"Tuesday night, Sam. I want to know where you were. "
"I was at the warehouse, Mona, and that's God's own truth for you. "
"Alone?"
"Just me and the dogs. Not another human being around. "
"And what were you doing there?"
"Nothing that concerns you," he said.
"You concern me," she said.
"I love you and I trust you," he said. "Now, I am asking you to trust me when I tell you that there is something about me that I cannot possibly talk about with you, or with anyone else. But it doesn't affect how I feel toward you, or - "
"Get out," she said wearily.
"What?"
"Get out, go away, don't come back," she said. "Get out of my house, get out of my life. I don't have many good years left, Sam, and I am sure as hell not going to waste them on you. Get out. "
"It's Christmas Eve, Mona," he protested.
"There is no more room at this inn, Sam," she said. "And there ain't no manger waiting for you in back. Get out. And if you run into the Three Wise Men, ask them why they think they're so smart when they ain't got any women in their lives. "
He stood up, walked to the door, then looked back at the woman and the dog on the couch. The dog was looking at him. The woman wasn't.
"You take good care of her, Nicky," he said.
The dog nodded. He left.
It was just as well, he thought. Stupid of him to even try. But it had lasted longer than he could have hoped, and he was beginning to dream of having . . .
Having what? A normal life?
Sure. That could happen.
The watcher met his men in front of the warehouse. Edwards waddled forward, his hands now encased in a pair of thick leather gloves. Hidalgo punched in the security code on the keypad while Kenner stood with his gun at the ready. The light on the keypad turned from red to green. Edwards took a deep breath, turned the knob, and went through the door.
Carson was on him before he had gone two steps, ripping through the padding on his right leg like it was made of crepe paper. Kenner leaned through the door, sighted carefully, and pulled the trigger once. Carson whined for a second, then went limp.
Edwards looked down at his leg. Blood was seeping through it.
"Damn," he said admiringly. "That's one sumbitch of a dog. "
The watcher came in as the others fanned out around him, weapons at the ready. He nodded in satisfaction.
"Let's go," he said.
Arnie, the dachshund at the end, sensed them first, and let out a furious bark that set off those dogs that were awake and woke the ones that weren't. The combined bays, howls, yips, and snarls echoed off the metal roof of the warehouse at a deafening level.
Lehrmann was on his feet, his paws clapped over his ears.
"Everyone be quiet!" he roared.
The dogs ceased immediately, except for the dachshund.
"Arnie, will you please shut up?" said Lehrmann.