"The police came...and it took a long time to get everything ironed out. The car had to be towed. I kept looking at my watch, trying to get away, but I couldn't leave.
"Finally, I just ran. The car was being towed away and I just ran. I ran the whole way across town, praying that I wasn't too late...that just this once, I could change things.
"I couldn't, of course," Larry said gravely. "I found the alley...and she was there...and so were the three guys. I fought them like a son of a bitch...but I couldn't stop them.
"They r***d and killed her...almost killed me...and then they just left us there." Larry stopped; for a long moment, he was silent. He sniffed, drew in a deep, shuddering breath, released it.
"So, you see," he said finally, his voice low and hoarse, "these flashes
