just a lot of little things.”
“Like what?”
“Well—like West is always in his room with the door closed.”
“So?”
“Do you ever see him? Does he ever eat?”
“Who cares?”
“You should! I mean, what do you really know about him?”
“Nothing except that he studied with Hans Gruber and pays for whatever he uses. He stuffed a buck in the toilet paper and two in the box of Meow Mix.”
“In the cat food?”
“Yeah. Said he needed some protein for an experiment. Anyway, that kind of courtesy makes him okay in my book.”
Megan squeezed Cain’s hand. “Don’t take this wrong, Dan, but you were raised by a spinster aunt who had the sensibilities of a nun. Your book of life experiences is slightly abridged.”
“As opposed to you, whose life has been like a lending library.”
“Sure, I’ve been around. The point is, I’ve got a sense about people that you don’t. And I’m telling you that Dr. Hill is a pervert and Herbert West probably isn’t much better.”
Cain drummed on his knees. “So what? What if he is a little cracked?”
Megan studied his face. “All of this was bullshit, wasn’t it?”
“What do you mean?”
“He bothers you too.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“He bothers you, and he bothers Rufus?”
“What?”
“Rufus is terrified of him. When West comes in, he runs and hides.”
Cain snickered. “Rufus runs and hides all the time. It’s standard cat activity.”
“Yes, but not when you and I are together! Then he’s all over us, trying to get your attention.” Megan paused, looked around. “Say, where is Rufus? I haven’t seen him since we got here.”
“It’s okay. He’s around here somewhere.”
“Are you sure? I haven’t heard him. Usually he at least knocks something over when I’m here.” Rising urgently, Megan walked hunched about the room, whispering for the cat. “Here, Rufus. Here, kitty-kitty.”
Shaking his head, Cain stood and called more loudly, “Rufus! C’mon, you fat cat! Where are you, you mad animal?”
“Rufus? Heeeeere, Rufy.”
“Hey, furball, don’t you hide from me!”
Megan turned on another light and looked behind an armchair, then beneath it. Cain checked behind the drapes.
“Still think he’s just hiding, Dan?”
“Of course. He’s like Garfield, he could be anywhere.”
“Fine. You take the kitchen, I’ll check the bedroom.”
Switching on the single bare bulb which lit the corridor, Megan proceeded slowly.
“Psssst. Rufus! You under the bed?”
On her way to the bedroom, Megan passed West’s room and saw an eerie light seeping under the door. It was moving and fluorescent, with a slightly yellow cast. She rapped lightly on the door.
“Mr. West, are you in there? It’s Megan.”
There was no answer, and after inquiring again, she tried the door. It was unlocked, and Megan opened it slowly.
Even in the dim light, Megan could see that the walls were covered with charts and diagrams. Most of them showed the human brain, some the brains and vital organs of other animals, including cats.
The glow itself was coming from a small refrigerator which sat against the near wall, tucked between a cot and a large lab table, partly obscured by the latter. Walking slowly around it and peering across the countless rows of chemical powders and solutions, Megan saw that a vial standing in front of the bulb was causing the yellowish tint. She also saw why the refrigerator door was open. Something was in the way.
It was Rufus’s tail.
Megan shrieked, but the first one to arrive was West, a medical kit in his hand. He threw it hotly onto the cot.
“What are you doing in my room? How dare you come into my room!”
Cain arrived and switched on the light; he was surprised to find Megan standing beside the refrigerator, trembling. He took a step into the room, West craning around him.
“Daniel, I thought I was renting a private room!”
“You are.”
Cain faced Megan. He was by nature a diplomat, but
“Like what?”
“Well—like West is always in his room with the door closed.”
“So?”
“Do you ever see him? Does he ever eat?”
“Who cares?”
“You should! I mean, what do you really know about him?”
“Nothing except that he studied with Hans Gruber and pays for whatever he uses. He stuffed a buck in the toilet paper and two in the box of Meow Mix.”
“In the cat food?”
“Yeah. Said he needed some protein for an experiment. Anyway, that kind of courtesy makes him okay in my book.”
Megan squeezed Cain’s hand. “Don’t take this wrong, Dan, but you were raised by a spinster aunt who had the sensibilities of a nun. Your book of life experiences is slightly abridged.”
“As opposed to you, whose life has been like a lending library.”
“Sure, I’ve been around. The point is, I’ve got a sense about people that you don’t. And I’m telling you that Dr. Hill is a pervert and Herbert West probably isn’t much better.”
Cain drummed on his knees. “So what? What if he is a little cracked?”
Megan studied his face. “All of this was bullshit, wasn’t it?”
“What do you mean?”
“He bothers you too.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“He bothers you, and he bothers Rufus?”
“What?”
“Rufus is terrified of him. When West comes in, he runs and hides.”
Cain snickered. “Rufus runs and hides all the time. It’s standard cat activity.”
“Yes, but not when you and I are together! Then he’s all over us, trying to get your attention.” Megan paused, looked around. “Say, where is Rufus? I haven’t seen him since we got here.”
“It’s okay. He’s around here somewhere.”
“Are you sure? I haven’t heard him. Usually he at least knocks something over when I’m here.” Rising urgently, Megan walked hunched about the room, whispering for the cat. “Here, Rufus. Here, kitty-kitty.”
Shaking his head, Cain stood and called more loudly, “Rufus! C’mon, you fat cat! Where are you, you mad animal?”
“Rufus? Heeeeere, Rufy.”
“Hey, furball, don’t you hide from me!”
Megan turned on another light and looked behind an armchair, then beneath it. Cain checked behind the drapes.
“Still think he’s just hiding, Dan?”
“Of course. He’s like Garfield, he could be anywhere.”
“Fine. You take the kitchen, I’ll check the bedroom.”
Switching on the single bare bulb which lit the corridor, Megan proceeded slowly.
“Psssst. Rufus! You under the bed?”
On her way to the bedroom, Megan passed West’s room and saw an eerie light seeping under the door. It was moving and fluorescent, with a slightly yellow cast. She rapped lightly on the door.
“Mr. West, are you in there? It’s Megan.”
There was no answer, and after inquiring again, she tried the door. It was unlocked, and Megan opened it slowly.
Even in the dim light, Megan could see that the walls were covered with charts and diagrams. Most of them showed the human brain, some the brains and vital organs of other animals, including cats.
The glow itself was coming from a small refrigerator which sat against the near wall, tucked between a cot and a large lab table, partly obscured by the latter. Walking slowly around it and peering across the countless rows of chemical powders and solutions, Megan saw that a vial standing in front of the bulb was causing the yellowish tint. She also saw why the refrigerator door was open. Something was in the way.
It was Rufus’s tail.
Megan shrieked, but the first one to arrive was West, a medical kit in his hand. He threw it hotly onto the cot.
“What are you doing in my room? How dare you come into my room!”
Cain arrived and switched on the light; he was surprised to find Megan standing beside the refrigerator, trembling. He took a step into the room, West craning around him.
“Daniel, I thought I was renting a private room!”
“You are.”
Cain faced Megan. He was by nature a diplomat, but
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