She looked up at me and brushed away a few tears with her fingertips.
"_You_ want to get _me_ off of your conscience, do you, William
Hagle? God, that's a good one." She reached out and took my hand in
hers. "Come along down into the basement, William. I want to show you
something. Afterward, if you want to--if you really want to--you may
kill me."
"Thanks," I said.