K-Pax (86 page)
Bu
t
i
t
wasn'
t
Gisell
e
h
e
ha
d
kidnapped
.
I
t
wa
s
L
a
Belle.
I
neve
r
di
d
fin
d
ou
t
whethe
r
Mrs
.
Trexler'
s
tongu
e
ha
d
slippe
d
o
r
whethe
r
I
mishear
d
he
r
-
I
had
bee
n
worrie
d
abou
t
Giselle'
s
safet
y
al
l
along
.
I
n
an
y
cas
e
th
e
kitte
n
ha
d
gotte
n
int
o
th
e
psychopathic
ward
,
an
d
whe
n
th
e
orderlie
s
opene
d
Ed'
s
doo
r
t
o
tak
e
awa
y
hi
s
dirt
y
laundry
,
sh
e
slippe
d
inside
.
It wasn'
t
lon
g
befor
e
h
e
wa
s
bangin
g
o
n
th
e
bar
s
o
f
hi
s
windo
w
an
d
threatenin
g
t
o
wrin
g
L
a
Belle'
s
little
nec
k
unles
s
h
e
coul
d
tal
k
t
o
"th
e
gu
y
fro
m
oute
r
space."
Viller
s
wa
s
ther
e
t
o
remin
d
m
e
tha
t
h
e
ha
d
oppose
d
th
e
ide
a
o
f
havin
g
animal
s
i
n
th
e
wards
,
and
perhap
s
h
e
wa
s
righ
t
-
thi
s
woul
d
neve
r
hav
e
happene
d
withou
t
th
e
kitte
n
and
,
furthermore
,
i
f
anything
happene
d
t
o
it
,
th
e
effec
t
o
n
Bes
s
an
d
th
e
other
s
coul
d
b
e
quit
e
demoralizing
.
I
though
t
E
d
wa
s
bluffing;
h
e
wa
s
no
t
i
n
on
e
o
f
hi
s
violen
t
phases
.
Bu
t
I
coul
d
se
e
n
o
compellin
g
reaso
n
no
t
t
o
le
t
hi
m
tal
k
briefly
wit
h
prot
,
an
d
I
aske
d
Bett
y
t
o
sen
d
fo
r
him
.
prot
,
however
,
wa
s
alread
y
there
.
Apparentl
y
h
e
had
followe
d
m
e
dow
n
th
e
stairs.
Ther
e
wa
s
n
o
nee
d
t
o
explai
n
th
e
situation
,
onl
y
t
o
tel
l
hi
m
t
o
assur
e
E
d
ther
e
woul
d
b
e
n
o
reprisa
l
if
h
e
le
t
th
e
kitte
n
go
.
prot
,
requestin
g
tha
t
n
o
on
e
accompan
y
him
,
heade
d
fo
r
Ed'
s
room
.
I
assume
d
they
woul
d
tal
k
throug
h
th
e
barre
d
window
,
bu
t
suddenl
y
th
e
doo
r
opene
d
an
d
pro
t
darte
d
inside
,
slammin
g
it
behin
d
him.
Afte
r
a
fe
w
minute
s
I
cautiousl
y
approache
d
th
e
windo
w
an
d
peere
d
int
o
th
e
room
.
The
y
were
standin
g
ove
r
b
y
th
e
fa
r
wall
,
talkin
g
quietly
.
I
couldn'
t
hea
r
wha
t
the
y
wer
e
saying
.
E
d
wa
s
holdin
g
La
Belle
,
strokin
g
he
r
gently
.
Whe
n
h
e
glance
d
towar
d
m
e
I
backe
d
off.
pro
t
finall
y
cam
e
out
,
bu
t
withou
t
th
e
kitten
.
Afte
r
makin
g
sur
e
th
e
securit
y
guar
d
ha
d
locke
d
Ed's
door
,
I
turne
d
t
o
him
,
puzzled
.
Anticipatin
g
m
y
question
,
h
e
said
,
"H
e
won'
t
har
m
her."
"Ho
w
d
o
yo
u
kno
w
that?"
"H
e
tol
d
me."
"Uh-huh
.
Wha
t
els
e
di
d
h
e
tel
l
you?"
"H
e
want
s
t
o
g
o
t
o
K-PAX."
"Wha
t
di
d
yo
u
tel
l
him?"
"
I
sai
d
I
couldn'
t
tak
e
hi
m
wit
h
me."
"Wha
t
di
d
h
e
sa
y
t
o
that?"
"H
e
wa
s
disappointe
d
unti
l
I
tol
d
hi
m
I
woul
d
com
e
bac
k
fo
r
hi
m
later."
"An
d
tha
t
satisfie
d
him?"