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〃That's what he calls himself。〃
〃Will； there's something 。 。 。 I want to take Willy and leave here。〃
〃And go where？〃
〃His grandparents'。 They haven't seen him in a while； they'd like to see him。〃
〃Oh； um…hmm。〃
Willy's father's parents had a ranch on the Oregon coast。
〃It's creepy here。 I know it's supposed to be safe … but we're not sleeping a whole lot。 Maybe the shooting lessons spooked me； I don't know。〃
〃I'm sorry； Molly。〃 I wish I could tell you how sorry。
〃I'll miss you。 We both will。〃
So she had made up her mind。
〃When are you going？〃
〃In the morning。〃
〃What about the shop？〃
〃Evelyn wants to take it。 I'll underwrite the fall stuff with the wholesalers； just for the interest； and she can keep what she makes。〃
〃The dogs？〃
〃I asked her to call the county； Will。 I'm sorry； but maybe somebody will take some of them。〃
〃Molly； I…〃
〃If staying here I could keep something bad from happening to you； I'd stay。 But you can't save anybody； Will； I'm not helping you here。 With us up there； you can just think about taking care of yourself。 I'm not carrying this damned pistol the rest of my life； Will。〃
〃Maybe you can get down to Oakland and watch the A's。〃 Didn't mean to say that。 Oh boy； this silence is getting pretty long。
〃Well； look； I'll call you；〃 she said； 〃or I guess you'll have to call me up there。〃
Graham felt something tearing。 He felt short of breath。 〃Let me get the office to make the arrangements。 Have you made a reservation already？〃
〃I didn't use my name。 I thought maybe the newspapers 。 。 。〃
〃Good。 Good。 Let me get somebody to see you off。 You wouldn't have to board through the gate； and you'd get out of Washington absolutely clean。 Can I do that？ Let me do that。 What time does the plane go？〃
〃Nine…forty。 American 118。〃
〃Okay； eight…thirty 。 。 。 behind the Smithsonian。 There's a Park…Rite。 Leave the car there。 Somebody'll meet you。 He'll listen to his watch； put it to his ear when he gets out of his car； okay？〃
〃That's fine。〃
〃Say； do you change at O'Hare？ I could e out…〃
〃No。 Change in Minneapolis。〃
〃Oh； Molly。 Maybe I could e up there and get you when it's over？〃
〃That would be very nice。〃
Very nice。
〃Do you have enough money？〃
〃The bank's wiring me some。〃
〃What？〃
〃To Barclay's at the airport。 Don't worry。〃
〃I'll miss you。〃
〃Me too； but that'll be the same as now。 Same distance by phone。 Willy says hi。〃
〃Hi to Willy。〃
〃Be careful； darling。〃
She had never called him darling before。 He didn't care for it。 He didn't care for new names； darling； Red Dragon。
The night…duty officer in Washington was glad to make the arrangements for Molly。 Graham pressed his face to the cool window and watched sheets of rain whip over the muffled traffic below him； the street leaping from gray to sudden color in the lightning flashes。 His face left a print of forehead； nose； lips； and chin on the glass。
Molly was gone。
The day was over and there was only the night to face； and the lipless voice accusing him。
Lounds's woman held what was left of his hand until it was over。
〃Hello； this is Valerie Leeds。 I'm sorry I can't e to the phone right now 。 。 。〃
〃I'm sorry too；〃 Graham said。
Graham filled his glass again and sat at the table by the window； staring at the empty chair across from him。 He stared until the space in the opposite chair assumed a man…shape filled with dark and swarming motes； a presence like a shadow on suspended dust。 He tried to make the image coalesce； to see a face。 It would not move； had no countenance but； faceless； faced him with palpable attention。
〃I know it's tough；〃 Graham said。 He was intensely drunk。 〃You've got to try to stop； just hold off until we find you。 If you've got to do something； fuck； e after me。 I don't give a shit。 It'll be better after that。 They've got some things now to help you make it stop。 To help you stop wanting to so bad。 Help me。 Help me a little。 Molly's gone； old Freddy's dead。 It's you and me now； sport。〃 He leaned across the table； his hand extended to touch； and the presence was gone。
Graham put his head down on the table； his cheek on his arm。 He could see the print of his forehead； nose； mouth； and chin on the window as the lightning flashed behind it； a face with drops crawling through it down the glass。 Eyeless。 A face full of rain。
Graham had tried hard to understand the Dragon。
At times； in the breathing silence of the victims' houses； the very spaces the Dragon had moved through tried to speak。
Sometimes Graham felt close to him。 A feeling he remembered from other investigations had settled over him in recent days： the taunting sense that he and the Dragon were doing the same things at various times of the day； that there were parallels in the quotidian details of their lives。 Somewhere the Dragon was eating； or showering； or sleeping at the same time he did。
Graham tried hard to know him。 He tried to see him past the blinding glint of slides and vials； beneath the lines of police reports； tried to see his face through the louvers of print。 He tried as hard as he knew how。
But to begin to understand the dragon； to hear the cold drips in his darkness； to watch the world through his red haze； Graham would have had to see things he could never see； and he would have had to fly through time 。 。 。
CHAPTER 25
SPRINGFIELD； MISSOURI； June 14； 1938。
Marian Dolarhyde Trevane； tired and in pain； got out of a taxi at City Hospital。 Hot wind whipped grit against her ankles as she climbed the steps。 The suitcase she lugged was better than her loose wash dress； and so was the mesh evening bag she pressed to her swollen belly。 She had two quarters and a dime in her bag。 She had Francis Dolarhyde in her belly。
She told the admitting officer her name was Betty Johnson； a lie。 She said her husband was a musician； but she did not know his whereabouts； which was true。
They put her in the charity section of the maternity ward。 She did not look at the patients on either side of her。 She looked across the aisle at the soles of feet。
In four hours she was taken to the delivery room； where Francis Dolarhyde was born。 The obstetrician remarked that he looked 〃more like a leaf…nosed bat than a baby；〃 another truth。 He was born with bilateral fissures in his upper lip and in his hard and soft palates。 The center section of his mouth was unanchored and protruded。 His nose was flat。
The hospital supervisors decided not to show him to his mother immediately。 They waited to see if the infant could survive without oxygen。 They put him in a bed at the rear of the infant ward and faced him away from the viewing window。 He could breathe； but he could not feed。 With his palate cleft； he could not suck。
His crying on the first day was not as continuous as that of a heroin…addicted baby； but it was as piercing。
By the afternoon of the second day a thin keening was all he could produce。
When the shifts changed at three P。M。； a wide shadow fell across his bed。 Prince Easter Mize； 260 pounds； cleaning woman and aide in the maternity ward； stood looking at him； her arms folded on top of her bosom。 In twenty…six years