Chapter 7
Jacksonville, FL
ONCE AGAIN, CHRIS and Mickey were awakened by the sound of screams coming from Ted’s room.
“I’ll go,” Mickey said. “You go back to sleep, okay?”
“Thanks,” Chris said, and rolled over on his side to do just that. He was dimly aware of Mickey’s voice coming from Ted’s room; then the screams stopped, and he heard the sound of bare feet padding across the floor. Finally he felt Mickey crawl back in bed and snuggle up against him.
“Everything okay?” he said.
“Yeah. He’s all right now. Probably already asleep.”
“Thanks. Night.”
Chris opened his eyes at five, a few minutes in advance of the alarm. He turned off the alarm and headed for the bathroom. When he was showered and shaved he dressed quietly in the walk-through closet, then slipped downstairs to the kitc
