anything'

    'Didn't mean anything by that Whitman crack, either, did you?'

    She felt herself suddenly blush. 'Oh, that. Whoops.’

    'Yeah, whoops.'

    This guy had no sense of humor at all.

    'It's just that…, you've got these guns and you sort of look like you're itching for a shootout. So I was sort of surprised when you said that about not wanting to take on that mob, or whatever it is out there. That's all. Okay? I didn't mean to… you know, insult you.'

    'Is that supposed to be an apology?' he asked.

    Barbara shrugged. 'I guess so.'

    'Never apologize. It's a sign of weakness.'

    'Oh, for…' What does he want? 'Right,' she said. 'Whatever you say, sir.'

    'Cut the attitude,' Lee said.

    Heather grinned.

    'You shut up,' Barbara told her.

    'Me?' Heather asked, all innocence. 'What did I say?'

    'It's your fault we're here in the first place, you and that damn cat.'

    'Leave her alone,' Lee said.

    And Heather glowed as if she'd been blessed. Lee turned toward the window and parted the curtains. Barbara bared her teeth at Heather. Heather smirked at her.

    'What is the plan?' Pete asked.

    'We wait and see,' Lee said, peering out the window. If we're lucky, the marauders bypass us. There's a whole town out there. They can't hit everyplace.'

    'What if they do show up here?'

    'My first responsibility is to my tenants.'

    'Tenants?'

    'I have people in four of the units.'

    'Right now?' Pete asked.

    'You've got it. I made the rounds after the quake. Minimal damage, and no casualties. Most of my tenants had already left for work. A few are away on trips. But I've people in those four units, like said, and I have to protect them.'

    'I thought you weren't going to take anybody on,' Barbara reminded him.

    He didn't bother to look around at her. 'That only means I'm not planning an offensive operation. It doesn't rule out defensive action.'

    'Oh.'

    'Maybe you think we should hunker down and hide while they slaughter my tenants.'

    'I don't think that,' Barbara protested.

    'I don't see why we should stick around, though,' Pete said 'We aren't gonna be of much help if we don't have guns. I mean our idea was to lay low. But if you're planning to shoot them maybe we oughta try and get away while we've still chance.'

    'Fine with me,' Lee said.

    Pete leaned closer to Barbara and said in a soft voice, 'What do you think? We could take off out the back and make a run down the alley.'

    'Not me,' Heather said.

    Pete's gaze stayed on Barbara. 'Whatever. We don't have to let that stop us.'

    'Leave without her?'

    'Go ahead,' Heather told them. 'I'm not going out there, not unless Lee makes me.'

    'You're free to stay here,' Lee told her. 'It's your call.’

    'Are you sure? That's so sweet of you. But are you sure you wouldn't mind? I don't want to get in your way, or anything.'

    Barbara looked at her.

    Obsequious, is that the right word?

    Or fawning?

    Or does she suddenly adore this guy?

    Nah. She's gotta be faking it. Laying it on thick, so he won't toss her out. Sickening, Barbara thought. The girl's pathetic.

    'Stay,' Lee said. 'Or leave. Either way is fine with me. I'd think you might want to go with your friends, though.'

    'Are you kidding? That mob's out there! I don't wanta get gang-raped and torn apart. Anyhow, I'm just in the same driver's ed class with those two - it's not like they're my friends.' When she said that, she cast a hurt look at Pete. As if he'd betrayed her.

    What does she know? Barbara suddenly wondered. Maybe Lee isn't the only one who was spying on us. No, she thought. Heather didn't see us, she's just mad because we didn't go with her to chase the cat.

    'Even if we aren't friends,' Barbara said, 'we oughta stick together.'

    'I don't see why.'

    'How will you get home?' Pete asked.

    Heather's shoulders bobbed up and down. 'I don't care. It doesn't matter.'

    'Getting home,' Lee said, 'shouldn't be anybody's priority at this point. Number one priority is survival.'

    'Yeah,' Pete said. 'I agree.' He turned again to Barbara 'That's why I think we should get out of here. With or without Heather. I think we'll stand a better chance if we're on the run. I mean, if anything goes down, Lee's planning a shootout. It'll be like the OK Corral around here.'

    Barbara nodded. 'I'm with you.' She glanced at the others. Lee was peering out the window again. Heather met her eyes, and had a strange, sly smile. 'You're sure you want to stay here?' Barbara asked her.

    'Why would I wanta go anywhere with you two?'

    'Can't imagine,' Barbara said.

    'I'll take my chances here, thanks anyway.’

    'Okay.'

    Still holding her blouse shut with her left Barbara shoved at the floor with her right as she drew up her legs and started to stand up. 'So,' she said, 'I guess we'll be going.'

    'You sure you don't want to change your mind?' Pete asked Heather. 'Once we're gone, it'll be a little too late.’

    'Too late for you, you mean.'

    They were almost to the door when the sound of a clank hit Barbara like a blow to the heart. She gasped. Pete froze. Heather snapped her head toward Lee. Lee's back stiffened.

    'One of the gates?' Heather whispered.

    Of course it's one of the gates, you idiot. They're here. They're down by the pool. One eye at the gap between the curtains, Lee raised an open hand.

    Nobody moved.

    Nobody spoke.

    My God, Barbara thought, what if we'd gotten to the door a few seconds sooner? We'd be out on the balcony in plain sight, and… After a few moments, Lee reached behind his back and tugged the pistol out of his jeans.

    'Oh, man,' Pete murmured. 'Who's out there?' Barbara asked. 'Visitor,' Lee whispered. 'Just one?' Barbara asked. 'So far.'

    'What's he doing?'

    'Shhh.'

    Like Lee's little assistant, Heather frowned at Barbara and pressed a finger to her lips. Barbara listened hard for sounds from the intruder. He's sure being quiet down there. She? No, Barbara thought. Can't be a woman - Lee wouldn't have pulled his gun. 'Heather?'

    Not a shout, but a soft call as if the person below knew how well his voice would carry to the surrounding apartments- knew, and wanted to make no more noise than that.

    'Heather?' he called again.

    The voice sounded familiar.

    'My God. Where'd he come from?'

    'Earl?' Heather asked. She looked stricken. 'What's he doing here?'

    'He's calling your name,' Barbara said in a hushed voice.

    'I didn't see him.'

    'He saw you,' Pete said. 'Must've.'

    'He's a jerk,' Barbara said.

    'He was in the driver's ed class with us,' Pete said.

    'He's kind of a trouble-maker.'

    'Heather?' Earl called again. 'Where are you?'

    'Right after the quake,' Pete said, 'he tried to steal a guy's car. We had a big fight about it, and we… sort of knocked him out cold and left him behind.'

    'No kidding,' Lee said, still gazing out.

    'Are you here?' Earl called. 'Come on, guys! I'm not gonna hurt anybody, promise. I just… don't like it out here by myself. There's scary shit going on. Okay? Can you hear me? Hey, I'm sorry I screwed up back there, okay? I wanta get back together with you. Please!'

    Lee looked over his shoulder at Pete and Barbara. 'I don't like this. He'll give us away. Let's bring him in.'

    'You sure you want to do that?' Barbara asked.

    'I don't want him down there yelling, that's for sure. Pete, tell him to come up.'

    'If you say so.’

    'Do it.'

    Pete slipped past Barbara, unfastened the deadbolt, and pulled the door open. He stepped over the threshold. Raising an arm, he called out quietly, 'Up here, Earl. Make it quick.'