K-Pax (66 page)
The
n
somethin
g
happened
.
Whe
n
Kare
n
turne
d
o
n
th
e
sprinkle
r
s
o
tha
t
th
e
kid
s
coul
d
coo
l
off
,
prot,
wh
o
appeare
d
t
o
b
e
enjoyin
g
himself
,
suddenl
y
becam
e
extremel
y
agitated
.
H
e
didn'
t
tur
n
violent
,
thank
God
,
jus
t
stare
d
fo
r
a
momen
t
i
n
utte
r
horro
r
a
s
Jennife
r
an
d
th
e
tw
o
boy
s
splashe
d
int
o
an
d
ou
t
o
f
the
spray
.
Suddenl
y
h
e
starte
d
screamin
g
an
d
runnin
g
aroun
d
th
e
yard
.
I
wa
s
thinking
,
"Wha
t
th
e
hel
l
hav
e
I done?
"
whe
n
h
e
stopped
,
droppe
d
t
o
hi
s
knees
,
an
d
burie
d
hi
s
fac
e
i
n
hi
s
hands
.
Shast
a
wa
s
b
y
hi
s
side
i
n
a
second
.
Betty'
s
husban
d
an
d
ou
r
traine
e
looke
d
a
t
m
e
fo
r
instructions
,
bu
t
th
e
onl
y
on
e
I
ha
d
was,
"Tur
n
of
f
th
e
goddam
n
sprinkler!"
I
approache
d
hi
m
cautiously
,
bu
t
befor
e
I
coul
d
pu
t
a
han
d
o
n
hi
s
shoulde
r
h
e
raise
d
hi
s
head,
becam
e
a
s
cheerfu
l
a
s
ever
,
an
d
starte
d
t
o
froli
c
wit
h
Shast
a
again.
Ther
e
wer
e
n
o
furthe
r
incident
s
tha
t
afternoon.
Kare
n
an
d
I
ha
d
a
lo
t
t
o
tal
k
abou
t
tha
t
nigh
t
an
d
i
t
wa
s
nearl
y
daw
n
whe
n
w
e
finall
y
go
t
t
o
sleep.
Sh
e
wante
d
t
o
kno
w
wha
t
Fredd
y
woul
d
d
o
afte
r
h
e
lef
t
th
e
airline
,
an
d
sh
e
crie
d
a
littl
e
abou
t
Jenny-not
becaus
e
o
f
he
r
choice
,
bu
t
becaus
e
sh
e
kne
w
i
t
wa
s
goin
g
t
o
b
e
difficul
t
fo
r
her
.
He
r
las
t
word
s
before
driftin
g
off
,
however
,
were
:
"
I
hat
e
opera."
GISELL
E
wa
s
waitin
g
fo
r
m
e
th
e
nex
t
morning
,
jumpin
g
u
p
an
d
down
,
nearl
y
besid
e
herself
.
"He's
fro
m
th
e
Northwest!
"
sh
e
exclaimed
.
"Probabl
y
wester
n
Montana
,
norther
n
Idaho
,
o
r
eastern
Washington!"
"Tha
t
wha
t
you
r
ma
n
said?"
"She'
s
no
t
a
man
,
bu
t
that'
s
wha
t
sh
e
said!"
"Wouldn'
t
th
e
polic
e
kno
w
i
f
someone
,
especiall
y
a
scientist
,
ha
d
disappeare
d
fro
m
tha
t
par
t
o
f
the
countr
y
fiv
e
year
s
ago?"
"The
y
should
.
I
kno
w
someon
e
dow
n
a
t
th
e
Sixt
h
Precinct
.
Wan
t
m
e
t
o
chec
k
fo
r
you?"
Fo
r
th
e
firs
t
tim
e
i
n
severa
l
day
s
I
ha
d
t
o
laugh
.
I
t
appeare
d
sh
e
kne
w
someon
e
i
n
an
y
lin
e
o
f
work
on
e
coul
d
name
.
I
thre
w
u
p
m
y
arms
.
"Sure
,
wh
y
not
,
g
o
ahead.
"
Sh
e
wa
s
ou
t
th
e
doo
r
lik
e
a
shot.
Tha
t
sam
e
morning
,
Betty
,
wearin
g
a
n
enormou
s
pai
r
o
f
coppe
r
earring
s
i
n
anothe
r
desperat
e
attempt
t
o
ge
t
pregnant
,
I
presumed
,
brough
t
i
n
a
stra
y
kitten
.
Sh
e
ha
d
foun
d
i
t
i
n
th
e
subwa
y
station
,
an
d
I
assume
d
sh
e
wa
s
goin
g
t
o
tak
e
i
t
hom
e
wit
h
he
r
tha
t
evening
.
Bu
t
instea
d
sh
e
suggeste
d
tha
t
w
e
le
t
the
patient
s
tak
e
car
e
o
f
it.
