All at once that was the most important thing – to get out of the dark.

A week ago, Norman would never have dared. But this wasn’t a week ago, it was now, and things were different. It was now, and he had to face the truth.

He managed to retain a cheerful smile at all times – though, in the dreams, he screamed.

Talk about not knowing other people – why, when you came right down to it, you didn’t even know yourself!

Twelve years had passed, and now he’d come full circle. The whole business had started here, and here it must end. That was simple justice.

Norman took another drink, just a sip. He could feel the wetness trickle down the side of his chin. He must be drunk. All right, he was drunk, what did it matter? As long as Mother didn’t know. As long as the girl didn’t know. It would all be a big secret. Impotent, was he? Well, that didn’t mean he couldn’t see her again.

That was the most important thing. He had to stop talking to himself. He had to get back that calm feeling agan. He had to face reality. And what was reality?

It was the knife that, a moment later, cut off her scream.

It was really a fascinating book – no wonder he hadn’t noticed how fast the time had passed.

Nobody would be quite as surprised as my wife, when I killed her.