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〃I was thinking 。。。 〃 Drawing the pause out dramatically； skrinching her hazel eyes。 〃 。。。 since it's such a nice day； we might want to get a little； you know 。。。 lost 。。。 on the way back。〃
Gwen smiled slyly。 〃You knew I made sandwiches； didn't you？〃
〃You're awfully predictable。〃
〃And only you would drag a pregnant woman who's ready to burst out into the middle of nowhere。〃
〃You mean I'm predictable； too？〃 Micki made a horror…stricken g…force face and they laughed。 The conspiracy was ripe。 Micki got serious first。
〃You sure you're gonna be okay？〃 she asked。
〃Oh； yeah；〃 Gwen said。 〃I'm a tough old broad。〃
〃Okay。〃 Micki braced her feet against the dashboard。 〃Sam Lewis？〃 she asked。
〃Sam Lewis；〃 Gwen answered； without a moment's hesitation。
〃Let's do it。〃
〃Weeee…HA！〃 Gwen hooted； stomping down on the gas； as they motored down old Route 624 toward Sam Lewis State Park； and the river that unwound like a serpent below。
Fifteen
And this was how the cookie crumbled：
Blake was at the sautee table at the Lincoln Woods buffet when his beeper went off。 He jumped； surprising no one more than himself。
Okay； he thought； gearing up for the worst。 He'd certainly known it was ing。 He was just slightly appalled with himself for having entertained the foolish hope that it wouldn't。
Stupid； he chastised himself。 Hope is the opiate of the misinformed。
Blake politely excused himself from his wife and their pany； padded through the thickly carpeted pastel interior； and made the first of many calls。
Blake was a man of many hats： in his capacity as pointman for PEMA； he performed mucho munity liaison。 He was the Need To Know man： he determined who needed to know； what they needed to know； and when they needed to know it。 When it came to local industry； no story was released in either print or broadcast form without his expressed approval。
So when 911 notified PEMA that they had called in HazMat； the girl at the PEMA switchboard paged Blake right away。 He got her story； thanked her warmly； hung up； and dialed again。
Two minutes on the phone with the guys from HazMat； and Blake knew everything he needed to know。
It was； indeed； a can of worms； and it was about to open right into his lap。
Unless he got out of the way。
His next call was to Leonard。 No answer。 He thought for a moment； men spent the next fifteen minutes doing a little hole…plugging in advance。 EPA； DER； all said no problem。 Everyone would hold the line。 No need to incite a panic。 By the time he got back to the table； they were already on dessert。
Not to worry； he assured them。
He'd already had more than his fill。
Down at the Big Boy； Harold Leonard echoed the sentiment； magnified to the ninety…seventh power。 His plateful of silver…dollar pancakes； eggs； and link sausage lay congealing in imitation maple syrup before him； barely touched。 He couldn't even think about it。
He was thinking about the future。
〃Daddy？〃 The voice bled in from deepest space； from the seat to his immediate right。 〃Daddy？ Daddy！〃
Leonard blinked； came back to the earth plane。 His three…year…old； Thea； was yanking his sleeve。 〃Yes； honey？〃 he said； on full automatic； the words a split second ahead of him。
〃Daddy；〃 she scolded； 〃I learned a new song today！〃
〃Ah。 Heh…heh；〃 he said； his eyes quickly scanning the table。 Marge was busy feeding Wally and Timmy； the toddler twins； it was a task that demanded her total concentration。 Teenage Brad and Jerry were tormenting little Harold； Jr。 at the far end of the table； probably about his ears。 Little Harold looked precisely like his father felt： teetering on the brink of tears。
〃You want to hear it；〃 Thea told him； her pudgy little features a frightening parody of his own。 He felt haunted by her shining eyes； the absolute lack of empathy in them。 She had no idea what was going on inside him。 None whatsoever。 None of them did。
〃'I know you； I walk with you wunnsa ponna dream；'〃 she sang。
〃Not right now； honey；〃 he said； his panic rising。 The chinkling of silver； the inchoate gurble of voices； the featureless Muzak； and cholesterol smells collided in his head。 He winced against the strobing fluorescent plastic orange decor。
〃No； Daddy！〃 Her eyes； in his face； were huge。 〃It's Seeping Booty！ Listen！ 'I know you； the geamin your eyes is sofer million a gream 。。。 '〃 When her voice raked the high notes； it bore a drill bit through his skull。
Timmy was laughing。 Wally was screaming。 Marge was cooing now now now； over and over。 Now now now。
〃' 。。。 An' I know its true； I feenal my selpis alba sleem 。。。 '〃
〃Excuse me；〃 he blurted； the tears welling up now； his face hot and clammy as he skreeed back in his chair。 〃Excuse me；〃 he repeated； standing； all eyes upon him at last as he turned away quickly； ashamed of himself； and headed for the men's room。 The Muzak； the sound of other people's families chased him； dogged him across the restaurant。
There was a vacant bank of phones in the narrow access corridor。 It was there that he chose to break down。 It only took a minute to sob his way clear。
Which brought him right back where he'd started from。
Not that he didn't trust Blake； if anyone had more to lose than Leonard himself； that person was certainly Blake。 It was just that he felt so helpless； so utterly out of the loop。
Not to mention guilty as sin。
Not to mention terrified。
He kept thinking about the dead boy； and wondering what had happened。 The thought that he could have caused someone's death； however inadvertently； was just too horrible to bear。
And then there was the other boy。 Otis's son。 Perhaps； Leonard thought； he's getting better。 Lord； what a relief that would be！
And if not 。。。
He had Pusser's number； burning a hole in the inside pocket of his sport coat。 He withdrew it now； punched in the number； tried to breathe normally。
〃What？〃 snapped the voice on the other end； midway into the second ring。
〃H…hello； Otis；〃 Leonard stammered。
〃That YOU； Leonard？ God damn it！〃 The malice in Pusser's voice shifted； focused； went pletely specific。 〃What the fuck are you doin' for me and my boy？〃
〃W…w…well； that's actually why I called 。。。 〃
〃 'Cause I'm about FIFTEEN FUCKIN' MINUTES AWAY from callin' the cops on your ass 。。。 ！〃
〃Otis； you can't do that。〃 He was striving for an authoritative tone； but the rivets that held his reality together were rattling loose。
〃My boy is DYIN'！ Do you understand me？〃 And in the background； Leonard could hear the boy mewling： a horrible sound。 〃You gonna find some kinda hospital can take him？ He don't have no insurance！ You gonna pay the fuckin' bill？〃
〃Listen 。。。 〃 He tasted blood in his mouth； realized he'd gnawed a tiny hole in his lip。 〃I t…talked to my people； and 。。。 〃
〃YOUR PEOPLE GOT ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES TO SAVE HIS LIFE AND KEEP HIS ASS OUT OF JAIL！〃 The sound blistered through the plastic earpiece。 〃OR YOU'RE GOIN' DOWN； YOU STUPID FAT FUCK 。。。 ！〃
Leonard hung up the phone。
And stood there； terrified； weighing his options。 None of them were good