He had another after his shower while he watched the news.
("An FBI trap to catch the Tooth Fairy backfires and a veteran reporter is dead. We'll be back with details on Eyewitness News after this.")
They were referring to the killer as "the Dragon" before the news-cast was over. The Tattler had spilled it all to the networks. Grahain wasn't surprised. Thursday's edition should sell well.
He made a third martini and called Molly.
She had seen the television news at six and ten o'clock and she had seen a Tattler. She knew that Graham had been the bait in a trap.
"You should have told me, Will."
"Maybe. I don't think so."
"Will he try to kill you now?"
"Sooner or later. It would be hard for him now, since I'm moving around. I'm covered all the time, Molly, and he knows it. I'll be okay."
"You sound a little slurry, have you been to see your friend in the fridge?"
"I had a couple."
"How do you feel?"
"Fairly rotten."
"The news said the FBI didn't have any protection for the reporter."
"He was supposed to be with Crawford by the time the Tooth Fairy got the paper."
"The news is calling him the Dragon now."
"That's what he calls himself."
"Will, there's something... I want to take Willy and leave here."
"And go where?"
"His grandparents'. They haven't seen him in a while, they'd like to see him."
"Oh, um-hmm."
Willy's father's parents had a ranch on theOregoncoast.
"It's creepy here. I know it's supposed to be safe - but we're not sleeping a whole lot. Maybe the shooting lessons spooked me, I don't know."
"I'm sorry, Molly." I wish I could tell you how sorry.
"I'll miss you. We both will."
So she had made up her mind.
"When are you going?"
"In the morning."
"What about the shop?"
"Evelyn wants to take it. I'll underwrite the fall stuff with the wholesalers, just for the interest, and she can keep what she makes."
"The dogs?"
"I asked her to call the county, Will. I'm sorry, but maybe somebody will take some of them."
"Molly, I - "
"If staying here I could keep something bad from happening to you, I'd stay. But you can't save anybody, Will, I'm not helping you here. With us up there, you can just think about taking care of yourself. I'm not carrying this damned pistol the rest of my life, Will."
"Maybe you can get down toOaklandand watch the A's." Didn't mean to say that. Oh boy, this silence is getting pretty long.
"Well, look, I'll call you," she said, "or I guess you'll have to call me up there."
Graham felt something tearing. He felt short of breath. "Let me get the office to make the arrangements. Have you made a reservation already?"
"I didn't use my name. I thought maybe the newspapers..."
"Good. Good. Let me get somebody to see you off. You wouldn't have to board through the gate, and you'd get out ofWashingtonabsolutely clean. Can I do that? Let me do that. What time does the plane go?"
"Nine-forty. American 118."
"Okay, eight-thirty... behind the Smithsonian. There's a Park-Rite. Leave the car there. Somebody'll meet you. He'll listen to his watch, put it to his ear when he gets out of his car, okay?"
"That's fine."
"Say, do you change at O'Hare? I could come out - "
"No. Change inMinneapolis."
"Oh, Molly. Maybe I could come up there and get you when it's over?"
"That would be very nice."
Very nice.
"Do you have enough money?"
"The bank's wiring me some."
"What?"
"To Barclay's at the airport. Don't worry."
"I'll miss you."
"Me too, but that'll be the same as now. Same distance by phone. Willy says hi."
"Hi to Willy."
"Be careful, darling."
She had never called him darling before. He didn't care for it. He didn't care for new names; darling, Red Dragon.
The night-duty officer inWashingtonwas glad to make the arrangements for Molly. Graham pressed his face to the cool window and watched sheets of rain whip over the muffled traffic below him, the street leaping from gray to sudden color in the lightning flashes. His face left a print of forehead, nose, lips, and chin on the glass.
Molly was gone.
The day was over and there was only the night to face, and the lipless voice accusing him.
Lounds's woman held what was left of his hand until it was over.
"Hello, this is Valerie Leeds. I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now..."
"I'm sorry too," Graham said.
Graham filled his glass again and sat at the table by the window, staring at the empty chair across from him. He stared until the space in the opposite chair assumed a man-shape filled with dark and swarming motes, a