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s head too much； just holding his body still； glancing over his shoulders； first on this side； then on that。
〃All right；〃 he said finally。 〃It's all right now。 I guess I can go now。〃
He touched the back of her hand consolingly for a minute。
〃Don't be frightened； Patrice。 Maybe we'll be lucky； at that We're such novices at anything like this。〃
〃Maybe we'll be lucky；〃 she echoed； abysmally frightened。
She watched him turn and walk away from the car。
He walked as he always walked； that was one nice thing about him。 He didn't slink or cringe。 She wondered why that should have mattered to her； at such a time as this。 But it made what he； what they； were about to attempt to do a little less horrible； somehow。
He'd turned and he'd gone inside the building where the man was lying dead。
41
It seemed like an eternity that he'd been up there。 She'd never known time could be so long。
That cat came back again； the one that had frightened her before； and she watched its slow； cautious circuitous return to the place from which they had routed it。 She could see it while it was still out in the roadway； but then as it closed in toward the building…line； the deeper shading swallowed it。
〃You can kill a rat〃； she found herself addressing it enviously in her mind； and they praise you for it。 And your kind of rat only bites； they don't suck blood。
Something glinted there； then was gone again。
It was surprising how clearly she could see the match…flame。 She hadn't expected to be able to。 It was small； but extremely vivid for a moment。 Like a luminous yellow butterfly held pinned for a second at full wing…spread against a black velvet backdrop； then allowed to escape again。
She promptly bore down on the starter； trundled around the corner； and brought the car down to him with facile stealth。 No more than a soft whirr and sibilance of its tires。
He'd turned and gone in again before she'd reached him。 The cigarette that he'd used to attract her lay there already cast down。
She didn't know where he wanted to…wanted to put what he was bringing out。 Front or back。 She reached out and opened the rear door on his side； left it that way； ready and waiting for him。
Then she stared straight ahead through the windshield； with a curious sort of rigidity； as though she were unable to move her neck。
She heard the building…door open； and still couldn't turn her neck。 She strained； tugged at it； but it was locked in some sort of rigor of mortal terror； wouldn't carry her head around that way。
She heard a slow； weighted tread on the gritty sidewalk…his… and acpanying it a softer sound； a sort of scrape； as when two shoes are turned over on their softer topsides； or simply on their sides； and trail along that way； without full weight to press them down。
Suddenly his voice breathed urgently （almost in her ear； it seemed）； 〃The front door。 The front〃
She couldn't turn her head。 But she could move her arms at least。 She extended them without looking； broke the latch open for him。 She could hear her own breath singing in her throat； like the sound a teakettle…spout makes when it is simmering toward a catastrophic overflow。
Someone settled on the seat beside her。 Just the way anyone does； with the same crunchy strain on the leather。 He touched her side； he nudged her here and there。
The muscular block shattered； and her head swung around。
She was looking into his face。 Not Bill's； not Bill's。 The mocking eyes wide open in the dark。 His head had had to swing toward her； just as hers had toward him…it couldn't have remained inert！…to make the grisly face…to…face confrontation plete。 Even in death he wouldn't let her alone。
A strangled scream wrenched at her windpipe。
〃Now； none of that；〃 the voice of Bill said； from just on the other side of him。 〃Get in back。 I want the wheel。 I want him next to me。〃
The sound of his voice had a steadying effect on her。 〃I didn't mean it；〃 she murmured blurredly。 She got out； got in again； holding onto the car for support in the brief transit between the two places。 She didn't know how she did it； but she did。
He must have known what she was going through； though he didn't look at her。
〃I told you to go home；〃 he reminded her quietly。
〃I'm all right；〃 she said。 〃I'm all right Go ahead。〃 It came out tinny； like something on a worn…out disk played by a feathered needle。
The door cracked shut； and they were in motion。
Bill kept the car down to a laggard crawl the first few moments； using only one hand to the wheel。 She saw him reach over with the other and tilt down the hat…brim low over the face beside him。
He found time for a word of encouragement to her； conscious of her there behind him； though still he didn't turn to glance at her。
〃Can you hear me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Try not to be frightened。 Try not to think of it。 We've been lucky so far。 The check and the notebook were on him。 Either we make it or we don't Look at it that way。 It's the only way。 You're helping me； too； that way。 See； if you're too tense； then I'm too tense too。 You react on me。〃
〃I'm all right；〃 she said with that same mechanical bleat as before。 〃I'll be quiet。 I'll be controlled。 Go ahead。〃
After that； they didn't talk。 How could you； on such a ride？
She kept her eyes away。 She'd look out the side as long as she could； then when that became a strain； she'd look up at the car ceiling for a moment to rest。 Or down at the floor directly before her。 Anywhere but straight ahead； to where those two heads （she knew） must be lightly quivering in synchronization to the same vibration。
She tried to do what he'd told her。 She tried not to think of it 〃We're ing home from a dance；〃 she said to herself。 〃He's bringing me home from the Country Club； that's all。 I'm wearing that black net with the gold disks。 Look； see？ I'm wearing that black dress with the gold disks。 We had words； so I'm…I'm sitting in the back； and he's sitting alone up front。〃
Her forehead was a little cold and damp。 She wiped it off。
〃He's bringing me home from the movies；〃 she said to herself。 〃We saw…we saw…we saw…〃 Another of those blocks； this time of the imagination； occurred； it wouldn't e。 〃We saw…we saw… we saw…〃
Suddenly she'd said to him； aloud； 〃What was the name of that picture we just now came away from？〃
〃Good；〃 he answered instantly。 〃That's it。 That's a good idea。 I'll give you one。 Keep going over it。〃 It took him a moment to get one himself。 〃Mark Stevens in I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now；〃 he said suddenly。 They'd seen that together back in the sunlight； a thousand years ago （last Thursday）。 〃Start in at the beginning； and run through it。 If you get stuck； I'll help you out。〃
She was breathing laboredly； and her forehead kept getting damp again all the time。 〃He wrote songs；〃 she said to herself； 〃and he took his foster…sister to a…to a variety…show； and he heard one of them sung from the stage…〃
The car made a turn； and the two heads up front swung together； one almost landed on the other's shoulder。 Somebody pried them apart。
She hurriedly squeezed her eyes shut 〃When…when did the titlesong e into it？〃 she faltered。 〃Was that the opening number； they heard from the gallery？〃
He'd halted for a light； and a taxicab had halted beside him； wheel…cap to wheel…cap。 〃No； that was…〃 He looked at the taxicab。 〃That was…〃 He looked at the taxicab again； the way you look vaguely at some external object when you're trying to remember something that has nothing to do with it。 〃That was 'Hello； Ma Baby。' Cakewalk number； don't you remember？ The title…song didn't e until the end。 He couldn't get words for it； don't you remember？〃
The light had changed。 The taxicab had slipped on ahead； quicker to resume motion。 She crushed the back of her hand against her mouth； sank her teeth into it 〃I can't；〃 she sighed to herself。 〃I can't。〃 She wanted to scream to him； 〃Oh； open the door！ Let me out！ I'm not brave！ I thought I could； but I can't…I don't care； only let me get out of here； now； right where we are！〃
Panic； they called this panic。
She bit deeper into her own skin； and the hot frenzied gush subsided。
He was going a little faster now。 But not too fast； not fast enough to attract suspicion or catch any roving eye。 They were in the outskirts now； running along the turnpike that breasted the sunken railroad right…of…way。 You were supposed to 'go a little faster along there。
It took her several moments to realize that the chief hazard was over。 That they were already out of Caulfield； clear of it； or at least clear of its built…up heart Nothing had happened。 No untoward event They hadn't grazed any other car。 No policeman had e near them； to question them over some infraction； to look into the car。 All those things that she had dreaded so； had failed to materialize。 It had been a ride pletely without incident The two of them might have been alone in the car； for all the risk they'd run… outwardly。 But inwardly…
She felt all shrivelled…up inside； and old； as though there were permanent wrinkles on her heart。
〃He wasn't the only one that died tonight；〃 she thought。 〃I died too； somewhere along the way； in this car。 So it didn't work； it was all for nothing。