Page 124 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

She lifted her head at last, and the tears shimmering in hereyes made them look even bigger.

“We need to get off the road. Can you follow me to the nextexit?”

Fear flashed across her face. “No, there’s a killer.”

“A killer?” he asked, confused.

She slammed her lids shut, pushing even more tears over herlashes. “No. There’s no killer. It was all in my head.”

Damn it, was she schizophrenic?He’d had a good friend contract the horrible illnessright out of high school. His entire life had been ahead of him, and he’d endedup losing everything.

“How about you just come with me?”

“What?” She seemed to return to the present. “No, it’s okay.I can follow you.”

“You sure? I can walk back for your car once I get you tosafety.”

Her expression softened. “No, I’m good. I’ll follow you.”

He nodded warily and walked back to his truck. Ten minuteslater, they sat in his cab at Love’s Truck Stop. She’d parked her car, grabbedher bag, and rushed into his passenger’s seat as though scared to death thatsomething would reach out and grab her. And he wanted to know why.

“Okay, Doc, what gives?” he asked as she dug through herpurse.

“Did you drink the medication I left for you?”

“What was that anyway? It knocked me out.”

“I told you, it was liquid Lortab.”

“I’ve had Lortab, and it does not do that.”

She pursed her pretty lips at him. “First off, you wereexhausted. Second, the moment the pain began to subside, that exhaustion tookover, and you were finally able to rest.” She took out the bottle and pouredsome into the cap. “Here.”

“Are you sure this won’t knock me out?”

“It shouldn’t unless you really need it—which you probablydo. How are your ribs?”

“Better now,” he said, meaning it. Either her presence hadsomehow lessened the pain, or his endorphins were finally kicking in. Possiblya little of both. He tipped the cap at his lips, then handed it back to her.“You just walk around with narcotics in your bag?”

“It’s for emergencies only.”

“Ah. So, what’s going on?”

She replaced the bottle, slid her medical kit onto thefloorboard, then looked out the window without answering.

“Let me tell you what I do know.”

Her gaze dropped to the hands she twisted in her lap.

“You were attacked in an alley five years ago at the exactsame time that strange epidemic was going on.”

“You and I both know what happened.”

“I do. Shade demons had slipped onto this plane and weretaking over the bodies of people with mental illnesses, sending them into fitsof violence. So, yes, I do know what happened. I’m justsurprised you do.” When she didn’t respond, he asked, “Is that what happened?Did one of them attack you?”

“No comment.”

“Doc, look. If I’m going to help you—”