Two hundred yards farther, he swung the car sharply onto the narrow road leading to Wilson Lake.
‘What are we going to do?’
‘I’ve got a little plan.’
‘Dan?’
‘Nothing to worry about.’ He looked at her and grinned. ‘Dan’s plans never fail. What does this guy look like?’
‘Let’s go to the police.’
‘I can take care of it He slowed down and peered into the rearview mirror until the other car turned. ‘He’s following us, okay.’
‘Dan!’
‘Don’t worry, everything’s fine. How about getting me a flashlight?’ He pointed to the glove compartment. Marty opened it, took out the flashlight and snapped the compartment shut.
The flashlight had a ribbed metal casing.
Near the shore, the road widened into a parking lot. Dan steered onto its hard dirt. As he cruised past several dark cars with couples inside, he kicked off his sneakers, reached down and pulled off his socks.
‘Going for a swim?’ Marty asked.
‘You never know.’ He stopped beside a pickup truck and cut the engine. ‘Place is sure crowded tonight.’ He slipped his bare feet back into his sneakers and stuffed one of his socks into his pants pocket. ‘Okay, lets go.’
‘Go where?’
‘Out there. For a walk. Too many people around here, even if they
She gave it to him, shouldered open her door, and stepped onto the dirt of the lot. The ground felt nice and cool under her feet. But she put her sandals on, anyway, feeling too vulnerable without them. For a moment, she even considered putting her sweater back on, though the night was balmy and her clothes were sticking to her back and buttocks.
‘Shall we take a stroll along the shore?’ Dan asked.
‘Are you kidding?’
‘No.’ He looked over his shoulder. Following his glance, Marty saw the dark car turn slowly onto the parking lot. ‘Let’s go,’ Dan whispered, and pulled her hand. ‘Don’t look back. We don’t want your friend to know we’re onto him.’
At the edge of the lake, Dan turned on the flashlight.
‘What’s that for?’
‘To see where we’re going.’
‘There’s plenty of moonlight.’
‘Your friend has to see where we’re going, too.’
‘Could you stop calling him that. My friend? He isn’t my friend.’
‘If you say so.’
She pulled her hand away. It was wet. She wiped it on her skirt. ‘What if he’s got a knife?’ she asked.
‘That’ll be his tough luck.’
‘I like your confidence.’
‘No, you don’t.’ He led her onto a path. To their left, down a steep grassy slope, the water lapped against the shore. The woods pressed close on their side, forcing them to walk single file. They had to duck under low branches.
‘Couldn’t ask for a better place,’ Dan said.
‘To hide?’
Dan chuckled, then swung the flashlight so its beam swept across the water. ‘Think he saw that?’
‘How could he miss it?’
Dan turned off the flashlight and began to unscrew its base. ‘What’re you doing?’
‘Taking it apart.’
‘Nice,’ she muttered.
‘Here, let’s get into these bushes.’ He dropped two batteries into his palm and pushed Marty. ‘You get over there behind that tree.’
‘Where’ll you be?’
‘Right here.’
‘Dan-'
‘I’ll just have a chat with this guy. What’d you say his name is?’
‘Willy. You aren’t going to do something stupid, are you?’
‘Me?’ He laughed and patted her back. ‘Get over there and hide, and don’t make a sound. If things get out of hand, try and sneak back to the car. I left the keys under the front seat.’
‘Whatever you have in mind… ’
‘Over there. Hurry.’
Marty hesitated. Dan took a quick step toward her, so she turned away. She stepped through the underbrush, feeling its damp leaves cling to her legs, until she came to a birch tree. She crouched behind it to wait, but couldn’t see Dan. So she stood up and leaned against the trunk to watch.
Dan was busy doing something with the flashlight and sock. Dropping the batteries into the sock. Knotting it.
Suddenly, he stopped.
Marty heard nothing but the usual summer sounds of crickets and frogs.
Without a sound, Dan stepped into the path. His right hand, down at his side, swung upward. The flashlight glinted moon like the broad blade of a knife as it plunged upward into the man’s belly.
5
Something shiny swept up out of the darkness. Willy slashed at it with his knife, but missed. A cold, numbing force crushed his breath. His arms dropped. His knees hit the shoreline path. Dirt and gravel scraped his hands. He tried to gasp, ‘Shit!’ but couldn’t. No air.
No fucking air at all.
6
From behind the tree, Marty saw Dan kick one of the arms. It collapsed, and Willy fell face down.
‘Roll over,’ Dan said, barely loud enough for Marty to hear. After giving the command, he waited a second. Willy didn’t move except to squirm on the ground. ‘I said to roll over.’
The gasping shape still didn’t do it.
Dan swung the sock with the batteries in its toe. He whipped it against Willy’s shoulder. It made a dull thump, and Willy cried out. ‘Now, roll over.’
This time, Willy obeyed.
‘Why were you following us?’
Willy gasped something that Marty couldn’t make out.
‘Flattery won’t get you anywhere,’ Dan said. He walked around to Willy’s side and knelt down to look him in the face. ‘God, you’re an ugly asshole. Why were you following us?’
Willy raised his head, but only for a moment because Dan pushed it back down with the bottom edge of the flashlight. ‘Don’t move.’
