Lula sat down on the couch and picked up the channel changer for the TV. "Guess we'll be waiting then. You don't mind if I watch TV, do you?"

"You can't do this," Mrs. Nowicki said. "You can't just waltz in here and make yourself at home."

" 'Course we can," Lula said. "We're bounty hunters. We can do anything we want. We're protected by a dumb-ass law made back in 1869 when people didn't know any better."

"Is that true?" Mrs. Nowicki wanted to know.

"Well, actually the law doesn't cover control of the channel changer," I said. "But it does give us a lot of rights when it comes to the pursuit and capture of a felon."

There was the sound of gravel crunching in the driveway between houses, and Margie and Mrs. Nowicki exchanged glances.

"That's Maxine, isn't it?" I asked.

"You're going to ruin everything for us," Mrs. Nowicki said. "We had this all planned out, and now you're screwing it up."

"I'm screwing it up? Look at you two. You've been scalped and had your finger chopped off. Back in Trenton there's a dead store clerk. And you're still playing this stupid treasure hunt game."

"It isn't that simple," Margie said. "We can't leave yet. They have to pay the price."

A car door slammed and Mrs. Nowicki gave a start. "Maxie!" she yelled.

Lula gave Mrs. Nowicki a bump with her hip. Mrs. Nowicki lost her balance and flopped onto the couch, and Lula sat on her. "I know I'll get hollered at if I shoot you," Lula said. "So I'll just sit on you until you be quiet."

"I can't breathe," Mrs. Nowicki said. "You ever think about cutting back on the helpings?"

Margie had a trapped animal look, like she couldn't decide whether to shout a warning or bolt for the door herself.

"Sit," I told her, pulling an industrial-size can of pepper spray out of my bag, shaking the can to make sure it was active. "Don't go running around confusing things."

I was hidden by the door when Maxine came in, but Lula was in full view, sitting on Mrs. Nowicki.

"Lo," Lula said to Maxine.

"Shit," Maxine said. Then she did an about-face and lunged for the door.

I kicked the door closed and aimed the spray at her. "Stop! Don't make me use this."

Maxine took a step back and raised her hands.

"Now get off me, you big load of blubber," Mrs. Nowicki said to Lula.

I had a pair of cuffs stuck into the waistband of my shorts. I handed the cuffs to Lula and told her to secure Maxine.

"Sorry to have to do this," I said to Maxine. "The charges against you are minimal. If you cooperate you might not even get jail time."

"It's not jail time I'm worried about," Maxine said. "It's dead time."