He turned to Dory with a smile. “I’m going to run over to Maude’s and get some coffee. You want some?”
“Oh, you are a sweet young man! Actually, I’d like some hot chocolate, if you don’t mind.” She reached for her purse to give him money but he waved a hand.
“My treat,” he said firmly. Rising, he went to get his jacket and gloves.
“Don’t freeze your nose off,” Dory called cheerfully.
Actually, he half hoped he would. The bite of the cold would help nip his internal battle.
The City Diner, also known by the name of its founder and owner as Maude’s, wasn’t too far away even on a night where the thermometer was plunging to zero and maybe below. The brisk walk eased the pressure in his head, the need for action that crawled along his every nerve. At least the colors hadn’t brightened. He hadn’t yet fallen completely into the hunting mind-set.
They had a coffeepot at the call center, and he was mildly surprised Dory hadn’t suggested it instead of walking to the diner. Maybe she felt it would be a good tonic for his boredom.
But boredom wasn’t his real problem, and he cherished his secret. It made him feel special to know what no one else knew, that he was the man they all feared.
The diner was awfully empty tonight. Maude was still taking the week off because she’d burned her hand on the griddle. He asked Mavis, her daughter, about her and received a lukewarm smile, the best one could hope for in this place.
“Improving. Wants to get back to work. Coffee?”
“To go,” he answered. “And a hot chocolate for Dory.”
Mavis bustled around at the machines behind the counter. “Coffee’s fresh,” she remarked. “Considering nobody’s buying any tonight, I’m wasting a lot by throwing it out when it gets old.”
He sympathized even though he didn’t give a damn, and was given two large, oversize take-out cups but charged only for regulars. There were some advantages to being pleasant. More than a few in fact.
Stepping once again into the frigid night, he noticed anew how empty the streets were. People around here didn’t generally quail this much from the cold. They had warm cars to get around in and warm enough clothes to wear.
So it was fear keeping them inside. He sniffed the air, thinking he could almost smell terror. It kind of interested him that when he was only taking boys, everyone appeared to be scared. His power reached even farther than he’d thought. Power over every mind in this county. Power over their worst nightmares.
A smile came to his lips. Maybe he should break his pattern. It wouldn’t be as satisfying, but it would spread a wider net of fear. It would also confuse those he was sure were even now trying to find him. They were probably just starting to think they could predict him.
Maybe it was time to show them they couldn’t.
Chapter 5
DeeJay awoke in the morning feeling as if she’d spent the night in a pitched battle. Every muscle seemed to ache, and she was tangled in the blankets. Remnants of tattered nightmares followed her into the waking world. Vaguely, she remembered that at some point she had felt trapped and unable to move as some dark threat approached her.
Usually the job didn’t follow her into sleep, but this case was different in so many ways. She didn’t allow herself a lot of time to think about anything except the investigation, but apparently her mind had pulled out the stops in her sleep.