“That,” Goulder said, nodding. “Impulse control. That’s exactly it. I mean, I get it, man, I do. I’m a serial killer, just like you are. We’ve all got issues. But this is a very special night, one where all our dreams can come true. Now we made a deal, when we got here, that we would work together. The four of us. Four serial killers working towards a common goal. That is unheard of, my friend. We are breaking the mould. So you can’t, and I say this with all due respect, you cannot go around shooting your partners in the goddamn head.”

“He shouldn’t have said those things,” Demer muttered.

“I understand that.”

“I was in a really good mood.”

“I know, man. And he upset you. He ruined your good mood. But the three of us can only go forward if we trust each other. Do you trust us, Demer?”

“I guess.”

“And we wanna trust you. We really do.”

“You can.”

“You just killed Bowsher, dude. Killed him. He was one of us.”

“I just … I got confused,” said Demer. “I got the red mist.”

“Hey, brother, I know. When that red mist settles in, you’re not in your right mind, are you? You can’t be blamed for the things you do.”

“He kept jabbing at me,” said Demer. “Poking. You don’t … you don’t poke the bear.”

“You do not,” Goulder agreed. “You are the bear he should not have poked.”

“I’m sorry I killed him.”

“Hell, that’s okay. Water under the bridge, you know? But, the thing is, we need your word that you’re not gonna turn around and kill us over something stupid that we say.”

“I promise.”

“You do, huh? Sam, that okay with you?”

“Sure,” said Sam. “Whatever.”

“It’s good with me, too. Demer, we’re in this to the end, you get me? We’re in this until all our dreams come true.”

Demer nodded, an uncertain smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“Good man,” said Goulder. He took the gun from Demer’s hand. “I’m just taking this as a precaution. We don’t want you to get overexcited again, do we? You goddamn nutcase.”

“Hey now,” Demer said, and Goulder shot him in the heart.

Sam shrieked and hopped back on one leg as Demer fell, dead.

Goulder immediately turned. “You know why I had to do that.”

“You killed him!”

“I had to.”

“But what was all that you were saying about us having to trust each other? You made him trust you and you killed him!”

“Demer was unstable, Sam. Jesus, come on. How can we work with a guy who’s liable to shoot us for saying the wrong thing at any moment? Did you trust him not to kill us?”