The Lake - Richard Laymon

Sabre squatted, bright-eyed, watching. Steamy breath plumed from his mouth like puffs of gray smoke.

“How about that cocoa?” Warren said at last.

“Sounds like a swell idea.”

“Sure? What if I’m a mad rapist?”

She drew back and faced him. “I’ll take my chances that you’re not.”

“Good. Nice to know I can be trusted.”

“Didn’t say that. Just meant that I’m willing to take my chances. Personally, I don’t think you are. Anyway, even if you were, I can look after myself.”

“Yep, I guess you could. You sure look like you’d hold your own in an emergency.”

Is he joking, or what?

Maybe not.

Anyway—now’s a good time to ask about Mom’s knife…

And try out his cocoa.

“Follow me,” he said.

Deana tagged behind, while Warren led the way up the driveway. She smiled. It had been his wall they’d been sitting on. And, like he said, there were two redwoods in front.

Sabre trotted by Warren’s side.

Without quite knowing why, Deana glanced back, through a gap in the redwoods. She could just about see the street.

A car was nosing its way past the driveway.

She caught her breath.

It was long and black, with tail fins. No lights.

The glare from the streetlight hit the windows. They were black, too.

She shuddered.

It’s going real slow…like a funeral car.

The car passed out of sight, and she hurried to catch up with Warren.

Warren was at the front stoop, reaching into his pocket. Bringing out a key, he slid it into the lock.

The door opened in on a dark hallway.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Here we go, Deana thought.

Straight into the lion’s den.

The vestibule had a warm smell. A faint aroma of food hung on the air.

Pot roast—last night’s dinner, she guessed.

Warren took her arm, leading her along the hall and through an entryway at the end.

He clicked on the light. It flooded a small compact area that obviously served as both kitchen and breakfast bar.

He gestured toward a pinewood chair. She sat down and scooted it along the tile floor to the table. It made a loud scraping noise. She wondered if she’d disturbed anyone.

Warren took a stool at the bar. Looking at her quizzically, he made the first move.

“Let me guess. You’ve come for your knife, right? I have it here. And your cap. Although I see you’ve found another one. Must need quite a wardrobe—going out, losing your things like that…”

“Okay, Warren. I confess. I did come back for my knife. It’s Mom’s, and she’ll go ballistic if she finds out it’s missing.”

“Looks remarkably like a vegetable knife to me.”

“So what? Any kinda knife is a good idea for someone out running at night.”

“Sure,” he said seriously. “But maybe it’s not such a wonderful idea. Midnight running, I mean. Especially for a young girl…”

“I’m eighteen. I can look after myself.”

“Eighteen?” He looked impressed. “All of eighteen?”

“Look. Hand me my knife, please, and I’ll be on my way.”

“Knife and cap. You ought to thank me.”

Uh-huh. Here it comes.

I have to thank him.

Serves me right for being so dumb.

For walking into his trap like a complete moron.

“Oh yeah? Thanks, but no thanks.”

“I meant by accepting my offer of cocoa. Nothing more.”

Warren seemed a little offended that she’d read something more into his words.

“Okay,” she replied, relenting slightly. “But we’ll have to make it snappy. I might be missed.” As an afterthought, she added: “Mom’s well in with a guy from Mill Valley PD.”

“Really? In that case, a quick swig of my special brew and you must be on your way. I’ll escort you, if you like. In case you meet up with Harry and Mommy Dearest again.”

“Whatever.” Deana was intrigued by his easy, lighthearted manner. He sure didn’t look threatening. She glanced at Sabre, lying, head on paws, under the sink unit. His bright eyes fixed on hers.

Watching every move.

Good one to have on the home team, Deana decided.

The cocoa was great. The best she’d tasted so far.

“What’s your recipe?” she asked.

“My secret,” he said, and smiled.

“Well, it’s tasty, I’ll give you that.”

He gave a smug smile, looking pompously complacent.

Then he winked at her.

“Told you I got awards for it. Anyway, how about you? At high school?”

“Going to Berkeley in the fall.”

“Mmmm…A little past that stage, myself. Though I confess, I do recall it with some affection.”

“Oh.” She looked at him. He didn’t exactly look like he was past it.

“What do you do, then?”

“I have a bookstore. In San Anselmo. I put out searches for rare and out-of-print books. Request a book, any book, and I’ll get it for you…Eureka.”

“Uhhh?”

“Eureka Bookstore. As in striking gold? Remember the old forty-niners?”

“Sure, sure. Got it.”

“Neat, huh?” He sounded childishly pleased, explaining the name of his place to her this way.

“Cute,” she replied. “Anyway, you look too young to be mixed up with old books.”

“I’m twenty-two, if that helps.” He smiled brightly.

“Really?”

“Yes, really. Quite ancient, aren’t I? As for the bookstore, my parents left me a small sum after they died, and as I’ve always loved books, I decided to make them my life’s work. Voilà, I bought myself a bookstore.”

“You mentioned your sister…”

“Yes. Sheena. She’s out right now. Should be back around five-thirty. Home with the dawn chorus, usually.”

“Stays out late, your sister?”

“Mmmm. You could say that. She works at a club. In San Jose. Hangs around in case of trouble.”

“That so? She keeps fit, then?”

“Oh, sure. Used to coach for a college baseball team. Gave it up. Too much like hard work, she said.”

“Must be quite a gal.”

“She sure is.”

“Younger than you?”

“No. A little older.”

Deana began to feel uneasy. She was thinking about the car she’d seen earlier.

The black funeral car.

She shivered.

Okay, it was interesting enough, all this personal stuff, but she really oughta be getting on home now. If it weren’t for thinking about that goddamn car, and worrying about Mom’s knife, she told herself, she could have stayed all night, no problem.

Chatting about whatever came into their heads.

Perhaps even more personal stuff.

She had the feeling Warren would make a good listener. Maybe she should hang around a little longer…

Except Sheena might object and throw me out.

If I stayed till five-thirty. Which I won’t.

“I gotta go.”

“Of course,” Warren said. He rose and pulled open a drawer by the sink unit.

“Here’s your knife.” He handed it to her, handle first.

“Oh, and your cap. Sabre found it and brought it to me. You may have to launder it,” he added.

Fishing around in a lower cupboard, he picked out the cap and passed it over.

Deana sniffed it, wrinkled her nose, and smiled.

“Get your drift. About laundering it, I mean.”

“I’ll see you home.”

“It’s okay. Really—”

“I’d like to see you home,” he interrupted, cutting her short. “I’d worry you might meet up with a real live rapist—or worse, Mommy Dearest again.”

“Okay. If you can keep up with me. I like to run.”

“Lead on, MacDuff.”

Warren held open the kitchen door for her, then looked back at the dog.

“Sabre. Stay.”

“Don’t think we’ll need his services again tonight,” he said, adding, with a wink, “Any rough stuff and we’ll deal with it ourselves. Okay?”

“Sure. Let’s ride.”

They left Sabre glowering from his den under the sink, his eyes accusing them both. Shifting around on his butt, the mutt was obviously dying to follow.

Once outside, Warren grabbed her hand. They set off down the dark driveway, matching stride for stride till they reached the gate.

No sign of the black car.

Thank God.

Out on Del Mar, Deana filled her lungs with the warm night air.

The darkness seemed friendlier somehow, the shadows less threatening than they had been earlier.

Maybe the chat with Warren and his yummy cocoa did the trick.

It helped a lot that the car had gone.

Idiot. Probably nothing sinister about it.

Just some kid nosing around. Not really a threat.

She hoped they didn’t meet up with the skinny hag and her pet pooch.

Sabre should be here, she thought. Any trouble, maybe he’d eat Harry, just for me…

It was good jogging downhill with Warren, their feet slapping the sidewalk.

At least, Warren’s feet slapped.

In her thick wool socks, Deana’s were quiet and muffled.

And he was right when he’d said he was no stranger to running. Gets plenty of practice too, Deana thought, struggling to keep up with him.

No sign of Mommy Dearest and the faithful Harry.

Probably tucked up in bed and asleep by now.

They ran on till they reached Deana’s driveway. She huffed to a halt. Warren, too.

Waiting a moment till their breath evened out, Warren said, “Well, my lady in black—here you are. Safely delivered to your door. Care to come jogging with me again sometime? Or maybe we could do something a little more formal?

“Like the movies.

“Or dinner…”

Quaint.

The movies or dinner…

Either way, though, Deana thought, feeling a strange new surge of excitement, would suit me fine.

She thought of Allan and immediately felt guilty.

“Yes?”

“Sure,” she replied nonchalantly. “I’ll let you know. Maybe we’ll meet up when I’m out running sometime—then we could arrange a date.”

She lifted a hand in salute. Warren stood awhile, watching her run up the driveway.

He turned, walked away, and was soon jogging again. Getting easily into his stride, legs pumping hard, muscles straining to keep up the punishing pace.

Between harsh, measured chugs of breath, an amused smile played on his face.

TWENTY-EIGHT

Sheena left the club early.

Pacey hadn’t been any too pleased, but when she told him, “Either I go an’ I come back again tomorrow night, or I go an’ don’t come back at all,” he’d shrugged and said, “Family crisis? Sure. We all have one a’ those from time ta time. I should know, believe me. Okay. Do it, Sheena. But don’t make a habit of this. I can’t afford for you not to be here.”

Damn right he was, too. The other guys working the door at Pacey’s Place couldn’t handle it the way she could. She was proud of her physique. A powerful five ten, and stacked with it. Because of all those workouts. She gave a tight smile. Her karate was pretty impressive, too.

Tonight, Sheena had had one of her “insights.”

They didn’t come often, but when they did, she knew better than to ignore them. They’d been with her for as long as she could remember, but tonight’s was the strongest so far.

She was uneasy about Warren.

As she swung her Chrysler coup into Del Mar, the feeling of unrest mounted. She eyed the low black job up ahead. It was easing along like it was looking for someplace. She put her foot down, the engine roared, and she released the pressure slightly. The street was like a goddamn morgue. So quiet. Nobody around. But hey, Warren liked it, and it was within easy reach of Eureka…

Sheena cruised up the hill till she saw the two redwoods. Home.

Home? She didn’t think so.

The car in front was still doing around twenty-five, thirty. Slightly annoyed, Sheena slowed down. She continued with her train of thought.

Guess I have this monkey on my back—have to keep on the move. She gave a wry smile. No place like home, isn’t that what they say? What home, I ask myself…

“Hey, buddy. Get a move on, why don’t ya?”

She removed a piece of gum from its wrapper and wadded it into her mouth. The fingers of her free hand tapped the wheel impatiently.

Suddenly, the black job revved and disappeared up the street.

Nearly there now.

Sheena’s breath quickened.

She felt strangely alert.

Like she was homing in on a target of some kind. She was reading all the signs. Super-aware.

This is it.

Her eyes pierced the darkness. Instinctively, she drove past her driveway and stopped in a dark, shadowy place a couple more yards on. While all her senses were taut, oddly acute, a part of her brain told her she needed a workout. One of those hard, punishing jobs when all she focused on was the pain of her hurting lungs and straining muscles.

It was a strange yet familiar feeling—more a compulsion, really. She always felt this way when she had one of her “insights.”

Yeah. I need a workout.

But that’ll come later.

After that, sleep.

Same routine every time.

She heard voices.

Peered into her rearview mirror.

It was Warren and some kid. The kid’s face showed up ghost-white against her black clothes.

They were jogging out of the driveway. Laughing quietly. Looking into each other’s face. Sharing a joke.

Sheena’s brows raised a little.

Nice work, bro.

What happened to the “one man and his dog” routine?

The joggers rounded left and set off down Del Mar.

Sweat glistened on Sheena’s forehead.

Her hands clenched the wheel.

Something was wrong.

TWENTY-NINE

Deana went to the kitchen in search of coffee. It was eight a.m., just six hours since she’d left Warren’s place. All she needed was a mug of hot coffee and maybe, just maybe, she’d crawl back to bed…

The flowers were standing in the sink.

“Wow, Mom. Who sent those? Don’t tell me. Your new friend, ta-dah: Detective Mace Harrison!”