She said； 〃Bob？ Who's this？〃
Salsbury said； 〃I am the key。〃
Two voices responded。
At 8：55； making the weekly trip into town to lay in a fresh supply of perishables； Paul Annendale braked at the end of the gravel road； looked both ways； then turned left Onto Main Street。
From the back seat Mark said； 〃Don't take me all the way to Sam's place。 Let me out at the square。〃
Looking in the rearview mirror； Paul said； 〃Where are you going？〃
Mark patted the large canary cage that stood on the seat beside him。 The squirrel danced about and chattered。 〃I want to take Buster to see Jeremy。〃
Swiveling around in her seat and looking back at her brother； Rya said； 〃Why don't you admit that you don't go over to their house to see Jeremy？ We all know you've got a crush on Emma。〃
〃Not so！〃 Mark said in such a way that he proved absolutely that what she said was true。
〃Oh； Mark；〃 she said exasperatingly。
〃Well； it's a lie；〃 Mark insisted。 〃I don't have a crush on Emma。 I'm not some sappy kid。〃
Rya turned around again。
〃No fights；〃 Paul said。 〃We'll leave Mark off at the square with Buster； and there will be no fights。〃
* * *
Salsbury said； 〃Do you understand that； Bob？〃
〃I understand。〃
〃You will not speak unless spoken to。 And you will not move from that chair unless I tell you to move。〃
〃I won't move。〃
〃But you'll watch。〃
〃I'll watch。〃
〃Jeremy？〃
〃I'll watch too。〃
〃Watch what？〃 Salsbury asked。
〃Watch you…screw her。〃
Dumb cop。 Dumb kid。
He stood by the sink； leaned against the counter。 〃e here； Emma。〃
She got up。 Came to him。
〃Take off your robe。〃
She took it off。 She was wearing a yellow bra and yellow panties with three embroidered red flowers at the left hip。
〃Take off your bra。〃
Her breasts fell free。 Heavy。 Beautiful。
〃Jeremy； did you know your mother looked so nice？〃
The boy swallowed hard。 〃No。〃
Thorp's hands were on the table。 They had curled into fists。
〃Relax； Bob。 You're going to enjoy this。 You're going to love it。 You can't wait far me to have her。〃
Thorp's hands opened。 He leaned back in his chair。 Touching her breasts； staring into her shimmering green eyes； Salsbury had a delightful idea。 Marvelous。 Exciting。 He said； 〃Emma； I think this would be more enjoyable if you resisted me a bit。 Not seriously； you understand。 Not physically。 Just keep asking me not to hurt you。 And cry。〃
She stared at him。
〃Could you cry for me； Emma？〃
〃I'm so scared。〃
〃Good！ Excellent！ I didn't tell you to relax； did I？ You should be scared。 Damned scared。 And obedient。 Are you frightened enough to cry； Emma？〃
She shivered。 〃You're very firm。〃 She said nothing。 〃Cry for me。〃 〃Bob。。
〃He can't help you。〃 He squeezed her breasts。 〃My son 。 。
〃He's watching。 It's all right if he watches。 Didn't he suck these when he was a baby？〃
Tears formed at the corners of her eyes。
〃Fine；〃 he said。 〃Oh； that's sweet。〃
Mark could only carry the squirrel and the cage for fifteen or twenty steps at a time。 Then he had to put it down and shake his arms to get the pain out of them。
〃Cup your breasts with your hands。〃 She did as she was told。
She wept。
〃Pull on the nipples。〃
〃Don't make me do this。〃
〃e on； little animal。〃
At first； upset by all the jerking and shaking and swinging of his cage； Buster ran in tight little circles and squealed like an injured rabbit。
〃You sound like a rabbit；〃 Mark told him during one of the rest stops。
Buster squealed； unconcerned with his image。
〃You should be ashamed of yourself。 You're not a dumb bunny。 You're a squirrel。〃
In front of Edison's store； as he was closing the car door； Paul Saw something gleam on the back seat。 〃What's that？〃
Rya was still in the car； undoing her safety belt。 〃What's what？〃
〃On the back seat。 It's the key to Buster's cage。〃
Rya squirmed into the back seat。 〃I'd better take it to him。〃
〃He won't need it；〃 Paul said。 〃Just don't lose it。〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I'd better take it to him。 He'll want to let Buster out so he can show off for Emma。〃
〃Who are you…Cupid？〃
She grinned at him。
〃Unzip my trousers。〃
〃I don't want to。〃
〃Do it！〃
She did。
〃Enjoying yourself； Bob？〃
〃Yes。〃
He laughed。 〃Dumb cop。〃
By the time he reached the edge of the Thorp property； Mark had found a better way to grip the cage。 The new method didn't strain his arms so much； and he didn't have to stop every few yards to rest。
Buster had bee so upset by the erratic movement of his pen that he had stopped squealing。 He was gripping the bars with all four feet； hanging on the side of the cage； very stiU and quiet； frozen as if he were in the woods and had just seen a predator creeping through the brush。
〃They'll be eating breakfast；〃 Mark said。 〃We'll go around to the back door。〃
〃Squeeze it。〃 She did。
〃Hot？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Little animal。〃
〃Don't hurt me。〃 〃Is it hard？〃
〃Yes。〃 Crying。
〃Bend over。〃
Sobbing； shaking； begging him not to hurt her； she did as she had been told。 Her face glistened with tears。 She was almost hysterical。 So beautiful。。。
Mark was passing the kitchen window when he heard the woman crying。 He stopped and listened closely to the broken words； the pitiful pleas that were punctuated by long sobs。 He knew at once that it was Emma。
The window was only two feet away； and it seemed to beckon him。 He couldn't resist。 He went to it。
The curtains were drawn shut； but there was a narrow gap between them。 He pressed his face to the windowpane。
10
Sixteen Days Earlier：
Wednesday； August 10； 1977
AT TRREE O'CLOCK in the morning； Salsbury joined Dawson in the first…floor study of the Greenwich house。
〃Have they begun already？〃
〃Ten minutes ago；〃 Dawson said。
〃What's ing in？〃
〃Exactly what we'd hoped for。〃
Four men sat on straight…backed chairs around a massive walnut desk； one at each side of it。 They were all household servants： the butler； the chauffeur； the cook； and the gardener。 Three months ago the entire staff of the house had been given the drug and treated to the subliminal program； and there was no longer any need to hide the project from them。 On occasion； as now； they made very useful tools。 There were four telephones on the desk； each connected to an infinity transmitter。 The men were referring to lists of Black River telephone numbers； dialing； listening for a few seconds or a minute； hanging up and dialing again。
The infinity transmitters…purchased in Brussels for 2；500 each…allowed them to eavesdrop on most of the bedrooms of Black River in perfect anonymity。 With an IF hooked to a telephone； they could dial any number they wished； long distance or local； without going through an operator and without leaving a record of the call in the telephone pany's puter。 An
electric tone oscillator deactivated the bell on the phone being called…and simultaneously opened that receiver's microphone。 The people at the other end of the line heard no ringing and were not aware that they were being monitored。 These four servants were able； therefore； to hear anything said in the room where the distant telephone was placed。
Salsbury went around the desk； leaned down and listened at each earpiece。
〃。 。 。 nightmare。 So vivid。 I can't remember what it was； but it scared the hell out of me。 Look how I'm shaking。〃
so cold。 You too？ V/hat the devil？〃 〃。。。feel like I'm going to throw up。〃
〃。。。 all right？ Maybe we should call Doc Troutman。〃
And around again：
〃。。。something we ate？〃
〃。。。flu。 But at this time of year？〃
〃。。。first thing in the morning。 God； if I don't stop shaking； I'll rattle myself to pieces！〃
〃。。。running with sweat but cold。〃
Dawson tapped Salsbury on the shoulder。 〃Are you going to stay here and watch over them？〃
〃I might as well。〃
〃Then I'll go to the chapel for a while。〃
He was wearing pajamas； a dark blue silk robe； and soft leather slippers。 At this hour； with rain falling outside； it didn't seem likely that even a religious fanatic of Dawson's bent would get dressed and go out to church。
Salsbury said； 〃You've got a chapel in the house？〃
〃I have a chapel in each of my residences；〃 Dawson said proudly。 〃I wouldn't b