Page 139 of The Instruments of Darkness

Louis opened the door and prepared to join Angel.

“Lie,” said Louis. “You’re a white lady. They’ll believe you.”

Sabine watched him go.

“Is he always like that?”

“Pretty much,” I replied.

“Doesn’t it get wearing?”

“Only if you listen.”

WE SKIRTED THE GATE to enter the Michaud land, staying parallel to the road without using it. The gravel was pale, so anyone walking on it risked standing out, day or night. Something flitted through the shadows above my head. It sounded small and fast: a bat, hunting the last of the night bugs.

Gradually, the house came into view. Lamps burned behind two windows, but the thin drapes were drawn. The illumination flickered, and I could faintly hear the laughter of a TV audience: someone was up early, or late. I could see a security light positioned just above the front door, and guessed there would be another at the rear. If we stepped onto the grass or got too close to the edge of the trees, the light would bathe the yard, alerting whoever was inside.

I wasn’t being truthful with Sabine when I told her we only wanted to scout the Michaud property. I now had no doubt that Reggio had visited and never left, despite the discovery of his vehicle elsewhere. But there remained a chance that he might still be alive, which meant one of us would have to gain access to find out. Ideally, it would first be useful to get close enough to be able to see through the windows, but the perfect was the enemy of the possible.

We moved to the back of the house. As anticipated, there was another security light above the door, but on this side the rooms were dark.

“Return to the front,” I told Angel, “and set off the other light.”

It would attract the attention of anyone in the house, leaving the rear vulnerable.

“You want noise, too?” asked Angel.

“Noise would be good, but keep it low-key. I want to draw them out, but I don’t want them shooting.”

Angel moved off, leaving Louis and me alone.

“Are you going in,” he asked, “or am I?”

“Do you want to go in?”

“Not really.”

“Well, that answers the question, doesn’t it?”

“What if Reggio isn’t in there? Going to be kind of embarrassing for you.”

“Only if I’m seen, and then embarrassment will be the least of our worries. But these are the people we’re looking for. Depending on what Reggio told them or whatever they figured out for themselves, they’ll be on edge. Reggio’s arrival will have tipped them off that the net’s closing.”

The trees at the front of the house glowed brightly as the security light came on. It was followed by a clatter from the direction of the garage: Angel had gone to work. I waited until I heard the front door open before starting my run across the yard.

Which was when a woman carrying a shotgun emerged from the woods, her face and hands streaked with dirt. Her hair was longer and darker now, and the collar of her jacket was raised high against the chill of the night, but even so, I knew I was looking at Eliza Michaud, the woman who had called herself Mara Teller. She, in turn, recognized me. I could see it in her face. The time for dissembling was past. She already had the shotgun raised, and didn’t halt her advance. She just kept coming as she fired.

CHAPTER XCIV

Antoine Pinette had covered his mouth and nose with a rag to protect him from the skunk odor, but it wasn’t helping. His eyes were watering, it smelled so bad and beside him, Olin was gagging. From out in the woods, his brother waved a flashlight and shouted back at Antoine.

“I found it,” said Leo. “It’s dead.”

Antoine thought Leo sounded puzzled.

“Sure smells like it,” said someone else.

“No, I mean it’s been dead awhile.”