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I look at him. Then the storage pond.

“Are you a good swimmer, Norris?”

Hesediel looks at me.

“We gave our word,” she says.

“She’s right,” says Candy.

“A man’s word, son. It’s all we have in this putrid swamp,” says Bill.

I know all this. And yet.

Quay never stops smiling.

And I really want him to stop fucking smiling. Or to see his head rolling into the parking lot. It’s tempting.

After a moment, though, I take a step back.

“You and Holly are free to go.”

“Of course we are,” he says. “The odds were always in my favor, you know. Someone upstairs just made a big profit from your wise decision.”

I take the van keys from his pocket.

“We’re keeping the van. You can walk back.”

“Don’t you worry about us. I had my team leave a van for us on the other side of the plant. You’re so predictable, Sandman Slim.”

He walks over and takes Holly’s arm.

“Oh, Geoff Burgess and Charlie Anpu say hi. And no hard feelings.”

As they walk away, I call after them.

“If you’ve rigged our van to explode or something, when I get

back to Hell you know I’m going to track you down.”

Quay turns to us, but doesn’t stop walking.

“Don’t worry. There aren’t any bombs or tricks. You’ve done enough damage to yourselves already.”

He and Holly walk away and no one says a word because we know he’s right.

IT’S A LONG drive back to Bill’s place.

We park the van and go inside without a word. Bill lights some candles and uncorks the bottle. Pours three shots.

“I don’t suppose you’ll be joining us,” he says to Hesediel.

“I’d rather not.”

“No need. This ain’t exactly a celebration.”

Bill and I drink. Candy just stares at hers. I don’t think she likes the stuff any more than Hesediel.

“What do we do now? Go home?” she says.