As Crenshaw reached the main floor, he bellowed, and it was then that Kiara cleared the last lock and flung the door open, and both of them sprinted toward their cars. She told him to meet her at the baseball diamond in the park, which had been a meet-up point they’d discussed. He just had enough time to say OK before she’d leaped into her car and hit the gas. He wished he’d moved faster. Her pulling away left him with a desolate feeling. He got into his own ride and hit the gas. There was no sign of Crenshaw. The birds were singing in full chorus. Sunrise was on its way.

They sat side by side in the bleacher seats, the way he and Melody had the previous night, looking out across the baseball diamond. Owen still held Mrs. Hultz’s gun at the ready. Kiara shook her head and said, “He moved so fast when he first came at me in the basement, I didn’t have a chance to even get a shot off. He put me down with one punch and locked me in the freezer, no doubt for later feeding. It’s a disgrace. I should have been able to do something.”

“Listen,” he said, “I saw firsthand what he did to Feit. I’m surprised you went in there after him. Also, that kick you laid on him was like something out of a movie.”

“The question is, what now?” she said.

“I’m out of ideas. Maybe we should just call the cops and let them handle it. I know a lot of the town’s officers. I could say I was bringing some books to a patron of the library who was laid up, but I went to the wrong house, went in, and saw a dead body. I’m pretty sure they’d check it out.”

“Nah,” she said. “I have to get a better weapon, and I’ve got a small flamethrower back at my apartment. If we send the cops in there, think how many will be killed.”

“Wait,” said Owen, “a flamethrower and dead cops? This whole thing is way beyond my abilities. I’m a small-town librarian on the edge of the pine barrens.”

“You’re in it now. He’s seen us and will be looking for us.”

“OK, we’ll have to come up with something.”

“Good,” she said. “That’ll keep you alert. Now, here’s what we should tell Mrs. Hultz.”