game Jackie’s way, and I promise you we’ll make him hate it. And he’ll never be able to lay a hand on you again. That’s the main thing. When we get through with Jackie, he’ll never want to see your face again.”
“You don’t know him,” she said. “Don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“Oh yes I do. But I also know what he’s not capable of.”
She opened her mouth. Nothing came out. I heard a woman come in behind me, stopping suddenly at the end of the toilet partition.
“What’s going on?” the woman said.
“Get out of here,” I said.
She didn’t move: I could feel her behind me; I could hear her breathing.
“Lady, you better do what I tell you. Just turn around and walk out of here.”
She went, quickly now. I heard the door swish shut.
“People will be coming now,” Barbara said.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll keep them away from you.”
“Cops… cops’ll come.”
“I’ll walk you through that, too. The way it stands now, it’s no big deal.”
We looked at each other. I hoped to hell I looked sincere. In the distance I heard noises: a woman shouting; someone running; sharp, excited voices. In the dimmer distance, somewhere far outside, a siren.
“They come fast,” Barbara said.
“They’re just a phone call away, hon. They’ve got cars all over town.”
“Janeway…” Her voice broke.
“I’m right here.”
“I don’t want to live anymore.”
“Sure you do. You can’t make that decision now… you don’t know what the alternative is…you haven’t given me a chance yet.”
Now her voice was bitter. “You had plenty of chances. You couldn’t do anything…”
The siren got louder. I knew if the cops came in, she would do it. I had maybe two minutes to talk her out of it.
She put the gun in her mouth and my time was up.
One last plea. Desperately, I shouted: “Barbara, for Christ’s sake, don’t do this to me!”
She blinked.
“Don’t do it,” I said. “Please.”
And I watched her… slowly… come back from the brink.
She wavered. The gun came out of her mouth.
I reached out my hands. She didn’t do anything. The gun was still cocked but she held it limply in her lap.
I touched her: ruffled her hair with my knuckles, touched her cheeks where the tears still ran. Kneeled and looked in her eyes.
Outside, the sirens were very close.
I put an arm around her shoulder and helped her up. “We’ll go meet them together,” I said. “Give me the gun now and I’ll take you outside.”
Then the door opened. Jackie Newton was standing in front of us, blocking the way.
“Get out of the way, Newton,” I said.
He just stood and looked. His face was full of contempt.
“Move,” I said.
He gave a little laugh. “Stupid bitch.”
