The Coffin Dancer (Lincoln Rhyme 2)

Stephen looked up.

"You seem--"

"I'm fine," Stephen answered shortly.

Stop worrying, he told himself. If it blew, the explosion was big enough to hose the apartment and destroy any trace of him. It's all right. You're safe. They'll never find you, never tie you down. The worms won't get you . . .

He looked at Jodie's easy smile of curiosity. The cringe went away. "Nothing," he said. "Just a change of plans." He hung up.

Stephen opened his book bag again, counted out $5,000. "Here's the money."

Jodie was transfixed by the cash. His eyes flipped back and forth between the bills and Stephen's face. The thin hand reached out, shaking, and took the five thousand carefully, as if it might crumble if he gripped it too hard.

As he took the bills Jodie's hand touched Stephen's. Even through the glove the killer felt a huge jolt--like the time he'd been stabbed in the gut with a razor knife--stunning but painless. Stephen let go of the money and, looking away, said, "If you'll help me again I'll pay you another ten."

The man's red, puffy face broke into a cautious smile. He took a deep breath and poked through one of his coffee cans. "I get . . . I don't know . . . nervous, sort of." He found a pill, swallowed it. "It's a blue devil. Makes you feel nice. Makes you feel all comfy. Want one?"

"Uhm . . . "

Soldier, do men take a drink occasionally?

Sir, I don't know, sir.

Well, they do. Here, have one.

I don't think I--

Take a drink, Soldier. That's an order.

Well, sir--

You're not a pussy girl, are you, Soldier? You have titties?

I . . . Sir, I do not, sir.

Then drink, Soldier.

Sir, yes sir.

Jodie repeated, "You want one?"

"No," Stephen whispered.

Jodie closed his eyes and lay back. "Ten . . . thousand . . . " After a moment he asked, "You killed him, didn't you?"

"Who?" Stephen asked.

"Back there, that cop? Hey, you want some orange juice?"

"That agent in the basement? Maybe I killed him. I don't know. That wasn't the point."

"Was it hard to do? Like, I don't mean anything, I'm just curious. Orange juice? I drink a lot of it. Pills make you thirsty. Your mouth gets all dry."

"No." The can looked dirty. Maybe worms had crawled on it. Maybe crawled inside. You could drink a worm and never know it . . . He shivered. "Do you have running water here?"

"No. But I have some bottles. Poland Spring. I stole a case from A&P."

Cringey.