Divine Evil

Maybe I've been spending too much time at the restaurant and not enough with you, just talking. Sit down now. Sit down with me and let's talk this out.”
    “It's too late.” He covered his face with his hands and began to weep as she hadn't seen him weep in years.
    “Oh, baby. Honey, come here. Tell me what I can do.”
    But when she put her arms around him, he jerked away. His eyes weren't bitter any longer, but wild. “It's too late. I made a choice. I already made it, and it's too late to go back. Just leave me alone. Leave me alone, that's what you're best at.”
    He stumbled out of the house and ran. The louder she called after him, the faster he ran.

Chapter 24
    C LARE PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES on her sculpture of Alice. It would be the first piece for the women's wing at the Betadyne. It showed grace, competence, fortitude, and quiet determination. She could think of few better qualities in a woman.
    She glanced up once when she heard Ernie's tires scream on the pavement as he roared down the street. Her brow furrowed as she heard his mother calling him. Before Sally had told her about the telescope, Clare would have been tempted to drive after him herself, to try to soothe and smooth over.
    Don't get involved, she told herself as she went back to her work. If she hadn't gotten involved in the first place, she wouldn't feel odd and uneasy every time she pulled down the bedroom shade.
    And she had problems of her own. Contracts and commissions, a relationship that had zoomed out of control, a damn luncheon speech. She blew the hair out of her eyes and looked at her watch. Plus she had to tell Cam about the phrase Lisa had remembered.
    Where the hell was he?
    She'd gone directly by the sheriff's office on her way back from the hospital, but he hadn't been there. She'd called his house, and he hadn't answered. Out preserving law and order, she supposed, and smiled a little. She'd see him in a few hours in any case, when they were both off duty.
    Clare turned off her torch and stepped back. Not bad, she thought, narrowing her eyes. Excitement began to stir as she pushed her goggles up. No, it wasn't bad at all. Perhaps it wouldn't be exactly what Alice had had in mind since the female form was elongated, exaggerated, the features anonymous. It was Everywoman, which was exactly what Clare thought she might title it. The four arms might throw Alice off a bit, but to Clare they symbolized a woman's ability to do her duties simultaneously, and with the same cool-handed style.
    “What's that supposed to be?” Blair asked from behind her and made her jolt. “A skinny rendition of the goddess Kali?”
    “No. Kali had six arms. I think.” Clare pulled off goggles and skullcap. “It's Alice.”
    Blair lifted a brow. “Sure it is. I could see that right away.”
    “Peasant.”
    “Weirdo.” But his smile faded quickly when he stepped into the garage, a stack of books in his hands. “Clare, what's all this?”
    One glance had her cheeks heating. “You've been poking around in my room. I thought we settled the privacy issue when we were ten.”
    “The phone rang while I was upstairs. Your bedroom phone is the closest.”
    “I didn't realize I'd put the phone in my nightstand drawer.”
    “I was looking for a pad. I'm doing some research for Cam, and I needed to write something down. But that's not the issue, is it?”
    She took the books from him and dropped them on a workbench. “My reading material is my business.”
    He put his hands on her shoulders. “That's not an answer.”
    “It's my answer.”
    “Clare, this isn't a matter of my peeking into your diary and finding out you have a crush on the captain of the football team.”
    “It was the tight end.” She tried to shrug away, but he held firm. “Blair, I've got work to do.”
    He gave her a quick shake that was both affectionate and impatient. “Listen, I thought it was what's going on between you and Cam that had you so nervous and upset.”
    “Just nervous,” she corrected. “Not upset.”
    “No, I can see that. But I knew something was bothering you the minute I got here. Why do you think I stayed?”
    “Because you're addicted to the way I burn hamburgers.”
    “I hate the way you burn hamburgers.”
    “You ate two last night.”
    “Which should give you a clue to how much I love you. Now where did you get the books?”
    The anger went out of her. He could see it melt out of her eyes until they were dark and damp. “They were