tan SUV over a block away, staring at the flames destroying the house. He loved looking at the fires. They were the proof of his power. No, it was the deaths that were the proof. The fires were just the weapons.
But this fire was not a total success. The small dish still needed work. He couldn't control it from this distance and couldn't be sure that Kerry Murphy had been killed. Well, there was one way to be certain.
He started the SUV and pulled away from the curb. Time to get out of here before the
last hurrah. . . .
He pressed the remote control in his hand.
Kerry heard a whoosh that was like the sucking sound of a tornado beside her.
Jason's house was destroyed in the space of seconds.
4
L et go of the damn gate.” Silver was prying her clenched hands from the metal. “You have to get out of here. There are sparks flying all over the place.”
“Laura,” she said numbly. “911.”
“I've already called them.” He pushed her toward the street. “You go out to the street and guide them while I get Jason and Laura away from these sparks.”
She shook her head to clear it of the throbbing pain and then started for the street. Laura. She was the only one who was important. They had to save Laura.
Don't think about the monster.
S ilver came into the hospital waiting room and handed Kerry a cup of coffee. “How is she doing?”
“She's going to live.” She took a drink of coffee. “But they don't know about the baby. They're trying to save him now.”
“I'll think good thoughts.” He sat down beside her. “She was almost full term?”
“Eight months. He has a good chance.” She stared at the clock. “It's been two hours. You'd think they'd—”
“It's a boy?”
She nodded. “They were going to name him Pete.” She drew a deep breath. “They
are
going to name him Pete. I won't be negative. God wouldn't let this happen to Jason and Laura. They want a child so much. They've been trying for the past three years. They were going to adopt if she couldn't conceive, but then the miracle happened. At least it was a miracle to them.” She sipped her coffee. “I won't give up hope.”
“Hope's a wonderful thing.”
She glanced at him. “Do you know what's happening in that operating room? You knew about the fire.”
He shook his head. “Only because it was connected to you. It doesn't work the same every time.”
“You have limitations?” Her lips twisted. “I'm surprised.”
“We all have limitations. We work with what we've got. You'd know about that if you'd cooperated with Travis.” He looked down into his cup. “You don't have to be afraid of me, Kerry. I'm not here to hurt you.”
“And I suppose that man who set Jason's house on fire didn't want to hurt me either.” She moistened her lips. “He was enjoying it. He was . . . hideous. He was sorry he wasn't close enough to smell the burning flesh.”
He went still. “You made contact with him?”
She nodded. “He was your monster, wasn't he? You were in the back of his mind all the time he was looking at the fire.”
“Yes, I'm sure he set the fire. No one else is capable of that pattern of ignition.”
“It was strange.” She rubbed her temple. “No connection. Different pieces of furniture seemed to ignite all by themselves.”
“Yes.”
“And that last explosion . . .” She turned to look at him. “Why? Why did he set fire to Jason's house?”
“He's probably been watching you because he thought you might be persuaded to help me.”
“So he tried to kill Jason and Laura as well as me just because he saw me with you?”
“He wouldn't care how many people he killed. You've got to understand that
But this fire was not a total success. The small dish still needed work. He couldn't control it from this distance and couldn't be sure that Kerry Murphy had been killed. Well, there was one way to be certain.
He started the SUV and pulled away from the curb. Time to get out of here before the
last hurrah. . . .
He pressed the remote control in his hand.
Kerry heard a whoosh that was like the sucking sound of a tornado beside her.
Jason's house was destroyed in the space of seconds.
4
L et go of the damn gate.” Silver was prying her clenched hands from the metal. “You have to get out of here. There are sparks flying all over the place.”
“Laura,” she said numbly. “911.”
“I've already called them.” He pushed her toward the street. “You go out to the street and guide them while I get Jason and Laura away from these sparks.”
She shook her head to clear it of the throbbing pain and then started for the street. Laura. She was the only one who was important. They had to save Laura.
Don't think about the monster.
S ilver came into the hospital waiting room and handed Kerry a cup of coffee. “How is she doing?”
“She's going to live.” She took a drink of coffee. “But they don't know about the baby. They're trying to save him now.”
“I'll think good thoughts.” He sat down beside her. “She was almost full term?”
“Eight months. He has a good chance.” She stared at the clock. “It's been two hours. You'd think they'd—”
“It's a boy?”
She nodded. “They were going to name him Pete.” She drew a deep breath. “They
are
going to name him Pete. I won't be negative. God wouldn't let this happen to Jason and Laura. They want a child so much. They've been trying for the past three years. They were going to adopt if she couldn't conceive, but then the miracle happened. At least it was a miracle to them.” She sipped her coffee. “I won't give up hope.”
“Hope's a wonderful thing.”
She glanced at him. “Do you know what's happening in that operating room? You knew about the fire.”
He shook his head. “Only because it was connected to you. It doesn't work the same every time.”
“You have limitations?” Her lips twisted. “I'm surprised.”
“We all have limitations. We work with what we've got. You'd know about that if you'd cooperated with Travis.” He looked down into his cup. “You don't have to be afraid of me, Kerry. I'm not here to hurt you.”
“And I suppose that man who set Jason's house on fire didn't want to hurt me either.” She moistened her lips. “He was enjoying it. He was . . . hideous. He was sorry he wasn't close enough to smell the burning flesh.”
He went still. “You made contact with him?”
She nodded. “He was your monster, wasn't he? You were in the back of his mind all the time he was looking at the fire.”
“Yes, I'm sure he set the fire. No one else is capable of that pattern of ignition.”
“It was strange.” She rubbed her temple. “No connection. Different pieces of furniture seemed to ignite all by themselves.”
“Yes.”
“And that last explosion . . .” She turned to look at him. “Why? Why did he set fire to Jason's house?”
“He's probably been watching you because he thought you might be persuaded to help me.”
“So he tried to kill Jason and Laura as well as me just because he saw me with you?”
“He wouldn't care how many people he killed. You've got to understand that
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