his wits。 〃I don't believe this is happening；〃 he said。
〃Dogs are nothing to him； believe me。〃 Marty remembered watching Mamoulian standing in the woods； staring down at the earth。 He had seen no gravedigger because there'd been none。 They'd exhumed themselves； squirming out of their plastic shrouds and pawing their way to the air。
〃It's easy with dogs；〃 Whitehead said。 〃Isn't it； Bella？ You're trained to obey。〃 She was sniffing at herself； content now that she'd seen Whitehead。 Her God was still in his Heaven； and all was well with the world。 The old man left the door ajar； and turned back to Marty。
〃There's nothing to be afraid of；〃 he said。 〃She's not going to do us any harm。〃 〃He brought them to the house？〃 〃Yes； to break up my party。 Pure spite。 It was his way of reminding me what he's capable of。〃 Marty stooped and righted another chair。 He was shaking so violently； he feared if he didn't sit down he'd fall down。
〃The lieutenant was worse；〃 the old man said； 〃because he didn't obey like Bella。 He knew what had been done to him was an abomination。 That made him angry。〃 Bella had woken with an appetite。 That was why she'd made her way up to the room she remembered most fondly； a place where a man who knew the best spot to scratch behind her ear would coo soft words to her and feed her morsels off his plate。 But tonight she'd e up to find things changed。 The man was odd with her； his voice jangling； and there was someone else in the room； one she vaguely knew the scent of； but couldn't place。 She was still hungry； such deep hunger； and there was an appetizing smell very close to her。 Of meat left in the earth； the way she liked it； still on the bone and half gone to putrescence。。 She sniffed； almost blind； looking for the source of the smell； and having found it； began to eat。
〃Not a pretty sight。〃 She was devouring her own body； taking gray； greasy bites from the decayed muscle of her haunch。 Whitehead watched as she pulled at herself。 His passivity in the face of this new horror broke Marty。
〃Don't let her！〃 he pushed the old man aside。
〃But she's hungry；〃 he responded； as though this horror were the most natural sight in the world。
Marty picked up the chair he'd been sitting on and slammed it against the wall。 It was heavy； but his muscles were brimming； and the violence was a wele release。 The chair broke。
The dog looked up from her meal； the meat she was swallowing fell from her cut throat。
〃Too much；〃 Marty said； picking up a leg of the chair and crossing the room to the door before Bella could register what he intended。 At the last moment she seemed to understand that he meant her harm； and tried to get to her feet。 One of her back legs； the haunch almost chewed through； would no longer support her； and she staggered； teeth bared； as Marty swung his makeshift weapon down on her。 The force of his blow shattered her skull。 The snarling stopped。 The body backed off； dragging the ruined head on a rope of a neck； the tail tucked between its back legs in fear。 Two or three trembling steps of retreat and it could go no further。
Marty waited； hoping to God he wouldn't have to strike a second time。 As he watched the body seemed to deflate。 The swell of its chest； the remnants of its head； the organs hanging in the vault of its torso all collapsed into an abstraction； one part indistinguishable from the next。 He closed the door on it； and dropped the blooded weapon at his side。
Whitehead had taken refuge across the room。 His face was as gray as Bella's body。
〃How did he do this？〃 Marty said。 〃How is it possible？〃 〃He has power；〃 Whitehead stated。 It was as simple as that； apparently。 〃He can steal life； and he can give it。〃 Marty dug in his pocket for the linen handkerchief he'd bought specially for this night of dining and conversation。 Shaking it out； its edges pristine； he wiped his face。 The handkerchief came away dirtied with specks of rot。 He felt as empty as the sac in the hall outside。
〃You asked me once if I believed in Hell；〃 he said。 〃Do you remember？〃 〃Yes。〃 〃Is that what you think Mamoulian is？ Something〃…he wanted to laugh…〃something from Hell？〃 〃I've considered the possibility。 Brut I'm not by nature a supernaturalist。 Heaven and Hell。 All that paraphernalia。 My system revolts at it。〃 〃If not devils； what？〃 〃Is it so important？〃 Marty wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers。 He felt contaminated by this obscenity。 It would take a long time to wash the horror out； if he ever could。 He'd made the error of digging too deep； and the story he'd heard…that and the dog at the door…were the consequence。
〃You look sick；〃 Whitehead said。
〃I never thought 。 。 。〃 〃What？ That the dead can get up and walk？ Oh； Marty； I took you for a Christian； despite your protestations。〃 〃I'm getting out；〃 Marty said。 〃Both of us。〃 〃Both？〃 〃Carys and me。 We'll go away。 From him。 From you。〃 〃Poor Marty。 You're more bovine than I thought you were。 You won't see her again。〃 〃Why not？〃 〃She's with him； damn you！ Didn't it occur to you？ She went with him！〃 So that had been the unthinkable solution to her abrupt vanishing trick。 〃Willingly； of course。〃 〃No。〃 〃Oh； yes； Marty。 He had a claim on her from the beginning。 He rocked her in his arms when she was barely born。 Who knows what kind of influence he has。 I won her back； of course； for a while。〃 He sighed。 〃I made her love me。〃 〃She wanted to be away from you。〃 〃Never。 She's my daughter； Strauss。 She's as manipulative as I am。 Anything between you and her was purely a marriage of her convenience。〃 〃You're a fucking bastard。〃 〃That's a given； Marty。 I'm a monster； I concede the point。〃 He threw up his hands； palms out； innocent of everything but guilt。
〃I thought you said she loved you。 Still she went。〃 〃I told you： she's my daughter。 She thinks the way I do。 She went with him to learn how to use her powers。 I did the same； remember？〃 This line of argument； even from vermin like Whitehead； made a kind of sense。 Beneath her strange conversation hadn't there always lurked a contempt for Marty and the old man alike； contempt earned by their inability to sum her up？ Given the opportunity； wouldn't Carys go dance with the Devil if she felt she'd understand more of herself by doing so？
〃Don't concern yourself with her；〃 Whitehead said。 〃Forget her； she's gone。〃 Marty tried to hold on to the image of her face； but it was deteriorating。 He was suddenly very tired； exhausted to his bones。
〃Get some rest； Marty。 Tomorrow we can bury the whore together。〃 〃I'm not getting involved in this。〃 〃I told you once； didn't I； if you stayed with me； there was nowhere I couldn't take you。 It's more true now than ever。 You know Toy's dead。〃 〃When？ How？〃 〃I didn't ask the details。 The point is； he's gone。 There's only you and I now。〃 〃You made a fool out of me。〃 Whitehead's face was a portrait of persuasion。 〃An error of taste；〃 he said。 〃Forgive me。〃 〃Too late。〃 〃I don't want you to leave me； Marty。 I won't let you leave me！ You hear？〃 His finger jabbed the air。 〃You came here to help me！ What have you done？ Nothing！ Nothing！〃 Blandishment had turned into accusations of betrayal in mere seconds。 One moment tears； the next curses； and behind it all； the same terror of being left alone。 Marty watched the old man's trembling hands fist and unfist。
〃Please 。 。 。〃 he appealed； 〃。 。 。 don't leave me。〃 〃I want you to finish the story。〃 〃Good boy。〃 〃Everything； you understand me。 Everything。〃 〃What more is there to tell？〃 Whitehead said。 〃I became rich。 I had entered one of the fastest…growing postwar markets： pharmaceuticals。 Within half a decade I was up there with the world leaders。〃 He smiled to himself。 〃What's more； there was very little illegality in the way I made my fortune。 Unlike many； I played by the rules。〃 〃And Mamoulian？ Did he help you？〃 〃He taught me not to agonize over the moral issues。〃 〃And what did he want in return？〃 Whitehead narrowed his eyes。 〃You're not so stupid； are you？〃 he said appreciatively。 〃You manage to get right to the hurt when it suits you。〃 〃It's an obvious question。 You'd made a deal with him。〃 〃No！〃 Whitehead interrupted； face set。 〃I made no deal； not in the way you mean it anyway。 There was； p