Sixkill

quickly, and . . . I enjoy the process.'

Z looked at me. I shook my head.

'So far it's all talk,' I said. 'Let's see what develops.'

With his chin still on his forearms, and his gaze still fixed on Stephano, Z shrugged. Stephano stood.

'Down the road,' he said, and walked out of the office.

55

I CALLED SUSAN.

'I am going to have to check out for a while,' I said.

'Business?' Susan said.

'My appointment in Samara has arrived,' I said. 'I don't want to lead him to you.'

She was silent for a little while.

Then she said, 'Don't let him succeed.'

'You know I wouldn't do that to you,' I said.

'God, you're thoughtful,' she said. 'Can you stay in touch?'

'I can call,' I said. 'And I will.'

'You sound like this will take a while,' she said.

'I think so,' I said. 'I think he likes foreplay.'

'So he is a sadist,' Susan said.

'I would guess.'

'While he's enjoying the foreplay, why don't you kill him?'

'I'm hoping to learn a little,' I said.

'Besides which,' Susan said, 'you don't do that, do you.'

'Only if it were about you,' I said.

'You just plow along,' Susan said. 'You care about other people, but they don't dissuade you, or distract you.'

'Except you,' I said.

'Except me,' Susan said. 'You continue to be who and what you are, and you continue to do what you set out to do.'

'Born to plow,' I said.

'It scares the hell out of me,' Susan said.

'Scares the hell out of me too,' I said. 'Sometimes.'

'But I greatly admire it,' she said.

'Good,' I said.

'You might want to exploit his sadism in some way,' Susan said.

'Suggestions?' I said.

'I don't have one,' she said. 'But if someone wants to stall for a while before he kills you, an opportunity might be lurking.'

'Might at that,' I said.

'Is Z with you?' Susan said.

'Yes,' I said. 'Though not at this moment.'

'Where are you?'

'Home,' I said. 'With the door locked.'

'At least you've locked the doors,' she said.

'I always lock the doors,' I said. 'There's no advantage to not locking them.'

'Always so logical,' she said.

'Except when I'm not,' I said.

'Except for then,' Susan said.

We were quiet again. It wasn't awkward. Nothing was awkward with Susan. We both knew there was nothing left to say, but neither of us wanted to hang up.

'But Z will be staying with you when you are out and about,' she said.

'He will,' I said. 'He'll come and walk me to my office in the morning. We'll probably have breakfast on the