“Natasha thinks we need to be playing with a band, so we can become part of the music scene and get closer to the killer.”
He was silent a minute.
“Did you hear me?” she asked.
“Bands,” he said.
“Pardon?”
“Bands,” he said. “If we’re going to become part of the music crowd, we need to play with more than one band. But we’ll start with Tyler’s group. That’s where Arnie played his last gig—at La Porte Rouge.”
“Quinn, that’s fine for you, but I—I suck!”
“It will be fine.”
Easy for you to say—you love your damned guitar.
“What will I do?” she asked. “Continual renditions of ‘Chopsticks’?”
“We can always whip out a bagpipe.”
“Funny.”
“Every band can use a backup singer,” he told her.
“Do you think Tyler’s band will let us play horribly with them?” Danni said.
“I beg your pardon. I don’t play horribly.”
“I do.”
“You don’t need to play. You sing backup, and stand around and look pretty. Besides, we’ll bring Billie. He can really play. You heard him last night.”
Billie could play, and that could prove to be a godsend, Danni thought.
Quinn was quiet for a minute and then said, “Give Tyler a call, and ask if he can use an extra guitar player and a backup singer, along with Billie on sax.”
“Billie will be a big help. And if he’s there...well, you two can join the band. I’ll sit in the audience and—”
“No, you’re not getting out of it. We have to make a real effort to become part of the music scene. That’s how you get musicians to talk to you. And remember, we’ll just be starting at La Porte Rouge. We may need to play all around the city.”
“And split up?” she asked.
“No way. If we don’t know the groups or the venues, we’re not splitting up,” he said sternly. “We’re at our best together. Always.”
“Come home so we can figure this out,” she told him.
“I’ll be there soon.”
Danni had barely ended the call when her phone began to ring. Glancing down, she saw that it was her friend Jenny LaFleur.
“Hey, Jenny,” she said. She should have expected the call; Jenny must have seen the news, so she was bound to be nervous.
“They’re warning musicians to be careful,” Jenny told her. “Do you know anything? Are we in danger?”
“You need to watch out and steer clear of anyone you don’t know, yes,” Danni said. “Especially if you’re on your own.”
“Can you and Quinn come watch the band tonight? Quinn could sit in with us,” Jenny said hopefully.
“Actually, I think we’re going to be at La Porte Rouge,” Danni told her.
“Hey, I’m your friend, and I would feel a lot better if you were around.”
“We’ll get over there soon, Jenny. I promise. For tonight...”
“Is Quinn sitting in with another group?” Jenny demanded.
“That’s the plan,” Danni told her. “I’m going to sit in with them, too.”
Jenny’s dead silence did nothing for her confidence. Finally she said, “Oh. So you two are...involved in this.”
“Half the city will wind up involved in this,” Danni said quietly.
“It’s awful! I’m so thankful that Brad and I work together. We’ll be very careful. Brad has a gun, you know. He doesn’t normally carry it, but you can bet he’s going to start now.”
The thought of dozens of people who had legal permits—and dozens more who did not—running around the city armed didn’t bode well, Danni thought. “Just be careful with that, too,” she said quietly.
“Brad isn’t an idiot. He’s not going to run around shooting at shadows,” Jenny said.
“I wasn’t really thinking about Brad. I’ve seen a few people working late who I’d rather not see running around with a gun in the dark,” Danni said.
“Well, until they catch this guy...”
“Jenny, did you know the men who were killed?” Danni asked.
“I can’t say I really knew them. I’d seen them play—they were good, too. We’d spoken a few times. Larry Barrett even came to see us play once or twice.”
“Did you know Arnie Watson?”
“Arnie?” Jenny repeated curiously. “Of course. He was a few years ahead in school. He could play really well then, and he only got better and better. We had him sit in with us any time we could, once he got back from the military. Poor Arnie. It was heartbreaking to hear about him. Why are you asking about Arnie? How could this have anything to do with him?”
“I was just asking,” Danni said. But she felt a shiver of unease slip along her spine. Arnie had played with her friends. That could mean they were in danger.
“I really wish you could come play with us tonight,” Jenny said.
“You really can’t wait to hear my keyboard playing?” Danni asked.
“I was actually thinking about Quinn doing the playing, but not to worry—we can give you a tambourine. Not even you can do too much damage with that! But, seriously, come play with us as soon as you can, okay?”