Killjoy

"Hour upon hour of sitting in that tiny room, waiting and worrying. They haven't let them out at all, have they?"

"Not while I was watching."

"I'm glad she didn't die in that hospital," she said. "This will be better because I'll get to watch."

Monk nodded. "Carrie demanded to come to Florida."

"She wants to die with Avery."

"She doesn't know she's going to die tomorrow," he said. "She thinks she's going to sit in that courtroom with Avery when the

trial starts."

Jilly picked up the binoculars once again. Smiling, she said, "Third time's a charm."

Monk suppressed a yawn. He was exhausted, but he didn't dare complain. Jilly thought he was invincible, superhuman, and he

was determined to maintain his knight-in-shining-armor image.

He knew he was taking risks he never would have considered before, but it was difficult to be cautious with Jilly constantly pushing him to his limits. She believed he could do anything, made him believe in himself.

Every once in a while a nagging doubt would surface in his mind. He had never walked away from a contract before. His word meant everything. If he wasn't reliable, his future would be in jeopardy, his reputation in tatters. The thought didn't repulse him, though. He had more than enough money to keep Jilly in the style she deserved. Maybe he could let this one go and walk away.

"You know, darling, we don't need the money," he said hesitantly.

Jilly knew where he was leading. "Do you know what I think?"

"What?"

"When we're finished here, let's sneak away to Mexico and get married. The trial will go for at least a week. Dale isn't going anywhere. Shall we?"

She knew how much he wanted a wedding. His

fatigue vanished, and he was suddenly smiling in anticipation. "Yes, yes," he said. He was embarrassed because he'd sounded

so eager, but he added, "I know a perfect place… you'll love it, I promise."

"As long as I'm marrying you, nothing else matters." She put her hand on his thigh, leaned across the console, and kissed him.

Her hand moved upward to fondle him intimately.

He became aroused quickly. Satisfied with his reaction, she pulled away. "Why not put them out of their misery tonight?" she asked again, pouting now.

It took several seconds for Monk to understand what she was asking. He cleared his head and said, "You'll see it all tomorrow. Daylight's better. Besides, I have a few alterations to make, a few details before I'll be ready. You want it to be perfect, don't

you, love?"

"Yes, of course. But why is daylight better?" "No one expects to be hit with the sun shining, and in the past I've always tried to

go in and get out during the night. Those agents believe they know my pattern."

"You think they've studied you?" "Yes. When it's dark, their guard will be up." She sighed then. "All right, I'll have to wait until tomorrow. Remember, you promised I could watch. You won't change your mind, will you?"

"No, I won't," he assured her. "You'll be safe, but in a wonderful spot where you can see everything. And I have a surprise for you. I was going to wait until tomorrow, but…"

"Tell me now," she pleaded. "Please." "All right. I know how disappointed you were when you saw the house in Colorado blow. But this time will be different. I'm going to let you push the button."

She laughed with delight. "Are you going to dazzle me?"

He nodded. "Oh, yes. I'm a legend, remember? I'm going to dazzle everyone."

Chapter 37

After monk drove Jilly back to their hotel on the opposite side of Walden Point, he got back into the car and drove to a residential area a mile away from Milt's Motel.

He jogged a mile back to his hiding place and quietly climbed the stairs. He still had to put the finishing touches on the wiring.

The job took much longer than he had anticipated, no doubt because he was weary, but when he was finally finished, he was content with his handiwork. Nothing was going to go wrong this time.

It was after three in the morning by the time he got ready for bed. Careful not to disturb Jilly, he eased down on the bed and sat next to her, watching her sleep. Oh, how he loved her. She was so beautiful, so exquisite… so perfect. He lay beside her

thinking once again that he was the luckiest man in the world. He fell asleep with his arms around her, the scent of her perfume surrounding him, and dreamed of their honeymoon.

Fairy tales could come true. He and Jilly would live happily ever after.

Jilly dressed with care the following morning. She was going to church, after all, and so she wore a white skirt, white eyelet blouse, and strappy high-heel sandals. While she brushed her hair and curled it, Monk put their luggage in the car.

"Don't forget my tape," she reminded him. "I would never forget that," he assured her, though, in fact, he had forgotten. She

would have been beside herself if she'd lost it. She was so obsessed with what she called the evidence that she insisted on

always carrying it with her. A peculiarity he put up with just as she put up with his odd little traits. That's what a solid

relationship was all about, wasn't it? Give and take.

He removed the tape from the VCR, slipped it into the carrying case, and put it on the bed next to her straw purse.

She was primping in front of the mirror. He watched her put on her red lipstick and smiled because he knew she only wore

that color to please him. She'd told him so.

Jilly put the lipstick in her purse with the tape, picked up her straw hat with the white ribbon, and then walked into the center

of the room. Whirling around in a circle, she asked, "Do I look ready for church?"

Her face flushed with excitement. "You look beautiful," he whispered. "You always look beautiful."

She went to him, adjusted the knot in his tie just like an adoring wife would, and said, "You look wonderful in a suit. You should wear them more often."

"If it pleases you, I will."

She took hold of his hand and walked by his side to the car. He liked little things like that, he thought. Taking his hand. It was a sign of trust, wasn't it? The way she looked up at him with such admiration. He liked that too.

"I've already parked the other car down the street from the church," he said. "Just as a precaution. The key's behind the visor."

"We won't need to use it," she said. "You've covered every possibility."

He was certain that he had, and so he agreed, yet there was still that nagging little worry about the wires. He'd been so tired, he hadn't done more than one test, but that was enough.

The wind had picked up as they drove. Monk glanced up at the tower above the theater as he turned the corner. He pulled into

the lot, parked on the end in front so Jilly could see everything. No one could block the front of his car, and if he had to drive

over the curb to get to the street, he could do so without getting trapped.

He turned the motor off. "Are you ready?"

"Oh, yes."

"The remote's in the glove compartment."

She carefully lifted it out. "It looks like a garage door opener."

"That's what it is," he said. "Modified, of course."

"When do I push the button?"

"I thought it would be nice to wait until the church bells start."

Jilly turned in her seat to watch the men and women and children hurry toward the church. They didn't want to be late, she thought.

The show's outside. Too bad they wouldn't see it. "What time is it now?"

"Five more minutes."

"I don't want to wait. I want to do it now."

Monk reached under the seat and handed her the binoculars. "Whenever you're ready."

Jilly wet her lips as she lifted the binoculars. She adjusted the lens until she was looking at the room that had had the light on the night before.