Ashley returned from her shower wrapped in a towel. She sat on the edge of the bed and contemplated the bottle of gin sitting on the night table. She picked it up and unscrewed the cap, but as she raised it to her lips she hesitated.
What the hell are you doing? she thought, disgusted with herself. What possible good will getting shit-faced do? You're not a drinker! Aaron needs you sober, you stupid cow!
S he stepped into the bathroom and poured the gin down the toilet.
There was a loud knock that sent a chill down her spine. She set the empty gin bottle on the sink, retrieved the. 22 from between the mattresses, and stepped cautiously over to peer through the peep-hole. A grotesque fish-eye image of Doolin Mars stared up at her; he appeared to be carrying a tray. She raised her pistol and took a deep breath; then, failing to notice that the security chain had been cut, she opened the door a crack.
Doolin had dressed for the occasion (if a lime-green sweatsuit could be considered dressed). He held up the tray and said proudly, "I made sandwiches."
Ashley was struck speechless. She was starving, but she would eat the socks off an NFL lineman after a big game before she'd touch anything from Doolin's tray. "I — uh… I–I'm not really hungry," she said.
"But you said — "
"I lost my appetite." She started to close the door, but Doolin jammed it with his foot.
"Some men came looking for you tonight, Arlene," he said, trying to get a look at her through the door.
Ashley froze. "What? When? What did you tell them?"
Doolin was surprised and hurt by the question. "Why, I didn't tell them nothin'," he said. "You should know your secret's safe with me, Miss Arlene." He withdrew his foot and looked up at her hopefully.
"Goodnight, Doolin," Ashley said. Then she closed the door and locked it.
As she leaned back against the door, she saw the cut security chain hanging limp next to her ear. "Oh my God," she cried. Then with the gun aimed at the peep-hole, she stepped back and sat down on the edge of the bed.
– From the driver's seat in the white van, Needles could see Doolin in his green outfit scuttling back to the motel office. He made a call and Souther answered from his office.
"We have our girl," Needles said.
"Did you make the plant?"
"That's affirmative."
They ended the call, and Needles drove slowly out of the motel parking lot.
– Ashley watched the door for several minutes. Then as she started to lie back on the bed she saw something on her pillow. She bolted upright, eyes wide, and stared at it for a moment, her hand to her throat. Someone had been in her room!
She tried to think rationally, fighting the urge to panic. She set the gun aside, and with trembling hands, picked up the small digital recorder and pressed PLAY.
Souther's recorded voice was tinny and distorted, but recognizable:
"Bravo for following my instructions, Ashley. You were smart not to call the police. Do us all a favor and stay where you are. I've taken care of things at your apartment, and I'll contact you when I'm ready."
Ashley shook the player, as if to coax more from it. "What about Aaron?" she cried. "I want to see my baby!" She shook the player again then heaved it at the wall where it shattered to pieces.