Urge to Kill (48 page)

Quinn nodded, concentrating on his driving and wondering if he should use the wipers. “We can take some to your mother.”

“Whatever,” Pearl said.

The sky seemed a darker gray, and the swirling snowfall thickened. There was no doubt now about using the wipers. Quinn switched them on, and they settled into their metronomic
thumpa…thumpa…thumpa,
spanning most of the wide windshield. The sound was conducive to thought.

As he did from time to time, Quinn wondered what Zoe Manders was doing these days.

Not that he cared a great deal.

After what had happened with Martin Hawk, Quinn realized that Zoe had been prepared to let him die, while Pearl had saved his life. After all the soul searching and mental machinations, it had come down to that simple truth. It meant something.

So Quinn had left Zoe and resolved to rekindle his relationship with Pearl.

Pearl knew exactly what was going on and why, and she didn’t allow much reason for hope.

But some.

The big car sped on through the snow-roiled cold air, toward an uncertain future. Quinn turned on the headlights so he could see the road ahead more clearly, but they didn’t do much good.