Finders Keepers

No response.

‘Seeya later, alligator. After awhile, crocodile.’

He leaves, closing the door gently behind him. If Brady is in there, slamming it might give him the pleasure of knowing he’s gotten under Hodges’s skin.

Which, of course, he has.

When Hodges is gone, Brady raises his head. Beside the picture of his mother, the blue e-reader abruptly comes to life. Animated fish rush hither and yon while cheery, bubbly music plays. The screen switches to the Angry Birds demo, then to Barbie Fashion Walk, then to Galactic Warrior. After that, the screen goes dark again.

In the bathroom, the water in the sink gushes, then stops.

Brady looks at the picture of him and his mother, smiling with their cheeks pressed together. Stares at it. Stares at it.

The picture falls over.

Clack.

July 26, 2014

AUTHOR’S NOTE

You write a book in a room by yourself, that’s just how it’s done. I wrote the first draft of this one in Florida, looking out at palm trees. I rewrote it in Maine, looking out at pine trees sloping down to a beautiful lake where the loons converse at sunset. But I wasn’t entirely alone in either place; few writers are. When I needed help, help was there.

NAN GRAHAM edited the book. SUSAN MOLDOW and ROZ LIPPEL also work for Scribner, and I couldn’t get along without them. Those women are invaluable.

CHUCK VERRILL agented the book. He’s been my go-to guy for thirty years, smart, fu

RUSS DORR does research, and he’s gotten better and better at the job as the years pass. Like a good first assist PA in the OR, he’s ready with the next instrument I need before I even call for it. His contributions to this book are on almost every page. Literally: Russ gave me the title when I was strapped for one.

OWEN KING and KELLY BRAFFET, both excellent novelists, read the first draft and sharpened it considerably. Their contributions are also on just about every page.

MARSHA DeFILIPPO and JULIE EUGLEY run my office in Maine, and keep me tethered to the real world. BARBARA MacINTYRE runs the office in Florida and does the same. SHIRLEY SONDEREGGER is emeritus.

TABITHA KING is my best critic and one true love.

And you, CONSTANT READER. Thank God you’re still there after all these years. If you’re having fun, I am, too.

Don’t miss MR MERCEDES by Stephen King

available from Hodder & Stoughton

‘Who is going to be the fish in this relationship, and who is going to be the fisherman?’

BILL HODGES

retired cop, tormented by ‘the Mercedes

massacre’, a case he never solved.

BRADY HARTSFIELD

perpetrator of that notorious crime,

and preparing to kill again.

Now each is closing in on the other in a mega-

stakes race against time from worldwide

bestselling master of suspense, Stephen King.

‘I challenge you not to read this book

in one breathless sitting’

Guardian

‘Deserves to be ranked alongside King’s masterpieces’

Daily Mail

‘A thrilling cat-and-mouse game’

Irish Mail on Sunday