In Death 14 - Reunion in Death

any of your plans or needs while you're in Dallas. Transportation, sightseeing, theater."
    "Just the room, please."
    "Of course. Yes, indeed." He handed back the debit card, then offered the keycode and the guest packet. "Will you need assistance with your luggage?"
    "No. See that we're not disturbed, won't you?"
    "Of course. Yes. If you need anything, anything at all..." he called after them as they walked to the elevators.
    "He's wondering if we're going up there for some quick sex," Eve said. "You don't own this place, do you?"
    "I don't, no, but he's certainly wondering if I'm going to."
    The elevator opened and yawned, Eve thought, like a big, greedy mouth. She stepped into it. "I could've used my badge, kept your name out of it."
    "This was simple enough."
    "I guess. Anyway, it took my mind off things, watching you work him. Another ten seconds of you, and he'd've babbled."
    The elevator doors opened again. She stood where she was, staring out at the quiet hallway.
    "It was dark," she managed. "I think it was dark, and he was pissed off. But there were so many places, I'm not sure if I'm mixing it up with somewhere else. I was only outside the room twice, once when we went in. Once when I went out. I'm sure of that. It was almost always that way."
    "He can't lock you in anymore."
    "No." She stiffened her spine and walked out into the hall. "It smelled like wet socks. That's what I thought. Like wet, dirty socks, and I was tired. Hungry. I hoped he'd go out, get us something to eat. But more, I hoped he'd just go out. It's that way." She gestured toward the left.
    It was to the left, and five rooms down.
    "I'm scared stupid. Don't let me run."
    "You won't run. Eve." He turned her face to his, touched his mouth to hers. "You were always stronger than him. Always."
    "Let's see if you're right. Open it."
    You just go through the door, she told herself. That's what you do.
    How many times had she done just that, knowing death waited on the other side hoping to take her? There was no one on the other side of this door but ghosts.
    The roar in her head was nearly a scream when she stepped in.
    It was tidy, clean, pleasantly appointed. Viewing discs were fanned out artistically on a low table beside an arrangement of fake flowers. The floor was carpeted in a pale beige.
    Was there blood on the floor under it? she wondered. Was his blood still there?
    The bed was covered in a spread exploding with what she thought might have been poppies. A work area had been built into a corner and held a small, practical communication center. The kitchenette was separated from the sleeping area by an eating counter. There was a bowl on it holding a display of nubby fruit.
    Through the window she could see another building, but there was no sign, no flashing light, no wash of dirty red.
    "Looks like they redecorated." The feeble attempt at humor echoed back at her. "We never stayed in places like this-as nice as this-that I remember. Nothing this clean and, well, tended, I guess, as this is now. Sometimes there were two rooms, so I had my own bed. But sometimes I slept on the floor. I slept on the floor."
    Her gaze was pulled down, over. She could see herself there, if she let it happen, see herself huddled on the floor under a thin blanket.
    "It's cold. Climate control's broken. It's so cold it hurts my bones. There's no hot water and I hate washing in the cold. But I have to get his smell off me. It's worse than being cold to smell him on me after he's..."
    She hugged her arms now, and shuddered.
    He watched it come into her, and it tore him to pieces. Lanced through his heart till he could all but feel the blood pouring out of it for her.
    Her eyes widened and blurred, and her face went more than pale. It went transparent.
    "I slept there. Tried to sleep there. There's a light through the window, flashing off and on. Red then black, red then black, but the red stays like a mist. He goes out a lot. Places to go, people to see. Keep quiet as a mouse, little girl, or the snakes'll get you. Sometimes they swallow you whole, the snakes do, and you're still alive inside them. Screaming."
    "Good Christ." He barely breathed the oath, had to jam his fists into his pockets for there was nothing and no one to fight, to punish for terrorizing the child that was now his wife.
    "If someone's coming here, I have to stay in the bathroom. Children aren't to be seen or heard. When he brings women up, he does to them what he does to me. It's safe when