ching beat of
his own heart as he struggled with the passkey。
〃Nothing；〃 he said； and that was true。 He had been strung up； not sure of
what was happening。 He hadn't had a chance to sift through his thoughts for a
reasonable explanation concerning the bruises on his son's neck。 He had been
pretty damn suggestible himself。 Hallucinations could sometimes be catching。
〃And you haven't changed your mind？ About the snowmobile； I mean？〃
His hands clamped into sudden tight fists
（Stop nagging me！ ）
by his sides。 〃I said I would； didn't I？ I will。 Now go to sleep。 It's been a
long hard day。〃
〃And how；〃 she said。 There was a rustle of bedclothes as she turned toward him
and kissed his shoulder。 〃I love you； Jack。〃
〃I love you too；〃 he said； but he was only mouthing the words。 His hands were
still clenched into fists。 They felt like rocks on the ends of his arms。 The
pulse beat prominently in his forehead。 She hadn't said a word about what was
going to happen to them after they got down； when the party was over。 Not one
word。 It had been Danny this and Danny that and Jack I'm so scared。 Oh yes； she
was scared of a lot of closet boogeymen and jumping shadows； plenty scared。 But
there was no lack of real ones； either。 When they got down to Sidewinder they
would arrive with sixty dollars and the clothes they stood up in。 Not even a
car。 Even if Sidewinder bad a pawnshop； which it didn't； they had nothing to
hock but Wendy's ninety…dollar diamond engagement ring and the Sony AM/FM radio。
A pawnbroker might give them twenty bucks。 A kind pawnbroker。 There would be no
job； not even part…time or seasonal； except maybe sho