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you the number。〃
〃That's okay。 I'll send copies。〃
They said good…bye； and Trevor hung up feeling as if he'd just smoked two or three of Zach's joints all by himself： dizzy； slightly elated； and disoriented as hell。
He went back to the table and leaned over to speak in Zach's ear。 〃Can I talk to you for a minute？〃
They walked out through the silent gloom of the club； past the softly gleaming graffiti that said WE ARE NOT AFRAID。 Trevor wished it were true。 The sun was high in the sky overhead； but the sidewalk shimmered with the heat of the day。 The sky was the color of bleached denim； heavy with unshed rain。
Trevor recounted the surreal conversation。 Zach's eyes grew larger behind his glasses； and he leaned against the building shaking his head。 〃This just gets more and more fucked up。〃
〃Did you see the pieces of the story after that morning？〃
〃I thought you picked them up and threw them away。〃
〃I thought you did。〃
They stared at each other； confusion and fear writ large on their faces。 At last Zach said； 〃Are you sure you want to stay there？〃
〃No。 But I have to。〃
Zach nodded。 Trevor watched him for a moment； then asked quietly； 〃Are you sure you want to？〃
〃No。〃
〃Are you going to leave？〃
〃No。 Not now。〃 Zach took Trevor's hands between his own。 〃But； Trevor； you know I might have to leave。 And if I do； I won't get much warning。〃
〃I know。 But I've got to stay； at least until I find out 。 。 。〃
〃What？〃
〃The reason why I'm alive。〃
〃Trev 。 。 。〃 Zach slid his hands up to Trevor's shoulders； put his arms around Trevor's neck。 〃What if there is no reason？ What if he was just crazy？〃
〃Then I have to know that。〃
They stood on the sidewalk embracing in the hot afternoon。 Zach's body felt like a forting old friend in Trevor's arms by now。 His tension ebbed a little。 〃So are you going to sing with the band？〃 he asked。
〃Yeah。 Terry's writing out some lyrics for me。 You mind hanging out while I practice with them？〃
〃I guess not。 What do you think of Calvin？〃
〃I don't know。 I haven't said ten words to him。 He's okay； I suppose。〃
〃I hate him。〃
Zach looked up； surprised； and saw that Trevor meant it。 〃How e？〃
〃Because of how he looked at you。〃
Zach laughed； then stopped when he saw Trevor's face。 〃Don't be stupid；〃 he said。 〃I'm with you。 Understand？ I'm crazy about you； Trevor。 You have zero petition。〃
〃And because of how you looked at him。〃
〃Goddammit！〃 Zach grabbed handfuls of Trevor's T…shirt； pushed his face up close to Trevor's。 〃Your house attacked me last night。 It locked me in the bathroom and made me watch myself dying in the mirror。 I don't know what else it would have done if you hadn't e in。 Now； if you were just a meaningless fuck to me； do you really think I'd still be here？〃
〃I don't know！ How should I know what you're going to do？〃 Trevor seized Zach's wrists； pulled Zach's hands off his shirt。 〃I've never been in love with anyone before！ Remember？〃
〃Neither have I！〃
Their eyes locked and held。 They stood gripping one another's arms； breathing hard； neither giving an inch。
This isn't just about having someone to wake up next to； Trevor realized。 It's about trusting someone else not to hurt you； even if you're sure they will。 It's about being trustworthy； and not leaving when it gets weird。 Zach's eyes were very wide； intensely green； his face paler than ever。 Even his lips had gone pale； but for the vivid streak of his healing scar。 He looked mad as hell。 He was so beautiful。
Trevor realized that he was no longer staring Zach down； but studying him； working to mit his face to memory。 At the same time Zach's anger seemed to dissolve as quickly as it had e。 A wide； goofy grin replaced it。 〃Hey！〃
〃What？〃
〃You sold a story to Taboo！ That's great！〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Trevor。 〃But I wonder what name I sold it under。〃
Chapter Seventeen
Eddy woke up ravenous on Wednesday； went to the Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets； read the Times…Picayune without finding any new clues； and returned to find that a grimy slip of paper had been tacked to the door of her apartment。
EDDIE： it read； MY PARENTS' HOUSE WAS RAIDED AND MY SYSTEM SEIZED。 I AM COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE GOVT。 ON THE CASE OF ZACHARY BOSCH； DOB 5…25…73； SS# 283…54…6781。 I KNOW HIS CAR。 AND I READ THE PAPERS TOO。 It was signed so； along with a local phone number。
She swore and ripped the filthy thing off her door。 The paper felt slimy in her hand； eldritch； unspeakably loathsome。 Eddy crumpled it in her hand。 She wondered how he had gotten past the street gate； then realized that its 〃security〃 consisted of an electronic keypad。 Presumably such a gadget couldn't thwart a Phoetus of Dag0n。
I read the papers too。
Had Stefan the fish…lipped； frog…eyed fanboy seen the same item she'd found yesterday； the one about the Cajun shooting himself with five different guns？ Had he wondered about it； and maybe…just as a matter of course… pointed it out to his friendly neighborhood feds？ I don't know if there really is a town called Missing Mile； she could hear him whining； but if there is； I think you'd better check it out。
Well； if he had； at least he'd made a half…assed attempt to warn her about it。 Maybe somewhere in his narky little heart he wanted Zach to have a chance。
But； of course； it was up to Eddy to actually give him one。
Her brain felt as if it had been dropped into a centrifuge。 The cells were whirling dizzily； the synapses separating； short…circuiting。 She sat on the bed and tried to steady herself。 She couldn't help Zach by getting hysterical。
What could she do？ First； she needed a way to find Zach and alert him to the danger。 She hoped there was a way to do that by phone； but if there wasn't； she guessed she would just have to hie her butt to Missing Mile； North Carolina。
Second； she needed a way to help Zach get away for good。 Probably he would have to leave the country。 She might even go with him。 He could hardly refuse her pany this time； not after she had saved his ass。
And before she could do any of this； she needed a safe phone。
Okay。 It wasn't quite a plan； but it was a place to start。
Eddy grabbed a notebook and a pen to write down numbers。 Then she set off to catch the streetcar that wound away from the French Quarter； down St。 Charles Avenue and into the city。
First she called the Pink Diamond。 She had missed two shifts already； so they probably assumed she wasn't ing back。 Still； she hadn't been able to call since the Secret Service took her phone out； and she wanted to wrap up her loose ends； that was just the way she'd been raised。 She dialed the office； and the manager's slimy voice answered。
〃Hey； Loup； this is Eddy。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Miss Lee。〃
〃Oh yeah； we figured you ran off back to China。〃 She heard the wet sinus…damaged snort that passed for Loup's laugh。 〃Hey； you got a message here。〃
〃Really？〃 Her heart quickened a little。 〃What is it？〃
〃Well； it's kinda weird。 I think it must be from some crazy customer。 Valerye wrote it down〃…Valerye was the daytime bartender…〃a