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〃Whew；〃 Desie said。 〃Can't help you there； chief。〃
Mr。 Gash stopped grinding and pushed himself up on his arms。 〃Sure you can。 There's lots of things you can do； Mrs。 Stoat。〃
Twilly awoke facedown in mud。 He blew clods out both nostrils when he lifted his head。
His head！ He'd never known such pain。 He tried to spit and again nearly blacked out。 His left ear clanged like a fire alarm。 The whole side of his skull felt flaming hot； liquid and distended。
Twilly thought： I guess I've finally been shot。 He was incensed but not especially afraid； which was a chronic problem in his life…anger supplanting normal； well…founded fears。
Twilly had an unhealthy lack of concern for his own safety。
He rolled over and saw stars。 They vanished behind a wispy curtain of fast…moving clouds。 It was nighttime and a hard rain was ending。 Twilly didn't know where he was； or what he was doing there； but he had a hunch somebody would bring him up to speed。 He raised an exploratory hand to his head and located a large raw knot； but no bullet wound。 His fingers came back sticky so he held them in front of his face to check the color of the blood； the brighter the better。 That's when he knew he'd lost the vision in his left eye。
〃Hell；〃 he muttered。
With a forefinger Twilly gingerly probed the socket and was relieved to find the eyeball externally intact。 Slowly he raised on his forearms； teetering in the sloppy mud。 Overhead the stars and clouds spun madly around the treetops。 Twilly waited patiently for the world to slow down。 With his good eye he discerned bulky motionless shapes on either side of him…to his left； a bulldozer； to his right； a boat…sized station wagon。
Progress； he told himself。
Gradually the lootive ringing subsided and Twilly could make out distinct noises…the wind in the pines； an incongruous jingling in the understory； almost like sleigh bells 。。。
And； from inside the car； a muffled struggle。
Twilly tried to stand； bracing himself on the fender。 He noticed it was shimmying。 Once on his feet； he felt dizzy and sick to his stomach。 Meanwhile the jingling sounded closer； causing him to speculate it was all inside his head； something loose or broken。
But the station wagon was rocking…not much； but enough to keep Twilly's shaky equilibrium in flux。 Miserably he sunk to his knees and listed against the car； his cheek mashed against the cool steel。 He groped for purchase and found a door handle。
There he hung like a drunken rock climber until the latch clicked and the heavy door swung open。 Twilly lost his grip and slid limply to the mud。 He lay blinking at the heavens as his eardrums pealed with the jingle bells of the oning sleigh。 Where's the snow？ he wondered sleepily。
Moments later； Twilly saw the sleigh shoot over him； a hulking black shadow that momentarily blotted out the stars and the clouds。 He smelled it； too； though it didn't smell like Christmas。 It smelled like a big wet dog。 From inside the car came a startled cry； and suddenly Twilly remembered where he was； and what was happening。 He remembered everything。
〃He'thinks it's a game；〃 Desie explained。
〃Make him let go！〃
〃He won't hurt you。〃
〃Get him off me； goddammit； so I can kill him。〃
The mutt was riding Mr。 Gash as if he were a pony。 The wet； filthy mutt！ Its yellow fangs were planted on his neck…not hard enough to break the skin； but firmly enough to bring severe distress to Mr。 Gash； who was not an animal lover。 （He regarded the 911 tape of the testicle…chomping chow as one of the most harrowing in his extensive collection。）
〃I've shot dogs；〃 he hissed at Desie； 〃for a lot less than this。〃
〃He thinks we're playing。〃
〃You mean he's pulled this shit before？ While you were screwing？〃
〃To him it's wrestling。 He hates to be left out。〃 The bined weight and aromas of the two animals； the Lab and Mr。 Gash； made it difficult for Desie to speak up。
〃Who taught him how to open a car door？〃 Mr。 Gash said snidely。
〃I dunno。 That's a new one。〃
〃Make him get off！ He weighs a fucking ton。〃
Weakly； Desie said； 〃McGuinn； down！〃
The dog held its position。 They heard a tail flopping mirthfully against the upholstery。
〃Jesus； he's drooling all over me！〃 Mr。 Gash cried。
Desie saw a strand of slobber glistening from one of his earlobes。 He swung the gun away from her neck and reached it behind his own head； so the barrel was jammed to the Labrador's jaw。
〃Big mistake；〃 said Desie。
〃What？〃 The dumb mutt had to die…first； because he had interrupted Mr。 Gash's strenuous efforts to achieve an erection； second； because he had fouled Mr。 Gash's hair with spit。
〃You have any idea；〃 Desie said； 〃how hard that dog's head is？〃
〃What're you saying； Mrs。 Stoat？ This is a forty…five…caliber handgun。〃
〃I'm saying his noggin is like a cinder block。 The bullet could bounce off him and wind up in you or me。 It's something to think about； that's all。〃
Mr。 Gash did think about it。 She had a point。 The beast was glommed to his very spine； after all。 Plus； it would be a blind shot； backhanded over the shoulder。 Very risky。
〃Shit；〃 said Mr。 Gash。 The evening was not playing out as he had hoped。 〃How long does he usually hang on？〃
〃Till he gets bored。 Or hungry。〃 Desie felt suffocated and claustrophobic。
〃He farts again； I'm definitely pulling the trigger。〃
〃Tell that to him；〃 she muttered at Mr。 Gash； 〃not me。〃
Twilly Spree was on all fours in the slop； peering up into the backseat through the open door。 In the greenish glow of the dome light he saw Desirata Stoat and her dog； with Mr。 Gash sandwiched obscenely between them。 None of them could see Twilly； who listened only briefly to the taut conversation before scooting like a water bug underneath the Roadmaster。
He thought： Crazy damn dog； he'll get her killed。
It wouldn't take much for Mr。 Gash to blow a gasket and start shooting。 The challenge was to get McGuinn off the killer； then somehow get the killer off Desie。
〃Let go a me； you dumb bastard！ Let go a me！〃 The rising fury of Mr。 Gash。
Twilly licked his lips and tried to whistle。 Nothing came out…he was trembling too much from the damp cold。
He heard Desie cry out： 〃What're you doing！〃
Then Mr。 Gash： 〃Making do。〃
The car began rocking again。 Twilly vigorously rubbed the clamminess from his cheeks。 He was striving for a specific two…note whistle； the whistle used to summon McGuinn for supper。 Twilly puckered and blew。 This time it worked。
The station wagon stopped shaking。 There was a shout； a splash； an inquisitive bark。 The dog had let go of the killer and was out of the car； hunting for the source of the dinner call。 Twilly could track McGuinn's pacing by the tinkling of his collar。 It was only a matter of moments before the ever…hungry Lab sniffed out Twilly's hiding place。
〃Who made that noise！〃 Mr。 Gash bellowed from the backseat。
〃What noise？〃 came Desie's voice。 〃That bird； you mean。〃
〃It was no goddamned bird。〃
Twilly whistled again； this time with a whimsical lilt。 He saw McGuinn's legs stiffen…all senses on full alert。 The dog was zeroing in。
Not yet； Twilly thought； please。 He heard more movement above him： Mr。 Gash； scrambling fro