Darkfall

eyes, stared into his brandy for a moment, then looked at Jack again and said, “There’s another reason I must help. The stakes are higher than I first thought when I threw you out of the shop this afternoon. You see, in order to crush the Carramazzas, Lavelle has opened the Gates of Hell and has let out a host of demonic entities to do his killing for him. It was an insane, foolish, terribly prideful, stupid thing for him to have done, even if he is perhaps the most masterful Bocor in the world. He could have conjured up the spiritual essence of a demon and could have sent that after the Carramazzas; then there would have been no need to open the Gates at all, no need to bring those hateful creatures to this plane of existence in physical form. Insanity! Now, the Gates are open only a crack, and at the moment Lavelle is in control. I can sense that much through the cautious application of my own power. But Lavelle is a madman and, in some lunatic fit, might decide to fling the Gates wide, just for the fun of it. Or perhaps he’ll grow weary and weaken; and if he weakens enough, the forces on the other side will surely burst the Gates against Lavelle’s will. In either case, vast multitudes of monstrous creatures will come forth to slaughter the innocent, the meek, the good, and the just. Only the wicked will survive, but they’ll find themselves living in Hell on Earth.”
    III
    Rebecca drove up the Avenue of the Americas, almost to Central Park, then made an illegal U-turn in the middle of the deserted intersection and headed downtown once more, with no cause to worry about other drivers. There actually was some traffic- snow removal vehicles, an ambulance, even two or three radio cabs-but for the most part the streets were bare of everything but snow. Twelve or fourteen inches had fallen, and it was still coming down fast. No one could see the lane markings through the snow; even where the plows scraped, they didn’t make it all the way down to bare pavement. And no one was paying any attention to one-way signs or to traffic signals, most of which were on the blink because of the storm.
    Davey’s exhaustion had eventually proved greater than his fear. He was sound asleep on the back seat.
    Penny was still awake, although her eyes were bloodshot and watery looking. She was clinging resolutely to consciousness because she seemed to have a compulsive need to talk, as if continual conversation would somehow keep the goblins away. She was also staying awake because, in a round-about fashion, she seemed to be leading up to some important question.
    Rebecca wasn’t sure what was on the girl’s mind, and when, at last, Penny got to it, Rebecca was surprised by the kid’s perspicacity.
    “Do you like my father?”
    “Of course,” Rebecca said. “We’re partners.”
    “I mean, do you like him more than just as a partner?”
    “We’re friends. I like him very much.”
    “More than just friends?”
    Rebecca glanced away from the snowy street, and the girl met her eyes. “Why do you ask?”
    “I just wondered,” Penny said.
    Not quite sure what to say, Rebecca returned her attention to the street ahead.
    Penny said, “Well? Are you? More than just friends?”
    “Would it upset you if we were?”
    “Gosh, no!”
    “Really?”
    “You mean, maybe I might be upset because I’d think you were trying to take my mother’s place?”
    “Well, that’s sometimes a problem.”
    “Not with me, it isn’t. I loved my Mom, and I’ll never forget her, but I know she’d want me and Davey to be happy, and one thing that’ll make us real happy is if we could have another mom before we’re too old to enjoy her.”
    Rebecca almost laughed in delight at the sweet, innocent, and yet curiously sophisticated manner in which the girl expressed herself. But she bit her tongue and remained straight-faced because she was afraid that Penny might misinterpret her laughter. The girl was so serious .
    Penny said, “I think it would be terrific-you and Daddy. He needs someone. You know… someone… to love.”
    “He loves you and Davey very much. I’ve never known a father who loved his children-who cherished them-as much as Jack loves and cherishes the two of you.”
    “Oh, I know that. But he needs more than us.” The girl was silent for a moment, obviously deep in thought. Then: “See, there’re basically three types of people. First, you’ve got your givers, people who just give and give and give and never expect