Where are the children?

He was a fool. A suspicious fool. What did one do? Phone the police and say that a man seemed nervous and they should look into it? And if they did, Courtney Parrish would probably say, 'I was about to take my bath and disliked having such short notice of the house being shown.' Perfectly reasonable. People who lived alone tended to become precise in their habits.

Alone. That was the word. That was what was nagging John. He had been surprised not to see someone else in the apartment. Something had made him sure that Courtney Parrish was not alone.

It was the child's toy in the tub. That was it. That incredible rubber duck. And the cloying scent of baby powder…

A suspicion so absurd that it would be impossible to vocalize took shape in John Kragopoulos's mind.

He knew what he had to do. Deliberately he took his gold lighter from his pocket and hid it in the glove compartment of his car.

He would drive back to The Lookout una

Having made up his mind, John stepped on the accelerator and swung the car left on Route A6, back towards the centre of Adams Port and the curving, hilly road that led to The Lookout. Visions of a faded, peeling rubber duck bobbed in his head as he drove through the steadily pelting sleet.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

She didn't want to remember… there was only pain in going back. Once when she was very little, Nancy had reached up and pulled the handle of a pot on the stove. She could still remember how great torrents of bright red tomato soup had gushed over on her. She'd been in the hospital for weeks and still had faint scars on her chest.

… Carl had asked her about those scars… stroked them… 'Poor little girl, poor little girl…' He liked her to tell him about the incident over and over. 'Did it hurt very much?' he would ask.

Remembering was like that… Pain… only pain… Don't remember… forget… forget… Don't want to remember…

But the questions, persistent, far away… asking about Carl… about Mother… Lisa… Peter… Her voice. She was talking. Answering.

'No, please, I don't want to talk about it.'

'But you must. You must help us.' That persistent voice. Why? Why?

'Why were you afraid of Carl, Nancy?'

She had to answer, if only to stop the questions.

She heard her voice, far away, trying to answer… It was like watching herself in a play… Scenes were taking shape.

Mother… the di

The white wool dress. 'Carl helped me pick it out. Do you like it?'

'Isn't it a bit… young?'

Mother left to make a call. Was it to Dr Miles? Nancy hoped so. She wanted Mother to be happy… Maybe she should go home with Mother… Maybe she would stop feeling so tired. Did she say that to Carl?

Carl left the table. 'Excuse me, dear'… Mother back before him…

' Nancy, you and I must talk tomorrow… when we're alone. I'll pick you up for breakfast.'

Carl came back…

And Mother… kissing her cheek… 'Good night, darling. I'll see you at eight.' Mother getting in the rented car, waving goodbye, driving down the road…

Carl drove her back to school. 'I'm afraid your mother doesn't approve of me yet, dear.'

The call… 'There's been an accident… Steering mechanism…'

Carl… 'I'll take care of you, my little girl…'

The funeral…

The wedding. A bride should wear white. She'd wear the white wool dress. It would do for just going to the Mayor's office.

But she couldn't wear it… grease stain at the shoulder… 'Carl, where could I have got grease on this dress? I only wore it to have di

'I'll have it cleaned for you.' His hand, familiar, patting her shoulder…

'No… no…'

The voice. 'What do you mean, Nancy?'

'I don't know… I'm not sure… I'm afraid…"

'Afraid of Carl?'

'No… he is good to me… I'm so tired… always so tired… Drink your medicine… You need it… The children… Peter and Lisa… all right for a while… Carl was good… Please, Carl, close the door… Please, Carl, I don't like that… Don't touch me like that… Leave me alone…'

'How should he leave you alone, Nancy?'

'No… I don't want to talk about it…'

'Was Carl good to the children?'

'He made them obey… He wanted them to be good… He made Peter afraid… and Lisa… "So my little girl has a little girl"

'Is that what Carl said?'

'Yes. He doesn't touch me any more… I'm glad… But I mustn't have medicine after di

'From Carl?'

'I'm not sick… Carl is sick

'How is he sick, Nancy?'

'I don't know…'

' Nancy, tell us about the day Lisa and Peter disappeared. What do you remember about that?'

'Carl is angry.'

'Why is he angry?'

'The medicine… last night… He saw me pour it out… got more… made me drink it… So tired… so sleepy… Lisa is crying… Carl… with her… I must get up… must go to her… Crying so hard… Carl spanked her… said she wet the bed… I have to take her away… in morning… My birthday… I'll tell Carl…'

'Tell him what?'

'He knows… he's begi

'Know what, Nancy?'

'I'm going away… take the children… Have to go away…'

'Didn't you love Carl, Nancy?'

'I should. He said, "Happy birthday."… Lisa so quiet. I promised her we'd make a birthday cake for me… She and Peter and I… We'd go out and get candles and chocolate for it. It's a bad day… starting to rain… Lisa may be getting sick

'Did Carl go to school that day?'

'Yes… He phoned… I said we were going to shopping centre… that after that I was going to stop at the doctor's to let him see Lisa… I was worried. I said I'd go to the Mart at eleven… after the children's television programme

'What did Carl say when you told him you were worried about Lisa?'

'He said it was a bad day… if Lisa was getting a cold, he didn't want her out. I said I'd leave them in the car while I shopped… They were excited about my birthday. They never had fun… I shouldn't have let Carl be so strict… my fault… I'll talk to doctor… have to ask doctor… about Lisa… about me… Why am I always so tired?… Why do I take so much medicine?… Rob made children laugh… They were so different around him… Children should laugh…'

'Were you in love with Rob, Nancy?'

'No… I was in cage… had to get out… wanted to talk to someone… Then Rob said what I said to him… Wasn't like that… wasn't like that…' Her voice began to rise.

Lendon's voice became soothing. 'Then you took the children to the store at eleven.'

'Yes. It's raining… I told children to stay in car… They said they would… Such good little children… I left them in back seat of car… Never saw them again… never… never…'

' Nancy, were there many cars in the lot?'

'No… No one I knew in store. So windy… cold… not many people…'

'How long were you in the store?'

'Not long… ten minutes… couldn't find birthday candles… Ten minutes… Hurry back to car… The children gone.' Her voice was incredulous.

'What did you do, Nancy?'

'Don't know what to do… Maybe they went to buy present for me… Peter has money… They wouldn't leave except for that… They're so good… That might make them leave… Maybe in other store… the dime store… Look in candy store… look in gift shop… hardware store… look back at car… Look, look for children…'