Free Alarums by Richard Laymon Page A

ahead through the intersection as if traffic signals were meant only for cars. Bodie thought of the Porsche that almost nailed Pen.
        A dangerous city.
        If things had turned out a little differently, Dr Gray might've spent the morning inside her head.
         I need sleep, Bodie thought as he crossed the road. 'Maybe we should check into a motel,' he said.
        'Why don't you two stay at my place?' Pen suggested. Her voice was a weary monotone. 'You can use my bed. I'll use the couch.'
        Bodie felt a little flip of excitement. 'Fine with me.'
        'I don't know,' Melanie said. She, too, sounded tired. 'Maybe a motel.'
        'There's no hurry,' Pen told her. 'You can decide later. Right now, I think we should go over and see Joyce.'
        'What for?'
        'She's Dad's wife.'
        'Some wife. She wasn't even there. How come she wasn't there? Isn't a wife supposed to stay with her husband when he's half dead in the hospital?'
        'He's not half dead.'
        'Really? Three-quarters? Seven-eighths?'
        'Cut it out, Mel.'
        'Mom would've stayed with him.'
        'They only let us stay for about five minutes.'
        'There's a waiting room.'
        'Look, for all we know Joyce could've spent the whole night there.'
        'I'll just bet she did.'
        'Maybe you'd better not see her, if you're going to act this way.'
        'I've got a great idea. Why don't you go and see her without us. Give her my regards.'
        'Okay.'
        They reached Bodie's van and climbed in. He started the engine. 'Where to?' he asked.
        'My apartment, I guess,' Pen said. 'I'll take my car over to Dad's place, and you guys can catch up on your sleep.'
        'Never mind,' Melanie said from behind them. 'I want to see her, after all.'
        'Are you sure?'
        'Yeah, I'm sure. I've got a few questions I'd like to ask.'
        Pen turned in her seat to look at her. The movement twisted her blouse slightly, opening a gap between two of its buttons. Bodie saw smooth, shadowed skin on the side of her breast. 'Such as?' Pen asked.
        'Such as where was she when Dad got hit.'
        'She was with him,' Bodie said. 'She was there when he was brought into the emergency room.'
        'How come she wasn't hurt?'
        'We'll find out,' Pen said. Her blouse was drawn tight against her breast. The glossy fabric was molded to it, filled, rounded, puckered just a bit in the shape of a disk at the very front. Bodie looked again at the skin inside the small opening. Then he put on his safety harness. 'But let's not make it an inquisition,' Pen added. 'Joyce is Dad's wife, regardless of what you might think of her. Dad loves her, so we have to treat her with respect. Okay?'
        'I guess so.'
        Pen turned to the front.
        'Which way do I go?' Bodie asked, looking at her face and being careful not to lower his eyes. Her face wasn't bad to look at, either.
        'Make a left at the light.'
        He nodded, checked the side mirror for traffic, and pulled out.
        He realized that he was now feeling pretty good - a vast change from a few minutes ago.
        Looking at Pen hadn't hurt any.
         If we stay with her, I'll get plenty of opportunities.
        He wished he hadn't mentioned a motel. It was pretty clear that Melanie would rather stay at a motel than at Pen's apartment.
         It'll work out, he thought.
         I'll plead penury.
        Except for Pen giving occasional instructions on where to turn, the sisters were silent during the drive. Bodie imagined they must both be dwelling on the situation, wondering how their father got hit and whether he would recover. Maybe remembering times they'd spent with him.
        Melanie had more than the tragedy to cope with. She also had her burden of guilt.
        She'd been holding a lot of grudges, blaming him for the death of her mother, apparently dumping on