Chapter 17: Linda

Darkness. Meeks lies asleep, exhausted from the long train ride, from his gunshot wounds, from making love to Linda. He stirs, rolls toward Linda and he reaches for her. She's gone. He groans and grabs his shoulder. He sits up in bed and shakes off the tired.

He takes Linda's pillow and smells deeply of it. He notices something on her nightstand. A book. He picks it up.

It is "Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross. Meeks immediately tenses. He senses something…

GUNFIRE! From downstairs. Meeks grabs his gun and flies out of the room.

Meeks barrels into the kitchen and can’t believe his eyes. Beal is standing there with Meeks’ gun pointing. Linda lies on the ground, bleeding, gasping. The telephone is in her hand, beeping.

Meeks eyes the gun in Beal's hand. “The fuck did you do?”