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He flipped forward to the last week in July。 The Thursday and Friday were blank。 There was a note on Wednesday。 It said： 〃Am 552 3：45 … 6：15。〃
Graham copied the entry。 〃I want to find out where this flight goes。〃
〃Let me do it； you go ahead here；〃 Crawford said。 He went to a telephone across the hall。
Graham was looking at a tube of denture adhesive in the bottom desk drawer when Crawford called from the door。
〃It goes to Atlanta； Will。 Let's take him out。〃
CHAPTER 48
Water cold on Reba's face； running in her hair。 Dizzy。 Something hard under her； sloping。 She turned her head。 Wood under her。 A cold wet towel wiped her face。
〃Are you all right； Reba？〃 Dolarhyde's calm voice。 She shied from the sound。 〃Uhhhh。〃
〃Breathe deeply。〃
A minute passed。
〃Do you think you can stand up？ Try to stand up。〃
She could stand with his arm around her。 Her stomach heaved。 He waited until the spasm passed。
〃Up the ramp。 Do you remember where you are？〃
She nodded。
〃Take the key out of the door； Reba。 e inside。 Now lock it and put the key around my neck。 Hang it around my neck。 Good。 Let's just be sure it's locked。〃
She heard the knob rattle。
〃That's good。 Now go in the bedroom； you know the way。〃 She stumbled and went down on her knees； her head bowed。 He lifted her by the arms and supported her into the bedroom。
〃Sit in this chair。〃 She sat。
〃GIVE HER TO ME NOW。〃
She struggled to rise； big hands on her shoulders held her down。
〃Sit still or I can't keep Him off you；〃 Dolarhyde said。 Her mind was ing back。 It didn't want to。
〃Please try；〃 she said。
〃Reba； it's all over for me。〃
He was up； doing something。 The odor of gasoline was very strong。
〃Put out your hand。 Feel this。 Don't grab it； feel it。〃
She felt something like steel nostrils； slick inside。 The muzzle of a gun。
〃That's a shotgun； Reba。 A twelve…gauge magnum。 Do you know what it will do？〃
She nodded。
〃Take your hand down。〃 The cold muzzle rested in the hollow of her throat。
〃Reba； I wish I could have trusted you。 I wanted to trust you。〃 He sounded like he was crying。
〃You felt so good。〃
He was crying。
〃So did you； D。 I love it。 Please don't hurt me now。〃
〃It's all over for me。 I can't leave you to Him。 You know what He'll do？〃
Bawling now。
〃Do you know what He'll do？ He'll bite you to death。 Better you go with me。〃
She heard a match struck； smelled sulfur； heard a whoosh。 Heat in the room。 Smoke。 Fire。 The thing she feared most in the world。 Fire。 Anything was better than that。 She hoped the first shot killed her。 She tensed her legs to run。
Blubbering。
〃Oh； Reba； I can't stand to watch you burn。〃
The muzzle left her throat。
Both barrels of the shotgun went off at once as she came to her feet。
Ears numbed； she thought she was shot； thought she was dead； felt the heavy thump on the floor more than she heard it。
Smoke now and the crackle of flames。 Fire。 Fire brought her to herself。 She felt heat on her arms and face。 Out。 She stepped on legs； stumbled choking into the foot of the bed。
Stoop low； they said； under the smoke。 Don't run； you'll bump into things and die。
She was locked in。 Locked in。 Walking； stooping low； fingers trailing on the floor； she found legs … other end … she found hair； a hairy flap； put her hand in something soft below the hair。 Only pulp； sharp bone splinters and a loose eye in it。
Key around his neck 。 。 。 hurry。 Both hands on the chain； legs under her； snatch。 The chain broke and she fell backward； scrambling up again。 Turned around； confused。 Trying to feel； trying to listen with her numbed ears over the crackle of the flames。 Side of the bed 。 。 。 which side？ She stumbled on the body； tried to listen。
BONG； BONG； the clock striking。 BONG； BONG； into the living room； BONG； BONG； take a right。
Throat seared with smoke。 BONG BONG。 Door here。 Under the knob。 Don't drop it。 Click the lock。 Snatch it open。 Air。 Down the ramp。 Air。 Collapsed in the grass。 Up again on hands and knees； crawling。
She came up on her knees to clap； picked up the house echo and crawled away from it； breathing deep until she could stand； walk； run until she hit something； run again。
CHAPTER 49
Locating Francis Dolarhyde's house was not so easy。 The address listed at Gateway was a post…office box in St。 Charles。
Even the St。 Charles sheriff's department had to check a service map at the power…pany office to be sure。
The sheriff's department weled St。 Louis SWAT to the other side of the river； and the caravan moved quietly up State Highway 94。 A deputy beside Graham in the lead car showed the way。 Crawford leaned between them from the back seat and sucked at something in his teeth。 They met light traffic at the north end of St。 Charles； a pickup full of children； a Greyhound bus； a tow truck。
They saw the glow as they cleared the northern city limits。
〃That's it！〃 the deputy said。 〃That's where it is！〃
Graham put his foot down。 The glow brightened and swelled as they roared up the highway。
Crawford snapped his fingers for the microphone。
〃All units； that's his house burning。 Watch it now。 He may be ing out。 Sheriff； let us have a roadblock here； if you will。〃
A thick column of sparks and smoke leaned southeast over the fields； hanging over them now。
〃Here；〃 the deputy said； 〃turn in on this gravel。〃
They saw the woman then； silhouetted black against the fire； saw her as she heard them and raised her arms to them。
And then the great fire blasted upward； outward； burning beams and window frames describing slow high arcs into the night sky； the blazing van rocked over on its side； orange tracery of the burning trees suddenly blown out and dark。 The ground shuddered as the explosion whump rocked the police cars。
The woman was face down in the road。 Crawford and Graham and the deputies out； running to her as fire rained in the road； some running past her with their weapons drawn。
Crawford took Reba from a deputy batting sparks from her hair。
He held her arms； face close to hers； red in the firelight。
〃Francis Dolarhyde；〃 he said。 He shook her gently。 〃Francis Dolarhyde； where is he？〃
〃He's in there；〃 she said； raising her stained hand toward the heat； letting it fall。 〃He's dead in there。〃
〃You know that？〃 Crawford peered into her sightless eyes。
〃I was with him。〃
〃Tell me； please。〃
〃He shot himself in the face。 I put my hand in it。 He set fire to the house。 He shot himself。 I put my hand in it。 He was on the floor。 I put my hand in it can I sit down？〃
〃Yes；〃 Crawford said。 He got into the back of a police car with her。 He put his arms around her and let her cry into his jowl。
Graham stood in the road and watched the flames until his face was red and sore。
The winds aloft whipped smoke across the moon。
CHAPTER 50
The wind in the morning was warm and wet。 It blew wisps of cloud over the blackened chimneys where Dolarhyde's house had stood。 Thin smoke blew flat across the fields。
A few raindrops struck coals and exploded in tiny puffs of steam and ashes。
A fire truck stood by； its light revolving。
S。 F。 Aynesworth； FBI section chief