'Two blocks back.'
'What?'
'That chick. Two blocks back. That's how we're going to prove it.'
'What about her?'
'Let's go back and get her.'
'You're serious?' Adam said.
'Very serious.'
'Then what?'
'Take her out to the country and kill her.'
'Just like that?'
'Just like that. We're supposed to be killers, remember?'
A few minutes later they came around the corner of the block where the woman was walking.
'Go past her,' Rick instructed. 'Drive down to the next block. There's an alley there.'
'Good idea.'
Adam drove down to the alley, turned in and then parked the car in deep shadow. He killed the lights but left the motor running.
They got out of the car. it was misting. The alley smelled sweet-and-sour of garbage. A tomcat came down it carrying a mouse in his mouth.
They walked up to the edge of the alley. Pressed themselves flat against the wall. Listened hard for footsteps.
Nothingnothingthen
Footsteps.
High heels.
Coming fast.
Coming right toward them.
Adam thought how crazy it was. He was really going to kill somebody again. The ultimate risk…
'Let her get past us a couple of feet,' Rick hissed.
Adam nodded, his heart slamming against his chest. God, if something went wrong
But it went just fine.
When she got three feet past them, Rick virtually leapt on her, clamping his hand over her mouth and dragging her back into the alley.
As soon as they were in shadow, Adam grabbed the woman's feet. They carried her quickly to the car.
Adam set her feet down and popped open the trunk.
Rick picked up a loose brick from the alley and smashed it against the side of the woman's head. She went limp.
They got her in the trunk and drove away.
Rick gave directions. They drove for nearly an hour, finally coming to a stop at a deserted stone mansion. Rick explained that it had once been an artists' colony but had burned down. A huge red barn, sagging westward now with age, sat adjacent to the charred and empty mansion.
Adam drove into the barn.
He climbed out into darkness. The barn smelled of wet hay and animal feces.
They got the woman out of the trunk and took her into one of the stalls where horses once slept.
She was still breathing, but not with any great energy or regularity.
Rick found a rusted lantern and got it going, hanging it on a peg above the woman.
Adam watched as Rick ripped all the woman's clothes off and then proceeded to rape her. All the time he was having her he was also hitting her, again and again and again in the face until nothing recognizable was left of her looks. Adam wanted to say something but was, frankly, a little afraid of Rick at the moment.
When Rick was done, he stood up and nodded for Adam to take his turn. Adam's first impulse was to decline but then he felt that icy ripple of fear down his back.
This was one intense guy, this Rick.
Adam took his turn.
But he didn't hit her and he finished as quickly as he could.
When he was done, he stood up. Rick was gone.
The woman moaned.
From out of the darkness, Rick said, 'You want to finish her or shall I?'
'Be my guest.'
'Afraid, huh?'
'No, I'm not afraid.'
'You really kill somebody before?'
'Yes.'
'Then kill her.'
'Maybe you're the one who's afraid.'
Rick laughed. 'Hey, pal, we're talking about you here, not me. Finish her.'
'How?'
'However you want to.'
The others, he'd cut their throats. 'I don't have a knife with me.'
'Kick her.'
'Where?'
'Where the hell do you think kick her? In the head. Right about the temple.'
'In the head?'
'Sure. Just pretend you're punting a football.'
'You've done that before?'
'Two or three times.'
'What's it like?'
'You know, when your foot makes contact with the skullit's a real satisfying feeling.'
'Wow.'
'Do it.'
Adam nodded. Maybe it would be fun, after all.
He stepped up to the naked woman sprawled on the hay beneath him. Her face really was gone now, just blood and broken bones. Her moaning got fainter and fainter.
Rain pattered the leaky barn roof; a lonely dog barked somewhere nearby; the engine of a plane could be heard faintly, faintly.
'Go ahead.'
He was hesitant at first, self-conscious with Rick watching, but then he did it, one quick short violent kick, and he had to admit, it really was satisfying.
'Wow,' he said. 'You were rightabout how your toe feels when it connects with the skull.'
'Kick her again.'
'Really?'
'Sure. Probably take a couple times to do it right.'
He kicked her again.
This time her head canted a little, as if it wanted to roll away.
'You think she's dead?'
'Why don't you make sure?'
'You mean another one?'
Rick laughed. 'They don't cost you anything, do they?'
He kicked her again, just above the temple.
The tip of his toe felt her skull start to go this time.
'She's dead.'
'I'll make sure for you.'
