Vin hung up the receiver and stared at the phone, feeling like the whole fucking world had lost its damn mind. Then after a moment, he went over to the couch, arranged the cushions into some semblance of order, and all but fell on his ass.

As the alarm system in the building started to go off and strobe lights flashed from the fixtures out in the front hall, he felt like he was in the dream he’d had, the one where Devina fell upon him like something out of Night of the Living Dead.

Chess pieces were being arranged around him, blocking his moves, boxing him in.

You’re mine, Vin. And I always take what is mine.

As he heard those words in his head again, the sound of the alarm was the perfect accompaniment to the panic burning through his veins. Shit. What the hell did he do now?

From out of nowhere, Jim Heron’s voice cut through Devina’s: I’m here to save your soul.

Ignoring that summarily unhelpful cue, Vin got up and went to his study in search of something far more likely to chill him out. Over at the intact liquor bottles, he poured himself a bourbon, drank it, and then refilled the squat glass. The television had been left on, but was muted, and as he parked it behind his desk, his eyes latched onto the local news.

When a photograph appeared next to the anchor’s blond head shortly thereafter, he could not say he was surprised. With the way things were going, it would take a dirty bomb set off in downtown Caldwell to get a rise out of him.

He reached for the remote.

“…Robert Belthower, thirty-six, was found early this evening in an alley not far from where Friday night’s two victims were shot. He is now at St. Francis Hospital in critical condition. No suspects have been identified yet in the crime….”

It was the guy from the Iron Mask. The one who had come out of the bathroom with Marie-Terese.

Vin picked up the phone and dialed.

The call wasn’t accepted until the fourth ring, and Jim’s voice was tight, like he didn’t want to answer: “Hey, my man.”

Still feel like saving my soul now? Vin wanted to taunt. “Have you seen the news?”

Long hesitation. “You mean about Devina?”