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rybaby isn't going to solve anything。 Anyway； you're right。 My folks will probably show up tomorrow； and everything'll work out for the best。 Look； Dr。 Tracy； if you e to see me tomorrow…〃
〃I will 。〃
〃If you do； promise not to bring me any more candy or magazines or anything。 Okay？ There's no reason for you to spend your money like that。 You've already done too much for me。 Besides； the best thing you could do is just e。 I mean； it's nice to know someone outside the hospital cares about me。 It's nice to know I haven't been lost or forgotten in here。 Oh； sure； the nurses and the doctors are swell。 They really are； and I'm grateful。 They care about me； but it's
sort of their job to care。 You know？ So that's not exactly the same thing； is it？〃 She laughed nervously。 〃Am I making sense？〃
〃I know exactly what you're feeling；〃 Carol assured her。 She was achingly aware of the girl's profound loneliness； for she had been lonely and frightened when she was the same age； before Grace Mitowski had taken custody of her and had given her large measures of guidance and love。
She stayed with Jane until visiting hours were over。 Before she left； she planted a motherly kiss on the girl's forehead； and it seemed like a perfectly natural thing to do。 A bond had formed between them in a surprisingly short time。
Outside； in the hospital parking lot； the sodium…vapor lights leached the true colors from the cars and made them all look yellowish。
The night was chilly。 No rain had fallen during the afternoon or evening； but the air was heavy； damp。 Thunder rumbled in the distance； and a new storm appeared to be on the way。
She sat for a moment behind the wheel of the VW； staring up at the third…floor window of the girl's room。
'What a terrific kid；〃 she said aloud。
She felt that someone quite special had e unexpectedly into her life。
***
Near midnight； a river…cold wind came out of the west and made the trees dance。 The starless； moonless； utterly lightless night pressed close around the house and seemed to Grace to be a living thing； it snuffled at the doors and windows。
Rain began to fall。
She went to bed as the hail clock was striking twelve； and twenty minutes later she began to drift over the edge of sleep as if she were a leaf borne by cool currents toward a great waterfall。 On the brink； with only darkness churning under her； she heard movement in the bedroom and instantly came awake again。
A series of stealthy sounds。 A soft scrape。 A rattle that died even as it began。 A silken rustle。
She sat up； heart quickening； and opened the nightstand drawer。 With one hand she felt blindly for the 。22 pistol she kept in the drawer； and with the other hand she groped silently for the lamp switch。 She touched the gun and lamp at the same moment。
With light； the source of the noise was clearly visible。 Ari was crouched atop the highboy； staring down at her； as if he had been about to spring onto the bed。
〃What are you doing in here？ You know the rules。〃
He blinked but didn't move。 His muscles were bunched and taut； his fur was standing up on the back of his neck。
For sanitary reasons； she would allow him to climb neither onto the kitchen counters nor into her bed； generally； she kept the master bedroom door firmly shut； day and night； rather than tempt him。 Already； housecleaning required extra hours each week because of him； for she was determined that the air should not contain even the slightest trace of cat odor； likewise； she was not about to subject her visitors to furniture covered with loose animal hairs。 She loved Ari； and she thought him fine pany； and for the most part she gave him the run of the house in spite of the extra work he caused her。 But she was not prepared to live with cat hairs in her food or in her sheets。
She got out of bed； stepped into her slippers。
Ari watched。
〃e down from there this instant；〃 Grace said； looking up at him with her sternest expression。
His shining eyes were gas…flame blue。
Grace went to the bedroom door； opened it； stepped out of the way； and said； 〃Shoo。〃
The cat's muscles relaxed。 He slumped in a furry puddle atop the highboy； as if his bones had melted。 He yawned and began to lick one of his black paws。
〃Hey！〃 she said。
Aristophanes raised his head languidly； peered down at her。
〃Out；〃 she said gruffly。 〃Now。〃
When he still didn't move； she started toward the highboy； and he was at last encouraged to obey。 He jumped down and darted past her so fast she didn't have time to swat him。 He went into the hall； and she closed the door。
In bed again； with the lights out； she remembered the way he had looked as he perched atop the highboy：
facing her； aimed at her； shoulders drawn up； head held low； haunches tense； his fur electrified； his eyes bright and slightly demented。 He had intended to jump onto the bed and scare the bejesus out of her； there was no doubt about that。 But such schemes were a kitten's games； Ari had not been playful in that fashion for the past three or four years； ever since he had
attained a rather indolent maturity。 What on earth had gotten into him？
That settles it； she told herself。 We'll pay a visit to the veterinarian first thing in the morning。 Good Lord； I might have a schizophrenic cat on my hands！
Seeking rest； she let the night embrace her again。 She allowed herself to be carried along by the riverlike sound of the soughing wind。 Within a few minutes she was once more being borne toward the waterfall of sleep。 She trembled on the edge of it； and a quiver of uneasiness passed through her； a chill that nearly broke the spell； but then she dropped down into darkness。
She dreamed that she was trekking across a vast underwater landscape of brilliantly colored coral and seaweed and strange； undulating plants。 A cat lurked among the plants； a big one； much bigger than a tiger； but with the coloring of a Siamese。 It was stalking her。 She could see its saucer eyes peering at her through the murky sea； from among wavering stalks of marine vegetation。 She could hear and feel its low purr transmitted by the water。 She paused repeatedly during her suboceanic trek so that she could fill a series of yellow bowls with generous portions of Meow Mix in the hope of pacifying the cat； but she knew in her heart that the beast would not be content until it had sunk its claws into her。 She moved steadily past towers of coral； past grottoes； across wide aquatic plains of shifting sand； waiting for the cat to snarl and lunge from concealment； waiting for it to rip open her face and gouge out her eyes。
Once； she woke and thought she heard Aristophanes scratching insistently on the other side of the
closed bedroom door。 But she was groggy and couldn't trust her senses； she wasn't able to wrench herself fully awake； and in a few seconds she sank down into the dream once more。
At one o'clock in the morning； the third floor of the hospital was so quiet that Harriet Gilbey。 the head nurse on the graveyard shift； felt as though she was deep underground； in some kind of military plex； tucked into the stony roots of a mountain； far from the real world and the background noises of real life。