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〃Of something； Mr。 Buckett。〃 Even with mirrorshades on； Cover managed to look smug。 〃Everybody's guilty of something。 And we can find out what。 Good afternoon。〃
〃And a terrific afternoon to you；〃 said Terry as he went back into the store and locked the door behind him。 He stood there for a minute watching them walk away； cold shivers running up his spine。 He couldn't help but wonder what in hell he was getting into here。
But he knew which side he was on； and that was about all he needed to know。 Terry looked at the phone； thought of calling Kinsey。 But what if the agents were hiding around the corner； waiting to see if he would jump on the phone as soon as they left？
He stuck his head through the curtain。 The back room reeked of pine air freshener。 〃Bad news。 The spooks are here looking for him。〃
Eddy's eyes went very wide。 〃Did they follow us？ Did we lead them here？〃
〃I don't think so。 They didn't seem to know you were around。 I got the impression they were acting on some kind of tip。〃
〃The newspaper。 Shit！ Goddamn that fucking Phoetus！〃 Eddy pounded her small fists against her knees。 Angry； with her jeweled ears and spiky haircut and elegant Asian face； she looked like some sort of feral…eyed Tibetan goddess。 A couple of extra arms and a lolling tongue would have capped off the image perfectly。
〃Look；〃 said Terry； 〃I'm gonna sneak out and make a call。〃
Dougal reached into a pocket of his baggy fatigues and pulled out a cellular phone。 〃You wan' use this？〃
〃Well…sure。〃 Terry examined the sleek little gadget。 〃Where do you turn it on？〃 Dougal showed him。 He dialed Kinsey's home number； heard a truncated ring； then a piercing electronic voice。
〃The…number…you…have…reached…has…been…temporarily…disconnected 。 。 。〃
〃Goddamn； I wish that guy would keep his bills paid。 I guess we better get over there。〃
Eddy tapped his arm。 〃Was one of those spooks named Cover？〃
〃Yeah； the spookier one。〃
〃I can't go out there。 He'll recognize me。〃
〃I think they're gone…〃
〃Our car is parked all the way down by the hardware store。 I can't take the chance。〃
She was right； Terry realized。 〃Okay； wait here by the back door。 We'll pull up in the alley and get you。〃
Terry and Dougal left the Whirling Disc together and walked with elaborate nonchalance along a series of back streets； gradually winding toward the other end of town。 Terry imagined agents lurking behind every telephone pole； peering through every tinted window。 〃Doesn't your car have Louisiana plates？〃 he asked Dougal。 〃Won't it be dangerous to drive through downtown？〃
〃No mon。 We stop on de way here at a…what you call de toilets by de road？〃
〃Rest stop？〃
〃Ya mon。 We fin' a car broken down but still have de license plate； an' I take de liberty of borrowin' de plate。〃
Terry nodded； marveling。 He had met plenty of freaks in his time； plete fuckups and brilliant artists and everything in between。 But for sheer resourcefulness； he thought； these kids outdid them all。
Still； they didn't have the U。S。 Government on their side； weighing the scale down with money and power。 Street smarts wouldn't be much use against a loaded Uzi。
Terry didn't stop sweating until they had Eddy safely in the car； crouching in the back seat with a towel over her head； and they were well on their way to Kinsey's。 Even then； he couldn't quit looking in the rearview mirror。
Chapter Twenty Four
Kinsey moved Zach's car into the driveway and parked his own behind it。 The Mustang wasn't exactly camouflaged； but it was less noticeable than it had been sitting in the middle of the front yard。 He settled Trevor and Zach in his bedroom； then folded himself onto the couch。 He had only been in bed for two hours when the Mustang pulled up in his yard； and he had to open the club later。 Soon he was asleep again； his dreams blessedly free from blaring； whining horns and the smell of engine grease。
In the bedroom； Trevor lay flat on his back staring at the ceiling。 His splinted hand felt heavy and remote。 Zach was nestled into the crook of his left arm； legs thrown over Trevor's； fingers idly playing with Trevor's hair。 They had each taken one of the painkillers the doctor had prescribed for them； and they were numb but contented。 Enough so； eventually； to talk about the night before。
〃What were you wearing there？〃 Zach asked。
〃A suit with wide lapels。 A tie。 And fancy shoes。〃
〃Me too。 But I had a beret。〃
〃You were Dizzy。〃
〃Huh？〃
〃Dizzy Gillespie。 Bobby used to look at pictures of him and Charlie Parker to draw his characters' clothes。 They always wore these real sharp suits。〃
〃We were in the same place； weren't we？〃
〃We were in Birdland。〃
〃What does that mean？〃
〃It means we were inside my father's brain。 Or we were in hell。 Or we were hallucinating。 How the fuck should I know？ You were there。 You saw it。〃
There was a silence。 Trevor wondered if he had spoken too sharply； but he did not want to pick apart what had happened in the house； not yet。 He wasn't sure he ever would。
Finally Zach asked； 〃Where should we go next？〃 His voice was beginning to fade out。 He pressed his face into the side of Trevor's chest and closed his eyes。
〃Have a dream；〃 Trevor told him； 〃and make it be about a beach。 It has pure white sand and clear turquoise water； and the sun feels like warm honey on your skin。 Stop someone on the beach and ask them where you are。 Then remember it； and we'll go there。〃
〃Ohhh； yes 。 。 。〃 He felt Zach's body relax pletely。 〃。 。 。 love you； Trev 。 。 。〃
〃I love you too；〃 he whispered into the cool silence of the room。 It was true； it was all true； and they could both be alive to believe it。 Trevor was still amazed by this knowledge。
You could kill someone because you loved them too much； he realized now； but that was nothing to do with art。 The art was in learning to spend your life with someone； in having the courage to be creative with someone； to melt each other's souls to molten temperatures and let them flow together into an alloy that could withstand the world。 He and Zach had used each other's addictions to hurl themselves into Birdland。 But addictions could fuel talents； and talents surely fueled love。 And what else had brought them back but love？
Zach's breathing was slow； even： a wholly peaceful sound。 Trevor wondered if he might be able to sleep too。 He let his body settle into Zach's； synchronized his breathing and his heartbeat with Zach's。
Minutes later he was as deeply asleep as he had ever been； and his sleep was dreamless。
Dougal's ancient station wagon pulled up in front of Kinsey's house。 Eddy saw the black Mustang in the driveway； and her heart leapt。 〃That's Zach's car！〃
Terry and Dougal followed her up the walk。 Terry knocked； waited； knocked louder。 Eddy could not make herself stand still。 After a few agonizing minutes； the door opened a crack and a bright blue eye peered out。 Then it swung all the way open； and a very tall； very thin man in rumpled pajamas smiled Wearily at them。 〃Mornin'； Terry。〃 He nodded at Eddy and Dougal； then stood there rubbing his