Gingerbread Man

bakery truck, and she just stood there, staring.
    Agent Selkirk came out of the woods. He started toward the women, and Jerry held up a hand. "Don't even suggest questioning them about Marty's death. Not yet."
    "He's right," the chief said. "We can get 'em in out of the cold, get them warm and dry, and take their statements there."
    Selkirk started to speak, but Holly spoke first. "You're not going to charge anyone with any crimes here, Agent Selkirk." Her gaze shot to Vince's, fiercely protective. "I'll say I did it. You try to prosecute Vince for Marty's death, and I'll take the blame myself, do you understand?"
    Vince's stomach knotted up. "Holly—"
    Selkirk said, "We'll take your statements inside where it's warm and dry. But I honestly don't know what you're talking about, Ms. Newman. It's clear from what I've seen that the man was killed in self-defense." He met Vince's eyes. "And that's exactly what will be going into my report."
    "There'll be an autopsy," Vince said softly.
    "It'll be handled."
    The man meant it. Vince had told his version of things out there, briefly, and he'd known full well Selkirk saw right through it. The truth had been all over the front of Amanda D'Voe's raincoat. But the Fed wasn't going to push that. Maybe he was a decent human being after all.
    Vince thrust out a hand, and shook Frank Selkirk's. "Thanks."
    Selkirk nodded and turned to go to a car, where he pulled out a microphone and spoke into a radio.
    "Run, run, run, fast as you can," Amanda half whispered, her voice a low monotone, and utterly chilling. Her eyes were still glued to the bakery truck.
    Holly went stiff, and turned slowly. "Amanda?"
    "Can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man."
    Holly followed Amanda's gaze to the side of Marty's truck. There a brown gingerbread man with pink icing smiled back at her in the flashing lights.
    "It was always my favorite story," Amanda said softly. She frowned, and tilted her head. "I lost my book you know. But then I saw the picture on the side of the truck. That's why I went to it when I got away. That's why I got inside. 'Run, run, run, fast as you can.' I thought I could run, that he'd never catch me if I could run with the gingerbread man."
    Holly was staring at the woman. Her lips were parted, and her eyes riveted. She reached out a hand, then drew it back without touching. Almost as if she were afraid.
    "Amanda?" Holly whispered. "Amanda this is very important."
    Amanda's eyes flickered, and she looked at Holly.
    "Where did you get the book? The one you lost?"
    Amanda frowned hard. "I... my sister got it for me. From the library." She shook her head. "I promised I'd take care of it, and then I lost it. God, Holly's going to be so mad when I..." she let her voice trail off, and fixed her gaze on Holly.
    "Ivy?" Holly lifted a hand. "Is it... are you ... ?" Holly turned her stunned eyes to Vince.
    He spoke softly, slowly, choosing his words with care.
    "At the hospital, they said your blood and hers were too close a match not to be siblings. Doc thought it might be a mistake. We wanted to run another test to be sure before we said anything, but..."
    Amanda's face twisted, lips pulled tight. "I... remember ... oh, God, I remember. Mom and Dad and ... and... Holly?"
    "Ivy?"
    "Holly!" She launched herself at her sister, and the two clung, held, fell to their knees still locked together sobbing, holding tight and sobbing softly.
    Vince looked on, and tried to wipe the dampness from his cheeks without drawing undue attention.

TWENTY-TWO
----

    DORIS NEWMAN DIDN'T know where everyone had gone. Dr. Graycloud had come and taken Mrs. Stevens off someplace. All the police who had been milling around earlier had gone, and the guard was no longer at Reginald D'Voe's door.
    It was early in the morning, not even daylight yet. The hospital was eerily quiet.
    She slipped out of her room without drawing any notice, took the elevator down, and held tightly to the large pair of scissors she had taken earlier.
    Reggie D'Voe had been the man who had taken her little girl so long ago. And the system had let him get away with it all this time. She wasn't going to leave justice to the system any longer.
    She crept up to his room, opened the door, and slipped silently inside.
    Then she saw that girl, Amanda, sitting beside Reggie's bed, holding his hand, and her face was wet with tears.
    Reggie lifted his head off the pillows. His eyes were tear-stained as well. "Mrs. Newman... Doris," he said. And his