“But when it doesn’t,” Linda said, “we’ll move on to another threat. And another one after that. You’ll tell us the code eventually.”

“But it’s up to you how much it’ll have to hurt, or how much you’ll have lost, by the time you do,” finished Kelly. “So, one more time … tell us the code or I’ll pull these wires.”

“Okay!” the Party-Monster said, hands up. “Jesus, okay! It’s 4-0-1-5. It’ll beep and a green light will come on.”

Kelly released the wires. “Thank you.”

“So you’re … you’re really a lesbian? And are you a lesbian, too?”

“Afraid not,” said Linda.

The Party-Monster seemed disappointed, then looked at Ronnie. “You ever get involved?”

“I’m not sure you understand what a lesbian is,” Ronnie said, “so we’ll go while you google it.”

The Party-Monster frowned, but Ronnie was already leaving the room, followed by Linda. Kelly desperately wanted to say something clever on the way out, but her desire to leave the smell behind proved somewhat overwhelming. She joined the others in the hall outside, shut the door, and breathed deeply again.

The Party-Monster’s parents stood side by side, waiting for them.

“Are you leaving now?” asked the Party-Monster’s mom.

“Yes, thank you,” said Ronnie, smiling.

The relief that washed over their faces was palpable, and the mother took a plate from the table behind her and held it out. “Cookie?”

Kelly grinned. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Chapter 37

OSCAR MORENO’S CAR WAS in his driveway. Virgil and Javier sat across the road in the Sienna.

“What’s wrong with you?” Javier asked.

Virgil frowned at him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re all surly and bad-tempered.”

“Don’t I have a right to be? This town is infested with evil.”

“Yeah?” said Javier. “So’s Hollywood. You should be used to it.”

“In that house, right now, is a … a monster, who may or may not have already abducted another child in the few hours since this morning. There could be a terrified kid in there right now, and what are we doing?”

“Well, one of us is getting very angry about something.”

“We’re watching,” said Virgil. “We sit in this car, not knowing what’s going on in there, while the other young people are risking their lives to battle the forces of darkness.”

“And?”

“And that’s what I want to do, goddammit. I was investigating all of this fine on my own. I figured out who the Narrow Man was and I was putting it all together, piece by piece. Sure, I was doing it slowly, and I didn’t have all the pieces, but it was building to something. And now here I am – sidelined.”

“Hmm,” said Javier. “I notice at no time during that little monologue did you mention me.”