Thirst No. 4 by Christopher Pike Page B

got off.”
    “Why did you wait?”
    “I think I already explained why. They kept asking me questions I couldn’t answer. And the wife seemed to get mad I couldn’t answer them.”
    “Did you by any chance ride the elevator down to the garage?”
    “No.”
    “The Johnsons said you remained in the elevator,” Treach says.
    “Who are the Johnsons?”
    “The family you bumped into.”
    “I’m sorry, they didn’t introduce themselves. No, I didn’t stay in the elevator. I got off at the lobby. But I waited a minute until the Johnsons left the area.”
    “I would have done the same thing,” Astor says.
    “Lieutenant,” Treach says, annoyed.
    Astor is not quite the puppy dog he appears. “With all due respect, I think Ms. Raine has explained her actions extremely well. I believe her.”
    “Thank you,” I say.
    “I’m not saying I don’t,” Treach continues. “I just have a few more questions and I’ll be done. Would that be okay, Teri?”
    “Sure. I know you have a job to do.”
    “The reason I ask about the garage is because a Camry was stolen from the lower level about the same time Ken wentmissing. Furthermore, the cart Ken took to your room was found abandoned beside the parking spot where the Camry was parked.”
    I nod, act interested. “That sounds like an important clue. How do you know the cart belonged to Ken?”
    “We found samples of his hair attached to the cart tablecloth.”
    “Wow. That’s kind of scary. Maybe the boy was right. Maybe we were all standing together in that elevator and his body was crammed inside the cart.”
    Astor shakes his head. “It’s doubtful. Ken’s a big guy. To squeeze him into that kind of space, it would take an awfully strong person.”
    “But the scenario is not out of the question,” Treach says.
    “I know this is none of my business, but have you guys managed to locate the Camry?” I ask. I worry about them finding samples of hair on the driver’s seat.
    Treach shakes his head. “It’s disappeared.”
    He’s lying! Damn, they found the car already. His people are probably going over it with a fine-tooth comb as we speak. I assumed I would have had more time to get out of town.
    “That’s too bad,” I say casually.
    Treach appears to have run out of questions. He gives me his card and heads for the door. But he suddenly stops and faces me and there’s no mistaking the suspicion in his voice and expression.
    “Will you be staying in Denver the next few days?” he asks.
    “We plan to leave tomorrow,” I say.
    “Where are you headed?”
    “Nowhere in particular. We’re just going to get in the car and drive.”
    “So you do have a car?”
    “Yes.”
    “Is it a rental or does it belong to you?”
    “It’s a rental. Matt got it at the airport.”
    Treach nods. “Please, Teri, before leaving, let us know where you’re heading next.”
    I give him a cold smile. “I’ll try.”
    When they’re gone, I feel like I need a nap, or at least to lie down and rest. It’s clear to me that I’ve made an enemy, and that Treach is going to dog my steps in the coming days. True, I don’t possess my usual power, but deep inside I’m still ancient Sita. I still have a pretty sharp intuition and it’s telling me my best bet is to kill him.
    I need to drink. I’m not feeling psycho or anything but my thirst is starting to aggravate me. It’s probably one of the reasons I was so short with the police.
    I call an old private-eye friend of mine who is up in years and hard of hearing so he doesn’t notice anything odd about my change of voice. I ask him to get me Lieutenant William Treach’s personal information and the PI calls back within the hour with the cop’s home address and other assorted details.
    Matt told me before leaving that afternoon that he would help me hunt that evening but I’m in no mood to wait for his return. Also, I want to make it clear that I don’t need his help. Otherwise, he’ll try to stop me from going off