of the US Bank Corporate Center almost touching the slivered moon, a red light blinking at the top of the crown. Brazil stared, zoning out again, an unsettling realization coming
over him. Tomorrow would be two weeks since the last Black Widow slaying.
“Christ.” He sat up, sweating, and breathing hard. He kicked off sheets and stood. He began pacing, with nothing on but gym shorts. He drank more water and stood in his
bare kitchen, staring out at US Bank thinking, worrying. Out there somewhere was
another businessman about to become a victim! If only there were some way to prevent
it. Where was the killer now? What was the bastard thinking as he loaded his gun, and
thought his evil thoughts, waiting on the web of Five Points for the next rental car to
innocently creep into the city?
Wft Niles was following West all over the house. She was certain the cat had gone
haywire, and knew this was a danger with Siamese, Abyssinians, and all over bred cross-
eyed creatures that had been around for thousands of years. Niles wound through her
moving legs, almost tripping her twice, and she had no choice but to boot him across the
room.
Niles cried out, but persisted, then he got angry. One more boot, he thought, and you’ve
had it. West gave him the side of her foot, sending him under the bed, scoring another
point.
Niles watched from his dark space between the box spring and hardwood floor, his tail
twitching. Niles waited until his owner had taken off shoes and socks, then he shot out
and bit the soft spot at the back of her heel, right behind the ankle bone. He knew this
hurt, because he’d tested it before. His owner chased him around the house for ten
minutes, and he ran with sincerity, because he recognized true homicidal rage when he
saw it.
Niles returned to the bed and stayed under it until his owner got tired and wanted to sleep.
Sneaking out, Niles returned to the kitchen. He curled up on the sill, where his kind and
loving King kept watch over him during dark, lonely nights.
Morning came and brought rain. The unfriendly alarm clock buzzed loudly and stung
West awake. She groaned, lying in bed, refusing to get up as heavy drops of water
drummed the roof. This was perfect sleeping weather. Why should she get up?
Memories of Brazil and his stranded BMW, of Niles and his outrageous behavior last
night, depressed and excited her at the same time. This made no sense. She pulled the
covers up around her chin, and images came, disturbing ones somehow relating to
whatever she had dreamt. When she was absolutely still, she could almost feel Brazil’s
hands and mouth all over her.
She was horrified and stayed in bed for quite some time.
Niles, having free rein of the house for a bit, had crept into the laundry room. He was
interested in the big white box with wet clothes in it. On top were several folded bills
and some change. He jumped up, having yet another idea of how to pass along King Usbeecee’s message to Niles’s owner. Of course, Niles knew with joy that his owner
could do something about the King’s endangerment. She could act on it, roar in wearing
her important suit with all its leather and metal and dangerous toys. That’s what this was
all about, Niles was convinced.
The King had spoken to him, and wanted him to pass along the information to his owner.
She in turn would alert other fierce leaders. The troops would be called, the King and all
Usbeeceeans saved.
Niles spent a difficult five minutes flipping open the cover on top of the washing machine. He dipped in a paw and pulled out a small, wet article of clothing. He grabbed
a folded five-dollar bill in his mouth, and jumped back down, excited, knowing his owner
would be so pleased. She wasn’t. His owner did not seem the least bit thrilled to see
Niles, and sat up in a rage when her face was draped with a pair of wet panties that had