Penny had come into the garden with the Necroscope, but of course she hadn’t heard Pamela’s deadspeak. Harry sent her indoors; if not, she would only talk to him, question and distract him. But turning away towards the house she looked as if she might cry, and so he said: ‘I’m not putting you away from me, but I need to be alone for a couple of minutes. After that we’ll have lots of time for being together.’ Because I’ll have to watch you until I’m sure you’re just you. Or if it comes to the worst, until I’m sure that you’re something else.
His thoughts were deadspeak, or good as, and Pamela picked them up. As Penny went back indoors, so the ex-whore said: A vampire lover, Harry? I’m jealous!
‘Well, you shouldn’t be.’ He shook his head and explained what had happened, the trouble Penny had probably landed herself in.
Hey, I could use that sort of trouble! Pamela retorted. I mean, I really wouldn’t mind being undead with someone like you! But. . . too late for that. I’m not much up to fun and games any more. Maybe just one last time, eh? For the right man, you know?
She went quiet and waited for his answer; a long, pregnant pause which defied him to cry off now. Not that he intended to. Eventually he said, ‘You think we should go ahead with it?’
She sighed. Well, no question which one of you is in charge right now.
‘Oh?’
You have the upper hand, Harry – the human you. For if your vampire was ascendant you’d have no such doubts. You would know what was right!
Harry gave a snort. ‘My vampire would know what to do for the best? The best for my vampire, maybe!’
So what’s your problem? (She was becoming impatient with him.) You’re one and the same, or will be.
‘My problem is simple,’ the Necroscope answered. ‘If the dark side of me gets its way, the human side loses – perhaps permanently. So maybe I should just let the police have Johnny Found. I know that left to their own devices they’ll get him soon enough anyway, because they’re right on his tail even now. But – ‘
– But we had a deal! she cut in. I can’t believe you’d want to cry off. I mean, you were so hot for this! Did I let you into my mind – to read what you read there – for nothing? And the other girls? Are they dead for nothing, with no chance to square it? You were the only chance we ever had, Harry. And now you say let the police have him? I mean, fuck the police! Why, they wouldn’t even know what to do with him! What, lock him up in a lunatic asylum for a couple of years, then turn him loose to do it again? No! You were right the first time around: he has to pay now. The full price.
He held up his hands. ‘Pamela, wait – ‘
Wait, nothing! You . . . chickenshit vampire! Have me and the others been digging our way out all this time for nothing?
That took Harry by surprise. ‘Others?’
I’ve made a few friends. And they want to help.
‘So.’ He shrugged. ‘Let them help . . .’
And after long, wondering moments: Then . . . you haven’t changed your mind?
He shook his head. ‘Not for a minute. I was just thinking my way round it, that’s all. You’re the one who’s coming on all excited and changeable.’
She was silent for a count of three, then said, I think that just now, just a minute ago, you deliberately let me run on – or off- at the mouth!
‘It’s possible,’ he admitted, nodding. ‘We chickenshit vampires are like that: argumentative just for the sake of it.’
I’m sorry, Harry, (she felt an utter fool), but it’s just that we’re all set now. And when I homed in on you, it seemed to me you might be reconsidering things.
‘No,’ he said again, ‘just thinking things through – or maybe arguing with myself – for the sake of it. What did you want, anyway?’