"Audrey?"
"Down here," she called. "We're still under the porch. "
Charlie ran down the steps and around to the side of the porch. He could see movement behind the lattice. He found a small gate and opened it. Inside, Audrey was crouched with a half-dozen other people and a whole crowd of the squirrel people. He scrambled into the crawl space and took her in his arms. Charlie had tried to keep her on the line during the drive over, but a few blocks away the battery in his phone had died, and he had tried, for those few terrifying moments, to imagine losing her - his future, his hope - after his hope had just been awakened again. He was so relieved he could barely breathe.
"Are they gone?" Audrey asked.
"Yes, I think so. I'm so glad you're all right. "
Charlie led them out of the crawl space and back into the house, the squirrel people staying close to the walls and moving quickly so as not to be seen from the street.
Charlie felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Irena Posokovanovich smiling at him. He jumped up a couple of steps and screamed. "Don't shock me again, I'm a good guy. "
"I know that, Mr. Asher. I was wondering if you'd like me to park your van for you before it gets towed away. "
"Oh yes, that would be nice. " He handed her the keys. "Thank you. "
In the house, Audrey said, "She just wants to help. "
"She's creepy," Charlie said, but then he caught what he thought was a look of disapproval rising in Audrey's eyes and he quickly added, "In a completely sweet way, I mean. "
They went directly to the kitchen and stood before the open pantry.
"They got them all," Audrey said. "That's why they didn't hurt us - they weren't interested in us. "
Charlie was so angry he was having trouble thinking, but without an outlet, he just shook and tried to keep his voice under control. "They just did the same thing at my store. Something did. "
"There must have been three hundred souls in here," Audrey said.
"They took Rachel's soul. "
Audrey put her arm around his back, but he couldn't respond other than to walk out of the kitchen. "That's it, Audrey. I'm done. "
"What do you mean, you're done, Charlie? You're scaring me. "
"Ask your squirrel people where I can get into the storm sewer system. Can they tell you that?"
"Probably. But you can't do that. "
He wheeled on her and she jumped back.
"I have to do that. Find out, Audrey. Everyone into my van. I want you at my building, where you'll be safe. "
They were all gathered in Charlie's living room: Sophie, Audrey, Jane, Cassandra, Lily, Minty Fresh, the undead clients from the Buddhist center, the hellhounds, and fifty or so of the squirrel people. Lily, Jane, and Cassandra were standing on the couch to get away from the squirrel people, who were milling on and around the breakfast bar.
"Nice outfits," Lily said. "But ewww. "
"Thank you," Audrey said. Sophie was standing next to Audrey, looking her up and down as if trying to guess her weight.
"I'm a Jewess," Sophie said. "Are you a Jewess?"
"No, I'm a Buddhist," Audrey said.
"Is that like a shiksa?"
"Yes, I think it is," said Audrey. "It's a type of shiksa. "
"Oh, I guess that's okay, then. My puppies are shiksas, too. That's what Mrs. Ling calls them. "