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suppose you know what that might mean； where it might be headed； but of course I daren't ask you about it or you'll heave me straight into prison and let me rot there。〃
〃I'm telling you the truth about Banodyne。〃
〃So you say。〃
〃You're impossible； Walt。〃
〃So you say。〃
〃So everyone says。 Now will you let me go home？ I'm beat。〃
Smiling； Walt closed the door at last。
Lem drove out of the hospital garage to Main Street； then to the freeway； heading home toward Placentia。 He hoped to make it back into bed no later than dawn。
As he piloted the NSA sedan through streets as empty as midocean sea…lanes； he thought about The Outsider heading northward。 He'd noticed the same thing himself。 And he was convinced that he knew what it was seeking even if he did not know where； precisely； it was going。 From the first； the dog and The Outsider had possessed a special awareness of each other； an uncanny instinctual awareness of each other's moods and activities even when they were not in the same room。 Davis Weatherby had suggested； more than half seriously； that there was something telepathic about the relationship of those two creatures。 Now； The Outsider was very likely still in tune with the dog and； by some sixth sense； was following it。
For the dog's sake； Lem hoped to God that was not the case。
It had been evident in the lab that the dog had always feared The Outsider； and with good reason。 The two were the yin and yang of the Francis Project； the success and the failure； the good and the bad。 As wonderful； right； and
good as the dog was…well； The Outsider was every bit as hideous； wrong； and evil。 And the researchers had seen that The Outsider did not fear the dog but hated it with a passion that no one had been able to understand。 Now that both were free； The Outsider might single…mindedly pursue the dog； for it had never wanted anything more than to tear the retriever limb from limb。
Lem realized that； in his anxiety； he had put his foot down too hard on the accelerator。 The car was rocketing along the freeway。 He eased back on the pedal。
Wherever the dog was； with whomever it had found shelter； it was in jeopardy。 And those who had given it shelter were also in grave danger。
SIX
1
Through the last week of May and the first week of June； Nora and Travis… and Einstein…were together nearly every day。
Initially； she had worried that Travis was somehow dangerous； not as dangerous as Art Streck but still to be feared； however； she'd soon gotten through that spell of paranoia。 Now she laughed at herself when she remembered how wary of him she had been。 He was sweet and kind； precisely the sort of man who； according to her Aunt Violet； did not exist anywhere in the world。
Once Nora's paranoia had been overe； she'd then been convinced that the only reason Travis continued to see her was because he pitied her。 Being the passionate man he was； he would not be able to turn his back on anyone in desperate need or trouble。 Most people； meeting Nora； would not think of her as desperate…perhaps strange and shy and pathetic； but not desperate。 Yet she was…or had been…desperately unable to cope with the world beyond her own four walls； desperately afraid of the future； and desperately lonely。 Travis； being every bit as perceptive as he was kind； saw her desperation and responded to it。 Gradually； as May faded into June and the days grew hotter under the summer sun； she dared to consider the possibility that he was helping her not because he pitied her but because he really liked her。
But she couldn't understand what a man like him would see in a woman like her。 She seemed to have nothing whatsoever to offer。
All right； yes； she had a self…image problem。 Maybe she was not really as hopelessly drab and dull as she felt。 Still； Travis clearly deserved…and could surely have…better female panionship than she could provide。
She decided not to question his interest。 The thing to do was just relax and enjoy it。
Because Travis had sold his real…estate business after the death of his wife and was essentially retired； and because Nora had no job either； they were free to be together most of the day if they wanted…and they were。 They went to galleries； haunted bookstores； took long walks； went on longer drives into the picturesque Santa Ynez Valley or up along the gorgeous Pacific coast。
Twice they set out early in the morning for Los Angeles and spent a long day there； and Nora was as overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city as she was by the activities they pursued： a movie…studio tour； a visit to the zoo； and a matinee performance of a hit musical。
One day Travis talked her into having her hair cut and styled。 He took her to a beauty parlor that his late wife had frequented； and Nora was so nervous that she stuttered when she spoke to the beautician； a perky blonde named Melanie。 Violet always cut Nora's hair at home； and after Violet's death； Nora cut it herself。 Being tended by a beautician was a new experience； as unnerving as eating in a restaurant for the first time。 Melanie did something she called 〃feathering；〃 and cut off a lot of Nora's hair while somehow still leaving it full。 They did not allow Nora to watch in the mirror； did not let her get a glimpse of herself until she was blown dry and bed out。 Then they spun her around in the chair and confronted her with herself； and when she saw her reflection； she was stunned。
〃You look terrific；〃 Travis said。
〃It's a total transformation；〃 Melanie said。
〃Terrific；〃 Travis said。
〃You've got such a pretty face； great bone structure；〃 Melanie said； 〃but all that straight； long hair made your features look elongated and pointy。 This frames your face to its best advantage。〃
Even Einstein seemed to like the change in her。 When they left the beauty shop； the dog was waiting for them where they had left him tethered to a parking meter。 He did a canine double…take when he saw Nora； jumped up with his front paws on her； and sniffed her face and hair； whining happily and wagging his tail。
She hated the new look。 When they had turned her to the mirror； she'd seen a pathetic old maid trying to pass for a pretty； vivacious young thing。 The styled hair was simply not her。 It only emphasized that she was basically a plain； drab woman。 She would never be sexy； charming； with…it； or any of the other things that the new hairstyle tried to say she was。 It was rather like fastening a brightly colored feather duster to the back end of a turkey and attempting to pass it off as a peacock。
Because she did not want to hurt Travis's feelings； she pretended to like what had been done to her。 But that night she washed her hair and brushed it dry； pulling on it until all the so…called style had been tugged from it。 Because of the feathering； it did not hang as straight and lank as it had previously； but she did the best with it that she could。
The next day； when Travis picked her up for lunch； he was clearly startled to find that she had reverted to her previous look。 However； he said nothing about it； asked no questions。 She was so embarrassed and afraid of having hurt his feelings that； for the first couple of hours； she was