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〃I said you'll have to wait until I bust the bundle。 Understand？ See I'm working here？〃
A hand and a flash of bright steel and the twine on the bundle beside him parted with a pop。 A Susan B。 Anthony dollar rang on the floor in front of him。 A clean copy of the Tattler； jerked from the center of the bundle； spilled the top ones to the floor。
The newsstand operator got to his feet。 His cheeks were flushed。 The man was leaving with the paper under his arm。
〃Hey。 Hey； you。〃
The man turned to face him。 〃Me？〃
〃Yeah； you。 I told you…〃
〃You told me what？〃 He was ing back。 He stood too close。 〃You told me what？〃
Usually a rude merchant can fluster his customers。 There was something awful in this one's calm。
The newsie looked at the floor。 〃You got a quarter ing back。〃 Dolarhyde turned his back and walked out。 The newsstand operator's cheeks burned for half an hour。 Yeah； that guy was in here last week too。 He es in here again； I'll tell him where to fuckin' get off。 I got somethin' under the counter for wise…asses。
Dolarhyde did not look at the Tattler in the airport。 Last Thursday's message from Lecter had left him with mixed feelings。 Dr。 Lecter had been right； of course； in saying that he was beautiful and it was thrilling to read。 He was beautiful。 He felt some contempt for the doctor's fear of the policeman。 Lecter did not understand much better than the public。
Still； he was on fire to know if Lecter had sent him another message。 He would wait until he got home to look。 Dolarhyde was proud of his self…control。
He mused about the newsstand operator as he drove。
There was a time when he would have apologized for disturbing the man and never e back to the newsstand。 For years he had taken shit unlimited from people。 Not anymore。 The man could have insulted Francis Dolarhyde： he could not face the Dragon。 It was all part of Being。
# # #
At midnight； the light above his desk still burned。 The message from the Tattler was decoded and wadded on the floor。 Pieces of the Tattler were scattered where Dolarhyde had clipped it for his journal。 The great journal stood open beneath the painting of the Dragon； glue still drying where the new clippings were fastened。 Beneath them； freshly attached； was a small plastic bag； empty as yet。
The legend beside the bag said： 〃With These He Offended Me。〃
But Dolarhyde had left his desk。
He was sitting on the basement stairs in the cool must of earth and mildew。 The beam from his electric lantern moved over draped furniture； the dusty backs of the great mirrors that once hung in the house and now leaned against the walls； the trunk containing his case of dynamite。
The beam stopped on a tall draped shape； one of several in the far corner of the cellar。 Cobwebs touched his face as he went to it。 Dust made him sneeze when he pulled off the cloth cover。
He blinked back the tears and shone his light on the old oak wheelchair he had uncovered。 It was high…backed； heavy； and strong； one of three in the basement。 The county had provided them to Grandmother in the 1940's when she ran her nursing home here。
The wheels squeaked as he rolled the chair across the floor。 Despite its weight； he carried it easily up the stairs。 In the kitchen he oiled the wheels。 The small front wheels still squeaked； but the back ones had good bearings and spun freely at a flip of his finger。
The searing anger in him was eased by the wheels' soothing hum。 As he spun them； Dolarhyde hummed too。
CHAPTER 20
When Freddy Lounds left the Tattler office at noon on Tuesday he was tired and high。 He had put together the Tattler story on the plane to Chicago and laid it out in the posing room in thirty minutes flat。
The rest of the time he had worked steadily on his paperback； brushing off all callers。 He was a good organizer and now he had fifty thousand words of solid background。
When the Tooth Fairy was caught； he'd do a whammo lead and an account of the capture。 The background material would fit in neatly。 He had arranged to have three of the Tattler's better reporters ready to go on short notice。 Within hours of the capture they could be digging for details wherever the Tooth Fairy lived。
His agent talked very big numbers。 Discussing the project with the agent ahead of time was； strictly speaking； a violation of his agreement with Crawford。 All contracts and memos would be postdated after the capture to cover that up。
Crawford held a big stick … he had Lounds's threat on tape。 Interstate transmission of a threatening message was an indictable offense outside any protection Lounds enjoyed under the First Amendment。 Lounds also knew that Crawford； with one phone call； could give him a permanent problem with the Internal Revenue Service。
There were polyps of honesty in Lounds； he had few illusions about the nature of his work。 But he had developed a near…religious fervor about this project。
He was possessed with a vision of a better life on the other side of the money。 Buried under all the dirt he had ever done； his old hopes still faced east。 Now they stirred and strained to rise。
Satisfied that his cameras and recording equipment were ready； he drove home to sleep for three hours before the flight to Washington； where he would meet Crawford near the trap。
A damned nuisance in the underground garage。 The black van； parked in the space next to his； was over the line。 It crowded into the space clearly marked 〃Mr。 Frederick Lounds。〃
Lounds opened his door hard； banging the side of the van and leaving a dent and a mark。 That would teach the inconsiderate bastard。
Lounds was locking his car when the van door opened behind him。 He was turning； had half…turned when the flat sap thocked over his ear。 He got his hands up； but his knees were going and there was tremendous pressure around his neck and the air was shut off。 When his heaving chest could fill again it sucked chloroform。
# # #
Dolarhyde parked the van behind his house； climbed out and stretched。 He had fought a crosswind all the way from Chicago and his arms were tired。 He studied the night sky。 The Perseid meteor shower was due soon； and he must not miss it。
Revelation： And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven； and did cast them down to the earth 。 。 。
His doing in another time。 He must see it and remember。
Dolarhyde unlocked the back door and made his routine search of the house。 When he came outside again he wore a stocking mask。
He opened the van and attached a ramp。 Then he rolled out Freddy Lounds。 Lounds wore nothing but his shorts and a gag and blindfold。 Though he was only semiconscious； he did not slump。 He sat up very straight； his head against the high back of the old oak wheelchair。 From the back of his head to the soles of his feet he was bonded to the chair with epoxy glue。
Dolarhyde rolled him into the house and parked him in a corner of the parlor with his back to the room； as though he had misbehaved。
〃Are you too cool？ Would you like a blanket？〃
Dolarhyde peeled off the sanitary napkins covering Lounds's eyes and mouth。 Lounds didn't answer。 The odor of chloroform hung on him。
〃I'll get you a bla