The vice unit rolled up on most of the gang before the word got out. They were processing the scene using the lab people, who had managed to avoid bei...ng tainted by Roger's investigation, so the evidence was solid.Mark had lied about the timing in order to keep the drug house raid a secret, even from Roger. Roger didn't mind."The word is out that you were Vice's secret weapon on that abandoned house," Hillary suggested."How did that happen," Roger asked."Mark put it in his request for a. " It's not your business," said the one sitting across from me who, I quickly decided, was the son of the fat one. He sneered at me. "You infernal mechanics don't know your place."I stood out in the aisle and gestured."Go to hell," cried the slim young man.I grabbed him by the back of his coat collar and yanked him to his feet. The older man cried, "Wait. We are leaving, Isaac. It is what she wants."I nodded to him and he took his son's elbow and led him toward the front door. "You shall pay. Hiselbow connected with the side of her face. It sent her flying towardsthe ground. Coming back to his senses he noticed that with every pulsean ocean of blood came flying out, it spurted out leaving a trail ofhis hope covering the now congealed dirt, and it also covered hisclothes and body in the essence of life.??He put his hand to the injuryin hope it might slow down the blood loss; and ran. He looked backagain to check the predator was still dormant, but instead saw nothingbut the trees. " And she resolved that as soon as she could get the energy to get up and get dressed she would take the thing back to Sharon.John pulled in the driveway and walked up the walk. "Beth?" he called as he walked into the house. "Beth? Are you here?" It was only 1:30 in the afternoon but the house had such an empty feeling that he was actually frightened as he ran up the stairs. He looked in the bedroom and the bed was unmade. Beth was always so fastidious, he couldn't imagine her leaving the house.