hassock； fell to the lobby rug。
〃Jack — 〃
〃You bitch；〃 he whispered。 〃I know what you are。〃
The mallet came down again with whistling； deadly velocity and buried itself
in her soft stomach。 She screamed； suddenly submerged in an ocean of pain。 Dimly
she saw the mallet rebound。 It came to her with sudden numbing reality that he
meant to beat her to death with the mallet he held in his hands。
She tried to cry out to him again； to beg him to stop for Danny's sake； but
her breath had been knocked loose。 She could only force out a weak whimper；
hardly a sound at all。
〃Now。 Now； by Christ；〃 he said； grinning。 He kicked the hassock out of his
way。 〃I guess you'll take your medicine now。〃
The mallet whickered down。 Wendy rolled to her left； her robe tangling above
her knees。 Jack's hold on the mallet was jarred loose when it hit the floor。 He
had to stoop and pick it up； and while he did she ran for the stairs； the breath
at last sobbing back into her。 Her stomach was a bruise of throbbing pain。
〃Bitch；〃 he said through his grin； and began to e after her。 〃You stinking
bitch； I guess you'll get what's ing to you。 I guess you will。〃
She heard the mallet whistle through the air and then agony exploded on her
right side as the mallet…head took her just below the line of her breasts；
breaking two ribs。 She fell forward on the steps and new agony ripped her as she
struck on the wounded side。 Yet instinct made her roll over； roll away； and the
mallet whizzed past the side of her face； missing by a naked inch。 It struck the
deep pile of the stair carpeting with a muffled thud。 That was when she saw the
knife； which h