The Chase Page 0,59

to make it. I'm so close - Jacqueline Drive ...

The engine coughed again.

Quail Run! Jenny took the turn dangerously fast, tires skidding. The Bug lurched and a horrible grinding sound came from the engine. Still skidding, it hit the curb-and stopped.

Frantically Jenny turned the key. She got a squeal of metal that set her teeth on edge. Then silence.

Get out! Quick!

Abandoning the key, she fumbled with the door, jumped into the rain. She left the door open and ran.

Up there, just a few more houses. Go, go! She made her legs pump, flying over the wet sidewalk. Don't look back! Don't think! Just go!

There it is! You can see it! A few more yards -

Lungs burning, she reached the driveway of the mock Tudor house. Zach's house. The driveway was empty. She staggered to the garage, seized the handle in the middle of the big door. She pulled as hard as she could.

It was stuck fast. Locked.

Oh, God! Don't panic. The side door, quick!

As she started for it, she could see down Quail Run, could see the deserted Bug nosed against the curb under a streetlight.

The streetlight went out.

Then the next closest one did. Then the next.

A wave of darkness coming toward her. Bearing down on her. The side door was that way.

Jenny turned and ran toward the front door of the house.

She grabbed at the doorknob while knocking, and to her surprise it turned. It was unlocked. Were they crazy?

"Uncle Bill! Aunt Lily! It's me!"

She yelled because she didn't want them to shoot her for a burglar, and because she didn't care about keeping her secret any longer. She desperately wanted people, any people.

The house echoed emptily in answer.

"Uncle Bill! Aunt Lily!"

The silence was ponderous, a tangible presence. There was no one here. For some unfathomable reason they had gone away, leaving their front door unlocked. Jenny was alone.

I won't cry. I won't scream. I just have to get to the garage, that's all. Nothing's changed. I can get there easily. It's just the length of the house away.

Her heart was frozen in panic.

Just go! One foot in front of the other. It's just an empty house!

The hallway light went off.

Oh, my God-he's here! Oh, God, he's here, he's in the house, he's got me -

Go!

She stumbled into the darkness, heading for the lighted living room. Her legs were shaking so badly she could hardly walk. Her outstretched hands were numb.

She got one glimpse of the living room, then the brass lamp beside the leather couch went out. She banged into a wastebasket made of an elephant's foot-a thing that had always filled her with horror. She could hardly keep from screaming.

Every inch of her skin was tingling. Shrinking-as if expecting an attack from any side.

It was pitch dark. He could be anywhere around her. Anywhere in the darkness, moving quietly as a shadow himself. If she took a step, she might run right up against him.

She had to do it. She had to find the garage. For Tom-for Dee. They were waiting for her to rescue them. She'd promised Michael...

Sobbing without making a noise, she took a step.

Now another one, she ordered herself. Feel your way. But it was almost more than she could do to reach out into that darkness. Anything might grab her hand. She might reach out and feel anything....

Do it!

She took another step, groping blindly. Shuffling across the floor. Her hand struck a wall, with emptiness beside it.

The entrance to the dining room. That's it. And the garage is just on the other side, through the kitchen. You can make it.

She shuffled into the dining room, one hand on the cool smoothness of wallpaper. She could feel the immensity of the darkness on her exposed side. Something could come at her from that side--or from the wall. Oh, God, he makes things come out of walls. Jenny snatched her hand away from the wallpaper. Nothing was safe. He could grab her from any direction.

Just go!

She staggered forward in the dark and found another empty space-the doorway to the kitchen. Thank God. Now just a few more steps. Turn left around the refrigerator. Good. Now the way was clear until the garage-She stepped against something warm and hard in the darkness. She screamed.

"You didn't think," the voice like water over rock said gently, "that I would actually let you get there, did you?"

He was holding her by the upper arms, not roughly but inescapably. Jenny's eyes were filled with darkness, and the rushing