teenagers came out and stopped in the pool of flashing red and yellow
light that was cast by the nearby Tilt-a-Whirl. He heard the blond
girl say that she wanted to use the restroom, get an ice cream, and
then take a tour of the funhouse.
As soon as the group split up and moved away, Conrad slipped into
Zena’s tent.
As .
he went inside, he pulled down a canvas flap that covered the entire
entrance, on the outside of it, there were six wordsLOSED/WILL RETURN
IN TEN MINUTES.
Zena was sitting in her chair. Even in the flickering light of the
candles, Conrad could see that she was ashen.
“Well?” he said.
“Another dead end,” Zena said nervously.
“This one looks more like Ellen than most of the others that I’ve sent
to you.” “Just coincidence,” Zena said. 1- “What’s her name?” “Amy
Harper.”
Those four syllables electrified Conrad. He remembered the small boy
to whom he had given two free passes just this afternoon. That child’s
name had been Joey Harper, and he had said that his sister’s name was
Amy. He, too, had resembled Ellen.
What did you learn about her?” he asked Zena.
“Not much.” “Tell me.” “She’s not the one.”
“Tell me anyway. Brothers? Sisters?”
Zena hesitated, then said, “One brother.” tWhat’s his name?” “What
does it matter? She isn’t the one you’re looking for.” “Just curious,”
Conrad said evenly, sensing that she was hiding the truth from him, but
afraid to believe that he had found his prey after all this time.
“What’s her brother’s name?” “Joey.” “What’s her mother’s name.”
“Nancy,” Zena said.
Conrad knew she was lying. He stared down at her and said, “Are you
sure it isn’t Leon”?”
Zena blinked. “What? Why Leon”?”
“Because this afternoon, when I happened to have a friendly little chat
with Joey Harper while he was watching us erect the funhouse, he told
me that his mother’s name was Leon”.” Zena gaped at him, amazed and
perplexed.
Conrad walked around the table and put a hand on her shoulder.
She looked up at him.
He said, “You know what I think? I think the boy lied to me. I think
he sensed danger somehow, and he lied about his mother’s name and
age.
And now you’re lying to me.” “Conrad . . . let them gO.” Her words
were an admission that he had found Ellen’s children, and a shattering,
explosive elation tore through him.
“I saw something in the crystal ball,” she said in a voice that
contained fear and awe. “It’s not even crystal. It’s just a cheap
piece of crap.
There’s nothing magical about it. Yet . . . tonight . . . when those
girls were here .
. . I saw images in the ball. It was awful, horrible. I saw the blond
screaming, her hands thrown up in front of her face as if she were
trying to ward off something hideous that was reaching for her. And I
saw the other one . . . Amy . . . in torn clothes, all covered with
blood.” She shuddered violently. “And I think . . . the boys, too .
. . in the background of the vision . . . the boys who were with those
girls . . . all bloody.” “It’s a sign,” Conrad said. Y told you,
I’ve been sent signs.
This is another one. It tells me not to wait. It tells me to get Amy
tonight, even if I have to take care of the others as well.” Zena shook
her head. “No. No, Conrad, I can’t let you do that.
You can’t have your revenge. It’s sick. You can’t just go out there
and kill those four kids.” I “Oh, I probably won’t kill any of them
with my own hands,” he said.
“What do you mean?” “Gunther will take care of them.” “Gunther? He
wouldn’t hurt anyone.” “Our son has changed,” Conrad said. “I’m the
only one who knows how much he’s changed. He’s come of age at last.
He needs women now, and he . takes what he needs. He doesn’t just
screw them, either. He leaves quite a mess behind. I’ve been covering