It began at the ceiling and spread down and across the eggshelltoned paint. It flowed fanlike down the wall, glistening wet. Something throbbed in my head with a sick rushing sound.
'What's the deal, Golding?'
'Hm?' He stared at me as if I'd had a stroke. He turned to follow my gaze, swallowed a mouthful of coffee with calm ease, and shrugged. 'That? I'm afraid the upstairs bathroom leaks. I haven't gotten around to-'
'A tub that leaks blood?' My hand edged toward my empty waistband holster.
'Blood?' Raissa looked up, mystified. 'That's a water stain.'
No one said a word for a long moment. I looked at the wall again. A semicircular rust stain discolored the paint. It didn't move. It looked dry. Like an ordinary water stain.
Ann gasped in shock. The cup fell from her fingers to shatter loudly against the linoleum. Coffee splashed against her ankles, dripping down to her shoes.
'It was blood!' she cried. 'In my cup!' She rushed to my side and held on, suddenly terrified. Perhaps Father Beathan's fear imprinting had had some effect after all.
'It looks disturbingly like coffee,' Raissa said, deadpan.
Ann trembled like a moth inside a fist. 'Blood. It was. Red and salty. Thick. Clotted.'
Golding cleared his throat. 'I think you'd better take her home.'
I didn't feel so grand either. 'Yeah' was all I could muster. I guided her out the front door to the car.
They must have thought we were insane. The idea had crossed my mind, too.
'I saw blood, Dell.'
'So did I, sweetheart.'
'They didn't.'
I nodded and put her in the passenger's seat. Her hands shook when she gave me the keys.
'Drive over to Hollywood Boulevard. Quick.'
I climbed in and tried to start the engine. It growled without catching.
The same cold feeling that I'd had in Golding's home overcame me again. I felt a tremble of fear-real fear-begin to grow.
Around the edges of the instrument panel welled droplets of red ichor. They grew and linked together to run down the sides of the dashboard.
The same thick, warm fluid pulsed out of the ignition switch, soaking my fingers.
Ann pushed away from the panel. Her hands wildly sought the door handle.
'He's on to us,' she murmured. 'Get awa-'
She touched the handle and shrieked.
Blood was trickling down from the roof in rivulets and streaks across the sideglass.
'
'
I flung my door open, ignoring the sheet of red that splashed over me. Blood squirted from around the edges of the passenger door as I yanked it open. Her shuddering form collapsed into my blood-soaked arms.
'Get me out!' she cried. 'Get me away!' She clamped her eyes shut.
