Gingerbread Man by MAGGIE SHAYNE

name?"
    "Newman," Vince said. "Holly. Mother's name
is Doris. They lived in Syracuse until five years ago. That's about
all I have."
    He heard Jerry scribbling. Then, "Vince, you
know most of these types of crimes are committed by men."
    "I know. But this woman knows something, I'd
lay money on it."
    Silence, long and drawn out. Then, finally,
Jerry said, "Tell you what. I'll run the info if you'll tell me
where the hell you are."
    "Place called Dilmun, on Cayuga Lake," he
said. "That's between you and me."
    "For now, it is," Jerry replied. "What are
you doing there, Vince?"
    "I told you," Vince said. "I'm on vacation."
He hung up the phone, and told himself he wasn't interested in
Holly Newman's background for any other reason than how it might
tie in with his case. He couldn't care less what kinds of demons
haunted her. It was no concern of his.
    * * *
    "SO JUST WHAT happened out there, Holly?"
    Looking sideways at the chief as he drove,
Holly shook her head. "I was just walking." She tried to keep her
voice from trembling, and giving away her true state. She was
shaken, right to the core. She was scared on so many levels she
couldn't begin to take stock. And her sense of security, which
she'd built so carefully and so strongly here in this town, was
shattered. Something was happening. Something was bringing it all
back, and it seemed as if she had no control over it whatsover.
    That was what shook her most of all. That
feeling of things moving beyond her control.
    "You don't go walking. You go straight
home, every day, same route. You know it and I know it."
    Holly sighed and faced him. "I'm trying to
get over that," she said, and she knew damned good and well it was
a lie. She didn't want to get over it. She needed it. "I'm trying
new things, breaking old habits. It's good for me. "
    "I wouldn't say it was all that good for you
today."
    He was almost pouting. Big, strong Chief
Mallory, looking like a scared kid. She forced a smile that was far
from genuine. "You sure did get there in a hurry," she said, trying
to change the subject. "What did you do, fly?"
    "I was on my way home. When O'Mally called I
was just around the corner. I called Bill and told him to meet me
here." He shook his head slowly. "Your mother is going have kittens
over this, Holly."
    "Not if you don't make a big deal about it,
she won't."
    He pursed his lips, turned the car onto
Lakeview and slowed to a crawl. "I'm not gonna say a word. It's
your call. You're an adult." Finally, he stopped in front of
Holly's house. She saw her mother part the curtains and look out at
them, and she waved.
    The chief said, "Holly, try to keep clear of
this O'Mally character, will you?"
    Startled, Holly turned to face him again.
"Why?" He avoided her eyes, and she caught her breath. "You know
what he's really doing here, don't you?"
    "No. Not yet. But I don't have a good feeling
about him. Just... be careful, all right?"
    She nodded. "I will." Then she sighed. "Stop
worrying about me, will you? I'm fine."
    "You sure?"
    She nodded. "See you at the bonfire tomorrow
night?"
    "You bet."
    Holly got out of the car and closed the door.
The chief watched her all the way into the front door of her house
before he drove away. Inside, she smelled chicken roasting in the
oven, and smiled at the familiarity of it. It was Friday. They
always had chicken on Fridays. She closed her eyes, her relief so
intense she was near tears.
    ***
    CHIEF MALLORY DIDN'T go home, he went back
into town and had Maddie Baker let him into the library's basement.
He was the chief of police here; he was also one of a few remaining
eligible bachelors. The other two were Dr. Ernie Graycloud, and
Reginald D'Voe, the retired actor, but old Reggie didn't socialize
much, and Ernie had publicly declared his intent to remain single
to his dying day. Maddie Baker was a spinster whose voice always
softened when she spoke to the chief. And she was only ten years
his elder, so she probably held out hope, despite his