"OK, so, a murderer drowns his victim with a mouthful of snow." "You get it?" "It melts." "No evidence." " Uh..." " Hello?" "Well, it's different." "You know, could expand your Eskimo readership." "What do you think?" "Yes, I love that outfit." " I'd kill for that." " Thank you." "Alright." "So, here's the other one." "The girls find a dead Siamese twin holding a fired gun, alright?" "They have to try to figure out which twin killed the other." "Like that?" "Oh." "Here's a thought..." "Maybe it wasn't murder." " Maybe it was suicide." " Yeah, personally," "I'd go with the Siamese twins." "They're enemies, sharing the same organs." "It's twisted." "Yeah, "the Willow Grove Knitting Society goes to Siam."" "Girls use the needles as chopsticks... total classic." "Can't go to Siam." "It was renamed Thailand, in 1948." "Did you know that?" "And Doreen hates to fly." "I'm really glad you liked it, though." "I'm gonna leave myself a message later with more details, but..." "OK." "What am I forgetting?" "Did you put paint on your arm?" "Ah." "OK, what am I forgetting?" " Earrings." " Yes, earrings." "You know what?" "They should make your novels into movies, and get like some big actress with lots of oscars to play the enigmatic painter friend... who could very easily be added to the plot." "I will tell Hollywood about your feelings." "Look." " Thinking?" " Ah, yes." "Definitely." "I am so late." "I think it's great you get a chance to meet your fans." "Ouch!" "You OK?" "I'm fine." "By the way, Fritz..." "Totally pissed I'm going." "He'll get over it." "Far more importantly, can I borrow some DVDs?" "You must have like every movie ever made." "I have movies that haven't even been thought of yet." "Uh, Chapstick, Chapstick, Chapstick." "No Chapstick." "Alright." "Why do I get myself into these things?" "Can you just tell me?" "Uh, hard, cold cash." "Take it." "Do something fun." "I put all of my speakers fees in the bank." "That's fun, right?" "Hey, you." "I'm gonna miss you." "You be nice to Patsy while I'm gone." "I gotta get on the road." "Bye, Fritz." "Give me a call when you get back tonight." "We'll have a glass of wine." "OK." "I just set the alarm." "You know the code." "Thanks." "You're welcome." " Chapstick." " Thank you." "You're welcome." " OK." " Alright." " See you later." " OK." "Knock 'em dead." "Right, hopefully." " Bye." " Bye." "See you soon, girls." "Take the onramp towards the I-84 north." "You always know the best way, Tom." "Now make a right turn." "You have reached your destination." "Thanks, Tom." "I should let you out of there sometime." "It must get cramped." "Hello." "You take the 84?" " I did." " Ah." "Ramona Norvell, President of the Three Bees." "Finally, we meet, after all the phone yak." "Yes, Ramona." "Tess." "It's so nice to put a face to the voice." "Oh, ditto." "Ooh!" "Nice GPS." "Oh, actually it's... imagine the way it just sucks the information down from some whirling metal ball of technology" " high above." " Right?" "What are they gonna think of next?" "Uh, excuse me." "I'm a bit of a mess." "Well, as I mentioned in my e-mail, we are all rabid fans of the knitting society gals." "I'll be writing your check, from our Books  Brown Baggers account, just soon as you're done today." "I even have my own pen." "'Course you do." "You're the president." "Yes." "How was the drive?" "Ugh." "Endless." "84 is the worst highway in America." " Truly." " Walk here faster." "I can save you an hour, easy, heading back a different way." " Oh." " Scenic drive, singing squirrels... whole bit." "I love me a shortcut." "Thank you." "As your most finely-realized character," "Doreen Marquis, says in "The Willow Grove Knitting Society goes to Dallas,"" ""the two best things in life" " "are warm croissants - "warm croissants" " and a quick way home." - and a quick way home."" "The Three Bee high rollers paid extra to meet you before your speech." "Gonna love 'em." "And where do you get your marvellous ideas from, Tess?" "Uh, believe it or not, they find me." "They always seem to know where I am." ""My life," written by Tess Thorne," " would be a best seller." " Is that right?" ""Erotic potboiler." "51st shade of grey."" "How can I get an agent?" "Well, people ask me that all the time, and I say, "Just keep writing letters until one of the hungrier ones reads your stuff."" "I have a fully detailed outline," " if you'd like to see it." " Tess." "Could I get a photo with you?" "Say, "homicide."" "Homicide." "Let's talk about murder and mayhem." "As they are the flip side of the American dream." "I'm often asked if I draw my characters from real life." "The truth is, my strange and diabolical aunts, who live for awful gossip, are the inspiration for the Willow Grove Knitting Society." "As to my other characters..." "I'm a little embarrassed to say this." "Um, ever since I was a little kid," "I had these voices in my head... all kinds... uh, men, women, old, young, this mysterious corral of people I've never met." "So, I was either gonna end up in a padded cell or published, one or the other." "I think the most important thing about writing is that an author knows about human nature." "The contradictions we all have, the lies we pretend are truths, the fears that we pretend are strengths, the greed and revenge that we have that we don't admit to ourselves." "In my books..." "like in my life, I guess... logic is king." "Or, I guess, in my case, the queen." "You were wonderful, Tess." " Worth every penny." " Thank you." "They were all so great, and I sold some books." "Oh, I saw!" ""Kiss of Death"..." "That is such a classic, huh?" "Richard Widmark was in that." "He's my favorite actor." "I fell in love with him... when I was a girl after seeing "Kiss of Death."" "He was so powerful, so intense." "I got him to sign this for me... in person." "He was very old then, but that's a real signature, not a stamp." "Wow." "He was very handsome." "I'll make sure you get all the photos that were taken today." " Now let's get that route for you." " Thanks." "Better a straight shot, through Robin Hood's forest, than all the way around it." "We'll input Stag Road... and US 47." "Oh, by the way, Stag Road is very scenic." "Parched asphalt and all that, but not too bumpy, the last time I took it, and that was in the Spring, when the worst bumps show up." "And I hate bumps." "Then, when you get to 47, you will spot a sign that points to I-84." "And you're only gonna have to spend 12 miles on the turnpike." "And that's the beauty part." "You'll save lots of time and aggravation, you'll put hours on your life, and you'll thank me and the Three Bees, later." "Stag Road is approaching." "In one mile, turn right." "You got it, Tom." "Where the hell am I?" "It's four miles from the intersection of Stag Road and US 47, in Colewich." "Geez." "What..." "Recalculating." "Make a legal U-turn." "Thanks, Tom." "I don't like it out here." "Oh!" "Oh." "Ohh, God." "Hey!" "Hey!" "Ugh." ""Zombie Bakers."" "That's a stupid name, anyway!" "Figures." "Hey!" "Hey!" "Amazing." "Hello." "Hey, there." "Thank you so much for stopping." "I appreciate it." "You picked that happy crappy up off the road?" "Yeah, all but the piece that got my front-right tire." "Some luck." " I tried to call AAA, but..." " I know." "No cellphone service out here." "Welcome to nowhere." "Tell you what... if you got a spare tire," "I'll change it for you." "Thank you so much!" "I really appreciate it." "You are a godsend." " Wow." " Yep." "I know." "Didn't think you'd be meeting the Jolly Green Giant out here in willywags, did you?" "No, I was actually thinking that you don't ride in that truck of yours... you wear it." "I've never heard it put that way before." "But when I win the lottery," "I'm gonna buy myself a big old V-8 350." "Or you can buy two and weld them together." "I like the way you think." "Anyway, thank you for doing this." "I'm happy to give you some money," " whatever you need." " Oh, what?" "Are you kidding me?" "Charging a damsel in distress?" "That's un-American." "That's very gentlemanly." "Yeah." "Well, you saved me a mess of trouble myself when you picked that crap up off the road." " Yeah." " Us good Samaritans gotta stick together." "Yeah, you want to hear about a good Samaritan?" "Some truck with a skeleton on the side just drove past here and kept going." "So someone just drove by and didn't even offer to help you out?" "No, I don't..." "I don't think he saw me." "Just went on his way." "Some people." "Yep." "Pretty much." "Spare tire under the cargo compartment, I assume?" " Yes, you just do the pick up the thingy." " Yep, yep." "Pull the lever." "Been there, done that." "Let's see." "You some kind of book writer?" " I am... mystery novels." " Oh." "I love a good mystery." " Should get one of those made into a movie." " I hope." "I have no idea what to do with that." "Well, lucky for you..." "I know exactly what to do." "How's the tire?" "Round." "With lots of little... tiny words on the side of it." "Is it almost done?" "Well... tell you what..." "How about instead of changing your tire..." "What if I screw you?" " Please, please, please" " You bitch." " don't kill me." " You whiny, whore bitch." " Please don't kill me." " Gosh sakes." "No!" "No, please!" "Please!" " Shh!" " Ohh!" "Aah!" "You bit me." "You bitch!" "Get your motor runnin'" "Head out on the highway." "Lookin' for adventure and whatever comes our way." "Please." "No more." "No more." "Lots more." "No more." "Come on." "Daddy's coming now." "It's alright." "It's alright." "Aah!" "Please." "Hey." "OK." "Alright." "Oh, the..." "OK." "There was a... there was..." "There was a truck." "There was a... was, uh, someone..." "It was a truck." "Oh, my... oh, my God." "Oh, my God." "My earring... and he took my earrings." "He took..." "Are you gonna write about this?" "Make money from it?" "You must like it that everybody knows about everything." "Slut." "Did you encourage him?" "You are such a publicity whore." "Did you give him your autograph?" "Or selfie photos for your books?" "You said he took your panties." "What about those dead women in the drainage pipe?" "Aren't you going to call the police?" "Ohh!" "Hi." "It's Tess." "Leave a message." "There was a man." "I don't know." "Big truck." "And he hit me, and he raped me." "A pickup truck." "Did I say that already?" "I, uh..." "I don't know." "I don't remember exactly." "Um... he was tall and huge." "Um... my watch is broken." "Um, and I don't know what time it is, so I had to walk here, and I'm really hurt." "And he was playing air guitar and singing while..." "Um, and then he dragged me into a-a pipe." "and it was... it was cold." "The water was cold." "And... there were these dead women." "Thank you." "Sir." "Thank you." "He used this board, on the road, with nails in it." "I got a flat tire and, um..." "I saw myself being raped." "I could see myself." "And then, uh..." "Two dead women in the... in the drain." "No, I think were three girls, three girls." "Three women." "911." "What's your emergen...?" "Royal Limousine." "This is Andrea." "Um, yes." "Hello." " This is Tess Thorne." " Good evening, Ms. Thorne." " How are you?" " I need a ride, please." "Are you sure you don't want me to take you to the hospital?" "Just let me know if you need anything." "What?" "What?" "I can stop... pick up whatever you need." "OK." " There's bottled water in the armrest." " No, please." "This, too, will pass, dear." "I'm here for you." "I'm always... here." "I need you to wait... wait until I get in." "Of course, Ms. Thorne." "I don't sell guns." "I sell peace of mind." "You have two new messages." "Hey, it's me." "Didn't see any lights on tonight, so I guess you decided to stay over." "You fall in monkey lust with some fan, run off to Belize?" "Oh, by the way, I took every one of your DVDs." "I felt a binge coming on." "I'm sorry." "I'm just..." "I'm bored." "And nothing interesting ever happens to me... unlike someone I know." "Next message." "There was a man." "I don't know." "Big truck." "And he hit me, and he raped me." "A pickup truck." "Did I say that already?" "I, uh..." "I don't know." "I don't remember exactly." "Um, he was tall and huge." "Um, and I-I want to leave this so I don't forget anything, 'cause I can't really think." "The message I left for myself didn't make much sense." "But I am starting to remember, and I will write it all down... what I can remember, anyway." "Light concussion maybe." "Probably not a skull fracture." "Next, please." "You know the one who writes those stories about the old lady detectives?" "Her boyfriend must beat her." "Or worse." "Maybe it was her fault." "She looks like a handful." "Once people know about it, I'll be... dead in the water." "Fritz, get away from that." "When I'm done, what I do know is no doctors... and no one, will know." "I'll get an AIDS test, get checked for STDs, but that's it." "No one is going to know about this." "Once it's out, some will say I asked for it." "I have nothing to be ashamed of." "But I know how it works." "What about those dead women in the pipe?" "I don't know." "I'll think about them." "I'll let the cops know, but not tonight." "All I know is, if I see him, I'll kill him." "And you know what I'd say first?" ""Come and get lt."" "He has my purse." "He knows where I live." "I should call the cops." "Make an anonymous call, give them the location... describe him." "A man that big, with that truck... they're gonna find him." "But you're right, Fritz." "What's in it for me?" "Oh, my God." "Look at you." "Oh, believe me, it's not as bad as it looks." " Oh, my." " I'm totally fine." "I... no, no, no." "I tripped down these stairs, after my speech, and just about killed myself, but I'm..." "I'm good." "You're always tripping." "Well, I'm a writer..." "I get preoccupied, I guess." "Did you see a doctor?" "No, I didn't see a doctor." "I'm-I'm telling you, I'm so fine." "Well... what if you have a concussion, or something?" "I don't have a concussion." "I would know if I had a concussion." "Do you want coffee?" " Uh, uh, OK." " OK." "There you go." "You sure your nose isn't broken?" "Does my nose look like it's broken?" "Uh..." "You want coffee with that sugar?" "Oh." "I like sugar." "Makes my heart race." "I enjoy the drama." "You don't look good." "Well, if I had an ex and he came for a surprise visit," "I'd probably look exactly like this." "Nobody would ever dare lay a hand on you." "You're feisty, girl." "I'm pretty tough, I guess." "You sound hoarse." "Oh, yeah, that." "I guess, with all this happening, now I'm getting a cold." "Hello." "I'm trying to reach Tess Thorne." "This is she." "This is Betsy Neill, manager of the Stagger Inn." " The what?" " The Stagger Inn, in Colewich." "Oh, I'm so sorry." "I have to take this." "It's my publisher." "We haven't spoken, and..." " and I'm so tired." " Oh, that's OK." " I need to rest." " OK." " OK." " Take care." " I will." "I'll call you later." " OK." "Yes." "Hello?" "Do you own a Prius, license plate, it's Connecticut, 7-7-5-N-S-D?" "I do, yes." "Well, it's in our lot." "It's available for pickup until 5:00 tonight." "After that, it's gonna be towed, at your expense." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Are you the Prius or the Honda?" "Uh, the Prius." "You match." "Hey, you're, uh, the Willow Grove lady... the knitting' chicks." "Guilty as charged." "My gram loves those books." "Lot of grams love those books." "When the affection finally filters down to the next generation, with no blue hair," "I'm gonna buy myself a chateau, in France." "Hey, I hope that didn't happen here." "A lot of people leave their cars here and accept rides they shouldn't." "I don't mean to offend, but, you really don't belong in a place like this, to begin with." "You know, it gets in the papers." "My gram would be disappointed." "I understand." "Thank you for the call, OK?" "A bad boyfriend is worse than a serpent's tooth." "What?" "Where ls that from?" "The Bible?" "Dr. Phil?" "Anyway, we broke up." "Yeah, that's what a lot of women say, and then they go back." "A guy who does it once... you can't count the times." "This is very cool." "How many people play here." ""Kenny Blue, Scatter, Helena Dove."" "That's a great name." "Eh, moved to LA and never looked back." " Must be nice." " Thanks again." "Your keys." "That would be smart." "Hey, Tess." "Would you mind doing an autograph for my gram?" "Can you make it, "to Mary, a true fan"?" "I wouldn't mind at all." "A guy helped me when my boyfriend and I were, um... you know?" "Anyway, if it hadn't been for him," "I'd be hurt a lot worse." "I'd like to thank him, but I don't know his name." "I don't know if I could do you much good there." "Uh, the folks come and go." "I, uh, met him at that little convenience store, down the road from here." "That's where we got in our fight, and he came along in this big truck with a loud exhaust." "And I remember thinking he wasn't driving it... he was wearing it." "Uh, was he big?" "Was he real big?" "Uh, like giant." "Oh, that's "Big Driver" you're talking about." "Yeah, I don't know where he lives, but must have high ceilings." "Yeah, he's local." "I see him around town." "If you see him around again, can you, uh, do me a favor and not tell him that we talked and just give me a call?" "I... want to surprise him, give him a little gift, or something." "Mm." "That's... that's sweet." "Thanks for your help." "I appreciate it." "Hey, Tess." "A lot of women get roughed up, wouldn't you say?" "What happened?" "My stepfather, when I was 12." "He held a knife to my face." "I was so scared, I kept still." "Then the knife slipped." "Ohh." "That's horrible." "I thought it was the end of the world." "There was blood..." "lots." "I am so sorry." "It's OK." "I know." "Solidarity." "Sisterhood forever." "But I don't like to be touched." "I understand." "Well, listen..." "I gotta get back to work." "Hello, Tess." "I missed you so much, Tom." "Thank you." "It's good you're back." "Are we taking a trip?" "Just home, Tommy boy." "In 100 yards, merge right, onto I-84." "I've been thinking, Tess, are you sure what happened wasn't planned?" "You could have driven home this way, on I-84." "Please." "But someone else had a better idea." "They had a shortcut." "Ramona Norvell?" "That's pretty farfetched." "God, I am losing my mind." "I am losing my mind." "If you're losing your mind, and I'm you, why are you making such good suggestions?" "Leave me alone." "Tess." "What?" "!" "What, what, what?" "!" "I'm sorry that man hurt you." ""Back after dinner sometime."" "Double-crossin' squealers, both of ya." "What's the matter?" "I don't know nothing." "So, Ramona loves him." "And this was her favorite film of his." "You know what I do to squealers?" "I let 'em have it in the belly." "He did a lot of other roles... good guys." "No!" "No!" "I can't..." "let me go!" "On a train, huh?" "No, no!" "This is why no one..." "Not outside!" "Not outside!" "She was a pretty odd duck." " No!" "No!" " Yes." "Better a straight shot through Robin Hood's forest than all the way around it." "What if they're related?" "Mother, sister?" "Too old to be a sister." "OK, maybe they're related and she drives to go visit her son all the time, so of course she would recommend that route." "But why didn't she just... say that," ""I go to visit my son all the time"?" "Doesn't make sense." "OK." ""Wedding."" ""Strehlke."" "Where are you, where are you, where are you?" ""Strehlke, Roscoe." "Died suddenly... 2002."" ""The body was found hanged, and the neighbor reported" ""Mr. Strehlke had been distraught over some trouble his older boy had been in."" "How about instead of changing your tire... what if I screw you?" "No!" "Bastard!" "Some trouble, some trouble." "Older." "Older son." "Assault, maybe sexual battery... growing into something bigger." "Uh, maybe the old man offs himself because he can't take it anymore, or... maybe Ramona..." "Ramona strings him up because..." "I don't know." "Ramona." "Ramona..." "Ramona took my picture." "OK." "She e-mailed it to him." "She e-mailed it to him to get an advance look?" "To what?" "To, um..." "She texted it to him, saying..." "Uh, what?" ""I'm sending you another juicy one"?" "Or she..." "I don't know!" "I don't know!" "I was maybe..." "Maybe it was a trap." "Maybe it was a trap." "If I..." "If I visit her... and I look her in the eyes and she looks surprised that I'm alive, then I'll know." "You're right, Fritz." "I need to take care of this, myself." "Given what I've been through, I have to." "In the Willow Grove Knitting Society, we've never reacted violently." "Though we don't disparage vindictive musings, when the circumstances are sufficiently heinous." "But there is one caveat." "What's the caveat, Doreen?" "Well, it's very simple, isn't it?" "Don't get caught." "If you do, there are dismal repercussions and..." "It will confirm... that you failed, in three ways." "One:" "Your plan didn't work." "Ergo, your agenda and goals are in ruin." "Two:" "When caught, you will face a legal quagmire, a hurtling fall from grace, likely imprisonment, and, of course, the possibility of a dreary cellmate and my consequent refusal to visit you, since I abhor wretched settings." "Last, but not least, Three:..." "You are condemned to live with the excruciating truth that, despite your astute mind, you overlooked something." "This oversight will torture you, like a sleepless curse, plaguing your every thought." "In time, driving you half mad." "I'll try my best not to get caught." "Lovely, dear." "There you are." "There." "Come on." "Hey." "Come on, come on." "You're gonna wake up the neighbors, you." "Hello, Tess." "I see we're taking a trip?" "A big one." "The time has come, hasn't it?" "Well, I know the perfect route." "Yeah." "You have reached your destination." "Be careful, Tess." "She's not a nice person." "Ramona." "It's so good to see you." "Back up." "If you even start to yell, I will shoot." "And you better believe me, bitch." "Why would you shoot me?" "You fire that gun, and the whole neighborhood is gonna hear you." "Well, it won't matter to you because you'll be dead." "Back up." "Over there." "You just be a good girl and answer my questions, and maybe you'll still be alive tomorrow." "Do you hear me?" " Over there." " You're crazy." " Over there!" " Aah!" "I don't know what you're doing here." "What did you expect?" "To find me dead in a drainage pipe?" "What you talking about?" " You..." " No!" "don't lie to me, mommy." "I saw it in your eyes, when you came to the door." "You thought I was dead." "I don't know what you're talking about!" "Just fess up, you sick bitch." "How long have you been doing it, Ramona, pimping for your homicidal, rapist son?" "When-when did it start?" "How old was he?" "Did he claim to just be "fooling around?"" "You came to the library, and we all welcomed you." "Yes, we did!" "And we paid you a very generous fee." "And the next thing I know, you're at my doorstep, and you're pointing a gun, and coming up with all these wild accusations." "Your son raped me..." "No." "and tried to kill me." " He thought he did kill me." " No." " And you sent me to him!" " No!" "No, no." "I would never do that." "He would never do that." "It's not true." " You sent me to him!" " He would never do that!" "Ohh!" "Oh, yes!" "No, no, no!" "Aah!" "Get off!" "Get off me, bitch!" "Get off me!" "Oh, oh." "You're a crappy writer." "And you're a crappy guest speaker." "You said my new book was fantastic, in your introduction." "I lied." "The other speaker canceled, and the only reason I called you is 'cause I had nobody else." "Your plots are pedestrian." "And those old ladies... they're a joke." "That's harsh, Ramona." "You were perfect for him." "Mommy." "Sit up!" "He was gonna do someone." "I know the signs." "I sent ya that way." "And I'm glad he did ya... shoulda killed ya." "I don't know what you thought you were doing coming here, but this is what you get." "Ow!" "No!" "No!" "Aah!" "Help me, help me." "Ohh." "Ow." "Ramona... the first rule of gun ownership... don't put a bullet in the chamber that first falls under the hammer." "You might accidentally shoot someone." "I've been feeling a sort of..." "I don't know what you'd call it... a kinship with your boyfriend Richard Widmark, right now." ""You know what I do to squealers, honey?" " I let 'em have it right in the belly."" " No!" "Please." "Please." "Never tell a writer their stuff is crap." "It brings out the worst in us." "I take my writing very seriously." "You don't... you don't understand." "You c... you can't do that." "It is a mistake." "The mistake was yours, Ramona." "It was not having... that worthless son of yours castrated as soon as you found out what he was." "I n-n-need you to help me." "We've been here for hours, Tom." "Maybe it's not gonna happen." "Things happen when they do, Tess." "Bastard." "Now what, Tess?" "I'll see you." "Thanks." "Did you get what you needed, Tess?" "Yeah, he just stopped by for a coffee and a doughnut." "What if he's married?" "What if he's got a wife?" "Guys like that don't have wives..." "Not ones that stick around, anyway." "There's only one woman in his life, and she's dead." "Evening." "Evening." "What's going on?" "Oh, I just pulled over to get a better signal, you know?" " Is that right?" " Yeah." "You seem a little lost." "Oh, I'm fine." "I always look like that." "It's my thing." "You might try down the road near the intersection." " Signal's better." " Great." "Thank you so much." "These things really get great mileage." "Yeah, I almost never have to fill my tank." " Gas costs an arm and a leg." " Sure does." "What were you doing over by the truck?" "Um... like I said, I was trying to get a better signal." "It stinks around here." " You take care now." " Thank you." "I will." "Obviously a slow night in crime-fighting." "Calculating new route." "2440 Hiller Crescent." "Your destination will be on your right." "This isn't the correct address." "No, it isn't, but he stopped here for some reason." "Maybe it's a trick?" "He could be waiting for you, Tess." "You can still leave." "No, I can't!" "He may be right, dear." "You had trouble with the mother?" "He's much bigger than her." "If you're going to do this," "I strongly recommend that you get started." ""Soonest begun, soonest done."" "No!" "Oh, my God." "What have I done?" "You killed me, Tess, just like you meant to." "I killed the wrong guy." "Mistaken identity, dear." "It happens." "Columbus thought America was India." "Anyway, the lighting out here is downright smudgy." "The intriguing question, though, is whether poor dad killed himself out of shame, over his deranged son, or... was dad going to tell... and mom killed him and made it look like suicide?" "The sensitive so often wed the cruel." "Which was it, Al?" "Tell her." " Tell her!" " Stop it, Doreen!" "Enough!" " Enough." " No, it's never enough until it's fully worked out, dear." "You know that." "It's your obsession, your gift from your chaotic childhood." "No!" "I... no, no, no." "I-I-I'm listening to a character that I created and-and to a man I just killed." "I've lost it." "Well, people always said you would." "Why fight it?" "Why were you driving his truck?" "He always takes my things, too." "He still has some video games he won't give back." "You're the brother." "When those girls disappeared, did you ask your mother?" "No one asked our mother anything... ever." "Families can be so finicky." "In our last novel, there were these truly nasty triplets that had it in for each other and..." "Oh, please, Doreen." "Why didn't you tell anybody about your psychotic brother?" "I don't know." "He was scared, obviously." "Of your brother?" "Not him." "Scared of her." "I killed an innocent man." "There was no way you could know." "It all happened so fast." "Doesn't matter, doesn't matter, doesn't matter, Doreen." "I've just sent myself to hell." "Well, point taken." "But why not make sure the other guy gets there first, hmm?" "We're going to the address that I programmed." "You mean, the one that wasn't this address?" "That one, smart ass." "Oh, my God." "Sick bastard." "Eh, moved to LA and never looked back." "You're dead." "No." "That would be your mommy... and your brother." "Don't." "Come and get it." "How about this?" "Instead of letting you go..." "No." "Don't kill me." "why don't I just kill you?" "Please don't kill me." "Please don't." "Plea..." "If I may weigh in, dear... waste the whiny bitch." "The world just got a little better." "If I were you... and arguably, I am..." "I would head out of here, ASAP." "You'll never get away with it, you bitch." "Oh, for heaven's sakes, you grotesque freak." "It's over." "Of course, she will." "I didn't kill an innocent man." "They were all guilty." "Part of me died after what they did to me, but what they left of me, is stronger." "Are you ready to go home, Tess?" "You've had a long night." "Yes." "Let's go home." "If I may interrupt, dear..." "As you know, I repeatedly tell the girls that, when solving crimes, we must never forget the cardinal truth about murderers..." "They often overlook the obvious." "What am I forgetting, Doreen?" "Don't get caught." "I guess I was always violent, deep down." "I denied it, like most of us do, but lt let me dream up 12 novels, where people were murdered, ln cold blood, so... that didn't come from nowhere." "Tess." "Tess, are you alright?" "Yeah." "I'm OK, Tom." "I'm glad." "I'd be lost without you." "I won't make excuses, for what I've done, nor can I say I did it, while of unsound mind." "I wanted an eye for an eye." "I got my justice." "I wrote Helena Dove's name on the back of her photo." "Maybe that'll help her family." "With any luck, the police will identify the others." "And if it all leads to me, if they find evidence, somewhere along the way, in their investigations, so be it." "But I won't volunteer it." "It cost me too much." "Can you please read this for me?" "I wanna hear how it sounds." "Something a little different." "Of course, dear." ""Given that emotion, and not logic," ""'is the key to all human behavior," ""and to crime itself," said Doreen Marquis," ""as the other knitting society members listened," ""'I propose we fully change our investigative focus" ""'from forensic to psychological," ""from the crime to the perpetrator."" "I like this, dear." "It's the beginning of the new one." "Will you read a little bit more?" ""Logic will only get us so far in solving a crime,"" "said Doreen, with her meticulous syntax." ""'We must understand the emotion motivating it" ""ln order to comprehend why people do the unthinkable." ""Because in the absence of logic," ""we all make some of the most profound choices of our lives."" "What do you think?" "Well, to be frank," "I think it's about time, dear." "We can't always be polite and... and logical, can we?" "Sometimes it's just about friggin' payback." "Payback." "Hello." "Hello?" "I know what you did, Tess." "Way to go, girl." "Betsy?"