“There’s still something I don’t understand,” Nick said. “We found four bodies at the Patriot Center—but the fourth victim was two hundred years old. It was the same cause of death and the same manner of burial. You couldn’t have been responsible for that one, Agnes— Stan the Man doesn’t go back that far. But you knew about that body— you must have. You weren’t just copying the killer’s technique—all four of those men were from the same family. What’s the connection there?”

Nick was interrupted by the sound of a sharp yip. He turned and found a tiny dog staring up at him with black bulging eyes and its little wry jaw jutting out to one side.

“It’s Ruckus,” Gunner said. “Alena must need me.” He snapped his fingers and gave the “away” command, but the dog didn’t move. He repeated the command, but Ruckus just continued to stare up at Nick.

“Wait a minute.” Nick walked a few steps away and the dog turned to watch him. “He’s looking for me, not you. Alena must have sent him to find me.”

“Go,” Gunner said. “Alena wouldn’t do that unless she’s in trouble. I’ll wait here with Agnes.”

Nick pulled out a pen and a scrap of paper. “Call the local police and tell them what happened—this is their jurisdiction. Then call this number too—it’s in Washington. Ask for Nathan Donovan. Tell him about Danny and explain everything to him—he’ll know what to do.”

“You’d better get going,” Gunner said.

“I’m going now. I’m parked right across the street—I can be up there in a couple of minutes.” He turned to leave, then glanced down at the homely little messenger still staring up at him. “How do I tell him to go home?”

“Like this,” Gunner said, snapping his fingers and demonstrating the command.

Nick repeated the sequence and the little dog took off up the mountain.

Nick hurried across the street to the parking lot of the Skyline Motel, but when he got there he found the parking lot empty—there was no sign of his rental car anywhere. His mind raced—could he have parked it somewhere else? That was impossible. The Skyline was situated at the exact center of town and everything was within easy walking distance from there; it was the only place he had ever parked in the entire town of Endor.