“Who are you?” she asked.
“Maria Lopez. Alicia and I...we were best friends. We grew up together in Miami. When we were older, we worked in one of the clubs together and...” Her voice trailed away.
“And?” Hannah encouraged.
“There’s money at the clubs. All the beautiful people. And...and cocaine. A lot of it. And before you know it...”
“I understand,” Hannah said.
“So then, you do things. You sleep with repulsive men and you don’t even care. And you...move things for people.”
“Move things?”
Maria nodded. “A diamond one time, artwork another. Hidden in shoe boxes in the back of your car or inside a suitcase. You go down the street and get into a van and move it where you’re told. And then one day...one day I got a call about another van. I got there early and saw two men in it, and I heard them talking. What they were saying scared me, so I went to leave, but one of them saw me. He said something that scared me even more, so I hit him and tried to run. But he was faster than me, and stronger. I ended up in the back of the van, and the next thing I knew, I was in a cabin by the water. I think it was on an island.”
“Tell me about the cabin,” Hannah demanded. “Do you know where it was?”
Maria began to weep. “I don’t know. But Alicia was there, and one other girl. Alma. And one old man who watches over us. They kept us in a room together. Alicia said her brother would come, but I couldn’t stand it. I got out and tried to swim away. I saw a man in a boat, and I thought he would save me, but he dragged me out of the water and...here I am.”
“Was he a big man, with blue eyes?”
Maria nodded.
“He’s dead now, too,” Hannah said.
“Good!” Then Maria lowered her head and wept. “Why am I still here?” she whispered.
Hannah didn’t have the answer to that. “Do you think you could come with me?” she asked. “I have friends like you at my home in Key West. Do you think you could follow me?”
“I...can try.”
As she spoke, the key turned in the door. Dirk and the others were back.
“I’m a busy man, you know, Dallas,” Dirk was saying. “Keep the body count down, will you?”
“It’s not like we go looking for them,” Dallas said. “Hannah, you ready?”
She looked from him to Kelsey and Logan. She could tell that none of them saw anything unusual. Then again, neither did she at that moment.
“Yes, ready, let’s go,” she said.
*
“I wonder if we’ll make it back without incident today,” Logan said, looking at Dallas in the rearview mirror. “To tell you the truth, I’m kind of hoping for something,” he admitted.
“Actually, we do have something. Someone,” Hannah said.
Maria Lopez was sitting uncomfortably at her side. Naked.
“What?” Logan said.
“She’s very shy and uncomfortable right now,” Hannah said, smiling at the young woman who, so far, only she could see. “But she’s coming with us. Melody may be able to help her.”
“Is it—is it Alicia?” Dallas asked.
“No,” Hannah said. “But she can help us find out where Alicia is.”
*
Nothing happened on the way back to Hannah’s house. The Siren of the Sea had never looked more beautiful, she thought, as she stood on the street and looked up toward the widow’s walk. Of course, when they went in, there was still blood on her parlor floor.
“What should I do?” she asked Dallas.
“There are special companies that specialize in cleaning up crime scenes. I’ll call one for you,” he told her.
So for now, she decided, they were simply going to avoid the parlor.
She headed to the kitchen, calling for Melody and Hagen, who appeared immediately. Dallas was right behind her, and Kelsey and Logan went up to their room.
For a brief moment Maria Lopez fully materialized. Then she saw Dallas and disappeared, but from his gasp, Hannah knew he’d caught a glimpse of her.
But Melody and Hagen had turned to the spot where Maria had been. From the look in Hagen’s eyes, they apparently still saw her.
Melody slammed him with an ectoplasm elbow.
“Sorry,” he murmured, and then he said kindly, “I’m truly sorry, Miss. Do not be embarrassed. I will leave now, but please, trust Melody. I know she will help you.”
“Why don’t you all come with me?” Hagen said to the others, and they followed him to the back room.
“Who is she?” Hagen asked, and Hannah explained.
“I still haven’t seen her,” Kelsey said as she and Logan walked into the room in time to hear Hannah’s explanation.
“Me neither,” Logan said.